Staying Safe as a Solo Female Traveler

By Alyssa Laffitte on May 22, 2018

Traveling solo, especially when you are female, can be scary. Still, it’s a great way to be independent and to spend some time with yourself. In this post, I will share with you some tips on how to be safe as a solo female traveler. Here we go!

Image via Isorepublic.com

Do not keep your eyes glued to your phone, be aware of your surroundings!

This is the most important tip I could give any traveler, not just a solo female traveler. Be aware of your surroundings at all times! When you are aware of your surroundings, you are less likely to get caught in a sticky situation. For that reason, do not keep your eyes glued to your phone, a map, a book, or anything like that, because when you are looking at something else, you are not being aware of your surroundings, and you become an easy target. If you must use your phone or a map, do it quickly, and look up occasionally so you can see what’s going on around you. You will save yourself lots of trouble if you are aware of your surroundings.

Similarly, keep track of your belongings. Never let your bags out of your sight when you’re at an airport. I like to put my feet on top of my suitcase, making it difficult for anyone to try to grab it. Don’t let your purse out of your sight, either. It’s way too easy for someone to sneakily grab your bag if you’re not watching it, especially if you are alone and don’t have someone else to watch it for you.

Do not pack anything irreplaceable, and pack light

When you pack for your trip, keep in mind that anything you take could get lost. So, don’t pack anything irreplaceable. It’s too easy to leave something at the hotel or lose something while you are out and about, so don’t bring anything you wouldn’t mind replacing. Also, don’t bring or wear anything valuable. In some places, wearing something valuable might attract unwanted attention, and people might even try to steal from you, because wearing something valuable shows them that you have money.

It’s a good idea to pack light, too. You’ll have less things to keep track of and less things to lose. Less stuff also means your suitcase will be easier to maneuver. As a 5 foot tall girl, I try to keep my suitcase as small and as light as possible by packing less. Traveling alone is much easier when you pack light, and only things you don’t mind losing.

Look like you know what you’re doing

When you are traveling and you look like you are lost or if you don’t know what you’re doing, you will be an easy target. On the other hand, if you at least look like you know what you’re doing, strange people will be less likely to bother you. Even if you don’t know where you are, don’t look around, confused, trying to figure out where you are. Instead, sit down somewhere and pull up your phone or map to locate yourself (of course, looking up every few minutes to be aware of your surroundings). Bottom line: don’t look confused. If you ever are confused, figure out where you are discreetly.

Have plans

Even if you are the type of person who likes to “wing it” when you travel, as a solo female traveler, you are better off having a plan. Before you leave, plan out how you will get from the airport to your hotel in your destination city. How will you get around in your destination city? Will you need to use public transportation at night (I would definitely not recommend this for a solo female traveler!)? If you think you might encounter a sketchy situation, make plans so you can avoid it. For example, although it might cost more money, you are better off getting a ride from a reputable taxi company than using other forms of public transportation if you are traveling at night. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in a bad situation, make plans so you can avoid them!

Let someone else back at home know about your plans, and where they can contact you

Hopefully, there is someone back at home who really loves and cares for you. This person might worry about you when you travel solo. It’s a good idea to contact this person while you are away, at least when you arrive to let them know you arrived safely. Personally, when I travel, I like to check in with my parents at least once a day. Before you leave, it’s also a good idea to let your trusted friend or family member know the name of the hotel you’re staying at, and also your flight information.

Yes, you might be intimidating by the thought of traveling solo as a female, but you shouldn’t be! As long as you are aware of your surroundings, look like you know what you are doing, and let someone back at home know you are okay, you should be fine.

Be safe, and enjoy your travels!

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