Tips for staying safe as a solo female traveler
When it comes to solo female travel, others will tell you one of two things. Solo travel will empower you, build confidence, and give you a taste of a new kind of freedom. Or, solo travel as a woman is not a good idea, not practical, or just outright dangerous. Interestingly enough, the latter of the two seems to have done little or no traveling at all, especially not on their own.
As a woman and a passionate solo traveler, I can tell you that taking the plunge into your first solo trip is incredible. It can also be intimidating, overwhelming, and scary at times. However, at the end of the day, it's the most empowering thing I have ever done for myself.
While solo traveling is a life-changing experience, a girl also wants to feel safe. Below, I have compiled a list of things that I have felt kept me feeling safe. They aren't meant to scare or intimidate, but rather serve as a guide for any woman who has a longing in her soul to travel.
Pack your common sense.
You will make a packing list of all the things you will need for your trip, and I would say that this is the most important one. Traveling to a new country means you'll be immersed in a new culture, language, and social interactions, among a plethora of other things.
That being said, remember that no matter how different it is, you should still trust your judgment. If something doesn't sit right with you or a local is acting in a way that seems odd to you, just walk away. Maybe you will realize later on that the experience was only cultural and you were not in danger at all, but it's always better to be cautious.
2. Research the destination.
You will most likely do a good amount of research on your planned destination. What should also be researched is the culture, which includes things like language, social structure, modest and immodest dress, food customs, and normal behaviors of the locals.
A tip for this type of research is to read blogs and watch videos from other solo travelers who have been to the same destination. You will find a plethora of helpful information. Remember, you are visiting someone else's country. As a visitor, it's our duty to be respectful of the country and the culture, as it's a privilege to experience.
Know the popular tourist scams in the area.
This is not to put a bad name on any country. However, in any popular tourist destination, there will be scams that have been specifically created to target tourists. Of course, there are the popular ones like pickpocketing and overcharging on taxis.
Taking the extra time to research what the common scams are will save you from being manipulated into paying for something you do not want, or paying triple the normal amount.
3.Saving money is not worth your safety.
If you plan to travel on a budget, then pinching every penny to get you further may seem worth it. However, I promise you that saving an extra twenty to a hundred bucks is never worth compromising your safety.
For example, staying at an extra cheap accommodation, or saving an extra twenty to take a train or bus through the night, only to be dropped off in a sketchy location at three in the morning. I promise it's not worth it, so save yourself the stress now and pay the extra bucks.
4. Don't get drunk.
Sorry, I don’t mean to be such a buzzkill, but this is just an honest opinion.
Going out for the night is fun and a great way to meet people. At the same time, you are still alone and in a foreign country. If you are not with someone you can trust to have your back, then I would say it's better to watch the alcohol intake.
This advice is not just coming from me without any experience. I found myself in a scary situation this past summer while solo traveling through Albania. I met a group of people at my hostel who wanted to go out. We got ready, and during this time, they drank heavily. I had a feeling that it was better to hold off.
As we went out, we quickly became lost and ended up walking through a dangerous side of town. The others insisted on continuing to a house party they knew of from a girl they had met at the bar. Each one was too intoxicated to realize the dangerous direction this night could go in.
I and the other solo female traveler of the group had a bad feeling, and we were able to get a ride from a local back to the hostel. In the car, he informed us how much danger we had just been in, as this side of town was known for a higher level of crime. The next day, the group we were with had not returned to the hostel.
If I would have gotten drunk or went against my better judgment, who knows what would have happened. I am just thankful to have trusted my gut and also to have met another solo female traveler who had my back.
5. Share your location or travel plans with friends and family.
This may seem like a super obvious one, but I've caught myself on my adventures taking day trips alone into the mountains and realizing I haven't told anyone where I was going. While I have never been seriously hurt or attacked, it's still a good idea to tell someone close to you what your plans are.
Another thing I also do is check in with a family member regularly. For example, my sister is my go-to person. If she would not hear from me on a regular basis while I am traveling, she would be the one to spring into action and check up on me.
6. Using Taxi Apps over Local Taxi Services.
Depending on the country you travel to, taxi services are usually reliable and trustworthy. However, in some cases, such as a country where you need to haggle the price, having the option of Uber, Bolt, or another taxi app is often the better choice.
Often, taxi drivers can be aggressive, and I have found it's better to avoid the insistent ones. Instead, I go for the driver who is minding his business, waiting for a customer, as
I feel they will be more relaxed and may not attempt to charge a higher price. Also, if they are minding their own business, then I doubt they have a sinister plan to kidnap a solo traveler.
Another extra step you can take if you feel a bit unsafe is to keep your bags with you in the front seat. In case things start to feel off, you can easily get out of the taxi, not waiting for the driver to stop and allow you to grab your things from the trunk.
7. Self Defense.
As a woman, the reality is we have to think about safety, whether it's going to the gym or for a night out. Some prepare themselves with pepper spray or other self-defense methods. When traveling, this is also something to consider.
Again, I am not trying to bring fear into the idea of solo female travel. However, I do want to be realistic, as safety is a concern for women in every country, and being an obvious foreigner could make you stand out more.
Two options to consider when traveling are to take pepper spray, although in some countries it is illegal. Alternatively, hairspray or bug repellent can work; it may not give the exact same effect, but it's an option. Another option is to take a self-defense class. This would ensure you know the basics of self-defense, and it's valuable knowledge to hold, especially because you don't have to worry about it being illegal!
8. Don't Tell People You Are Traveling Alone.
This advice usually doesn't apply when I am at my hostel. As in those cases, most people are alone, and it's usually a safe environment to hang out with like-minded people. This past summer during my travels, I was hanging out by the beach, minding my own business. A man came over, and at first, he sat on a bench further away; he was with another guy, and I didn't even look at either of them.
After a few moments, the one guy came over, and his friend seemed to disappear. He was super friendly and asked my name and where I was from. Instantly, I had a weird feeling, so I lied. He then asked THE QUESTION: "Are you alone?" To which I replied, "No," telling him I was with a friend who was still at a coffee shop nearby.
He then asked me to come with him to get coffee. Again, I had that strange feeling drive even deeper, so I just smiled and said, "No, thank you." He kept insisting, but I kept saying no. Thankfully, the beach I was at had quite a few people. I decided I would not allow him to scare me off. So I stayed and waited a bit longer to go back to my hostel, as I didn't want this guy to see where I was staying. Of course, not all locals who ask questions have bad intentions. In most cases, they are just being friendly. However, it's still better to be safe than sorry.
9. Always have a Plan B
A part of travel that you must be ready for is the spontaneous side. That could mean showing up to your accommodation, realizing it's not at all what you expected or needed, and having to find a new place on the spot. Or it could mean having your train or bus canceled, or you might just miss it. Whatever the situation, always have a Plan B.
Normally, I have the location of a spare hostel saved in case the accommodations I have don't feel safe. Or if it's an Airbnb and the host may cancel, it's better to have a second option. The same goes for my travel days. If I miss a connection or something is canceled, it's usually good to have a plan. If it's a flight, I like to make sure to book directly with the airline, as they will ensure to book you on the next flight and usually put you up in accommodations near the airport.
Bonus Tip:
At the end of the day, always trust your gut.
This has never failed me. I have many stories of situations where things could have gone terribly wrong but didn't. I also have ones where I had that feeling in my gut to walk away or take a different route. Who knows, maybe in some situations I was being paranoid, but again, it's better to be safe than sorry.
At the end of the day, when you are out in the world, traveling solo, you are the only one you can trust. Which, in many ways, is one of the most empowering things about solo travel - learning to trust yourself and being confident in the choices you make.
With all these tips, there is still a chance you could come into an unsafe situation. Even with all the extra precautions, sometimes bad things happen. That's just the reality of the world we live in. What I want to add is that even if you take the extra precautions and something does happen, it does not make it your fault. We are all humans, and we can take so many steps to ensure safety, and still, things can and most definitely will go wrong.
The world is not full of bad people. More often than not, strangers will be happy to give a helping hand. So whatever you take from this post, I do hope you remember that you are capable of doing this solo traveling thing. The adventure is waiting, so trust yourself and take the leap.
~A Fellow Wanderer