Tips for Traveling Alone: Solo Female Travel Tips
Table of Contents
Looking for tips for traveling alone? Here are my best solo female travel tips. I’ve been traveling on my own since 1994, and I’ve even written books about walking long distance trails on my own. I’ll be honest: most of these tips are valid for both women and men. But because I’m a woman, and because women tend to be more concerned about solo travel as women, that’s how I’ve planned the focus for this article.
Before you go
Check travel warnings
Before you even book your trip, check your government’s advice on the countries you’re planning to travel to, especially if you’ve never been there before and aren’t familiar with the culture or the current government situation. If you see anything concerning, do more research before booking your solo trip.
Research well
Know local emergency numbers. Once you’ve decided where you’ll be traveling, look up the local emergency numbers and save them in your phone. Every country is different—don’t expect to dial 999 or 911 and get help.
Know local scams
If you’ve traveled enough, you’ve probably either been a victim of a scam, or you’ve heard stories about them. Read up on tourist scams around the world so you know what to expect. It probably won’t happen to you, but you want to be able to recognize it if it happens. Some of them are very well thought out and executed, and can catch you off guard.
Get travel insurance
Your trip will probably run smoothly, but it’s always worth having travel insurance for health and safety reasons. In the UK, you can use websites like Compare the Market or Money Supermarket to compare rates.
Book your first night
Even if you want to keep your options open for the rest of your trip, be sure to book your first night so you know where you’ll be going. Print any relevant information, such as the address and phone number (I know this is old school, but it’s good to have a backup for your first night’s stay). Know where it is, and plan how you’re going to get there. If you can, try to arrive during daylight hours—though I know that’s not always possible.
Pack light
Learning how to pack light is an important travel skill: it will make getting around easier at airports, train stations, and getting to your hotels. A top tip for traveling alone is to pack light so you aren’t struggling with your baggage. You want to be able to handle it on your own, without relying on others for help.
Leave flashy jewelry at home
You don’t want to attract attention as the perfect target for a thief. Leave your valuables at home, and wear less expensive items that you won’t miss if you lose them on your trip.
Pack a wedding ring
I’ve never done this, but this is a top solo female travel tip that I’ve read over and over. If you want to avoid unwanted attention from men, and you’re not looking to meet any new guys on your trip, wear a wedding ring (or something that looks like one). It might deter unwanted attention.
Tell a friend
Tell a friend or family member where you’ll be traveling to, and send them a copy of your itinerary, including estimated dates at each location, and places you’ve booked to stay.
Keep a secret
Don’t share on social media where you’re going. Keep your travel itinerary a secret from the general public, and even from internet friends. If you want to build anticipation, mention you’ve got something planned, but don’t go into specifics.
Image licensed from Depositphotos.
On your trip
Know where you’re staying
Before you leave your hotel or hostel, grab a business card on your way out. I was once traveling with a friend in Spain, and we forgot to do this. After dinner, we wandered around the town for hours until we managed to find where we were staying. It was a rookie mistake, and thankfully I wasn’t alone. I would have probably panicked if I had been. This was in my early days of travel.
It’s also often recommended to ask for an upper floor in a hotel. I certainly don’t like having a ground floor room, so even just one level up makes a big difference for me.
Don’t overshare
If a local is giving you unwanted attention and wants to know where you’re staying, don’t tell them. I once had a guy chatting me up on a bus in Costa Rica. I lied about where I was staying, but he must have followed me, because after I checked into my room and got settled in, the owner knocked on my door to tell me my friend was waiting for me. I told her that I didn’t have any friends in the area, and to please tell him to go away. It was really unsettling that he managed to find out where I was staying, but thankfully I didn’t see him again during my trip.
Also, don’t overshare details online. When I’m walking a long distance trail on my own, I don’t publish my itinerary. I don’t share where I’m staying that night. I do share photos of my journey, but often it’s not on the exact day that I took them.
It’s really tempting to share all about your trip on social media as it’s happening. I do it, too. But sometimes I get a little wary about sharing my exact location, especially when traveling alone in remote locations. I’ll often take photos and then share them on different days. I’ll also share them out of order, especially if I’m walking a long distance trail by myself—that way, followers won’t know which direction I’m walking it in. Finally, I never take photos of where I’m staying, so no one would know where to find me. You can share all of those photos when you get back, or when you’ve moved on to your next location.
Keep your stuff safe
Keep documents, cards, and cash safe. Make sure they’re not in a pickpocket-friendly part of your bag. Always keep an eye on your belongings. When I first started traveling alone, I got into the habit of counting each item.
Let’s say I was getting on a flight and I had my purse, my backpack, a rolling suitcase, and a coat. One, two, three, four. Every time I got up from a seat and moved to another part of the airport, I would count in my mind: one, two, three, four. It was like my silent trick to remember all of my stuff. I still do this if I’ve got more than a couple of items with me.
Image by SplitShire from Pixabay
Be aware of pickpockets
Don’t put things in your pockets unless you don’t care about them, and hold onto your purse or bag when you’re out walking around. Keep your backpack on the front of your body unless you want things to disappear from the pockets.
I was once walking down a street in Buenos Aires in a touristy area near where I was living. I had just gotten off the Subte and had the ticket in the back pocket of my jeans. It was used and was no longer worth anything, but as I was walking down the street I just barely felt someone slip it out of my pocket. If it had been something valuable, I would have lost it.
Stay connected
Make sure your phone is charged at all times. If you’re taking lots of photos or using wifi a lot, or if you know your batter drains quickly, carry an extra battery pack for emergency.
I used to go hiking with my phone on airplane mode to save battery, but of course that also disables location services, so I no longer do this.
Use a VPN
I’ve never done this, but it’s a good idea: use a VPN when traveling. It will help protect you from identity theft and from people grabbing your card details when you’re using free wifi on your travels. Learn more about how to use a VPN when traveling.
Stay alert
Try to sleep well if you’ve got an overnight journey, and stay sober if you go out at night. This will help you to stay alert in your solo travels and avoid any unpleasant situations.
Image licensed from Depositphotos.
Trust your gut
If something or someone feels wrong, trust your gut. Some part of you knows that something is wrong, even if your rational mind thinks everything is okay. Remove yourself from the situation and go somewhere you feel safe.
Get help
When needed, get help. Ask another woman for help, or duck into a shop or restaurant if you’re being followed. Don’t be afraid to tell people what’s going on—speak up and get help.
One time, I was walking down a busy street in Buenos Aires in the evening, going to a meetup with friends at a place I had been to many times before. I had walked down that street so many times before. But I noticed I was being followed by a large car. It was driving slowly beside me, and at one point it turned down a cross street to try to cut me off. I picked up my pace, crossed the main road, and ducked into a cafe I was familiar with. I thought I’d just sit quietly at a table in the back and wait to meet up with friends. But the guy in the car found me, parked outside the cafe, and sat there staring and me and occasionally honking his horn. Eventually, he gave up and went away, and I sprinted to my meetup with friends. I should have just said something to someone at the cafe—or better yet, I should have alerted a friend.
Be impolite
If you’re being followed, or if a person is being overly friendly, don’t feel like you need to be polite. Be clear, strong, and assertive. Tell them that you are not interested. Unwanted attention is one of the most annoying things about solo travel as a woman, but you can nip it in the bud by being clear that you don’t want it.
When I was just getting started traveling alone, I was in Florence and got followed all day long by a guy. I would go into museums, and when I came out again, he’d be there. He’d ride his bike alongside me as I walked, chatting with me. I ignored him the entire day, and eventually he went away, but I probably would have had a more pleasant day if I had just told him to get lost from the beginning. But I was scared of being impolite, and I didn’t know what to say.
Related articles
- Solo Hiking for Women: Staying Safe in the Outdoors
- Solo Trail Running for Women: Staying Safe in the Outdoors
On the podcast
Related reading
Read about my two adventures along England’s most popular National Trail in this second edition of my book Alone on the South Downs Way. This book contains all the blisters, sweat, and tears from my first life-changing journey—and all the joy, presence, and magic of the second one.
More than just a walking travelogue or memoirs of a walking holiday, this book contains my reflections on walking the trail, including lessons learned and practical information to help you plan your hiking adventure. It includes a suggested packing list, gear recommendations, and other useful tips, such as when to walk the trail, where to stay, and how much you’ll need to budget.
Save to Pinterest!
0 Comments