32 Best Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers
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Nowadays, it is very common that a lot of women are traveling solo. But some have this idea in mind and never go anywhere by themselves because of safety reasons. Does it sound like you? Have you ever thought about taking a trip alone, but were scared? I am going to assure you that traveling solo is safe if you trust your gut, don’t misbehave, and know all the tips to stay safe.
It is common to feel some nervousness and unclarity about the idea of solo traveling, but luckily we live in the 21st century, where everything is widely available, and you need to spend some time prepping and learning the best safety tips for traveling alone. Be it domestic or international travel.
Solo travel doesn’t mean you will be the primary target for pickpockets or someone else. These bad things can happen to anybody if they do not take any precautions to avoid them. So stop concentrating on the negative stuff and follow your dream to travel.
Here are my best 32 safety tips for you (solo female traveler) which will not only keep you safe, but also help you feel more comfortable wherever you go and enjoy your trips without overthinking it.
32 Best Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers
1. Trust your Gut and Intuition
This is the most important tip. I always thought that my intuition was not working and that whatever I feel is not what it was in reality, but some years ago, I changed my mind. I am not sure if solo travel changed it or if there were other reasons, but I realized that it’s telling me the truth. So feel yourself, your needs, and your intuition. Hear what it tells you. It works. Nothing can be more accurate than your inner voice.
2. Carry Some Sprays
Not precisely the pepper spray, as in some countries it is prohibited so it can be any spray. Be it a perfume, mosquito spray, small hair spray, or even hand sanitizer. Anything you might have will work. Better have something than nothing. Just keep it handy, but hopefully, you will never need to use it.
3. Do Not Go Out at Night
Honestly, when I travel alone, I always return to my accommodation before dark. I never walk at night by myself, even a couple of blocks. In that case, I always feel safe and have nothing to worry about.
4. Do Not Talk to Weird People
Most of the time, you will meet incredible people on your trip, but you might also meet some weirdos who will try to talk to you. If that happens, try to find a crowd and walk with them or go inside some public places (cafes, stores, etc.). You never know what’s in their mind, so better to avoid any conversation. But, if you say no, try to say it politely.
5. Try not to Look Very Touristy
This is a valuable tip. Yes, we all want to look nice because we need to take pics, right?! But honestly, I stopped caring about it so much. Now when I travel solo, I wear comfortable clothes, not too many colors (depending on where I go), and I am always cautious.
I had an unpleasant situation on one of my recent trips to Portland. Nowadays, Portland is not very safe for single tourist women as there are so many homeless people who try to talk to you, touch you, and whistle at you.
I disregarded that fact and went there. So I regret it after. Nothing happened, but still. I was feeling upset after it. I was planning to see the waterfalls, so I had to take a train. And I decided to wear a dress and keep my hair down. Omg! That was the big mistake ever.
I had to take a train from Union Square, which is full of homeless people. So, I bought a train ticket, and I only had to wait about 5 minutes for the train to arrive when I noticed 2 homeless guys started following my way. I didn’t know what to do as wherever I looked; there were only homeless people and nobody else.
So one guy passed me, and the other turned back and started following my way. I was scared, so I ran but didn’t know where.so I was running and browsing for a safe place to stop. Thank god he left behind, and I got into a safer place where I just took a train back to my hostel. The day, of course, was ruined and instead of heading to see the beautiful waterfall, I went straight to the airport.
6. Buy a Personal Alarm
I only discovered it recently while I was reading someone’s blog. This is such a cool thing, and I am sure it will save lives (in any dangerous situation). It is loud, has lighting features, and is compact. What else do we need? You can carry it handy every time. It has a key chain so you can add it to your bracelet, necklace, purse, backpack, or wherever you want. I highly suggest you get one.
Check out this article to learn about other travel safety products.
7. Keep Your Belongings Closer to the Body and on the Front
When you travel, keep your purse or backpack on the Front and do not wear it entirely on the back. In that case, you will watch it and hang tight.
8. Do Your Research
Research is a crucial step when you plan your trip. First, research the destination you are going to and the customs (some of them are pretty simple, but can cause you a lot of trouble if you are unaware of them). Research the safest neighborhoods at your destination, safe ways to navigate the city, the place’s safety in general, etc.
9. Wear a Ring
Whenever guys approach you and ask if you travel alone, show the ring and say that you are here with your husband. Then, make up the story. So they might leave you alone.
10. Find Like-Minded Travelers
When I travel solo, I always prepare myself to meet new people. So after I book my tickets, I post on Couchsurfing about my plans. If I am not meeting with anybody from CS, I try to make new friends on the spot. When I was in New Orleans, I met a girl in the hostel, and we continued the journey together. We had such a great time. Opportunities to meet new great people are limitless.
Being with someone else can make you feel more secure and safe.
11. Book a Group Tour
Want to explore the place but don’t feel comfortable on your own? Book a group tour. It doesn’t have to be expensive (as most tours are). Instead, it can be just a free walking tour. I’ve taken several, and I should admit they are pretty good. It is an excellent opportunity to explore great places safely (where you wouldn’t go alone) and meet new people.
12. Dress Appropriately
As I mentioned a bit about it in safety tip #5, dressing appropriately is very important. Need to take nice pics? No problem. Keep your hair in a ponytail or gather hair in a bun and keep them loose temporarily to take a pic, similarly, for clothes. You can take an extra shirt or dress to change into for taking a pic and change it again to more basic garments.
Do not wear very short shorts, skirts, or dresses to avoid unwanted attention.
13. Avoid Listening to the Music in Your Headset
This habit is very distractive. And in your case, it is a big no-no. You always need to pay attention to everything that surrounds you and who surrounds you. So keep your head high, look people in the eyes and walk confidentially.
14. Arrive at Your Destination During a Day
I always avoid arriving late as I feel very uncomfortable traveling to my accommodation in the dark. It always feels much safer (even if there is nothing to worry about) when it’s daytime rather than nighttime. So try to stick to arriving early before it gets dark.
15. Going Abroad? Write Down Common Phrases in Their Language
In some countries, not everybody speaks English, making it very difficult for us to navigate the city and find what we need. For example, my Uber driver barely spoke English when I arrived in Costa Rica. Because I arranged to meet with a local from CS, I had to connect the driver and that person over the phone, so he could explain what the driver told me (as my Spanish skills are pretty limited, and I was not sure what he meant). So he told me I couldn’t sit in the back because of their low.
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16. Avoid Drinking
Drinking makes us very relaxed, and we can do much more things rather than we would do when we were sober. So, be careful about consuming too much alcohol. If you want to drink, stick to a glass or two max.
17. Check the Weather
This tip can also help you to stay safe. So, check the weather upfront to avoid being stuck in a different place away from home because of a tornado or some other type of bad weather condition. Tornadoes, eruptions, or flooding can be deadly in some parts of the world, too, so to avoid all of that, always check the weather.
18. Stay Connected
Always make sure your phone is charged (and you have an extra charger), all your maps are working (download the offline map as well), and you have someone to talk to in case you need it.
19. Use Apps
There are some apps you can use to report incidents and get help. Some of them are MayDay, Trip whistle, and Noonlight
20. Be Loud if You are in Danger
If you get into a dangerous situation where someone approaches you and tries to convince you to do something or follow you, be loud and yell. Scream so you can get everybody’s attention. After that unexpected behavior, they will leave you alone.
21. Don’t Check-In Where You At on Social Media
Especially if your account is not private, do not tell strangers where you at, as it can be taken to their advantage. Instead, share your plans and destinations with your close friends and family so only they know.
Also, you can tell your hotel or hostel staff about your solo travel plans in the city, if you are up to taking a solo or group excursion and when you plan to return.
22. Choose Safety Among Cheap
If you are trying to save money and use public transport in sketchy areas, I would doubt it. Instead, use Uber. It will be safer. Same for the accommodation.
23. Always Have Some Cash on You
I either never have cash on me or have little, which, most of the time, is not enough. In some places (like Mexico and Thailand), you will need to pay with cash for a bus or taxi, smaller purchases at the store, etc. If you like me thinking, oh, that’s not a problem; I can get cash on the spot from the ATM, that’s not a very good idea as sometimes you can stay in a place where are barely any ATMs around, and those are not even working (that was the exact situation with me in Cancun). So, try to have some emergency cash with you all the time.
24. Don’t Carry Valuables With You
Please leave them in the hotel/hostel. They do not serve any purpose while you are exploring places and can attract unwanted attention.
25. Have a Plan B
- Don’t like your hotel/hostel? Make sure you have another place in mind where you can stay.
- Are Google maps not working? Download offline maps before you head to your destination.
- Forgot the address and name of your accommodation? Write it down on paper, save a screenshot, or even get a business card from your accommodation, which you can show to the taxi driver (if they don’t speak English). So they will know where to drop you off.
- Your phone died unexpectedly? Have handy an extra portable charger.
26. Make a Copy of Important Documents
If your originals get stolen (which is less likely to happen if you are very cautious about it), restoring them and proving your identity will be easier.
27. Do not Go Out on a Tinder Date at Night
It’s okay to use Tinder when you travel, so you might find a local buddy who can show you the destination, but try to avoid going out with new people at night. Better stay safe.
28. Carefully Select Your Accommodation Location
Although the hotel/hostel can be lovely, the location is not that good. However, for us solo female travelers, it is an essential aspect. We must ensure that we are safe where we stay and what’s around us.
29. Be Nice, Kind, and Polite
Being the opposite of that can make people want to do some nasty things because they might get angry. But when you are always lovely and polite, people pay you back and have a connection with you. They are always eager to help or give advice.
30. Talk to Locals
They can share the best tips with you, point you to the right places, help to save money, show you where to get the best food, where not to go, and what to avoid.
31. Don’t Walk With the Phone in Your Hands
That is a good sign that you are a tourist. It is very inconvenient to take the phone out of the purse all the time and put it back, but it is a safer way. I ignored that before, but I recently realized that it is essential.
32. Enjoy Your Trip and Stop Over-Thinking
And this is the last tip and not the less important one. We all have this problem when we overthink, especially about our travel. The most popular questions we ask ourselves are What if? How can I go there? How will I feel being alone? Is it safe? Etc.
But let me tell you. Stop thinking about it and wasting your time. Life is all about experiences; while others believe it, you are losing the great opportunity to experience a new place to learn more about yourself and others. Travel solo is very safe; you need to take all the precautions mentioned in this post, get ready and enjoy.
Final thoughts
Did you already start feeling safer? I hope so. These 32 solo female safety travel tips are all you need to take with you on your travel :). Solo travel should never be complicated. Instead, it should be enjoyable and leave only good memories for you.
Thank you for reading. If you know more tips for traveling alone, please share them in the comment below. Happy travel!
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