How to Safely Solo Travel as a Woman – a Solo Travel Expert

How to Safely Solo Travel as a Woman

If you're considering trying solo travel, or perhaps just want a refresh on how to make sure you travel safely as a woman, you're in the right place. I've travelled solo all over the world and in the last decade I've made all the mistakes and learned the lessons of solo travel. Here, I'm sharing what I've learned from 10 years of solo travel so that you can avoid the mistakes and keep yourself safe and thriving while travelling the world solo.

But MOST importantly, my advice doesn't revolve around changing your behaviour and reducing your experience as a WOMAN travelling alone by never going out or meeting new people. This solo travel tips list is the ANTIDOTE to the scaremongering advice you will often find online that simply limits women or worries them about solo travelling at all! 

Don't listen to the media or "advice" from non-travellers

It is so easy to get caught in the trap of reading the news and listening to over-hyped headlines about backpacker attacks or dangers for solo travelling women. The truth is that incidents are rare and that's why they make headline news, as a former journalist I know all too well the pressure to create clickbait headlines that drive views and readers.

As a female solo traveller, I recommend ignoring the media when you're planning a solo trip and ignoring advice from anyone who hasn't travelled to the destination (it's likely based off media reports). Keep in mind that every country has good and bad sides, while the media may focus on one part, they are likely ignoring a calm and unaffected part that you are actually travelling to. Instead of paying heed to unsolicited advice, seek out on the ground updates from real travellers and bloggers who will give authentic and real-time advice.

Arrive at your destination in daylight

This is a big lesson I learned the hard way after stepping off a plane or bus to a new destination in darkness, unsure where my accommodation was and surrounded by aggressive tuk tuk drivers. Don't make my mistake, instead plan your travel days so that you can arrive in a new destination in daylight, particularly when you first start travelling solo.

It has a huge impact on how you view a destination – things are instantly less scary and intimidating in daylight and it also helps you feel safer by giving you more options such as being able to walk to your accommodation. If you can't arrange to arrive in daylight, look at simple things you can organise to make your life easier – perhaps an accommodation that provides a transfer or pick-up.

>> Read: How to Prepare for First Time Solo Travel

Don't share your location on social media

We live in a time when we constantly capture and share what we are doing, and when travelling it is a natural instinct to want to keep your followers (or even just family and friends) updated with the cool things you're doing. This is, after all, how I started this blog over 10 years ago. However, something as a content creator and influencer that I am always hyper aware of when travelling is not sharing too much. As a woman travelling alone, I never share my location in real-time and I'm always very cautious with what I am sharing in case it might be recognisable in any way.

It may sound overdramatic – but you need to be aware that once you post something online, it is visible to anyone in the world whether you location tag or not. Don't take this advice as not being able to post at all online, just be careful about what you are posting and stay aware when sharing on social media – remember it makes no difference if you don't share in real-time.

Join A Solo Female Travel Community

One really great way to feel more confident and safely solo travel as a woman is to join a solo female travel community, such as Solo Adventure Gals. Not only does it provide you with a virtual support network in your back pocket, but you can gain on-the-ground tips and advice from a community of like-minded women. You may even find that with an international community of solo travelling women, that there might be a member or two living in the destination you are visiting which provides an extra layer of comfort and an opportunity to meet in-person. If you're interested in joining my 1000+ solo female travel community – Solo Adventure Gals – you'll also get a free solo travel starter kit when you sign up!

Get comfortable saying NO and setting boundaries

This is one of the most important lessons you will learn as a solo traveller, and particularly as a woman travelling alone. Society has been stripping away our ability to say no as women for our entire lives, we have been trained to be people-pleasers. But if you want to safely solo travel as a woman, you need to learn to ignore the expectation that we will behave in a certain way. It's vital that you are able to advocate for yourself, whether you don't want to ride a scooter without a helmet, you don't want to accept a drink from a strange guy at a bar, or you just want to spend a day alone instead of adventuring with your hostel buddies. Having the courage to be risk being disliked is what could actually keep you safe by setting boundaries.

Get an eSIM for your phone before you arrive

One of my favourite solo travel hacks is using eSIMs for your phone. While they can end up being more expensive than getting local SIM cards for your phone, I think that is a small price to pay for having instant connection on your phone when you land. It means you have access to maps, Whatsapp, can contact your accommodation and can even order an Uber or taxi if needed. I always use Holafly eSIMs which are available for over 200 countries and regions. I have a special discount code ABSOLUTELYLUCY for 5% off at Holafly – get yours now!

Read my full blog post on the Best eSIM For Solo Female Travellers To Beat Roaming Charges for more information.

Plan your arrival routine

Did you know that planning only for safety is where so many solo travellers go wrong? The most vulnerable moment of travelling alone as a woman is often not the moment you arrive, it's the moment when it first hits you that you are alone and the adrenaline wears off. Often you'll be at your accommodation and this is when the big emotions can hit and leave you feeling isolated and alone. The best way to combat this is to have an arrival routine that instantly helps you feel at home in your destination, it could even incorporate some of your favourite routines from home. Here's some ideas:

• Going for a walk to explore the local area or booking a walking tour
• Getting coffee or brunch at a local coffee shop
• Heading to the supermarket to buy snacks
• Going to the hostel/hotel bar or a social event to meet people
• Arranging to meet a local or another traveller (if you know someone or connected through a group)

Have your phone prepped for offline / airplane mode

While you might have an eSIM (or you may choose not to use one) you should always be prepared for things to not work. One thing I've learned is that sometimes for no reason whatsoever, you will not have phone signal. As a woman travelling alone, this can leave you feeling very vulnerable, so I like to do everything I can to avoid this. For every trip, I keep photos on my phone of any important documents or emails, booking confirmations etc. I also make sure to have downloaded maps to my phone with everything pinned on the map including my accommodation. It's also worth having looked up transport routes (perhaps for trains/buses) so you're not at a loss for getting around.

Get the best travel insurance for solo female travellers

One of the best things you can do to prepare for a solo trip is to get travel insurance. It's the perfect safety net to ensure safe solo travel as a woman and means you always have someone in your corner if things go wrong. I never travel without it and over the years I've had bags go missing, flight delays and illness to contend with. Things can go wrong and while you never want that to happen, it's invaluable for solo female travellers.

I thrive on adventure, but when it comes to my wellbeing, I don't compromise. SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance Essential provides coverage in 175+ countries, and you have complete control over when your policy starts and stops at any time. They cover:

• Meals & accommodations if you have a travel delay over 12 hours
• Emergency dental care up to $1000
• Medical care including prescriptions, emergency care and hospital stays
• Coverage for lost checked luggage
• Flights home if something bad happens
• Continued coverage for visits back home
• Coverage for motor accidents
• Coverage for injuries from leisure sports & activities

If you need coverage for a longer period, you might consider looking at their Complete plan - includes all Essential features, plus comprehensive health coverage with routine healthcare, mental health support, and maternity, most countries in the world, including in your home country.

>>Read Choosing Travel Insurance for Solo Female Travellers

Learn to trust your gut

I've already covered the importance of boundaries and being able to say NO, but how do you know when is the right time to use these tools? Trusting your gut is my #1 piece of advice for women travelling alone. If you want to travel safely as a woman, you will need to learn to tune into your natural instincts and to avoid conforming to society expectations of being polite or "nice".

You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach when something is wrong? The way it feels when the hairs on your arms stand up or when you instantly feel uncomfortable in someone's presence but you don't yet know why? Those are your instincts screaming early warnings at you. Part of learning how to travel safely solo travel as a woman is becoming hyper-aware of these instincts and responding to them quickly instead of waiting for things to develop into an unsafe situation. Often it is very possible to avoid bad things happening at all if we are listening to our bodies.

Have a support network in place

One thing that will always help you to feel more confident as a solo female traveller is having a support network in place. Things like knowing who your emergency contact is and having them also saved in your phone under "emergency". Having someone at home that you share your location with or let know your travel plans – you don't have to be in constant contact with someone but maybe plan to check in with them every few days so they know you're okay. That way if anything did go wrong, there is someone to raise the alert.

Have someone on speed dial (or a few people) who you know you can call if thing go wrong, or if you simply feel lonely or need a pep talk. Remember to consider that some people in your life may instantly tell you to come home if you're having a bad day when really what you might need is to be told to get yourself dressed and go out and enjoy the trip. You might have different people for different situations.

Plan your solo travel accessories

There are some items that I recommend having in your solo travel kit to help you feel prepared for your trip. I never travel without a long strap cross-body bag for instance, it's a great item to have for walking around and keeping your valuables safe from pick-pockets. I love this vegan leather bag by Thafael which is specifically designed with anti-theft features, and I even have a 20% off code for you: LUCY 

Always split your money & valuables

A lesson many solo travellers learn the hard way, make sure you don't get caught out by pick-pockets by not being prepared. I recommend always splitting your money between different bank accounts and bank cards, then never carry these in the same bag or hide them in the same place. Always make sure you have bank accounts with apps where you can stop the card instantly if it is stolen or misplaced. It's always wise to carry some cash with you for emergencies and it's also worth splitting your cash into different pockets or bags. By using this method, even if you misplace a bag or something is stolen, you should still have a back-up option so you're not left without any money.

Talk to everyone – connect with people

Often nervous or first-time solo travellers will be more inclined to keep to themselves but there's a lot of value in talking to everyone. It might be scary to make the first move but connecting with people is not only fun and super comforting as it makes you feel less lonely as a woman travelling alone. But it also makes you stand out, it makes you memorable and means more people are likely to look out for you or step in if you need help.

I always make the effort to smile at people and stop for a chat and I've had lovely humans help out when I've had to deal with aggressive taxi drivers before, or help me when I needed directions. Often people will stop me in the street just because I'm a woman travelling by myself to ask if I need help finding anything so don't be afraid to ask.

Think about your body language

It's not just about what you say when travelling, but your demeanour can have a huge impact on how many people you meet and how safe you feel. If you're nervous and shy, you're more likely to walk with your head down, not make eye contact or smile at people and you won't stand out except to those who might be looking for a good target. By walking with your head held high, stopping to chat to people, appearing confident and like you know where you are going, you're less likely to be targeted by anyone dodgy. It's okay if you don't feel confident, no-one does at first but it's all about faking it until you make it.

Pick public places for meeting new friends/dates

Please don't be afraid to meet-up with friends you find online or through social media (I've met some of my best travelling friends this way) or to meet with people from dating apps. So much advice for safe solo travel for women revolves around reducing our experience or avoiding what can be some of the best solo travel experiences. Personally, I've been on friend dates, Tinder dates and hung with social media "strangers" all over the world and while not all experiences have been good, the vast majority have been. I've been on some of the best first dates of my life this way, met incredible humans and made friends for life.

It's all about being smart and careful with who you meet and where. Always plan meet-ups in busy places where there are lots of people around, maybe meet with others as a group or stick to daytime meets if it makes you feel more comfortable. Don't meet anyone who makes you feel uncomfortable, always let someone know where you are going and when to expect you back. Maybe have an emergency excuse if you do want to leave. Never meet them at your hotel/hostel/accommodation or street the first time. Again, a lot of this comes down to trusting your gut and making sensible decisions. 

Choose your accommodation wisely

If you're new to solo travel, I'd recommend booking hostels or hotels which provide a front desk and common areas to hang out in. This provides a layer of security and comfort, plus it means you have other services on hand. Often there will be a restaurant if you feel nervous to go and eat out alone.

Think about the location of your accommodation in relation to where you want to spend your time – bars, restaurants, sightseeing – will you need to use public transport or can you walk? I like to plan my stay so everything is walkable, I always find that is my favourite way to explore and I feel more comfortable this way. Options like Couchsurfing or local hosts are a great option if you feel confident, but please always read the reviews first.

Book a group trip or tour if you need to

One great way to safely solo travel as a woman is to ease yourself into the solo travel experience by joining a group trip or adventure solo tours for women – this way you could even join the tour but tag on an extra few days where you're completely solo for the best of both worlds. By joining these tours you have a chance to meet like-minded solo travellers and experience epic adventures while still travelling by yourself.

Another great way to combine solo travel for women with shared experiences is to book tours – either for an experience or an entire day. I've previously done walking tours, cooking classes, wine tastings and boat, waterfall and trekking tours. These can sometimes be a few hours, a whole day or even a few days and they're a great way to experience epic adventures without committing to an entire group trip. I always book GetYourGuide tours and have had some amazing experiences.

Watch your drinks for spiking

I think this one goes without saying and realistically (sadly) it is something we should always be doing no matter where we are in the world. I watch my drinks when I'm at home in the UK, but I do the same everywhere I travel and I don't leave drinks unattended or accept drinks I haven't seen poured or unsealed. When travelling alone as a woman it is important to remember that although you may be hanging out with lots of people at your hostel or chatting to people at a bar, you don't actually know them and can't always rely on them to watch your drinks if you pop to the loo. Always be cautious.

Always be able to get yourself home