One of the first and main concerns that arise for a travelling woman when she thinks about venturing solo is how to travel safely alone. “I would love to travel alone, but I think it’s very dangerous…”, “Don’t you feel insecure travelling alone?”: these are questions that I hear frequently and that also crossed my mind before my first solo trip.
To help, I created this article with 15 tips to make you feel more confident and can travel safely alone.
1 – Try to respect, as much as possible, the dress code and decorum of the country you visit
The first tip I can give you to be able to travel alone safely has to do with the clothes you wear. No matter how hot it is or how fit you are, avoid wearing shorts that are too short or have high necklines. In addition to not wanting to draw unwanted attention, it is always important to respect the customs of the country you visit.
2 – Drink in moderation
Being totally vulnerable in a country that is strange to you is not at all advisable, so drink your beer but always in moderation and never lose sight of your drink when in a bar or nightclub.
3. Leave your itinerary at home
It is always important that someone at home has an idea of where you are or where you will be. If you change plans midway through the trip, let your family or friends know.
4 – Scan all your documents
I hope it never happens to you, but the truth is that the probability of losing your documents while travelling is a real thing, and believe me you won’t want to feel that loss. So be careful to scan your most important documents before departure, saving their copies in a dropbox or in your email.
5 – Take out travel insurance
This is another very important tip for anyone who wants to travel safely alone. It may seem like an unnecessary expense to you but believe that when you travel, and especially when you travel alone, it is very important to prevent it so that later you don’t have to make amends in the worst possible way. Accidents, health problems, theft or loss of equipment, flight delays, lost luggage, and the like: all covered by good travel insurance.
6 – Wear discreet clothing and accessories
Try to remain as unnoticed as possible so that it is not so obvious that you are a tourist. If you like to wear accessories (watches, necklaces, rings, etc), use the most discreet you have and avoid carrying your cell phone or your top-of-the-range camera in your hand, in plain sight.
7 – Try not to keep all your money in one place
For your safety, don’t carry all your money with you or keep it all in one place. Try to spread it over several places. One piece of advice I was given one day was to put some money in the bottom of a tampon box: believe that no one will remember looking there…!
8 – A fake ring on your finger can help
If you’re not looking for your prince charming on the go, then a ring on your finger (even if a fake one) can be quite useful in certain more “complicated” situations. In addition to this issue, there are countries where the idea of a single woman travelling alone is regarded with suspicion and a lot of surprises. The ring on the finger (although debatable) may manage to maintain some level of respect from the locals towards you.
9 – Request a transfer from the airport to the hotel
It is normal for you to feel less secure when arriving in a new and unfamiliar city, so it might be a good idea to ask the hotel you booked to send transport to pick you up at the airport. It is also a good way to avoid possible scams by taxi drivers or other local transport before you have time to get used to the prices and customs of the country/city. Most of the hotels nowadays provide such facilities with minimum cost so book your stay with such facilities.
10 – If you get lost, try to look at the maps as discreetly as possible
If you get lost in the middle of a city (and it’s likely to happen sometimes), avoid pulling the map or GPS on your cell phone in the middle else you can become an easy bait for opportunists. If you get lost, go into a cafe, restaurant, or hotel, consult your map or ask for directions to places (preferably women), and then follow your path with a confident and determined air towards your destination.
11 – Never leave your luggage
If there’s one thing you have to do never is to lose sight of your luggage. It can be stolen, they can put fewer legal substances inside you… Your backpack (or suitcase) while travelling is your home, so you make sure to keep it always safe and under your eyes.
12 – Don’t have a problem saying ‘no’
You’re nice: great! Who doesn’t like a nice and polite person? But so that you can travel safely alone, you cannot be afraid to say “No” firmly and assertively if the situation or offer that is being made to you is not to your liking. Before good manners and sympathy is your security.
13 – If the hotel has a safe, leave your passport and valuables there
As I usually stay in hostels or guesthouses without a safe, it is customary to always carry your passport with me, but if your hotel has a safe, leave your passport and any other valuables there.
14 – Research your destination as much as possible
Yes, impromptu trips are fantastic. Not planning and going with the wind or the taste of the tides is fantastic, no doubt about it, and it’s one of the great advantages of travelling alone, but once you’ve decided where you’re going, and considering that you’re alone, try to search for as much information as possible. about that location. Safety tips, more (or less) advisable areas, more (or less) touristic places, are information that may be useful to you and will help you make the most of your time in each destination.
15 – Don’t walk alone at night or in doubtful areas
The last tip I give you (but not the least important) to be able to travel alone safely is to avoid travelling alone at night or through more doubtful areas. Even if you think the distance doesn’t justify it, choose to take a transport back to your hotel.
An extra tip!
ALWAYS trust your instinct. It’s something that never fails you. If something doesn’t feel very secure or comfortable to you at first, it’s almost certainly not. I’ve had a few experiences of this kind and my instincts and sixth sense (something that luckily all women are naturally gifted with) have never failed me.
And now I can only wish you a good trip!
Julien is the founder of Julius Homes His interest in hiking, skiing, and adventure holidays made him bring together the choicest accommodations around the globe to make holidays relaxing and comfortable.
