Our go-to single female travel guru is Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse. I brought in an expert to offer her advise because it is a crucial subject that I can not fully discuss. She offers her best solo female travel safety advice and tips in this post.
Safety is a top priority for the majority of prospective lone travelers.
Can I protect myself on my own? How can I reassure my loved ones that I will be alright?
The good news is that you will drive safely.
You already possess the necessary abilities, so it is easier than you might think. The same strategies you employ to keep safe at home also apply overseas.
Before embarking on their first solo excursion, the majority of people are afraid. It is quite common to feel anxious before traveling to a new place. Before traveling to a completely foreign place, even ladies who have been traveling alone for years still experience anxiety. You will be thinking about a lot of unknowns, such whether you will be safe or make friends.
Furthermore, far too many individuals will attempt to intimidate you by telling you that traveling alone is unsafe, even though they have never done it themselves and have no idea.
However, despite the evidence to the contrary, some people will convince you that some locations are completely safe.
So, what’s a traveler to do?
The good news is that much of travel safety comes down to just being careful. Solo travel as a woman is incredible, but like anything, it’s important to take standard precautions, such as researching beforehand, following your intuition, and using common sense.
Traveling alone as a woman can be one of the most freeing, empowering, and eye-opening experiences you can ever have. Here are some tips I’ve learned that have helped me feel comfortable (and stay safe) while on the road:
Safety Tip #1: Trust your gut instincts
There is a lot to say about intuition’s power. It is okay to turn away or say no if something or someone makes you uncomfortable. Pay attention to your instincts if anything does not feel right. As a lone traveler, this feeling inevitably intensifies over time.
After years of traveling, I trusted my instincts enough to raise the alarm if things did not feel right, even if some people felt I was insane and even foolish to hitchhike through China with a friend.
Sometimes, like late at night in Rome, I was offered a ride, but I turned it down right away since I knew something was not right. It is amazing how much guidance the tiny voice in the back of your mind can provide you.
Safety Tip #2: Don’t be afraid to say no
Don’t be afraid that you will disappoint people by only saying yes when it feels right. Your solo journey is about you and nobody else.
The group attitude to continue drinking and the push to take another round of shots may occasionally be seen every day in pubs and hostels.
Excessive drunkenness might cause major issues. If you are by yourself and have no one to watch out for you, limit your alcohol intake to a few drinks at most. I have a lengthy list of pals who were mugged in ordinarily safe Berlin or robbed in Spanish alleyways because they were too drunk.
When you go out to a bar, keep an eye on your drink, do not leave it unattended, and do not take beverages from strangers. Additionally, if you go out with hostel guests, it is usually a good idea to make sure you stay with them and depart with them if you are in a new place. Take a cab back if you are exhausted and they want to go to another pub.
I have fully stopped drinking alcohol for this and other personal reasons, both at home and while traveling. This has not only made me safer, but it has also allowed me to meet individuals who are interested in activities other than partying, which has resulted in more interesting experiences all around.
Safety Tip #3: Keep a dummy wallet and whistle
In order to keep your most important valuables safe, some travelers suggest using a dummy wallet, which is a fake wallet that contains some canceled credit cards and a little bit of cash. It’s enough to make a would-be thief think he’s getting something worthwhile while keeping your real valuables well hidden (like under the insole of your shoe).
Something that produces sound is another crucial tool. I have found a whistle useful on numerous occasions, particularly after recalling the story of another lone female traveler who used it to fend off rabid monkeys in Indonesia.
A few months later, I did the exact same thing when a furious monkey was lunging at me and I suddenly remembered to use my whistle. It proves that you never know how helpful something so little may be.
Safety Tip #4: Get advice from locals
If you are traveling alone for the first time, make full use of the web resources to learn what to watch out for at the destination. You can join a variety of online forums to gain insider knowledge, such as Facebook, Couchsurfing, Meetup.com, and The Nomadic Network.
Although it would not hurt to look up frequent scams and hazards in your trip on these platforms, I find that asking safety questions on them is sometimes more trustworthy than other travel information websites because they are much more up to date.
That would be the Bureau of Consular Affairs for Americans.
Find out from the staff at your hotel, guesthouse, or hostel what frauds to avoid. Learn what to avoid as well as what you should see while visiting. No one is more familiar with this than the year-round residents.
Lastly, taking a trustworthy walking tour at the start of your trip to a new city is not only a terrific way to get a proper introduction to the area, but it is also a great time to ask questions and obtain additional safety advice from your local guide.
Safety Tip #5: Dress appropriately
To fit in, dress like a native. You run the danger of more than simply bothersome catcalls when you stand out. Certain things are just inappropriate in other nations, or people dress a bit more conservatively. For instance, wearing hats indoors and flip-flops are frowned upon in many parts of Europe, unless you are at the beach. Indeed, women are required to cover up and are not allowed to dress however they choose in some nations.
For instance, it is not recommended and may be considered insulting to wear shorts and tank tops in traditionally Muslim nations. At the very least, the knees and shoulders should be covered. This also holds true for other places of worship worldwide, including the Vatican, Greek monasteries, synagogues, mosques, and temples. It is convenient to have a long scarf on hand to cover your shoulders instead of purchasing or renting one there, as they tend to demand exorbitant prices!
Before you pack, find out what is proper to wear.
That may seem apparent, yet it is nevertheless all too usual to see girls in crop tops and extremely short shorts in Malaysia and Indonesia, or topless girls on Thai beaches.
Respecting the customs and humility levels of the people is essential to gaining their respect.
Safety Tip #6: Don’t walk alone at night
Walking by yourself at night is completely safe in several nations. In others, it might be harmful. It is always a good idea to go out at night in groups or to ask someone else to stay with you at your hotel or guesthouse.
Sadly, I discovered this the hard way while I was walking along a dirt trail in Nepal when someone grabbed me in the dark. Both the proprietor of my guesthouse and the local police were perplexed and said that kind of incident never occurs there.
It turns out that it does, therefore I made care to avoid being alone at night in Nepal going forward, and I now make sure to avoid going for late-night walks by myself.
Safety Tip #7: Make copies of your important documents
Even though we constantly hope for the best, it is crucial to be ready for the worse. Make copies of all your critical documents, such as your insurance cards, passport, and identity card, and store them in each bag you carry.
If the worst happens and you lose both the paper copy and the actual document, keep electronic copies as well. In addition to uploading them to a secure cloud server, take pictures of all your critical papers and save them on your laptop and phone.
Additionally, I advise you to take pictures of the devices you are traveling with and upload them to a cloud server. In the event that you need to file a travel insurance claim, this will help demonstrate that you were the owner of the item.
For travel insurance, I recommend Safety Wing for travelers under 70, while Insure My Trip is the best choice for travelers over 70.
Safety Tip #8: Know the local emergency numbers
Look up the local emergency number online before you depart or ask the staff at the front desk wherever you’re staying. There are also apps that provide emergency numbers from all over the world. Of course, the best-case scenario is that you never have to use it, but it’s always smart to be prepared in case you do need it.
Safety Tip #9: Let friends know where you are
Make sure someone (a friend, family member, or fellow traveler) knows your itinerary and where you should be at any given time. Try not to go off the grid completely or for long periods of time, especially if you have worried parents back home. If you do change your plans — because it’s bound to happen sometime — don’t forget to let someone know.
Many countries have inexpensive SIM cards ($20 USD or less) that will help you keep in touch if you have an unlocked phone. Besides, if you’re on the move, having Internet access for booking travel arrangements and finding directions is often a godsend.
Safety Tip #10 : Leave your passport locked up
Don’t take your passport out with you unless you have to. It’s better to lock it up in the hostel locker or safe at a reputable hostel. You can always check with the hostel beforehand to make sure they have them (most do). There are a lot of people who lose their passports or get their bags stolen and it’s a lot more complicated to have to go sort it out at the consulate and waste days or weeks waiting for a new one.
Instead, bring a photocopy of it or keep a picture of it on your phone just in case.
Safety Tip #11: Use caution when using dating apps
I’m not saying don’t do it as it’s super common for people to use dating apps for getting dinner or drinks (or, let’s be honest, hookups). Just remember to keep it to public places and use common sense. Dating norms and expectations can vary wildly from country to country, so plan ahead and keep everything public just to be safe.
In closing, traveling solo is marvelous. It allows you to make all of your own travel decisions, promotes personal growth and independence, and can even be a bit safer since you can take in more of your surroundings than if a friend were around distracting you.
Solo traveling helps to sharpen intuition and, despite typical worries, is often no more dangerous than your hometown.
The same common sense you use at home is relevant abroad. It’s not rocket science, and as long as you’re smart about it and follow these simple tips, you’re in for a positive adventure.
