Carry a phone card, charge card or change for the pay phones, in case you have your phone stolen or run out of battery. Always keep the number and address of the hostel/hotel where yo are staying in case you can’t find your way back.
Arrange a time and meeting place with your friends if you go off by yourself and a back up plan in case you miss each other. Don’t rely on phones as sometimes there is no signal and calls can be expensive when aboard.
One of the most common methods of theft is the use of the scooter. You should be especially wary where you see a passenger on the back since they fly past and whip bags from shoulders, which can often lead to the victim being injured if they are dragged to the ground. If you happen to hear a scooter approaching then simply turn around and watch it to minimise the risk of this happening.
The more you know about a place or culture the more rewarding the experience, if you find out the history and background when you arrive you will have a deeper understanding of the culture, people and environment.
The more prepared you are the better; find out about the local area do’s and don’ts, laws and regulations it could save you from getting in to difficulty or in extreme cases fined or arrested.