I'm going away on holiday for a couple of weeks and taking my MacBook. I know there are wireless hotspots around the complex where I'm staying but am not sure if they're encrypted or if there is any sort of password that would need to be used. For this reason I was wondering if there are any programs or tips you can give me to make sure I'm as safe as possible when using my wireless connection.
Little Snitch would be worth getting if you're paranoid - a kind of outgoing firewall of sorts. While you're at it, turn on the software firewall if it's not on already (System Prefs/Sharing/Firewall). Or at least turn off the other stuff in that sharing section (personal web, remote access, etc) unless you need it. And have a decent system password. Turn off Bluetooth too I suppose - if nothing else, you'll get a bit better battery life. TBH the chance of something happening is next to nothing. Just don't send any personal information that you wouldn't want someone accessing over an http:// connection. If someone's really intent on screwing you over with a man-in-the-middle attack with a spoofed https certificate and all that, there's not a whole lot you can really do.
