9 Important Travel Tips For Women

Safety tips for solo female travelers is one of the topics that is most asked about. If you are considering traveling solo or are traveling alone this is one blog you must read. First off let me say that it really sucks that we still can’t travel without constantly being on the defense.

The fact is, that some cultures do not treat women as equals.
That doesn’t mean we can’t and we shouldn’t travel. Traveling as a solo female doesn’t have to be scary. I have traveled alone for close to 5 years and I have first hand experience in dealing with creepy situations. I have compiled a safety tip list for solo female travelers

1. Location 

Do your research before you arrive. I always stay in a tourist location and do my research to see what parts of town are sketchy. Forget the whole “Stay off the beaten path” Stay in a touristy area for your safety!

2. Hotel 

Did you read your hotel reviews? I suggest reading verified reviews. Food for thought. Trip advisor doesn’t have verified reviews.

Another thing to keep in mind: Does your hotel have a restaurant? Is there food or convenient store nearby? You don’t want to be walking by yourself for a midnight snack.

I suggest getting a room with a restaurant or a hotel that has a convenient store nearby and stock up on snacks. I can’t tell you the many times I went hungry when I first started traveling.

Does the hotel have a phone in each room? Not all hotels abroad have phones in their rooms. This is a must! If you have an emergency you will need a landline.

3. Hotel Transfer

The last thing you want to do when you arrive to a new place is grab any cab from the airport or off the street. Why? Well, I have lots of stories on this but I will leave that for a separate blog. Meanwhile, take my word for it as I learned the hard way.

I book my transfers in advanced through the hotel.  Now sometimes this can cost a tad bit more. But it will save you from the following: haggling with a taxi driver over the cost, getting into a “cab” that isn’t a cab, having some driver hit on you then know where you are staying,  falling for a scam or having the cab getting completely lost.

4. Track your cab

Let your cab driver know that you KNOW where you are heading. When I hop on to the cab, I let the driver know I have my gps on in case he needs any directions. This will let him know that you are tracking your transfer.

I have actually had a cab driver to tell me a destination was an hour away when it was only 15 min away!!! You want to know where you are at all times.

Pro tip: When you get in the cab, pretend to be on the phone and say, ” Okay babe, my transfer just got here, I will see you in the hotel in a bit.” This lets your driver know, someone is expecting you.

5. Phone

This next safety tip is important. And it may just seem like common sense. But we all do it. We are always on our phones. Photos, videos social media etc. And the problem with this, is that our phone is our lifeline.

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So make sure your phone is charged at all times. It would be smart to invest in a small and inexpensive power bank . I will include the one I use in this Link Here.  It is crucial to have your phone available and charged at all times. Pro tip. I don’t even use my phone for photos anymore. I carry a camera with me and a spare batteries for my camera. 

6. Take a doorstop

Doorstops are easy to travel with and they keep you safe. You can rest easy at night by double locking your door and then shoving that doorstop under that hotel door for extra security.

They are very inexpensive, so you can easily purchase one online such as this one.

 7. Attire 

Research what is appropriate to wear in the country that you are visiting. Some cultures are more modest than others and it is important to wear proper clothing. This isn’t a fashion show, leave the designer clothes at home and try your best to blend in.

8. Con Games

Familiarize yourself with the typical cons of the country you are going to. If something is too good to be true, it probably is. If someone is giving you something for free, it probably isn’t free.

In Athens a stranger will give you a rose and then ask for money. In Thailand the tuktuks will tell you the temple is closed and then offer to take you to another temple.

9. Never Tell Anyone You Are Alone

People will notice you are alone. You will stand out like a sore thumb. You will even get asked, if you are alone and why are you alone etc.

My response: I came with family (or group of friends) and I wanted to do this excursion alone but we are meeting right after.

or

I am here for a conference with some work colleagues who are waiting for me right after this.

Make sure they know someone is expecting you.

I hope these safety tips for women were very helpful for you. Check out my youtube video for additional safety tips. If you have any tips of your own that you would like to share, please leave it in the comments below!! I would love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading.