IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO UKRAINE?

Ukraine is a safe place to travel. Many people who used Poltava Travel services will agree with that point of view. Nevertheless, it is still recommended that one knows where he goes.

Although Poltava is safe, one still should take some precautions. Here are a few things that I recommend doing to keep oneself from trouble:

Do not go into back streets of the city. Instead, try to stay in the city center, which is quite large and has lots of things to offer to a traveler, such as bars and restaurants, museums and parks and many sights to see.

Do not speak your language too loudly. Poltava is not a key travel destination, and one does not see tourists all over the place. As a result, a spoken foreign language still attracts a lot of attention. Do not get me wrong, the locals welcome foreign visitors. Nevertheless, try to keep a low profile and do not attract attention of those who might want to take an advantage of a tourist in one way or the other.

Do not carry a lot of money when you are out in the street. Take just enough to cover your needs for the day and leave the rest in the hotel room or apartment.

When in public transport, make sure that you watch your pockets. I heard about some cases of pick pocketing. More than that, my girl friend was unfortunate to have her cell phone stolen while she was riding a bus home.

When in a bar, one should not drink with people he does not know. Make sure you control the situation and know what is happening.

Try to stay away from the police. It is not as if they were all corrupt, but there are some who may want to try to get a hold of your money.

Here is the final tip: get a piece of paper and ask one of the locals to write the address of your hotel or apartment in Russian/Ukrainian. That way, if you get lost in the streets, you can always catch a cab and use that piece of writing to let the taxi driver know where to go.

More tips on using taxi in Ukraine.

Here is another good read: Safety and crime threads in Ukraine by U.S. Department of State.