Messy Asian festivals coming up include:
Mar 24 – Holi Festival of Colour, India
Apr 13-15 – Songkran Water Festival, Thailand
Jul (TBC) – Boryeong Mud Festival, South Korea
Every full moon – Full Moon Party, Thailand
To help maximise the festival holiday experience, check out these five top safety tips:
Less is more
Street crime is ever-present so limit the items you are bringing, avoid wearing jewellery, hide your camera and keep your valuables securely stored. At festivals like Songkran Water Festival in Thailand this can be hard but don’t be tempted to leave your things to the side unattended, even if you think you can keep an eye on them.
Take extra care with your passport, money and credit cards. If your hotel room has a safe use this to secure any items you don’t need to carry. Remember, your travel insurance policy does require you to act in a responsible way to protect yourself and your property at all times.
Respect the boundaries
Whenever large events take place, organisers can cordon-off pedestrian zones. Adhere to any set boundaries to avoid accidents or trouble with police monitoring the crowds. When there aren’t any restricted zones, still look to keep a safe distance from activities such as fire eaters and dancers. Leave the performance to the professionals.
Holi in Mathura, credit: Prabuddharay, iStock
Create a ‘safe zone’
Finding people at festivals and parades can be a nightmare, so try to meet your friends elsewhere and travel together to and from activities. Pre-plan a safe point nearby where you can easily meet each other if you get separated and carry a card with key contact numbers in case you need to make an emergency call. There is also safety in numbers, as the risk of kidnap is high in various countries, including India. Sticking together could help you avoid being a target.
Know your limits
Cheap alcohol is readily available in most Asian countries and can often be sold in stronger measures than we are used to here. This is particularly prominent at Thailand’s Full Moon Parties where alcohol is literally available by the bucket-load.
Spending long hours in the sun watching a parade can also make you dehydrated which quickens the effects of alcohol and over-indulging can impair judgement and increase the potential for accidents.
Check your cover
Make sure you’re not just covered for the festival period, but for the full duration of your trip which includes the days you leave and return to your home address. Also ensure you’re covered for any of additional activities you may wish to participate in like motorcycle riding or jet skiing during your holiday. There are often exclusions or special conditions for activities with heightened risk so always read your policy to check the limits and terms and conditions.
Words: World2Cover
