Safety is always a hot topic, especially where traveling is concerned. In this blog post, I’ve teamed up with some travel blogger friends to share with you our top safety tips for traveling alone.
No one wants their trip ruined by running into trouble on the road, especially when traveling solo. Although sometimes you just can just be unlucky or find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time there are a few things that can at least minimize the impact.
The internet can be a pretty terrifying place! But despite all of the fake news, graphic content, trigger warnings, and internet trolls it’s revolutionized how we travel, and in my opinion, enabled solo female travelers to feel safe as we roam the world. The number one question I get asked is “is it safe to travel alone as a woman?”
In this post I’m going to try and answer that question as best I can along with some other solo travel tips to help you travel smarter.
Hey Mondo is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single-trip cover, annual multi-trip cover, and long-term travel cover. Safety Wing is great value, with monthly coverage starting at $45.08. It’s super easy to use, and it just renews each month. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy.
Read my full travel insurance post here, where I go into detail about all companies.
Top Safety Tips For Traveling Alone
“The biggest solo travel tip I can give for any traveler is to listen to your instincts. If something seems fishy, it probably is. And even if it isn’t, you’re always better safe than sorry!”
You can follow Ultimate Country Guides on Facebook and Twitter
One of top solo travel tips is to Share your itinerary with someone not traveling with you. Also make sure to check in regularly with a friend or family member especially if traveling solo or somewhere more remote.
“Aerosol cans are illegal to bring on planes so you can’t purchase mace ahead of time, but getting a small can once you get to your destination can be a lifesaver. If you’re traveling to multiple destinations that you are weary of, do yourself a favour and buy a small can at each place you go. If mace isn’t available, I always carry a personal alarm which I bought for $10 on Amazon. These are small and can be taken on planes in a backpack or on a keychain.”
Ava from Kicking Asana
“If you’re travelling solo through an unsafe country, sew a little internal security pocket inside your trousers with some emergency cash in it – just in case your bag or wallet go missing!”
“My number one safety tips for traveling alone is to always have my hand on my purse, which I place in front of me while in crowded places. I keep one hand casually over the zipper so I don’t look like I’m protecting anything really, but no one can get into it without touching my hand.”
Danielle from Like Riding a Bicycle
You can follow Like Riding a Bicycle on Facebook Twitter and Instagram
“Postpone your trip if the weather isn’t good. I’ve read so many accounts wherein tourists or hikers insist on island hopping or trekking mountains despite the weather advisory and end up getting stranded, at the very least. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
Follow Tara Lets Anywhere on Facebook and Instagram
“If you’re carrying new or fancy camera equipment on your trip, beware – it can be a magnet for thieves. To keep your camera secure (and to prevent it from falling out of your hands!), wrap the strap around your right forearm. This is better than putting it around your neck: a strap around your arm will help you keep a grip on your equipment, but prevents damage or injury to your neck if the strap is pulled violently.”
“My best solo travel tips is to split everything up! I always travel with photocopies of my passport, I put one in each bag separately from my actual passport. I also have an electronic copy stored in the cloud and on Google Drive. If I’m carrying cash I also split that up keeping some on my person and divide the rest up into different bags/ pockets.
I also always carry two purses, a real one and a fake. the fake I keep a little money and a few old credit/ bank cards. That way if I’m robbed I can just hand over the fake.”
Safety Tips For Traveling Alone: Do Your Research
If you are travelling solo somewhere new do some serious research.
If you are wondering if is it safe to travel alone as a woman to a specific place then look at the crime statistics and check out the stats for assaults on women in that place.
When I did my hometown wasn’t much different from most of the places I was going, in a lot of cases, it was lower! Crime happens EVERYWHERE so put it into context.
Make sure to research the area you are staying and check reviews on booking.com and TripAdvisor. Look for any feedback on safety and door locks etc. Also PLEASE leave reviews for places after your stay and be HONEST.
Sign up for Government safety warnings from the UK and the US (The UK are a bit less fear-mongering I have personally found), and check out the local newspaper online (if they have one) so you can read about any local issues.
There has been a lot of chat on online forums and Facebook groups about areas being very unsafe and the media not reporting on it. So as well as checking the media and government advice try and connect with people who have recently been to that area or who live there.
This brings me nicely to my next point…
Join Some Facebook Solo Travel Tips Groups
This has been a game-changer for me! There are several large female-only groups on Facebook dedicated to travel. One of them has over 100k members from all over the world. Things these groups are great:
If you want information about a place you are going to, just search or post asking women who have been there. Ask them if is it safe to travel alone as a woman. You are going to get the most up-to-date and accurate information from women who have been there recently.
Feeling lonely? No one to hang out with? Post asking if anyone is in the area. I have seen so many of these posts and I’ve yet to see anyone not find a friend.
Lost someone? Or had an accident and need help? The number of missing people or SOS calls that have been put to the group and people have jumped into action is just incredible! I remember a girl in Israel putting out an SOS and within an hour another girl had come and got her out of a bad situation. They posted a selfie the next day at the Dead Sea having a great time. There is almost always someone close by who can respond to your SOS.
Want to vent or share some good news (travel-related)? Do it in here- although be warned there are trolls even in wonderful groups like these! Join the groups and then before you post asking questions do a search of the group to check what people have been posting about it. More than likely someone will have already asked the questions that you have.
Knowing that there are over 100k girls out there linked to this group who could potentially help me out if I ever got into a bad situation is such an amazing thing. I am truly thankful it exists!
Book Your Accommodation
Book at least your first night in a new place so you have somewhere to rest and get yourself together once you have arrived. Nothing worse than arriving in a new place and pounding the pavement with your backpack looking for a good place to stay.
I normally only book one night as I seem to have a knack for booking accommodation that is miles away from where I actually want to be! So I book my first night so I can dump my bag, shower, and then go exploring and find the best place to stay.
Drop Pinning
Going somewhere new? Or somewhere that could be a bit risky, a date for example. Then make sure you send your drop pin location to your person or persons whoever they are. That way they know your exact location.
ALWAYS let someone know where you are. A lot of my social media is automated so I always check in with family regularly so they know I’m ok as my online presence doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve been online.
Google Maps
I don’t even know what I did before this app, make sure you have it on your phone. To prevent looking like a target when trying to find somewhere new put your headphones in and your phone away. If you need to take a look at your phone, stop and do so being cautious of where you are stopping.
If you are walking down the road staring at your phone you aren’t taking in your surroundings and potentially vulnerable. Did you know you can also use this app offline?
Well, you can. Simply go to your settings click on offline areas and download your area.
Trust Your Intuition
You know that feeling you get that something isn’t quite right, or something bad is going to happen. Well, trust it. If you feel at all uncomfortable about something then don’t do it. Simple.
Plan Your Travel Days
I always make sure I know how I’m getting from the airport to my accommodation. ALWAYS. As part of your research make sure this is a priority. If public transport is easy and I’m on my own I always use it.
Sometimes if I’m traveling with others or it’s difficult to get to where I want to go on public transport I get a taxi. That said in Thailand the cheapest way was actually to book a private transfer car which I did online.
Make sure you know the following:
Where you need to go for the train/ bus or taxi
Know how much it will cost you. Especially if you are using a taxi to avoid paying too much.
Know where you are going to and have the phone number of your accommodation or host if you think it could be difficult to find. That way the taxi driver can call for directions.
Traveling around the area you are staying is a different matter. As part of your research make sure you check how safe the taxis are for women, especially at night time.
Check if walking at night is safe and what the public transport is like. This varies massively from place to place.
For example, in many South American countries, it’s not advisable for a woman to get a taxi at night alone but in Europe, it’s pretty safe. In Guatemala, public transport is mostly very safe during the day (night time is different) but in Guatemala City, it is not safe for tourists to use the Red Line public transport route due to the constant crime on the buses.
Top transport safety tips For Traveling Alone
Take photos of the taxi registration or license (always use a licensed one). If you can get one of the drivers sneakily do it.
If you have to store your main bag somewhere away from you then make sure you have all of your important (and expensive) things on you.
Avoid traveling alone at night if you can help it.
Emergency number
Before you arrive in a new place make sure you know all of the emergency numbers for that country, or locality, including the embassy for your country. Dig a little deeper if you are traveling in a country who are known to have issues with the police or government as sometimes it’s better to go directly to your embassy.
Copies of Important Documents
Keep at least 2 copies of your passport and anything else important in different places on your passport! I also have a scan of my driver’s license, passport, and all of my vaccinations in the cloud and on my Google Drive.
Watch Your Drinks
As a rule, I’m very, very careful with alcohol abroad. If I drink, I tend to do it early on and don’t stay out very late, unless I’m in a very safe area. I rarely get drunk as alcohol can cloud my judgment and make me more vulnerable.
It’s really common to spike drinks in certain places so look out for that when doing your research.
24/7 partying isn’t high on my agenda these days. I prefer a few beers and an early night! When I do let my hair down and party I make sure I’m 100% comfortable in my environment and trust who I’m with.
I know it’s sad to have to worry so much about these things and at the end of the day you can do all of the above and something bad can still happen. To say a woman could do more to prevent it is victim-blaming and always wrong. Being cautious about alcohol and my environment helps me personally to feel a bit safer.
Things To Take With You
There are a few cheap and cheerful items that don’t take up much room in my bag and help make me feel a bit safer:
A door wedge – If you are feeling a bit unsafe at night in your hostel or hotel room put it under the door to wedge it shut from the inside. This will help prevent (or at least make it difficult) for someone to enter.
A whistle – Costs $1 it’s light and loud. I just keep it in my bag in case of an emergency and I need to make a loud noise!
Mini spray – I don’t really like the idea of carrying pepper spray so I try and keep a mini spray of some kind, like hairspray or deodorant, that can double up.
Travel Guide Planning
🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation while I’m traveling?
I strongly recommend using Bookaway. You can book almost all transport in the major tourist destinations through them online. They don’t just cover buses they also cover shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.
🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours?
👩⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?
I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat. For Digital Nomads check out SafetyWing digital nomad insurance.
I have also written a blog post covering all my recommended travel insurance here
✈️ Any flight recommendations?
WayAWay offers you cheap flights with cashback. You can use this code CLAIRE22 to get 10% off. Otherwise Skyscanner or Expedia are my go-to flight searching platforms.
📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?
I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I wrote a full review of the top travel WiFi devices you can read here. I personally use GlocalMe as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.
With regards to my phone connection, I use e-sims while traveling, so rather than having to swap out my regular sim card I can download the app and buy a virtual sim card. I recommend using eitherAirhub or Alosim. Both have great coverage of multiple countries and are very easy to use.
🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?
The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.
🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?
I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here. I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack.
