Travelling alone isn't always easy. It can be scary but it doesn't mean you are going to be vulnerable. There are many things to consider and there are ways to ensure safety while travelling alone.
It doesn't matter if you are travelling alone or with a friend/partner, the most important thing when travelling is to always be safe.
Keep in mind that you don't have to be afraid to go out by yourself. In fact, traveling alone as a woman is safer than ever before! Read on to learn more about these tips!
Tips: As soon as you book your next adventure, make sure to buy good travel insurance in case you need to “unfortunately” delay, extend or cancel your trip. I recommend VisitorsCoverage for short trips, while SafetyWing.is for trips longer than a month.
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Read 32 Tips to Be Safe While Travelling
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1. Travel with a friend if you can:
I know that travelling solo is inspiring and gives you the freedom to do whatever you want, but in some cases and places, it is better to travel with someone than travel solo.
It can be your partner, your friend or maybe with an organized tour. You can find travellers looking for travel mates in many Facebook groups, just check them out!
2. Do your research about the destination before booking your accommodation:
Doing all the necessary research before traveling alone is absolutely essential. I did not research the dangerous areas in Athens because I thought the city center was safe and I ended up booking a Hotel in the worst place.
Luckily I wasn't on one of my solo trips.
If you plan to visit Athens, check out my Athens Travel Guide to find out where to book your accommodation and avoid dangerous areas.
Check out all the places I have visited to learn everything about them here.
3. Book tours online or at your accommodation and avoid travel agents on the street:
Always book a tour guide through a well-known website when traveling alone as a woman and even when traveling with your friends. Make sure everything will go smooth. Most of the improvised travel agents you meet on the road are scams, so avoid them.
4. Learn which areas are safe and which ones are not:
I know you want to see your destination as much as possible, but be aware that some areas or neighbourhoods can be dangerous even if you don't travel alone. So plan ahead which one you must avoid.
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5. Learn the common scams:
Unfortunately, in tourist places, plenty of people want to ruin your holiday. So do some research about the local scams so you will recognize them.
6. Learn local culture, rules and laws:
This is very important to avoid any problems. Remember that you are the guest in their countries, not the opposite. So respect their rules and customs.
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7. Get good travel insurance:
Avoid ending up spending much more than you planned because you forgot to buy good travel insurance.
8. Get all the vaccination necessary:
This is very important to avoid ending up in the hospital and completely ruining your travel. So check out which vaccinations you need at least two months ahead of your travel.
This will give you all the time to book it and be fully covered before your departure.
9. Give a copy of your travel plans to your family or friends:
Sharing your travel itinerary is very important in case of an emergency. In this way, someone will always know where you are and where to find you if something bad happens.
This rule doesn't only apply when traveling alone as a woman, but also when you travel with your friends.
10. Leave all your expensive items at home:
Do you really need your laptop, some of your more expensive jewellery or something you really care about while on holiday?
Think about that. Because bags get stolen or lost in the airport every day.
Take with you only items you don't care about too much so in case you lose them, you won't get your heart broken.
11. If you have to take regular medication, divide them between bags:
I am sure you don't want to end up without your essential medicine, so keep with you more than you need and keep some in your backpack and some in another bag or in your jacket.
12. If you have any health conditions, bring with you a note from your doctor and the prescription:
This is absolutely necessary, so please do it and never forget about it. if you lose your medicine, you can still go to a pharmacy and purchase the same medicine you take at home.
If you don't travel solo, make sure your travel mates are aware of which medications you are taking.
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13. Call your loved ones at least once a day to let them know you are ok and where you are:
While traveling, I always send a "Good Morning" message to my parents and then I call them in the late afternoon when I am back to my accommodation to let them know I am ok.
I do it not only when I travel alone, but also when I am with my fiance'. This is the best way to make sure that if something happens to you, someone knows where you are.
14. Don't dress up like a tourist:
The best way to attract scammers and people with bad intentions is by dressing up as tourists.
Dress up like when you are in your city or follow the customs. In this way, you won't have a sign on yourself that says: "I carry money and expensive gadgets".
15. If you have an old phone, use it while you are exploring and get a local sim card:
It doesn't have to be an old Nokia without the internet. It can be a standard smartphone you used before you bought your last one.
If it is still working, use it while on the street (to use google maps for example). Buy a local sim card to use the internet and keep your new one in your pocket to use when you are in a safe area.
Make sure there is a password and none of your bank apps or other ways for people to access important information about you.
Tip: the best idea is to empty completely, create a new google account just to use google maps. Remember you can download offline maps you can use anythime to explore your destination without the need of internet.
16. Memorize on your phone the local authority phone number:
In case something happens, (hopefully, nothing bad will happen to you or around you) but just in case, have them.
Keep in mind that I always wrote all the important phone numbers in all my travel guides.
17. Don't stop to check the map in the middle of the street:
There are many ways to check the map. You can check it on your old phone you are using for travelling, you can enter a shop, bar, restaurant, or museum. Any secure place will work.
In this way, you won't be in the middle of the street where other people will see you don't know the area.
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18. Never share your actual location or plans on social media:
I know everybody loves to share their pictures on social media while on holiday, so do it, just wait one day to post them with your location.
In this way, nobody (apart from your parent or whoever has got your itinerary) will know exactly where you are.
19. Carry with you only what you need:
You don't need to carry all your money, credit cards and gadgets with you all the time.
Explore with only a bit of cash, a prepaid card, an old phone and if you need your camera.
20. Leave in a safe place anything you don't need:
Leave anything you don't need in a safe place at your accommodation, credit cards, laptop, jewellery, phone etc.
Once I was in a hostel without a locker in my room, so I hide some money and my credit card inside a Tampax and then place it back inside the purse where I was keeping all these intimate items.
21. Carry a copy of all your documents and leave the original in a safe place:
If the Police stop you just for a check, you can still show them your copies and tell them to go with you to your accommodation where you will show them the original.
They will understand that you are a tourist and you are just trying to be safe.
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22. Email yourself a picture or a scan of all your documents:
If your travel bag gets stolen or lost with all your original documents inside, this is an excellent way to prove your identity.
If you travel with a friend/partner, send them to them too. Just in case.
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23. Only use a prepaid card:
I never use a credit card while traveling. Even while I am at home. I have the Revolut card that I use to pay for everything, also online.
It is the best prepaid card for travel and home use. It offers you a disposable card in your app to use anytime you purchase something online, so nobody can copy it and steal your money.
It also has got vaults inside where you can "hide" money. It is a great card.
24. Keep with you only a few cash:
Withdrawing money inside a bank is always a good choice instead of using an ATM in the street.
If you withdraw a significant amount, you can ask the cashier to change it into small notes so you will have the right amount to purchase anything you want at the local market or in the shops without risking being scammed.
Tip: sometimes, if you pay with a big note in a shop/market, they might tell you they go to the back to change it and come back telling you it is a fake note. And then they give you back a phoney note, keeping the good one for themselve, so be aware of it.
Psssst: Become a superorganized traveler by reading 40 Mistakes to avoid when traveling solo here.
25. Keep your wallet in your front pocket:
The front pocket of your jeans is the safest place where you keep your money.
Nobody will put their hand there to take it, so keep it in mind and avoid keeping it in your back lose pocket or inside your backpack in the front pocket or at the bottom (they also cut the bottom of your bag to get what is inside).
Another good idea is to buy an anti-theft backpack or an anti-theft bag.
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26. Set up a VPN to use free wifi:
This is an excellent way to protect your phone and laptop while using the free wifi. I highly recommend you use it.
Most computer antivirus has it, just opt-in to activate it.
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27. Make sure your room is a safe place where to stay:
Making sure you sleep in a safe place is essential when traveling alone as a woman or with your mate.
Check if your room's door is closed properly, check the windows and if you have a safe in your room, use it.
There are also some other ways to keep yourself safe while in your room. If there are still standard-essential doors, leave your key inside and turn it a bit so no one can open the door from the outside.
Otherwise, you can buy a door jammer ( a small device to slip under your door that will prevent it get opened). It is very small and light so you can easily carry it with you.
28. Always be vigilant of what is around you:
Always keep an eye on what is happening around you, sometimes stop and look around. You might see if someone is following you or trying to get too close.
29. Stay in public spaces:
You are not at home so avoid getting on dark or narrow streets. Stay in significant busy streets where locals and other tourists are. In this way, if something happens, other people will be there to help you.
If there is a shortcut to reach your accommodation but you have to leave the main road and walk alone in the dark along an empty street?
Don't risk your life just to get to your accommodation a few minutes earlier. If you travel alone or with your friends, safety first, always!
30. Don't get drunk:
People lose control when drunk, you are travelling, don't know the place, the area and maybe neither the language so be vigilant at all times.
Know your limit, mostly if you are traveling alone as a woman. Unfortunately, we are an easy target.
Learn all the essential about traveling solo in my 43 Tips for solo travellers here.
31. Don't trust anyone 100%:
Talk to locals but always follow your instinct. They might be good people who will treat you as a friend or they can be bad ones who only what to scam you, mostly if you travel alone.
Be always vigilant.
32. Avoid going out at night alone:
I don't go out alone at night here in London, where I have lived since 2013. So I would never go out alone in a place I don't know.
If you travel with a friend, no problem, otherwise, you can make some friends at your accommodation and ask them to join you for dinner or a drink.
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