You will probably need some tips for solo female travel if you have decided to bite the bullet and travel somewhere foreign on your own, and, you may be feeling a little nervous about it. This is to be expected and in a perfect world it would be okay for a woman to travel on her own without having to worry at all, but we don’t live in a world like that.
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Therefore, you need to exercise caution and more forethought into travelling alone than you would if you were travelling in a larger group or even with one other person.
To give you some help to ensure you have the trip of a lifetime and return home safely and with as little stress as possible, we have put together the following post full of great tips.
Confidence Is Important
Perhaps one of the worst things you can do for yourself externally and internally as a solo female traveller is look overly fearful or worried. Even if you are in some kind of trouble, or a little lost, don’t let it bring you down and tell yourself to be strong and that you can get through it.
Act (As well as Think And Dress) Like One Of The Locals
It may be easy enough to act and think like one of the locals, but it could be in your best interest to take pointers from what people are wearing in that chosen destination and invest in similar clothing, if needed. In Hong Kong for instance, there is no debate needed to understand that it is quite hot and humid there, but as soon as you walk around you will notice that everyone still wears pants and often a jacket. If you want to camouflage that you are a traveller, you need to go with the flow and leave those bright summer clothes at home or in the suitcase.
Arrive Where You Want To Be Before Nightfall
You may find it tricky to keep track of the times of each day, week and month if you are travelling long-term as they can all merge into each other, without taking into consideration changes in time zone too. However, the most important safety rule for females travelling alone is to reach your destination before hight falls. This enables you to be fully aware of your surroundings, get any emergency supplies you need before it gets dark and less safe and that you aren’t walking the streets in the dark with all your luggage and that “tourist” stamp on your forehead.
Make Sure You Have A Backup Plan
There is no harm in making sure you have several backup plans. When you feel something is just not right about a destination or need to change to a different hotel or something like that, it is good to trust your instincts and opt for your plan b when you need to.
Don’t Get Drunk While Travelling Alone
This really should be an obvious tip, but for some it really isn’t. When you are travelling alone and meet up with some new friends, sure get drunk or if a friend from back home happens to be visiting the same destination as you and you meet up, sure; but never go out and get drunk in a strange place when you are on your own, because there is no telling how it will end (and it generally isn’t good).
Understand That You Will Get Lonely
It is important to realise that you will get lonely if you are travelling on your own. However, the good news is that these feelings of loneliness will subside, particularly when you realise that travelling alone without anyone else there may be lonely, but it can also be a thrill and a great way to learn some valuable lessons about yourself.
Leave A Trail (Yes, Like Hansel And Gretel)
Use social media to its full advantage when you are travelling solo. You can use it to make simple check-ins and photo uploads to let your family and friends back home know exactly where you are and that you are safe. Before you go, establish a roughly estimated time frame of where you are expecting to be and when. That way if no-one hears from you or sees a post from you past a certain period of time, they will know something is wrong.
It is not all horror stories when you travel alone, as long as you take the necessary precautions beforehand. The purpose of this list was not to scare you out of going travelling alone but, rather, to encourage you to do it safely.
