How To Stay Safe As A Solo Female Traveller

Here I am again trying to convince you that solo travel is for everyone, seriously if you don’t get the idea by now I’ll spell it out for you. GO ON A SOLO ADVENTURE!

Today I am specifically focusing on solo female travel and how best to stay safe when you’re exploring new destinations alone as a woman. It’s sad to think as females we have to give extra thought to our safety but unfortunately all around the world as a female, you can be more vulnerable.

But this shouldn’t stop you from exploring the world and after many months of solo female travel, I have just about figured out the best ways to stay safe which I will share with you.

Do your research

This is an essential part of your trip planning phase and even more so as a solo female. So be prepared and find out essential information such as what languages are most commonly spoken and what currency you will need, meaning you are less likely to encounter any problems when you arrive at your destination.

If you are headed to any big cities it’s worth finding out if there are any specific neighbourhoods to avoid that are known to cause problems for tourists. Also, I always make sure I know the emergency numbers (e.g 999 in the UK) in the country I am in as they differ all around the world.

Download offline maps

Offline maps are an absolute lifesaver whatever your gender is, to be honest. The last thing you want to be doing as a solo female traveller is getting really lost and if you don’t have data/wifi your trusty google maps might not cut it. You need to download the app Maps.me before your trip, it allows you to download detailed maps of certain areas and you can use them without wifi/data so you never have to get lost again.

Keep valuables secure and out of sight

A bit of an obvious one but as a solo female traveller you don’t ever want to stand out by flashing a lot of valuables. So leave that diamond jewellery at home and keep the valuables you take on your trip limited. When you go out on day trips keep anything you don’t need locked away in a locker/safe. And for when you do take valuables out with you keep them close, I personally find the best way to do this is to take a bum bag.

Don’t drink too much

We all love a good tequila shot from time to time, but when you are on your own as a female in a new location it’s just not the time. Not to say you can’t have a few beers watching the sunset but just know your limits and don’t overdo it. Drinking heavily does come hand in hand with backpacking culture but being fully out of control can leave you in some vulnerable situations as a solo female traveller so please take care of yourself.

Trust your gut

Your intuition is key when you travel on your own and the more time you spend solo travelling the better your intuition becomes. If something doesn’t feel right with a new friend politely make an excuse and let them know you need to leave. If you don’t feel safe in your accommodation, find a new place to stay. If you get bad vibes from someone walking behind you, duck into a busy cafe/restaurant. Being out of your comfort zone is a great part of solo travel but if something just really feels off trust your gut and change the situation.

Share your location with family/friends

One of the good and bad things about technology nowadays is anyone can see where you are at any time. When you are on a solo trip however sharing your location with family or a close friend at home can give both you and them peace of mind that you’re safe. Obviously, you may not always have data/wifi so just simply checking in with someone at home every day and letting them know your plans can help keep you safe.

Take extra precautions at night

As you can imagine once the sun sets you can be a bit more at risk as a solo female traveller so it’s definitely worth taking more precautions. The best advice I can give is to not go wandering the streets alone at night-time and save the exploring for the day. If you do want to head out exploring there is always safety in numbers so try to get a group together. Or if it’s just a simple journey from A to B why not opt for a taxi/tuk-tuk instead.

Always have travel insurance

An absolute no brainer, never I mean never take any trip without insurance. I hope you never need to use your insurance but it does help support you should you experience illness, injury or theft on your adventure. Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan so think of your travel insurance as a handy backup in case something goes sideways.

Arrive at a new destination in daylight hours

I definitely feel more comfortable arriving in a new place during daylight as it’s much easier to navigate your way to your accommodation and there are likely going to be more public transport options too. If you don’t have a choice on your arrival time make sure you plan your journey ahead. For example, if you get into the airport late at night see if you can book a transfer that will meet you at the airport and take you straight to your accommodation.

Take spare cards/emergency cash

In the unfortunate event, that you get your purse stolen or you simply lose it it’s a really handy idea to have a spare bank card or emergency cash stored away elsewhere. You can hide emergency cash in a pair of socks or an empty shampoo bottle, just don’t forget where you hide it. It’s also a good idea to have either a photocopy or a photo of your passport just in case you lose it.

After rambling on I want to leave you with one last thought. Don’t overthink safety too much, as long as you use your basic common sense and your prepared, travelling as a solo female traveller is nothing to be worried about!

Want to discover more tips and tricks for solo travel, check out more posts by clicking here!

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