Wearing wedding rings on honeymoon?

donegaldude

What's the consensus on wearing wedding rings on the honeymoon abroad. Heading to Thailand and Nepal and wondering would our fingers be safe! I could leave it at home but want to wear it when away.

The missus is unsure, due to the fact people over in that part of the world might not be as fortunate as us and we would be a good target for theft, no more than any other foreigner I suppose, but maybe as the rings will be shiny we will be more of a target?

rainbowtrout

Is this a wind up???

Not everybody who is 'less fortunate' than you is going to accost you in the street and rob you of your wedding rings because they are shiny. I think you need to educate yourself about the countries you are visiting if that's your opinion of people.

You're more likely to be liberated of your phone, your wallet and your camera on a holiday than your wedding ring. And it can happen in any country not just in Asia.

lazygal

I don't understand this worry. Is she seriously going to leave her rings at home every time you go on holidays? It'd never occur to me to take them off, I think they're safer on my fingers than any where else.I presume these are standard enough rings, not tens of thousands worth? Wear them, no one will notice.

donegaldude

Ah it was just something she said is all which had me miffed. Had a little rush of sh1t to the head when I posted. Apologies for the wording of it, I'm not very good at explaining things!

lynchieboy

My wife was mugged in the street in Vietnam about 10 years ago, no help whatsoever from the police or anyone else just tough ****, and yes you are a target as you are seen as a wealthy westerner even by the police so if it was me I would leave the rings at home.

dessierb

I have traveled the world and I have seen a lot of stuff. My opinion is to leave the rings at home. This is not casting any disparaging opinions on any other country but no matter where you go, from Mayo Galway, Dublin, Cork, UK, South America, Africa, SE Asia......you get the picture; there are people ready to take advantage of vulnerable strangers. Use common sense and leave the bling at home. Enjoy the honeymoon for the wonderful beautiful places your going to visit. This is my opinion from a person that never got into difficulty while traveling but has seen and stopped some chancer's trying to score a quick buck.....enjoy the experience.

lazygal

dessierb wrote: »

I have traveled the world and I have seen a lot of stuff. My opinion is to leave the rings at home. This is not casting any disparaging opinions on any other country but no matter where you go, from Mayo Galway, Dublin, Cork, UK, South America, Africa, SE Asia......you get the picture; there are people ready to take advantage of vulnerable strangers. Use common sense and leave the bling at home. Enjoy the honeymoon for the wonderful beautiful places your going to visit. This is my opinion from a person that never got into difficulty while traveling but has seen and stopped some chancer's trying to score a quick buck.....enjoy the experience.

I've worn my wedding and eternity rings here there and everywhere and haven't had any grief. The easy you've put it no one should wear anything of value, ever, no matter where they go.

dessierb

lazygal wrote: »

I've worn my wedding and eternity rings here there and everywhere and haven't had any grief. The easy you've put it no one should wear anything of value, ever, no matter where they go.

No that's not what I have said. That's how you have interpreted it. Honeymooners in particular tend to go to honeymoon locations and let's face it stand out. Save the hassle of worrying about your bling, leave it at home. Then in the sea, pool, jungle, mountain, wherever you go you won't have to worry about the rings.(especially engagement ring). I'm only expressing my opinion through years of travel experience, both standard & off the wall destinations.

rainbowtrout

lynchieboy wrote: »

My wife was mugged in the street in Vietnam about 10 years ago, no help whatsoever from the police or anyone else just tough ****, and yes you are a target as you are seen as a wealthy westerner even by the police so if it was me I would leave the rings at home.

And I managed to travel around Vietnam this summer on my own (and female). Clearly seen to be a foreigner, without any hassle whatsoever, on the contrary I found people very pleasant and polite. I found the country very safe and in have been in a lot more dodgier places in Europe, places you wouldn't associate with trouble. Three of my friends have been in Barcelona in the last 18 months on separate trips and all three have had money, wallet, cameras stolen. None would suggest that the Spanish are less fortunate people and that you shouldn't go to Spain, aside from the thefts they had a great time.

Whether you are at home or abroad you should keep your wits about you and don't get into dangerous situations, i.e. don't drink to the point you can't look after yourself, don't go into places that look dodgy, where you're getting a bad feeling about the place. Don't have expensive items hanging off your arm ready to be snatched

lynchieboy

rainbowtrout wrote: »

And I managed to travel around Vietnam this summer on my own (and female). Clearly seen to be a foreigner, without any hassle whatsoever, on the contrary I found people very pleasant and polite. I found the country very safe and in have been in a lot more dodgier places in Europe, places you wouldn't associate with trouble. Three of my friends have been in Barcelona in the last 18 months on separate trips and all three have had money, wallet, cameras stolen. None would suggest that the Spanish are less fortunate people and that you shouldn't go to Spain, aside from the thefts they had a great time.

Whether you are at home or abroad you should keep your wits about you and don't get into dangerous situations, i.e. don't drink to the point you can't look after yourself, don't go into places that look dodgy, where you're getting a bad feeling about the place. Don't have expensive items hanging off your arm ready to be snatched

I found them polite when they were trying to get money off me which was all the time, so did the lads we met who who crossed from laos and were threatened with prison if they didnt pay a "fine" for the drugs the border guard said he found in their bag which was actually pulled from under the table or the lads from Galway who were blackmailed by a bus driver and another cop or the young couple who were chased down the street in hue by the local mafia and beaten and kicked on the ground, I suppose we were all just unlucky! as I said I'd leave the rings at home, dealing with a police force when you dont speak the language is a nightmare or an insurance company when you get back home is not worth the hassle.

Foxychick

Think if your even thinking about it now its not worth the stress when ye go on holidays. Leave them at home maybe get a cheap ring in penneys or dunnes instead of real engagement for the honeymoon plenty of girls do that:)

Tigger

We always dress down on holidays and I get your point. I'm quite big and I train 4 times a week but its still advisable not to attract attention if you will feel safer that way. My wife turns her rings inwards when we are out so they look very plain. Whatever makes her feel safe is what important

If your travels are generally to resort-type, first world countries and you're lazing around a pool, I can see why taking your rings off seems strange.

I left mine at home when we travelled to South America. We were travelling through some cities notorious for muggings. I was happier leaving the rings behind.

Peregrinus

The metal content of a typical wedding ring is of trivial value compared to your phone, your wallet, even your daypack. The notion that you become less of a target for theft when you take off your wedding ring is very silly. Wedding ring or no wedding ring, you will be easily identifiable as a prosperous western tourist. If that makes you feel insecure, then choose a prosperous western country where you won't stand out for your honeymoon.

clint_silver

Do you think your chances of being mugged/ robbed will be less if you take off the wedding ring?

carry minimal amount of cash, dont leave belongings unattended, wear bag crossed over the shoulder, dont go down dark alleys, use hotel safes, stay on recommended tourist paths, dont flash a shiny watch.

same rules apply no matter what type of holiday youre on

If you want to go off the beaten track, no problem, but be prepared for it.

clint_silver

clint_silver wrote: »

Do you think your chances of being mugged/ robbed will be less if you take off the wedding ring?

carry minimal amount of cash, dont leave belongings unattended, wear bag crossed over the shoulder, dont go down dark alleys, use hotel safes, stay on recommended tourist paths, dont flash a shiny watch.

same rules apply no matter what type of holiday youre on

If you want to go off the beaten track, no problem, but be prepared for it.

Yep we were prepared, no jewellery or wallets/bags.
There's more than metal to my rings, the stones are valuable so it made sense to leave them behind.

I do know two people who had rings pulled from their fingers abroad.

lazygal

dessierb wrote: »

No that's not what I have said. That's how you have interpreted it. Honeymooners in particular tend to go to honeymoon locations and let's face it stand out. Save the hassle of worrying about your bling, leave it at home. Then in the sea, pool, jungle, mountain, wherever you go you won't have to worry about the rings.(especially engagement ring). I'm only expressing my opinion through years of travel experience, both standard & off the wall destinations.

Eh, I've travel experience myself, and so does the husband, and we've never been mugged, with or without our wedding and other rings. And we've been to fancy and let's say not so fancy places. I don't know anyone who's had rings nicked on honeymoon, I'm sure it happens but I can't imagine its so common as to mean you leave them at home. Do you leave them at home for every holiday, or what do you do when you're out foreign?

Gatica

We left out rings at home. Not just cos of potential mugging but also for diving, snorkeling, climbing etc... just didn't want them to get damaged nor risk taking them off. My rings are a little flashy and I'd have worried about attracting the wrong kind of attention. Even if it's not the rings "they"'d mug you for, it still probably means you have more worth stealing than the average student backpacker.
I also left them behind when going to Russia. Not in Spain but I did turn them inward when on the metro.

Penny Dreadful

donegaldude wrote: »

What's the consensus on wearing wedding rings on the honeymoon abroad. Heading to Thailand and Nepal and wondering would our fingers be safe! I could leave it at home but want to wear it when away.

The missus is unsure, due to the fact people over in that part of the world might not be as fortunate as us and we would be a good target for theft, no more than any other foreigner I suppose, but maybe as the rings will be shiny we will be more of a target?

I went to Kenya and Tanzania on my honeymoon and chose not to wear my rings. The main reason was because we were warned about the amount of thefts in Kenya.
When I got to Tanzania I was glad I didn't wear them. Not because I felt that I would have been a target, in fact, it was such a lovely country where I felt under no threat whatsoever, but because I really had my eyes opened as to how well off we are here in Ireland and would have been uncomfortable wearing so much money on my finger when these people were so poorly off.