Top 8 Solo Female Travel Tips: Safety, Social, and More
I get asked often how I have the confidence to do solo travel - do I get scared, is it unsafe, do I get lonely….and, honestly, no to all three! I feel safe, fine, and tend to meet a bunch of people traveling solo!
I never thought I’d travel solo until about 6-7 years ago, and while I like traveling with friends, too, being able to do what I want when I want to is pretty awesome.
Plus, I tend to travel more often than some of my friends back home - I’d rather travel when I want to versus always waiting for others to get their plans together! If I always waited for other people to be able or ready to travel with me, I’d probably travel only about 20% of the amount I do now!
Here are my top tips for solo female travel!
SOCIAL
1. Be open to meeting new people!
The energy of being open makes you seem more approachable. Strike up conversations. In a touristy location, ask someone if they can take your photo. You never know where it could lead!
I’ve literally made travel friends out on the street, at an attraction or event, or at a hostel or coworking space. There are plenty of ways to meet new people!
Here is my full blog post about making friends while traveling, which is especially helpful if you are spending extended time somewhere!
2. Consider a group tour
Photo from a trip to Tulum I did with Travr!
You can also do a group tour with a company like Contiki or Travr - you’ll be with a group of like-minded people, and you don’t have to plan all the logistics!
You can use my referral code ALLY28 to get $50 off a booking with Contiki, by the way!
SAFETY
3. Research the location you are going to ahead of time
Research “where to stay in _____” on Google or Pinterest before you book your accommodation as there are likely blog posts or TripAdvisor forums with advice.
You can search “is ____ neighborhood safe” before booking your hotel/Airbnb/hostel, for example.
Then, always read the reviews - I prefer booking.com for reading reviews and booking a place to stay - and be sure to look for the safety and location score.
4. Consider paying a little extra for a safer experience, if needed
When in doubt, be open to spending a little more money to stay in a better location, or take a taxi instead of a bus if the bus stop seems sketchy.
I’ve rarely had this issue but it doesn’t hurt!
5. Keep your friends + family back home updated with your travel plans
Make sure to send your family/friends back home your itinerary.
I send them my travel dates, flight info, and hotel or Airbnb names & addresses beforehand. I do a shared Note on my iPhone Notes app so they get automatic updates.
6. Arrive during the daytime if possible.
Oftentimes big, developed cities are thriving and safe at night, but if I go to a less-developed country then I’ll base my flight on that. Research this ahead of time!
Also, before you arrive, look up the best way to get from the airport to the place you are staying.
In some cities, transportation workers surround and hound you as you leave (ex: Cancun airport) so it’s easier to have a solid plan and know the general pricing for the various options.
For example, when I went to a surf town in the Dominican Republic earlier this year, the only flight to Santo Domingo from Liberia, Costa Rica had me arriving at 11:00 pm. I knew I would need to take a 2-hour bus to the north of the island through the rural roads and jungle, and I didn’t feel comfortable doing that solo at night.
Instead, I flew from Costa Rica to Miami, spent the night, and then flew to Santo Domingo the next morning!
7. Trust your intuition and take the same precautions you do at home
Trust your intuition, don’t go out alone at night, and don’t get drunk alone at night.
Take the same precautions you do at home and research if there’s anything else you should know related to safety!
PHOTOS
8. Don’t forget to take photos!
Want photos with you in them while traveling, but happen to be at an amazing photo spot…by yourself? Ask someone nearby!
When asking a stranger to take a photo of me, I describe the angle and what I want beforehand. I politely ask them if they can take a few shots.
And I usually find people who are also taking photos or are using a DSLR camera since they tend to have more of an “eye” for photography!
If you have the itch to do some solo travel, I highly recommend it!
And I’d love to know: have you solo traveled before? Where to?
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