Solo Female Travel Tips
Solo traveling can be one of the most liberating, empowering things a woman ever does for herself. It makes you realize you’re brave, strong, and capable – more so than you’ve maybe ever realized.
It’s so easy to lose ourselves in day-to-day routines, our worries and responsibilities. Traveling alone allows you to live purely for yourself – at least for the duration of your trip – and it feels intoxicating. You can go where you want to go, do anything you want to do when you want to do it, with no need to compromise or confer with anyone about your plans. Solo travel allows you to be genuinely present; so much so that nothing else really matters, nothing else really exists – at least not in that moment. It’s that feeling of true autonomy over your own life, maybe for the first time, that’s so exhilarating and addicting.
That said, the idea of traveling alone can be intimidating, especially as a woman.
Now that I’m a bit older, most of the trips I take are with my family, friends, fiancé, or fiancé’s family, and it gets hard to remember that wasn’t always the case. It’s easy to forget I am still a strong, experienced solo adventurer that has traveled the entire world largely on my own. I’ve had my partner by my side for so long now that it’s become a crutch, an excuse not to travel alone, despite his unwavering support of my solo travels. In recent years, each time I’ve thought about venturing out alone I start to doubt myself, thinking, what if I can’t do it this time? What if this destination is too dangerous or complicated for me? But each time my wanderlust wins out, and I pick myself up, put aside my fears and hesitations and get out there. And every single time I do, I’m reminded of my power. The first thing I always think is, wow, yes I can. I really can. I’m brave, I’m smart, I’m capable, and most of all, I’m free. That’s a powerful feeling, and one I hope you’ll have the chance to experience.
While I am a strong advocate for solo female travel, I’m an even bigger advocate for being smart about it. Keep yourself safe and keep your wits about you at all times, and you will undoubtedly have the time of your life. Here are some practical solo female travel tips to keep in mind for your next adventure.
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My Top Solo Female Travel Tips
1. Stay in a hostel.
This is a great way to meet other travelers who are staying at the same place as you, and will offer a few friendly faces to look out for you when you’re out and about after dark. Take advantage of the hostel’s organized pub crawls, walking tours, and recommended activities and excursions. Having a drink at the hostel bar is also a great way to make some new friends in a casual, no-pressure setting.
2. Avoid going out alone after dark.
This one seems obvious, but especially in seedier or more remote destinations, not going out alone after dark is essential – always find someone to go with you. This is where staying at a hostel comes in handy, because you’ll almost always be able to find a willing candidate. For me, this is one of the most challenging parts of solo traveling as a female, because if it starts to get dark at 6 PM (or earlier), then you’re kind of stuck. Making friends at your hostel and/or going on organized evening tours (pub crawls or even things like Edinburgh’s haunted walking tours which happen at night) are a great way to stay safe after dark.
I recently stayed at a hostel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in a neighborhood that was barely safe during the day, let alone in the evening. It was about 7 PM and I was hungry for dinner, but it was already completely dark out. I just wanted to walk around the block and grab some takeout from a nearby restaurant, and thought I would be fine on my own since it wasn’t very late and it wasn’t too far from the hostel. I made it to the end of the block before I turned around and walk-jogged back. Not the type of place you want to find yourself alone after dark. Once back at the hostel, I saw a guy who I recognized was also staying there, just hanging out outside having a beer. Oh the joys of being a man! I went up to him and asked if he would mind walking with me around the block to go pick up my food and he said of course he would. It was an easy way to meet someone and make a quick friend, as well as put my own safety first.
3. Stop drinking at midnight.
This is a rule I set for myself and have always followed, both at home and while traveling. Not only does it help prevent a gnarly hangover the next day, but by midnight you’re probably drunk enough to enjoy yourself and stay out without needing to drink any more. This will help keep your wits about you when you’re traveling alone and want to make sure not to get out of control.
4. Avoid going to some global destinations completely alone – join a tour instead.
There are a few destinations in the world where it would be unwise to go completely alone as a woman – this is just my opinion as someone who has done a lot of traveling. I’m sure other female travelers may tell you it’s just fine, but for me, safety is always my priority. Notoriously chaotic destinations like India and China don’t lend themselves particularly well to solo female travelers and can get you into trouble not only with things like pickpocketing, catcalling and your physical safety, but also with things like lack of sanitary hygiene when it comes to food and water. In these instances, you may want to join a tour (like Intrepid Travel or G Adventures), or there are also tour companies that cater specifically to solo female travelers.
Traveling in a group will make navigating these complicated destinations 100 times easier and safer, and will also provide built-in travel companions. I went to India with Intrepid Travel and can’t imagine going there any other way. They made sure we avoided all unsafe food and water, provided all transportation and entry tickets to every destination, put me up in safe, clean hotels, and even included additional excursions I could sign up for to enjoy unique and authentic experiences. For example, one morning I went on a hot air balloon ride in the Jaipur countryside and another day I joined a cooking class in the home of a local New Delhi family. Best of all, doing a tour like this didn’t break the bank, which was also an important consideration as a solo traveler.
5. Write down the address where you’re staying on a piece of paper to keep with you.
This is a good tip in case your phone dies and you forget your address. Stick a little note to yourself in your purse or pocket so you know that no matter what, you can hop in a cab and safely return home.
6. Keep your phone concealed while walking around.
Several friends of mine have shared horror stories about walking around exploring a city with their phones out for directions, and getting them snatched up by motorcyclists zooming by. This seems to be especially common in South America and Europe, but I suppose it could happen anywhere as a more dramatic form of pickpocketing. If you’ve got your phone out in public, try to keep it close to your body and concealed so this doesn’t happen to you!
7. Embrace the challenge.
Traveling on your own is challenging – there’s no doubt about it. Not everything will go as you plan it, and you may find yourself in unexpected or uncomfortable situations. I urge you to embrace those moments, and trust yourself and your instincts above all else. Know that every challenge you face is an opportunity for growth and self discovery, and you’ll come out of your experience a richer and more worldly human being.
What’s in My Daypack?
When I travel alone, I keep a few things on me at all times.
In destinations where tap water is safe to drink, this will help you stay hydrated and save money (and the environment) on bottled water.
- In today’s day and age, we use our phones for everything, especially when traveling. From looking up directions or using your phone’s camera, to staying in touch with people back home, your phone will almost certainly die during a day of exploring. A portable phone charger battery (and its charging cable) are essential for keeping you connected and safe when abroad.
Similarly, keeping a regular phone charger and local adapter in my daypack gives me peace of mind should my phone be about to die.
Even if you have pictures of these things on your phone, trust me, bring a hard copy. If your phone gets lost or stolen or you misplace the originals, you’ll want to have this on you.
This is an infinitely useful item that takes up very little space. Use it to cover up when entering a religious site, as a scarf if you get chilly, or even as an impromptu picnic blanket.
If you’re in a particularly rainy destination, or if the forecast specifically calls for rain, you’ll be happy you brought this with you.
10 times out of 10 you’ll find this in my purse or daypack. You never know when it’s gonna come in handy, but it likely always will at some point throughout your travels.
This is obvious, but make sure to keep it in a secure part of your daypack, preferably in a pocket that zips.
To stay comfortable and looking cool, obviously.
Be sure you have the necessary attachment to plug them into your phone, or if you have Airpods make sure they stay charged.
These packets are exceedingly useful and can quickly rehydrate you during a long journey or on a hot (or hungover) day. I always keep them with me in my daypack.
Especially in post-Covid times, you know this will come in handy.
Just in case.
Do yourself a favor and keep this in your daypack at all times!! I’ll spare you the details, but this has come in handy for me on numerous occasions throughout the world. Many countries don’t provide toilet paper in public restrooms and in an emergency (you never know if what you eat or drink abroad will agree with you), you’ll be glad you have some.
If you’re a hardcore traveler, it may be worth it to invest in a nice camera. I bought one used from a friend a few years ago and it has revolutionized my travel game. Some places just can’t truly be captured with your iPhone, no matter how great the camera claims to be.
I always bring my Charles Schwab debit card with me, which allows me to take out cash at any ATM anywhere in the world with no foreign transaction fees. If you’re not used to using cash, this will come in handy in countries where cash is king.
Here are my other recommended travel essentials I swear by when planning and packing for a trip.
