Our smartphone behaviors while traveling differ from our usage at home. We utilize them in different ways and are often relying on them in foreign and unfamiliar environments.
From busy markets to beautiful beaches, our phones can also be found in a more vulnerable state for damage, loss, or theft. Not to worry, these safe and savvy tips can help you protect your beloved device (or extension of self) while gallivanting across the globe.
In this article, we’ll explore common scenarios for practicing smart smartphone habits to travel with confidence, convenience, curiousity, and connectivity.
Smartphones Transcend Cultural Boundaries.
Forbes published a statistics article about smartphone usage in 2024:
69% of the world’s population has a smartphone.
96.5% of users access the internet from the phone.
And there is a good chance you are reading this article from your smartphone now.
Locals and tourists alike snap selfies and foodie pics, navigate new streets, message, and get lost in the time-suck of social scrolling.
I remember observing a teenage girl walking down a red clay road in rural Rwanda balancing a bundle of sticks on her head and laughing while on her cellphone.
At first it was a surpsing juxtaposition, but her casual demeanor felt the same as if she were a suburban mom gossiping with a friend, carrying an Iced Caramel Machiato from Starbucks .
As a traveler, your phone habits may deviate from your homelife behavior, but keep in mind, you’ll find that people around the world use their phones much like you do.
Phone Safety Tips for Busy Areas
Whether touring one of the seven wonders of the world or gawking at street performers in New Orleans during Mardi Gras:
busy areas = distractions
And distractions lead to risk.
Here are some phone tips for busy or popular areas.
- Be mindful of your surroundings: crowded tourist hotspots, busy and loud areas, and anywhere where there are a lot of disruptions and distractions can be prone to theft.
Be aware of high pickpocket areas around major attractions.
- Stay discreet: Avoid flaunting expensive devices unnecessarily. Carrying an exposed phone in a back pocket makes for an easy target.
- Purses and bags: From India to Italy to Iowa people carry purses and bags with their phones inside. You can have a comfortable and stylish crossbody bag, without it screaming, “Hi! I’m a tourist target!”
I recommend a bag with multiple compartments and a durable clasp or zipper closure. - Anti-theft bags: If this brings your more peace of mind, look for something that is both comfortable and is easy to use. Fumbling around with anti-theft zippers everytime you pull your phone will deter you from using those pockets.
If a money belt makes you feel more secure, think about how it feels if it is against your skin when in the heat of summer. Will it make your holiday less enjoyable?I have owned my Travelon wallet for over 7 years and appreciate the functionality, RFID protection and ease of use for storing credit cards, passport, cash and coins.
- Charging stations: While charging your device in a café, airport, or a common area, be mindful that it is still a public area and do not leave your phone unattended.
- Utilize Hostel lockers: It is rare that we go out without our phones, but if you are staying in a shared space or hostel, rather than leaving your phone or devices on your bed lock it up in a locker for safe keeping.
Phone Safety Tips While Navigating
I adore a paper map, but apps like Google Maps, WAZE, MapsMe, AllTrails, Komoot, and Strava have their place as well.
Here are four tips for keeping you and your smartphone safe while navigating.
- Look around. This is common sense, but for years there have been reports of accidents of people so engaged in their phones they’re not paying attention to their environment. From bears to buses, make sure to look up and check out what’s around you.
- Download Offline Maps: Downloaded offline maps of your destinations helps conserve data usage and can work on airplane mode.
Check out this helpful guide for how to prep your phone before traveling.
- Using headphones to navigate. One of my travel habits while exploring is creating a playlist and having google maps navigate over it. I’m a wired kind of girl, but Bluetooth headphones allows you to be able to keep your phone safely tucked away as well.
- Moto drivers: There are several notorious high traffic cities like Cartegena, Dar Es Salaam, and Ho Chi Minh, where scooter or motorcycle drivers swish past and can snatch smartphones straight from your unsuspecting hands. You can prevent this by turning your back away from the street or stepping to the side near a building.
At the Beach
Beach vacations make up the majority of tourism. Clear blue water and white sandy beaches – sounds idyllic, right?
These suggestions can help keep your smartphone water, sand, and theft free.
- A Ziploc bag: Seal your phone in a Ziploc bag, you can still use the functionality of it without getting greasy sunblock streacks on the screen and you can sneak it under your towel when you go into the water.
- Waterproof lanyards, hip packs, and drybags: I love my sea-to-summit dry bag. They are made with recycled nylon and have a roll-top feature preventing water from getting inside. These are viable options for taking your phone with you into the water. Make sure to do a waterproof test before immersing your smartphone.
- Keep your phone out of direct sunlight: This is to prevent it from overheating.
- Beach Blanket Buddy System: Ask the friendly beach blanket neighbor to look after your belongings while you swim and reciprocate the offer.
The caveat is, you cannot hold them responsible if something happens. But at least it is someone keeping a watchful eye.
- Beach lockers. Before heading to a popular beach spot, check online to see if they offer beach lockers, either coin operated, with a key, or bringing your own lock.
Keep your valuables nearby and locked up so you can have a carefree day at the beach.
- Hiding your phone in plain sight: There are ideas of concealing your phone in various everyday containers. Rinsed sunblock bottles, potato chip bags, this is an opportunity to get creative.
One of the most ridiculous ideas that floats around each summer, is wrapping your device in a diaper to deter people from taking it. If you are not with babies and have no other child belongings around, don’t do this.
- Leave the phone at home. Do your research and see if petty crime and theft is a common problem at your beach destination. If so, consider leaving your phone and anything valuable at home or turned off and hidden in the car.
Phone Safety and Etiquette for Taking Photos
Photography is a powerful medium. Your photos capture your view, your moment, your memories, and/or how you want to be portrayed in the world. With the rise of tourism, there has been an equal rise in bad tourist behavior. Here are a few smartphone etiquette pointers worth mentioning before you point and click.
- Create a social environment for taking photos: If you see others taking photos or selfies, offer to take a few pics in exchange for them taking yours. Create an environment for photo bartering.
- Setting up tripods: Find a place where you aren’t too far away from your equipment.
- Popular photo spots: Overtourism is a growing problem. If you want a particular setting or scene, be aware there may be others hoping to capture that same view as well. Here are a few ideas on how to get more isolated photos:
- Seek out quieter times of the day.
- Visit during the off-season.
- Embrace off-weather.
- Get creative and shoot at unique angles.
- Capture the ambiance as a whole (ALL the tourists there).
- Photoshop.
- Be conscientious of others. Look around, are there other people wanting photographs in the same spot, be considerate and allow time for everyone. While many photographers will say “don’t care what other’s think,” I do believe we can coexist in a gracious space.
- Plan ahead.
- Set up your shot.
- Rock a pose or two and step aside.
- Alternatively, take several burst photos or a video where you can capture stills.
- Step to the side, assess, and see what you want to try differently, and allow someone else to get their picture in the meantime.
- Turn down the screen brightness: Traveling for a concert? A show? There are a number of artists that no longer allow smartphones during performances. Light pollution is a huge distraction for the people around you in dim lit environments.
- Respect cultures and people’s right to privacy. Diversity makes the world a fascinating place to explore. It’s your responsibility as a traveler to be polite and ask for permission even with gestures when taking a picture of someone. Respect their right to say no. People deserve to maintain their dignity. They may look exotic, dress or behave differently, but this does not give you the right as a tourist to exploit them.
- Don’t get stuck behind the camera. Look up, look around. Enjoy the space you’re in. Soak up the atmosphere. Create your own memories.
Phone Etiquette for Religious/ Cultural Sites, and Quiet Shared Spaces, and Hiking
- Check to see if phones and photos are allowed: Respect the environment and enjoy the digital detox. This is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself and connect with your surrounding.
- Silence your phone: Libraries, saunas and spas, marked quiet train cars, and quiet lounges in the airport are intended to be tranquil, peaceful environments for people to escape the noise and find serenity.
- Use headphones: In common areas, keep your personal entertainment to yourself. Music, podcasts, games, tiktoks, and YouTubes for your ears only. Others may not share your desire for auditory stimulation.
There are plenty of arduous long hikes, when music motivation (or the promise of chocolate) is the only way to get my a** up the mountain or overcome something scary. Pack your earbuds and leave the JBL clip at home.
- Respond to any alarms immediately: Deep sleepers beware. If you are staying in a shared dorm or hostel and have an phone alarm set, turn it off and WAKE UP. Don’t hit snooze. Don’t let it go off 20 times with U2 playing “It’s a beautiful morning.” You may have an early morning plan, but the weary traveler in the bunk next to you may not.
- Be aware of how your voice carries: In shared and public spaces, be mindful of how loud you speak and keep the speaker function off.
When I chat with friends, I get really bubbly and enthusiastic. My voice gets louder and my pitch gets higher especially when I am excited. I try to be conscientious to avoid having these conversations in places that would distrub others.
Practical Phone Travel Tips
- Back Up Regularly: Get into the habit of backing up your smartphone regularly. Cloud services like iCloud, Google Cloud, or OneDrive can back up your photos and important data regularly whenever connected to Wi-Fi. One of the biggest regrets people have when losing their phones is often losing their pictures and contacts.
- Battery Conservation: Lowering screen brightness, disabling unnecessary background apps, and running it on airplane mode help prolong your phone’s battery life while exploring.
- Powerbanks and plugs: If you are planning for a long day out, consider carrying a charging cable and/or powerbank or plug.
This guide to mastering phone etiquette while traveling most often comes down to mindful awareness. Embrace the new and unpredictable with confidence. And remember this golden rule for travel,
Enjoy being in the moment.
What are your best phone etiquette travel tips? Drop a comment below, I would love to hear from you.
One Response
AND USE SKYPE! LOL