Traveling solo is an amazing and liberating experience. But some people, especially women, may be hesitant to travel solo with concerns for their safety. Here are some tips to help you on your journey.
1. Start slow. Your first solo trip doesn’t have to be an extravagant European vacation. Taking a road trip to a neighboring state counts too and gets you warmed up for the bigger future trips.
2. Avoid listening to music in headphones or earbuds while walking about in a city. It will make you less aware of your surroundings.
3. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! Plan out your activities and accommodations ahead of time. Be sure to check out the reviews of each before booking! Be sure to grab a travel roadmap since you are here!
4. Do not flaunt valuable jewelry, purses, or accessories. They will make you a target for someone intending to rob an unsuspecting traveler.
5. Enroll in STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), a free service that alerts you of changing travel advisories, natural disasters, or family emergencies.
6. Make eye contact with people and walk straight up, always addressing people with confidence and assertiveness.
7. Pack light when traveling solo. If you have an unexpected injury, you’ll have difficulty lugging around a heavy suitcase, and you won’t have any backup to help you.
8. Make yourself aware of the city or area and if they are having issues with scams or crimes.
9. Avoid getting intoxicated while you are in a foreign and unknown place alone. A few drinks here and there are ok, but safety first!
10. Stay off your phone. This will help you stay more aware of your surroundings, of course, and will help avoid getting lost.
11. At night, while walking, try to stay close to a group or a family. Make eye contact with them so that they realize you are friendly. Stay close so that you are less of a target to someone that could be watching from a distance.
12. Avoid traveling by public transportation such as trains, buses, or taxis at night. Uber is an international company and much safer because the app can track the driver and travel details. You can also share your ride information, including driver identity and vehicle details with any of your contacts.
13. Take an escorted tour. You’ll have solo accommodations, but you’ll meet up with a tour guide and small group for all activities and some meals.
14. Always keep the contact information of your accommodations on your person. Grab a business card from the front desk. Should you get lost during your travels, you will have the location information as a quick reference. This is also a plus when English isn’t the primary language. You can simply show the address on the business card instead of trying to pronounce the name.
15. Don’t skip on Travel Insurance. As a solo traveler, travel insurance is even more critical in case of injury, trip interruptions, or lost/stolen baggage.
16. As a woman, there is an advantage to carrying cash or cards in your bra or in a money belt that fits under your clothes. It’s wise to carry most of your money and cards somewhere on or close to your body.
17. Be willing to meet local women. Women tend to look out for other women. So as a solo traveler, it does not hurt to make friends with local women.
18. Be careful with social media. Before you “do it for the gram,” consider not posting in real-time or tagging your location while you’re still there.
19. Make sure your phone is fully charged when you leave your room. Bring an external power bank to be on the safe side.
20. Don’t spend big in public. You never know who’s watching you pull out large amounts of cash or swiping for big purchases.
21. You do not have to check with your family or friends every day but let them know the details of your accommodations and the activities you have planned. Schedule calls at specific times so that they are expecting to hear from you. Should anything go wrong, that is their initial indicator.
22. While traveling internationally, make copies of your passport and take the documents with you. Always leave your official passport behind at your accommodations, preferably in a safe.
23. Do not share your personal information with strangers while out and about in a foreign and unknown place.
24. Look into single’s cruises or adult-only all-inclusive resorts. They often have designated and safe meetups for other single adults.
25. Don’t be cheap when it comes to your accommodations. Staying in a place with security or a gated entrance is a great option for solo travelers.
At different times in our lives, we all appreciate and need the opportunity to be alone. This desire does not change when it comes to traveling. There is peace and tranquility in exploring a new place with just oneself. So go for it!
Be confident! Be safe! But most importantly, have a ball and truly enjoy yourself.
