Last Updated on: 19th September 2021, 01:09 pm
Living in the digital era, we have surpassed the times when traveling the globe meant disconnecting with the outside world. Now, the internet has become accessible widely throughout the globe, meaning that you can stay connected with family, friends, and work while you are on the go! However, it’s not as easy as you might think to stay connected while you travel.
It doesn’t matter whether you are on a business trip or vacationing in the Bahamas. Naturally, you will want to remain in constant connection with everything. Imagine you are casually chilling in the lobby waiting for your next flight. Of course, you are going to grab your smartphone and scroll through the latest updates. But is that wifi connection safe?
My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2023
These are my favorite companies that I use on my own travels.
Protect Your Trip via Safety Wing
Find the best city tours, day tours, bus tours, & skip-the-line tickets on GetYourGuide and Viator.
Find the best deals on hotels & vacation rentals on Booking.com.
For English-speaking private airport transfers, book through Welcome Pickups.
For road trips and independent travel, rent a car through Discover Cars.
Find information and cruise reviews on Cruise Critic.
For packing and travel essentials order via Amazon.
Book an affordable family or romantic photography session on your trip through Flytographer (Use the code HISTORYFANGIRL for 10% off your first photoshoot).
For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two from Rick Steves and Lonely Planet.
Potential Risks of Using Public Wi-Fi
There are numerous risks involved with using public Wi-Fi or an internet connection from a remote foreign place. Possibly worse, you could feel inclined to use shared computers to send a last-minute email to your boss, which is why you need to use a good VPN and stay protected while traveling around the globe. You can download it here and get it set up right away.
What Does a VPN Service Offer?
A good VPN provides you the following services:
- A safe, secure, and private access to the internet.
- Encryption of all online data to prevent data breaches.
- Prevention of identity and data theft, such as usernames, credit card details, passwords, and browser cookies.
- Access to sites that are delimited in the country that you might have traveled to.
Safety & Security
For the protection of their citizens, the United States, Canada, and other countries have published public-safety precautions linked with public Wi-Fi use. Getting access to free Wi-Fi can look like a treat, especially when you are traveling and wanting to connect with family and friends.
Nonetheless, public Wi-Fi also poses a potential threat from hackers who are waiting to crack through your data and access your information that they can later use against you. By using a public internet connection without a VPN, you run the risk of having your passwords and other personal information stolen.
Access to Blocked Content
Depending on the country you are traveling to, there is always the possibility that Facebook, YouTube, and certain news channels are blocked due to government censoring. This fact is specifically true for Asian countries, such as Vietnam, China, and Korea.
Unfortunately, this happened to me when I was in Istanbul trying to write an article. Many of the websites I needed, including Wikipedia, were blocked! Luckily I was able to use my VPN to get around it.
To overcome geo-limitations, you can use a VPN service to access different websites. Suppose you are planning to travel to the UAE, you can expect Skype and Whatsapp to be blocked. We recommend doing extensive research before traveling to any region so that nasty surprises can be avoided.
No More Frozen Accounts
One of the worst situations that a traveler can face is having one’s bank account frozen. Suppose you are thousands of miles away from your home and unable to access your money. This is one of the most unfortunate situations that you can be in when you’re on the road.
This happened to me in Cambodia. I was on my way to Angkor at four in the morning, yet my credit card company had frozen my credit cards and my account. I had to call their emergency hotline for international travelers. I almost missed seeing sunrise at Angkor!
This is why you need a VPN while using your online banking service on your laptop or smartphone. Another way to avoid a frozen bank account is by informing your bank beforehand that you are traveling and more likely to access your bank account from abroad.