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Whenever I talk about my travel experiences I always have at least one person who is so surprised that I travel alone as a twenty-something female. I always get asked if I’m ever nervous or afraid to travel alone as a female. While there are definitely risks to travelling alone as a female, (that the media makes seem a lot worse than they really are), there is a huge misconception that its a lot unsafer than it really is. I have travelled to many places on my own and very few times have I actually felt unsafe. Most of the time, locals are even more welcoming and helpful when they know you’re travelling alone!

Travelling solo is one of the best life experiences I’ve ever had, and I don’t think the fear that it’s unsafe to travel alone should hold anyone back from experiencing it.

To help ease your mind a little bit and hopefully give you that push to finally book that ticket, here are some of my tips for travelling solo as a female.

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BEFORE YOU GO

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Research your destination

Find out the local customs and laws for your destination. Different cultures have different expectations of gender roles, so if you’re unsure, it’s best to check before you go to avoid an awkward, or potentially dangerous situation when you arrive.

Is it your first time traveling solo? The most important thing to take with you is common sense. Always book your first night’s accommodation regardless—you’ll rest easy knowing you won’t have to deal with finding a hotel late at night or while jet-lagged. And always have a backup plan.

Be sure to keep important information like the address of your hotel handy; write it down somewhere that you don’t need WiFi to access it.

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Pack appropriately

Pack acceptable clothing that aligns with the expectations in the country you’re visiting. For example, I’ll be visiting the Maldives later this year and it’s a Muslim country, meaning women’s knees and chest needs to be covered; I’ll be packing tons of maxi dresses in order to respect the local culture.

The goal as a solo female traveller is to blend in; looking like a local will ensure you avoid any unwanted attention directed your way, which will make it that much easier to actually enjoy your trip instead of stressing out.

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Tell your loved ones

Share your itinerary with close friends and family and give them the address or contact info of hotels you’ll be staying at, as well as your flight numbers so they can check in when you land.

Be sure to assure them that you will be alright. It may be a difficult conversation to have if your family or friends are apprehensive about you taking off on your own. If you think they may try to talk you out of it, plan out the conversation ahead of time to make sure things work out in your favour.

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Copy your passport

Really, everyone should do this. Make a copy of your passport and leave it at home with a loved one in case yours is lost or stolen while abroad. Also store an extra copy somewhere with you, separate from your real passport, of course, that way you’ll have an easier time getting a new passport if you have to go to the embassy.

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DURING YOUR TRIP

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Confidence is key

If you look like you belong you’ll be less of a target

Fake it till you make it, don’t look like a tourist! Doing your research and packing the right clothing will help you to blend in a ton.

Be sure to also keep your valuables hidden. You don’t need to be tucking your camera in your pants after every shot, but just don’t flash it around too much.

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Don’t get drunk

This should be a given, but if you’re travelling alone you should never, ever be getting wasted. You put yourself in one of the riskiest situations by doing so. If you do make friends or find yourself in a bar, there’s nothing wrong with having a drink, but be cautious of your intake. And be sure to try and alert the bartender if you’re feeling uncomfortable, they are usually used to dealing with these situations and can help get you home safely.

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Have a backup plan

There’s no shame in having an exit plan if things suddenly go wrong. If you arrive at your hotel and the area feels incredibly unsafe, you can utilize your backup plan to find a new place to stay, or if you’re couch surfing and decide your hosts are incredibly creepy, you’ll have a way out.

With that being said, you should have the money to support your backup plan. I recently read an article about things you need to be able to afford before you can afford to travel, and enough money for a return ticket is one of them. You never know if your worst-case scenario will happen and you find yourself needing to leave the country immediately.

Be sure to have a backup plan in case you need to leave stat and be able to fund the backup plan.

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Be aware of your surroundings

When you’re travelling on your own it’s entirely up to you to keep yourself and your belongings safe, so it’s important not to take any chances. Be vigilant when out in public, especially with your purse and belongings in busy areas. Always keep your bags zipped up and in front of you.

It’s also a good idea to avoid travelling alone at night. It’s a fact that more incidents happen at night than in broad daylight, so try to schedule your travel plans around daytime activities and try to arrive in your destination during the day rather than at night.

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Develop an alter-ego

When I was in Vienna a few years ago, I bought myself a knock-off Swarovski ring. Whenever I travel alone, I wear it as a fake engagement ring. If I ever get into an awkward situation where a stranger is lingering a little too long, I simply tell them I have to go meet up with my fiancé and they’ll be on their way.

This seems like an extreme measure, but as a woman who’s been travelling alone for three years now, I’ve learned that sometimes just saying “no” doesn’t work. It’s unfortunate and I wish we didn’t have to go to such lengths to protect ourselves, but the fake ring has gotten me out of sticky situations in the past and I’ll continue to swear by it as a means of shaking off men who can’t take a hint.

Those are all my tips for staying safe while travelling solo as a female! If you have any more I forgot to mention, feel free to share them below!

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