9 Things You NEED to Know About Staying Safe While Solo Traveling as a Woman
When you think of solo traveling as a woman, what is the #1 thing stopping you from getting out of your comfort zone and going? I bet I can guess it!!
Is it…safety? Of course there’s the unknown and stress of travel itself, but safety almost always plays a role in someone’s confidence in traveling alone. And I get it! Traveling on your own and as a woman can be absolutely terrifying, but only if you let it be.
In this blog post I’m going to share 9 tips with you on how to plan your trips with safety in mind, things to stay mindful of while traveling, and extra steps you can take if needed. Safety is extremely important so there will be no gatekeeping here!!
#1 – Tell Everyone Where You’re Going
Okay, that was a little dramatic, but seriously tell at least some people where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone for. Especially close friends and family members that you have close relationships with, that way there’s at least a few people expecting to hear back from you at a given time and can raise any red flags if something is off.
And I’m not telling you to type up a full itinerary and pass it out like flyers to everyone you know, but instead just give a few people a simple rundown of your trip. It could go something like this:
Easy peasy and it takes about 30 seconds to do. Then, pick 1-2 people to share your booking confirmations, where you’re staying, flight numbers, and any information on activities or excursions you’ve signed up for. If (and that’s a strong “if”) something were to happen to you, you’d want a least a couple of people to have this information.
#2 – Create a “Check-In” Routine With Someone
Choose a close friend, partner, or parent to check in with at specific times or dates. It could be as simple as texting them goodnight to let them know you got back to your hotel safely, a text before and after a day-long excursion, or even a short call every other day just to show a sign of life.
The reason it’s important to create a routine out of it is so that if you break it or stop responding abruptly, whoever you’re texting or calling will be able to pick up on any red flags quicker. So it’s also up to you to remember and be on time with your check-ins. It’s not really fair to set up this safety regiment and then forget to follow through with it.
#3 – Bring Safety Devices With You
You obviously can’t always travel with pepper spray or self-defense tasers (depending on your destination and mode of travel, these items may be restricted), but there are other devices you can bring that are still helpful and worth packing without taking up much space in your luggage.
(A brief disclaimer: I am not an Amazon affiliate and do not receive any commission from these links. I’m only recommending these products because I truly believe in them!)
First, get a whistle to attach to your keys, backpack, water bottle, or carry in your pocket. They are small, travel easily, and LOUD. The ones I get come in a 2-pack for $5 from Amazon:
Second, bring a universal door lock if you’re staying in an Airbnb or hotel. These are also inexpensive and act as a second layer precaution when staying in a room by yourself, especially if your door leads outside rather than a hallway. Here is a portable door lock & door stop alarm for ~$10 from Amazon:
The last device I’m going to recommend is a personal safety alarm. These are small and super easy to wear, bring with you, or attach to a bag. They’re also very easy to activate and will set off piercingly loud alarms to scare off attackers and draw attention. Here is a highly recommended brand with over 17,000 ratings and 4.5 score on Amazon:
#4 – Stay Aware at all Times
At all hours of the day, whether it’s morning, afternoon, or especially nighttime, always be aware of your surroundings. Unfortunately, there are people out there who take advantage of tourists who aren’t familiar with the area, and you are not about to become one of their victims.
Here is a brief list of things you should and should not do when solo traveling as a woman:
- Do not walk with your head down looking at your phone
- Do not walk with both headphones in at the same time
- Do not keep personal items or valuables (phone, wallet, etc.) in your back pocket
- Do not carry all of your cash & cards with you at once
- Do bring a purse or bag with a zipper, not a clasp that can be easily opened
- Do watch out for other people’s questionable behavior (staring, following, cat calling, etc.)
- Do travel where it’s busy and walk with the crowds
- Do carry yourself with confidence
#5 – Know Who to Call in Case of Emergency
It takes about 30 seconds to type into Google “*destination* emergency number,” and it’ll give you a list of numbers to keep on hand. Store them in a note on your phone, on a piece of paper, or wherever is easiest for you.
Here’s a quick example, I typed in “Thailand emergency number” and this is what popped up:
- Tourist Police (English support): 1155
- General Police: 191
- Medical Emergency/Ambulance: 1669
- Fire Brigade: 199
Super easy! And you might not get all of these numbers separately, depending on where you search. Another easy example is the U.S. emergency number, 911, which can connect you with police, medical, or fire emergency responders right away.
#6 – Do Not Post Your Location While You’re There
I know how exciting it is to post about where you are and all the fun things you’re doing (I love doing this too, obviously!!) but, make sure you’re doing it in a safe way.
Don’t post anything that gives away your immediate location, especially where you’re staying. If you want to post pictures from a cool hike you did that day or a beautiful beach you visited, wait to post those photos until you’re back at your hotel.
However, if you want to post the view from your hotel room or pictures of a really cool Airbnb you’re staying at, refrain from doing so until you’ve checked out and left. Even if you don’t have a large social media following, there are a lot of creeps out there who could be watching.
And lastly, don’t advertise on social media that you’re traveling alone, at least not until you’re back home and post your “solo trip recap.” Again, this is just for precaution, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
#7 – Be Careful With Alcohol
If drinking is your thing and you love to let loose and go dancing, by all means go enjoy yourself!!
However, traveling solo also means being responsible for your own safety and well-being at all times, and drinking heavily can blur the lines a bit between having fun and putting yourself at risk.
As long as you know your limits, know how to get back “home” safely, and don’t accept any drinks from strangers, you should be fine. And this goes without saying, but this applies to all substances, so just be careful!!
#8 – Trust Your Gut
Have you ever gotten that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you just know something isn’t right? (Yeah me too.)
If, at any point in your trip, you start to get that feeling, trust it!! Even if you think it might not be a big deal, be extremely vigilant of your surroundings and prepared to divert to a different route or path, or head back to your hotel altogether if you need to.
I also just want to say for the record that you do not owe anyone politeness or benefit of the doubt when something feels wrong. If a stranger approaches you randomly and makes you feel uncomfortable, it’s okay to be direct and leave. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or make a scene if you need to.
#9 – Have an Emergency Backup Plan
Keep last-minute options available just in case you need to take advantage of them.
This could include alternative accommodation options where you know you could get a last-minute booking if needed, having an emergency fund to rebook flights on a whim if you missed one at the last second or it got canceled unexpectedly, or different modes of transportation you could use if the one you planned for doesn’t work out.
Also have a plan in mind for what you’d do if you lost cell service or internet access, got locked out of your room, had your wallet, phone, or passport stolen, etc. It’s not much fun to think about, but if you have a plan in place for situations like these, you’ll feel a lot more prepared and will be able to handle it much better.
One thing I want to make extremely clear is this:
Staying safe while solo traveling as a woman is less about being afraid and more about reducing vulnerability.
You don’t need to spend your entire trip looking over your shoulder, second guessing all your choices, and constantly feeling on-edge because you’re alone. This is why having backup plans and systems in place to protect yourself when you’re feeling tired, distracted, or lost is important.
The goal is to go in confident and prepared, have situational awareness, and know exactly how you’d handle difficult situations, so when you get there you don’t even have to think about it or question it. You can simply sit back and relax, get settled in, and have fun!
If you found this post helpful, let me know in the comments!! I post all types of solo travel content every Tuesday and Saturday, so if you want to stick around and become part of the travel fam, we’d love to have you here!! 🙂
