Safety Tips for the reluctant Solo Female Traveller
Welcome to my India Travel Diaries, a series of personal posts about my travels through India. Everything written here, including recommendations, are based on my experiences.
Solo travel is one of the most enriching things that I’ve done for myself, but it takes confidence, planning and an open mind to do it safely. It’s a fun and dreamy experience to be exploring on your own, getting lost in a new place, while meeting other travellers along the way. But this can also sometimes lead you to letting your guard down faster than you usually might and not always paying attention to what’s going on around you.
Packing light for solo travel in India!
In India, I was able to blend in, because I’m Indian, but the country was still new to me. Although I blended in physically, I was otherwise clueless and had to navigate a lot on my own! I had never travelled there by myself and my Canadian accent was hard for others to ignore when talking to them. India also doesn’t have the best reputation globally when it comes to women’s safety, so that added on another layer of nervousness about my decision to travel solo there. However, to my surprise, I ended up having a really positive experience and felt safe the entire time!
So, whether you’re planning to go there or anywhere else, these are some of my go to safety tips to consider before your next solo trip!
Don’t be afraid to lie!
I don’t condone lying but it’s ok when you’re travelling alone. Not everyone needs to know your business. You’ll meet people along the way who want to know all about you, chat you up while you’re walking or will ask you too many questions. For example, in India, it wasn’t uncommon to meet random people who will straight up ask all of your business, like if you’re married! I’m not, but on this trip I was! Be creative with your stories, it will thwart unnecessary attention. Be friendly, but omit information regularly. You don’t have to tell anyone where you’re staying, who you’re with or what your plans are. Obviously, if you’re staying at a hostel, you’re bound to meet other travellers where you’ll be sharing your travel plans. However, use your discernment, depending on where you are, on what information you want to share with people.
Use your intuition
We have it for a reason but it’s often ignored and underutilized. If something feels off about someplace you are or who you’re with, don’t be afraid to leave. This may come across as sounding like you’re being too paranoid or overthinking, but only you can judge that for yourself. For me, it essentially comes down to learning to trust yourself and the feeling if it arises.
Keep your family and friends updated
Keep your family or friends updated on where you’re going. Give someone your itinerary (including all flight information) before you leave for your destination and update them regularly while you’re travelling. You can also utilize the GPS tracker on your phone if you really need to, this is especially important, if you’re transiting somewhere late at night or early in the morning when it’s dark.
Spread out your money
Don’t keep all of your money on your person! I learned this tip from a security expert about ten years ago when I was working in Tanzania. This means that if you have $500 in cash, don’t put it all in your pocket. Spread it out. Put some in your pocket, some in your bag, some in your bra, leave some at the hostel etc. This way, if you do end up getting mugged or are in a sticky situation, not all of your money is in one place. This tip comes in handy if you’re doing more of a backpacking style trip where you’ll be going from place to place, taking more economical modes of transportation like local trains and buses and staying at hostels.
Wear Sunglasses
Confidence is key as a solo female traveller. Even if you don’t know where you’re going, it’s good to at least pretend that you do. The more confident you look, the better you’ll feel about travelling alone. Especially in a place like India, where it’s hectic and you’ll be getting stared at a lot no matter where you go. Wear your sunglasses, even inside if you need to, so you can keep your eye contact in check. You’ll need them in a sunny countries anyways, so might as well utilize them for a bonus confidence shield.
Check your room
Whether you’re at an Air BnB, hostel or hotel, you’ll want to take a good look around the room you’re staying in! Take a look at the windows, do they close properly? Do all of the locks work? Are there any joining doors to another room that isn’t yours? Make sure to check these things as soon as you check in, in case there are any issues you can resolve them sooner than later. You can also buy these door jammers for extra security for your door. I have also put a chair in front of the door before going to bed. If it makes you feel better before going to sleep, do it.
Don’t go out at night alone
This was easy for me since I’m a morning person and wasn’t partying much on this trip. I always did my best to be back at my hotel or Air BnB before it got dark. The only time I went out at night in India by myself was one night in Kochi when I took a rickshaw back to my Air BnB after watching a Kathakali show. It was at the very end of my India trip, so I was feeling pretty confident and Kochi is known to be safe for tourists. I was still nervous though and going out at night isn’t something I would do in India. If you do need to go out at night, go with someone you trust! If alone, carry a whistle, a flashlight or whatever else that you need so you can be aware of your surroundings and bring attention to yourself if you need help!
These are some of the safety tips that I’ve been using for years. Some of them might sound a bit extreme, but If I’m travelling by myself, I’d rather be over prepared and paranoid than compromise my safety. Did I miss anything? Comment below with some of your solo travel tips!
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