Safety tips for solo female travelers
Being a woman is the most wonderful thing in the world, travelling is the most joyful activity in the lifetime. Therefore, being a female traveler is must-do thing if you are a woman. But being a female traveler also brings about a lots of risk. To help make your trips the most enjoyable they can be, here are some tips for solo female travelers.
1. Safety tips for solo female travelers – fake marriage
Men in some countries are very forward and confronting, especially if you are not married. So what should you do? Lie. Do whatever you can to make them think that you are not single anymore. For example, wear a fake married ring. Or you can run over to the first man you see in a nearby shop if you feel insecure.
In my tips for solo female travelers, pretending to be married will keep some of the weirdos away. And of course it will help you out of the potential subject of some man.
2. Second tip for solo female travelers – Keep fit
Physical health is an important factor to guarantee the quality of your travels and to improve your chances of warding off attackers. Walking around with a huge backpack on your pack absolutely takes lots of energy. Therefore, if you are strong enough, you can enjoy your journey more.
On the other hand, according to some tips for solo female travelers, if you gain a little muscle with a tanning skin, less man want to tease you. Moreover, stay fit is more like a lifestyle, it’s not only for travel but also for your health
3. Third tip for solo female travelers – Always stay alert
You don’t need to be on spy mood throughout your journey, but it’s better to keep an eye on your belongings and your surroundings. If someone stops you on the street, be careful and check to make sure that they aren’t a diversion for pickpockets.
I highly recommend you to prepare some basic self defense products for women like: panic alarm, safety keychain, defense ring,… Choose things that suitable for you and you can bring it on the plane. Solo female travelers can take any risk from outside so be well prepared for any situation.
4. Fourth tip for solo female travelers – Dress down
I know that women should be proud of their body and dress well to show their attractive features. But there’s nothing more dangerous than draw man’s attention with a scantily clad, especially when you are alone and in a strange country.
So the tip for solo female traveler here is choose something unisex and comfortable. Of course you still should wear something neat and clean.
5. Fifth tip for solo female travelers – Walk in group
Don’t show that you are alone. Do your best to stick with others, especially in the evening. Whenever you must go out, try to go with at least one person. I know that it might be inconvenient to get a fellow hostel – mate along for the journey. But with this tip you can remove “foreign girl walking alone” target off your back.
6. Sixth tip for solo female travelers – check in regular
It’s a good ideal for at least one of your friends or family members to know your itinerary in advance like: your flight number, your accommodation,… Stay in touch with them every day through email, texts, social medias,…
In case you find yourself in troubles, they can support you immediately and easier. This way also makes you family and friends feel secure.
7. Seventh tip for solo female travelers – Don’t over drink
Drinking can be one of the best ways to get to know with locals and others travelers; however, overdrinking can put you into some vulnerable situations. The advice is to take it in moderation, which may be difficult almost of the time.
You should know your limit and drink less than normal. You can pretend to be drunk and refuse to drink more or have a big meal before drinking, which help you to be more conscious. Moreover, the rule of tip for solo female travelers is not to takes drinks from strangers – you never know what might be in it!
8. Eighth tip for solo female travelers – Stay confident
If you feel unsure of yourself and show it out, you are more likely to get taken advantage. In some aspects, showing your confidence can make you appear less like a tourist and less like a target.
In this case, I recommend you to take self-defense classes before backpacking because they provide you with the essential skills and confidence to ward off attackers. Moreover, they are also the chance for you to enhance your physical strength.
9. Ninth tip for solo female travelers – Avert attention
Just like dressing down, it is best to avoid ant actions that will draw attention to you. This includes being loud in public, wearing expensive jewelry, showing off too much your fancy electronics or wearing a skirt to go to some sacred places.
As a solo female traveler, you don’t want to bring too much attention to you, which attracts some unruly characters. So stay low and calm.
10. Tenth tip for solo female travelers – Prepare documents and secret cash
Keep front-and-back copies of your credit cards saved to cloud storage like Google or Dropbox, as well as a copy of your passport. This will save you when some worst events happen like stolen purse.
In addition to the documents, keep a backup cash stash. Keep at least $50 in US dollars hidden in a secret spot deep inside your luggage, like inside a tampon or hidden in a sock. In a separate spot, keep a backup credit card. If your purse or day bag is stolen off your body and literally everything is taken away from you, this will provide you with a temporary financial cushion.
This list is not perfect , there are plenty of other tips out there. But this list will give you a basic safety rules for solo female travelers that you mustn’t forget.
