If you are planning an international adventure, one of the most practical and crucial pieces of gear you can pack isn’t a power strip or a water bottle—it’s a burner mobile phone. While this concept might sound like something from a spy film, it’s actually the ultimate digital security measure for the modern traveller. The advice is simple: leave your primary smartphone, which holds your entire digital life (banking apps, personal emails, private photos and work documents) securely at home. Instead, carry a basic, prepaid device, which we call a ‘burner phone’ or a simple pay-as-you-go handset.
This hack is especially vital when crossing borders, as authorities in some countries are increasingly employing advanced digital tools to scan or copy data from travellers’ phones. By carrying a stripped-down device with minimal personal information, you protect yourself from potential data breaches and intrusive searches, ensuring that your private life remains private. Furthermore, a simple burner phone is a fantastic way to embrace a digital detox on holiday. Stripped of the distractions of social media and endless notifications, you can focus entirely on enjoying your trip without being pulled into the ‘screen-time vortex’ of your main device. To implement this, simply use an older, unlocked phone with a local prepaid ‘burner SIM’ card; this gives you a temporary local number and avoids costly roaming fees while keeping your sensitive data safe at home.
