The number of female travelers taking solo trips are rising every year and it’s not surprising because of the freedom, independence, and life experiences you can gain from being on your own. Although group trips may be fun, some would just rather not wait around for others, follow their own itineraries, get out of their comfort zone, and basically just do what they want when they want. And if you’re okay with being alone, taking a solo trip can be one of the best decisions you make to inspire your sense of adventure while being able to take in other cultures and educate yourself.
Solo trips are exciting and empowering but at the same time, there are so many things we need to know as solo female travelers. Unfortunately as females, there are times where we need to be even more stringent than our male counterparts in terms of safety. Not to say to go into your solo travels with the mindset of ending up where you wish you had Liam Neeson as your dad in Taken, but we do need to be a little more prepared and alert on our trips. This blog post covers the best advice that solo female travelers need to know for a rewarding and safe strip.
1 – Choose Your Destination Wisely
There are countries that are known for being safe for foreigners and some countries that are considered dangerous and to avoid at all costs – especially for females. The best thing to start your solo travel journey is to do your research and choose your destination wisely! Use my Free Pre-Trip Planner And Checklist to help you plan your solo trip. Take into consideration not only the country you want to explore, but the neighborhoods you want to stay in and the safety precautions you need to know about. Some countries may be known more for violence-related hazards, scams, pickpockets, or robberies. Be aware of what you may need to look out for in a particular country.
2 – Do Research Ahead Of Time And Plan Your Itinerary
For any trip I take, whether it’s by myself or with other travelers, I usually like to plan out my itinerary and do my research especially if the country I’m visiting is significantly different than what I’m used to. It will help to get a sense of where you’re planning to visit and the cultural customs you may need to get adjusted to. You may also want to provide yourself some sort of familiarity prior to your trip so that certain places can be easily recognizable and it never hurts to be extra prepared especially for solo female travelers.
3 – Inform Someone Of Where You Are
One of the best pieces of advice for solo female travelers is that you should inform someone (family, friend, your hotel concierge, etc.) where you’re going. That’s why point number 2 is so important – you can share your specific itinerary or a loosely planned one so that someone knows your last known location or where you intend to go should anything happen or if you can’t be reached. Depending on where you are, internet connection may be spotty or even unavailable and if you have family and friends who worry about you, this may help give them some piece of mind.
4 – Be Vigilant Of Everything Around You
If you’re anything like me, I’m always on high alert when I go places alone – even when I’m walking home at night time. And even more so if I’m traveling solo. Always look around you and be aware of your surroundings. Being alone can make you more of a target and you want to be sure you’re not being followed. You want your personal belongings close to you at all times and having at least one hand free may help as well. I’d recommend not looking down on your phone all the time and to avoid wearing headphones. It will probably do you some good to have all your 5 senses working for you, and take into consideration your 6th sense or “gut feeling” and intuition.
5 – Don’t Be Over-Friendly Or Overshare Information
As much as we want to be friendly and nice, females especially when traveling alone, need to consider their demeanor, composure, and their level of friendliness. People can take friendliness as flirting or an invitation for something more when that’s not the case. I’m sure you’re aware of this even when you’re in your home town – it happens everywhere.
It’s nice to meet people and have a nice conversation and as much as you may feel comfortable or uninhibited, don’t tell strangers where you’re staying or post on social media about every step of your journey in real time. Sometimes it’s also better to keep things about yourself private – even something as small as telling someone a fake name. My friends and I have done this plenty of times and we just feel safer doing so.
6 – Don’t Overpack
You want to be mobile and not weighed down by overpacking your bags. It’s also one less thing for you to worry about. Here’s How To Pack For A Week’s Vacation To Fit A Carry-On. Taking into consideration the type of activity you do, it may be best to bring with you as little as possible during the day.
7 – Take Care Of Your Things
Like with any type of traveling, it’s important to take care of your things and have a backup plan. Store your passport, documents, credit cards, and cash securely in a safe, at front desk, or some other hidden spot of your liking. It’s also smart to store some cash in multiple places for emergency or as a backup. Another thing to do is to make photocopies of your legal documents as well. There are times when you don’t need to bring your passport and all your money with you everywhere you go.
8 – Make It Comfortable For Yourself
Make it comfortable by making things easy for yourself as a solo traveler. Comfort can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s pampering yourself from the start of your trip with a better flight class or booking nicer accommodations with amazing amenities and where you can feel safe and clean can be important. One of the most comfortable things you can do for yourself while traveling alone is booking your accommodations close to everything. Having access to food, transportation, attractions and such within walking distance will make things so much more convenient.
9 – Have Your Accommodations Work In Your Favor
Although there is higher foot traffic and some noise, asking for a room closer to the elevators for an easy escape can be helpful. Not staying on the bottom floor where your room is more easily accessible or at the very end of a long hallway is also a good idea. Don’t forget to double lock your door or even put a wedge behind it so no one can get into your room. Having accommodations where 24 hour concierge is available would be extremely helpful as well in terms of security. As solo female travelers, it’s the small parts of strategic planning that can give you an added level of safety.
10 – Be Ready For Emergencies
There are so many scenarios to prepare for emergencies but here are a few easy things to keep in mind when traveling by yourself.
- It’s best to know the exits of where you’re staying as well as where you plan to visit.
- It’s hard to travel with weapons like pepper spray or a knife, so use what you can. I know this may sound a little extreme but it’s always better to be prepared. Having family in the military/policing and people around me who are interested in these things, it’s just normal for me to know and do. Plus, watching a lot of movies don’t help.
- You should also know the emergency numbers of the country you’re visiting as well as where your country’s embassy is located.
- Don’t forget travel insurance!
- Having an offline or physical map may come in handy should your phone die.
- And one of the most important things to do is keep your mobile devices fully charged and carry a portable charger with you. These days, we’re on our phones so much that it can get drained within hours and we want to be prepared for that. I like having my Aukey portable charger with me especially when I travel since it gives me up to 5 full charges on my phone. I’ve been using the Aukey brand for many years now and I’m currently using an older version of this one.
11 – Book Excursions With Reputable Companies
Sometimes booking tours and excursions with bigger and more reputable companies can cost a little more money, but their reputation and high ratings are worth it especially as solo female travelers. There are many self-proclaimed tour guides that offer their services in the middle of a highly populated tourist area but they can be a hit or miss in terms of trustworthiness.
Even if you want to explore a certain place on your own or go off the beaten path, it’s highly recommended to book with a tour especially if you want to do things like hiking or other dangerous and more adrenaline-pumping activities like skydiving, bungee jumping, ziplining, etc.
12 – Drink Responsibly (If You Are)
I’ve watched enough movies to know how badly this could end up. I think this point may be a given, but it’s always a good reminder anyway. I personally don’t drink but for those who do, always watch your drinks and/or buy your own drinks. Also, by now you should know how much you can handle and to drink within your limit but it may be easy to forget especially if you meet people and are having fun on your trip.
13 – Have An Open Mind And Be Adventurous
This is the time to explore, be adventurous and try new things. There’s so much to see and do and there’s no one stopping you from experiencing the country you picked, exactly the way you want. Assuming that you picked a country that you’re really interested in, there’s going to be a lot for you to experience and possibly even cross off your bucket list.
14 – Take Time To Slow Down And Reflect
Remember, when taking a solo trip, everything runs according to your time. That means you can go as hard and fast as you want to in a new country with all the excitement surrounding solo travel and the freedom that comes with it. But don’t forget to slow down and reflect on your amazing journey while on your trip and have a few moments to just take it all in.
15 – Capture Your Memories
In this day and age, it’s so easy to capture your best memories with photos and videos and we do it all the time especially with sharing it on social media. What better way than to look back on your empowering experience as solo female travelers making the most out of life than with photos and videos or even souvenirs to remind you of that leap of faith you took in yourself.
Ready to book your solo trip? To make things easier, here’s How to Take the Stress Out Of Traveling.
For more travel tips, see these blog posts!