Escaped to Peru

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Safety and Security on Vacation

If you are on tour with us you will be met and looked after all around your route and you are able to call or talk with us or one of our representatives at any time. The advice below is still valid however as you will sometimes have free time to wander about and enjoy this fantastic continent.

Millions of people travel to Latin America every year on vacation with the vast majority having a trouble free time. The vast majority of people report that staying safe in Latin America is really no different to any large city in North America or Europe, and of course common sense precautions should be taken.

We hope that these notes will ensure a trouble free vacation.

You need to look after your belongings, especially in large cities. Don´t leave bags lying around in hotel lobbies for example. Insurance companies will take the view that you should be aware of the different circumstances prevailing in Latin America and that you should take precautions accordingly. If the insurance company loss adjusters don’t think you took sufficient care of your belongings before they were stolen, they will be reluctant to pay out for losses.

You may note that the cover provided by travel insurance policies for some valuable articles such as cameras and their lenses is often relatively low. This is because they often take the view that valuable articles like these should be covered as part of an all risks policy on your household insurance.

Owing to poverty and the general preconception that tourists are wealthy, street robbery has become an increasing problem in some larger urban settlements. Fortunately, even in those cities where street robbery can be a problem, such as Rio and São Paulo in Brazil, Lima in Peru, Bogotá in Colombia and Guatemala City, actual assault or violence is still extremely rare. Pick-pocketing and bag snatching is the major problem and is on the rise in some other large cities such as Santiago De Chile and Buenos Aires. If your money is stolen you will probably find that your insurance loss adjusters will rarely authorize an immediate dispatch of funds. Therefore having more than one source of cash is advisable.

Escaped to Latin America regularly receives updates from our representatives on the ground. We keep our information as up-to-date as possible on the health and security situation in all countries in Latin America. For constant up-to-date information on individual countries we recommend that you refer to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk or the US equivalent www.state.gov/travel

A combination of caution, common sense and up-to-date information will be your best defence
against any possible mishap whilst travelling.

We strongly advise you against wearing valuable looking jewellery or watches. When travelling between destinations, a money belt worn inside your clothes is vital and your passport, credit cards, traveler´s checks, insurance documents, vaccination certificates and any cash not immediately needed should be kept in it out of sight.

Most hotels have a safe either in the rooms or at the reception desk and you should make use of these whenever possible (please use your common sense to satisfy yourself that it is indeed safe). Although your camera is (statistically) safer in your hotel room than on you, many travel insurance companies will not cover losses for theft from hotel rooms - so please check your policy.

Pick-pocketing and bag slashing can occur in crowded transport terminals, markets, festivals and on buses and trains. Be aware that people might try to distract your attention in various ways (e.g. by squirting shampoo or similar on your clothes, bag or shoes, and offering to help you clean it off) in order to rob you.
Do not carry on you or in your wallet more cash than will meet your immediate requirements. Never carry money in back pockets.

If you are unlucky enough to be robbed, report it to the nearest police station and ensure that you receive a certified copy of the official statement (a denuncia) for insurance claim purposes. There may be a small local charge for this. In a number of countries across the continent, there have been cases of con-artists posing as plain-clothed police officers asking to see money, passports, wallets and handbags. You should always establish their identity and secure the presence of an objective witness before being subjected to a search. If requested it is always advisable to empty your own pockets, to avoid the possibility of having anything ‘planted’ on you. There have also been occasional reports from people having their drinks spiked as a prelude to robbery. Be careful whom you drink with!

While it is necessary for us to issue the above cautions, we would like to emphasize that incidents like those described are suffered by only a very small minority of travelers to Latin America. Many clients have asked us to point out that they felt far safer when in Latin America than they had been led to expect.

You are most vulnerable to theft when…
-You are walking around with a lot of gear. For this reason we always recommend transfers as a part of your package. If you have not bought transfers as part of your tour take an official taxi – think of it as an insurance policy.
-You are carrying a camera or camcorder. It is best to keep expensive equipment out of site when walking around. Perhaps put it in a bag or concealed under outer clothing.
-You are wearing glasses. A thief may grab your glasses and while you are reaching to protect them an accomplice is grabbing your bag or wallet. Remember it is unlikely to be your glasses they are interested in unless they are expensive designer sunglasses. If you have expensive sunglasses it may be better to keep them in your hotel room and buy a cheaper pair for city use.
-You are in a crowd. When in a crowd you are most susceptible to pick-pocketing or bag snatching.
-You have just changed money. After changing money you should be particularly aware of your surroundings. It is best to return to your hotel and leave what you do not require in the hotel safe.
-When you are walking alone at night. Take an official taxi.

Some general advice:
-It is best not to carry a wallet. They are bulky and easy to pick. It is better to carry your spending money loose and spread around. (Your main bulk of money should be kept in a money belt underneath your clothing or in a hotel safe).
-Don´t wear expensive jewellery or watches.
-Know how much money you have. A clever thief will only take a few bills so you won´t know whether the money was stolen or spent (this is a fairly typical hotel room scenario – never leave money lying around in your room – the temptation can be too big for some staff).
- Loop the strap of your bag around a chair leg or your waist in cafes and restaurants so it cannot be taken.
-Never show anyone your money.
-Carry as little of value with you as possible. Use the hotel safe.
-Don´t walk around alone at night.
-Use official taxis after dark unless in a very safe area or with a group.
-Take photocopies of your passport, credit cards and traveller cheques. Keeping an electronic copy in your email account is a good idea.
-Look confident and pretend you know where you are going, even if you do not!
Being aware of potential problems and taking these common sense precautions should greatly reduce the chance of your experiencing problems whilst away. Once again these problems are very uncommon, but forewarned is forearmed.

Happy travels! We are here to answer any and all questions.