Travel Alerts and Travel Safety

Will I get Swine flu, Sars and or the Ebola virus in the country I plan to visit? Will the recent earthquake or the threat of a terrorist attack affect my safety? Will I end up next to Schapelle?

The Australian government has a system of travel warnings in place for prospective travellers to help protect your safety before you travel and while you’re away. The DFAT system works on five levels of alert: from the standard common sense approach at level one, to the more serious warning levels: four -reconsider your need to travel, or five – advised not to travel.

If you are planning on travelling to a country that has a level 4 or 5 warning in place it is worth checking with your travel insurance company if this will affect your cover, as this may void your policy.

Have a look online at http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au/for information on the places you plan to visit.  You can also sign up for travel alerts via email to keep you aware of any developments.

It’s also a great idea to register your travel plans on the site, making getting in easier for you to be found if there is any trouble where you are heading.

For another point of view the equivalent British government site is a great resource for travel safety information (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/).

The US state department also has a similar and comprehensive site, though reading through it might give some indication as to why Americans might feel jittery about leaving home.  In parts the site will have you thinking staying put is the only option.  Ours and the British site are far more staright forward.

When travelling keeping an ear for local advice on threats, natural or manmade, can be invaluable.  Speaking to locals and fellow travellers will keep you up to date with local events and no go areas, the locations of which might not make it onto government sites.

Where should I definatley avoid?

While some countries on alert can raise debate (such as Indonesia), at the time of writing there are a bunch of ‘no go’ zones that would be wise to avoid completely. Subject to change and not a complete list by any means, these are some of the real hotspots where tourism is not presently considered a safe option (check smarttraveller for more)

Algeria, Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Columbia, Haiti, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Zimbabwe

As for ending up next to Schapelle Corby in a Bali jail it’s up to you what to believe when it comes to your luggage safety.  Places like Indonesia can be corrupt but the chance of this happening to you if you are doing the right things is fairly minimal (consider the literally millions of visits to Bali by Aussies in the last thirty years or so).

Also check out Australain Customs page ,  information for solo women travellers, is my destination safe? and  travel health on this site for more advice and resources.

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