Top 10 Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers
This is to my ladies!
During my trip out to Europe, a lot of the questions I received were about how I stayed safe during my travels. And if you’re like many women, you definitely know why this is top of mind.
Traveling can be so enriching and fun, but can also be extremely scary when you’re especially alone. During my European trip, I was alone for 27 out of my 31 days across 8 countries. Below are my Top 10 Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers. If you have some safety tips you’d like to share, please comment below!
1. Take a Self-Defense Class for Women
Empower yourself in worst case scenarios by taking a self-defense class in your local area. They’re offered pretty much everywhere and at a reasonable cost or even at no cost at all. A simple Google search will lead you to the right place (search terms of ‘women self-defense class’, ‘self-defense course’, etc. are some examples of what you can use).
One of my friends gave me a self-defense class as a gift for my #adultgapyear and I can definitely say that it was one of the most empowering things I could’ve done for myself. I definitely think many women who have taken courses like these would agree as well.
Please note: While having a pepper spray is great, some countries have a ban against them so either research before you go or just leave it at home. If you feel like you need something, you can definitely bring a whistle.
2. Go Out When the Sun’s Out (And Same Rule for Transportation)
My of my biggest rule of thumb is setting a curfew for myself when I travel alone. I know, LAME, but again, I’m not 21 so I’m not traveling to party.
Know what time the sun goes up and what time it goes down. You can use sites like TimeandDate.com/sun where they offer you sunrise and sunset times.
For example, if I know I’ll go perusing in an area that takes me an hour to get to and I know the sun sets around 7pm, then I need to leave that area at about 4pm to account for an hour or two of issues aka buffer time so I can be sure I’m in the house by 7pm. I always trying to add in a buffer time of 1-2 hours - otherwise known as my ‘I fucked something up’ time.
I only go out when the sun’s out, unless I’m with people I trust or in an area that I feel is fairly safe, but that usually takes me a day or so to really feel it out.
I also use a similar rule for planning my transportation as well; I try not to land or arrive at my destination around dusk and often aim to get to my destination midday/afternoon. The reason for this is that it gives me buffer time in case something goes wrong.
3. Use Technology When Possible
Having a mobile phone that works abroad has really helped me navigate alone.
I switched from Verizon to T-Mobile recently (T-Mobile Data works in most European countries without any extra charge) and it definitely made me feel a lot more safe and sound. Google Maps, Google Chrome, and Google Translate are the 3 things I used the most on a day-to-day basis followed by apps like AirBnb and Hotel Tonight.
If you don’t have a carrier that works internationally, I would invest in a SIM card. This just means you need to have an unlocked phone (a phone that isn’t tied to a specific carrier). In other countries like Japan, I opted in renting a Pocket Wi-Fi, and it worked equally as well and was cheaper than getting a SIM card. Some of the best tips I’ve received when I’ve ever had questions about mobile connection has been on TripAdvisor. Totally recommend for y’all to go there!
Now, try not to be a tourist and look down at your map while you’re walking. Instead, I try to memorize the map as much as possible ahead of time and use my phone as an aid if I can’t remember.
While I highly recommend spending extra money to be safer, you can still use your Google maps offline so long as you have it mapped out while you’re online.
4. Be Culturally Aware & Mind Your Manners
Remember, the things you do in America is not how others do it abroad so make sure you respect their culture and mind your manners when interacting with people (aka, please be aware of how you speak - in America, we are already loud, speaking louder when trying to enunciate your words is really offputting...).
I know this sounds very anti-feminist, but try to blend in as much as possible. If certain countries require more cover-up for women, then do it. I would just advise you to do more research on the culture and customs of the places you’re going to visit as you plan out your clothing options. Remember, this is THEIR home, behave accordingly and don’t act like a colonizer.
I’d also recommend learnings a few key phrases. I start off toddler style and learn the basic of hello/goodbye, yes/no, numbers, ‘where is...’. You’d be surprise of what you can communicate using simple phrases and hand gestures. Majority of people are appreciative if you try.
5. Use ‘Stranger Danger’
I always struggle with this one when I’m alone.
This is a hard one because on the one hand you want to meet locals and really immerse yourself in the country and culture, and on the other hand you want to be safe. One of the ways I was able to talk to locals was to get to know my local AirBnb host if possible. I was also really lucky on my trip and was able to stay with my friend’s parents out in Italy and the experience was so amazing.
Another way I recommend is to go on legit tours (I use TripAdvisor for research) or highly rated experiences on AirBnB Experiences where you can meet locals and other travelers. I’ve had really good experiences with both locals and travelers with AirBnb Experiences and highly recommend it!
Again, always be aware of your surroundings, and never be on your phone. See how people are acting around you, and have a plan of action.
6. Check-In with your Friends and Family
I was lucky to have had internet service on my cell phone and would let my friends know where I was and where I was going - I also gave trusted folks copies of my passport just in case anything happened. Because I did a “decide-as-you-go” way of traveling, I wasn’t able to provide them my itinerary ahead of time so it was important for me to continue talking to friends and family. On the other hand, if you have your itinerary in advanced, then providing them to folks you trust before leaving is a good idea.
7. Know Where the US Embassy/Consulate Is in the Country You’re Visiting
Shit happens. Know where to go and who to call. Here’s a great traveler’s checklist created by the US Government and provides up-to-date information on safety/security news around the world as well as proper emergency contacts: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-checklist.html
8. Practice Safe Home Security
If you’ve ever gone camping (or watched Naked and Afraid), having a safe shelter/place to stay is one of your first priorities. Research the area that you’re wanting to stay and whether it’s safe or not before you book. Sites like TripAdvisor are amazing since they have user-generated content meaning that many of the reviewers are real travelers like you and want to provide helpful information. I used this to try to figure out what I should or shouldn’t do based on what others experienced. Sometimes you need to take things with a grain of salt, but if there is a consistent messaging across multiple people, I would heavily take that into consideration. I like to book my place through AirBnb and will usually not book anything if there are no reviews, low number of reviews, bad reviews, and/or low ratings. While I understand that some hosts are new and don’t have enough reviews, I am not willing to take that risk when I’m traveling alone.
Also, really read every single review. I made a mistake once and didn’t carefully read a review where a guest wrote something about the host being “interesting.” While she was far from dangerous, she was just a bit too intrusive for my taste. I just wanted to be left alone, and I don’t think she was able to pick up on that social cue.
Cover an exposed peephole with toilet paper. This was something that I started doing when I traveled for work because I didn’t want people to know whether or not I was in my room nor did I want some pervert looking in. Ew.
I did something similar as well while I was in Europe. If a place had any way for an outsider to look in, I covered that shit up. I even went as far as using towels and bedsheets to cover windows if I felt exposed.
Always check the locks. This is more of an everyday home habit I have, but I always check my locks whenever I leave, enter, and/or before I sleep. If there is a lockbox offered there, I’ll normally use it to stash my cash and documents (just make sure you take it when you leave!!). In places like Europe, I don’t carry too much cash on me since most places accept cards.
I’ll be traveling to Vietnam soon where there isn’t a prevalence in using cards…I’ll return back to this topic accordingly on how I end up managing my cash.
You also don’t need to answer the door, and always have an escape route planned so you never feel as if you’re cornered. In a way, it’s like planning for your fire escape. When I was in Graca, Lisbon, I figured out a way to jump the back of the building to get down. Now, you don’t need to go this far, but it’s something to think about.
9. Don’t Be a Hero
Just because you knew someone or saw someone do something ‘cool’ or ‘adventurous’ on their trip, doesn’t mean you have to. Period.
Unless you want to and have a good feeling about it.
10. Research, Research, Research
Google is a powerful tool - use it. Go to sites like TripAdvisor and watch YouTubes to see what people say about the places that you’re wanting to go to. And using your network of friends is also a great way to find out about a place.
We live in a world where we are super connected now, and there are tons of travelers who are doing this as a job or hobby - use them!
A good website that I’ve been shown and really like is Girl Gone International. Check it out and connect with other women around the world who are living their best life!
