When traveling alone, you need to put your safety first. There are many dangerous situations that women can find themselves in, so knowing how to avoid them is essential. You can still explore and have new experiences without worry as long as you know what to do.
We put together these top safety tips for women traveling alone. You can use them to stay safe, no matter your travel destination. Let’s begin!
1- Trust Your Intuition
Always trust your gut as you travel solo. You’ll want to remove yourself from the situation if you notice something that seems off. Most of the time, your subconscious picks up subtle clues you might not realize.
You might worry that you’re overthinking something, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Generally, the difference between a gut instinct and overthinking is the feeling of threat. Intuition feels more natural than overthinking, which comes with more anxiety and harmful thoughts.
Many women push away their gut feelings because they’re told they’re “overreacting” or worry about being rude. However, it’s more important to choose your safety over being polite. If you need to be “rude” to get out of a dangerous situation, don’t hesitate.
Never brush away your intuition when it comes to your safety. It could save your life.
2- Practice Safe Ride Sharing
Next, you’ll want to ensure you commute safely during your trip. You’ll frequently use taxis and ridesharing apps like Uber.
You need to make sure that you’re getting in a ride that’s meant for you. It’s not uncommon for those with bad intentions to pretend to be your lift. Check the license plate, driver photo, and car make and model before entering. Everything should match what you see in the app. If something’s wrong, don’t get in the vehicle.
Next, have the driver confirm your name. You can ask, “What’s the name of the person you’re picking up?”. Most of the time, they’ll also ask to confirm that you know their name too. When you get in, sit in the back seat and wear your seatbelt. Lastly, leave the app open to ensure you’re headed to the right place.
If you’re taking a taxi, it’s best to have the hotel call it for you. That way, it’s much less likely that someone else can impersonate your driver.
3- Be Vigilant When Drinking
You must remain alert when drinking alcohol, especially in an unfamiliar place alone. Before you leave your hotel, let someone else know where you will be. There are also location-sharing apps that you might consider using. You can always uninstall them after you get back home.
Never leave your food or drinks unattended while traveling, either. If you have to leave your drink, you shouldn’t finish it when you return. There’s always the chance that someone added something while you were away.
Finally, always meet with new people in a public space, especially when alcohol is involved.
4- Don’t Wear Expensive Accessories
Pricey jewelry watches, and other accessories can attract attention and make you a target of theft. It’s best to leave your favorite pieces at home and buy cheaper options when traveling. You can also choose accessories from the local area, so you look like you’re from there.
Generally, it’s best to avoid standing out when traveling alone. While wearing your favorite accessories is a lot of fun, waiting until you return home would be best.
5- Act Like You Know Where You’re Going
Having confidence will prevent others from viewing you as a target. You need to always look like you know exactly where you are and where you’re going, even if you’re exploring a new area.
If you need help, enter a public building before checking your phone. Visiting a cafe, store, or library is a good idea. You can quickly check your map apps there with less risk of someone realizing you’re lost.
A good safety tip is to call or pretend to call someone if you suspect you’re being followed. In most cases, this deters people from approaching you. However, you will want to call the police if you suspect you’re in immediate danger.
6- Know Local Emergency Numbers
You must know the local emergency call numbers if you’re traveling abroad. While it’s 911 in America, it isn’t like that everywhere else. Many countries also have different numbers for police, ambulances, and fire trucks.
For example, Greece uses 100 for police, 166 for ambulances, and 199 for fire trucks.
So, before you leave, make sure that you save the local emergency numbers for your destination to your phone’s contact list. There are plenty of online emergency number lists for you to reference.
7- Understand the Culture
Before traveling abroad, you will want to know more about the country’s culture you’re going to. It’s important to bring clothing that won’t make you stand out too much so you don’t get unwanted attention.
If you’re going to a more conservative country, you’ll want to bring clothing that won’t attract negative attention. Even if it’s in a hot place, pack clothes that cover you well for those areas. You may sweat more, but you’ll feel much more comfortable exploring and won’t accidentally make yourself a target.
It’s also essential to understand the culture and traditions of the country so you don’t accidentally offend anyone while you visit. Lastly, learn some of the languages of that country if you can. You’ll want to be able to ask for help if you need it.
8- Consider Traveler’s Insurance
Finally, consider getting some quality traveler’s insurance. If something serious happens, it should cover some of your financial losses.
Some forms of travel insurance, such as hostage insurance, can protect you from losing more money in awful situations. If you get insurance like this, you mustn’t tell anyone about it to keep yourself safe.
Overall, you’ll want to look into the best insurance that suits your needs and destination. There are plenty of options to consider, so do your research! You would want to be stuck with coverage in good situations.
Don’t Fear Solo Travel
Traveling alone can feel intimidating, but don’t let that stop you. You’ll meet new people and have wonderful experiences during your journey. There are plenty of ways to keep yourself safe, so go for it, and don’t look back!