In this article, we will try to consider is Odessa safe for travelers. First of all considering the place of living within the city. Almost all tourists live in city centre, so you should consider specifics of this part of city and areas nearby.
First of all, remember that atmosphere, purpose of visit and culture in bars of Odessa, is somewhat different from european one. It often happens that a nice girl acquainted with you in the bar, and then offers to go somewhere. Then she leads you to a quiet place where her accomplices rob you. This kind of robbery happens quite often, as many tourists like to sit in the evening in a bar and are naive about such acquaintances. This is a well-developed scheme of robbing.
Don’t get drunk alone
How to avoid this? Of course, it is difficult to say with what intentions a girl in a bar meets you. Decide whether you continue to dialogue with her, or not, depends on you, but be careful if she suggests you go somewhere. Best solution is to offer her something yourself, not letting you take to some unknown and incomprehensible place to you. Important! – never get drunk in a bar! In such cases you can say farewell to all your money. To get drunk is neither safe for american travelers, nor for anybody else.
Speaking about is Odessa safe, we should mention another one thing. If it so happened that you need to ask a local person a question, here are a couple of tips with whom you can talk and whom is better to avoid.
Speaking about is Odessa safe for travelers, we need to mention another one thing. Many tourists from abroad, perhaps, believe that non-cash payment system is not developed in Ukraine. This is not true. Most of services in Ukraine, especially in a big city, can be paid by your international card. Any restaurant, dining room, large supermarket – have card terminals. Cash you need to pay a taxi, when using public transport, buying tickets to museums or theater, to do some purchases in small outlets on the street, or in bazaar.
Odessa Ukraine safety tips – use cards
First of all, you need to remember one thing: never get all your money out of pockets. What does it mean? Let’s consider. Any tourist or traveler, coming to Odessa, will change money in currency exchange office. For example, you exchanged $500. The fact is that in currency of Ukraine this amount will be a large bundle of money. And it attracts attention very much. A big bundle of money in your hands always attracts attention in Ukraine! Most common mistake of travelers is when they pay even for a cup of coffee on the street, they take out whole pack of money from their pockets, thereby showing them to possible robbers.
Travel to Odessa warning – don’t keep big bundle of money
What should you do? If you use cash, it’s best to divide them into several parts, and get only a small amount, for example ₴1000 hryvnia, for cash payment. Such amount is almost always enough for you to pay for any service, be it a taxi, a small bill in a restaurant, a bottle of water or a cup of coffee. In addition, this amount will not attract special attention to you. Therefore, try to get only a small amount of money. Keep the others in your pocket. Many currency exchange offices are located directly on the streets. If you will change money on street, it will not be difficult for anyone to see how much cash you have with yourself. Try to change money in closed premises of any bank.
Especialy in summer season, when thousands of tourist come to Odessa, many people become the target of a pickpocket. It can happens it crowded places of old city, where dozens of people walking around in the evening. Sometimes it happens in shops with big number of people in it. But the most popular place for that is city transport. Odessa transport is pretty bad and usually awfully crowded. That is why you should be careful and watch attentively to your phone, or pocket.
Public transport is usual place for pickpocket
How to avoid this? Best option escape any crowd and don’t get inside it. Second one option is to keep you phone or pocket in right place. If you have a backpack or handbag, keep it in front of you, not behind. Do not put your phone into hip pocket! It’s best place for stealing. Always better to put anything in front pocket of jeans ect. You should remember this rules, because if somebody steal your pocket or phone, be sure, police don’t help you and even won’t try. So remember the right places to keep things, or carry phone in your hand while you are in crowd.
Another important point to understand is Odessa safety, is to know how taxi service works. There are several types of taxi.
We hope that the question is Odessa safe for travelers become clear to you. If you have any questions regarding safety, leave a comment under this post, or ask a question in our social networks. We will try to respond as accurately as possible to any of your questions regarding tourist safety, various dangerous situations and options for getting out of them.