Travelling alone can be unsafe, but there is an extra layer when you are travelling solo as a female. I’ve tried my best to come up with safety tips that will help keep women travellers safe on the road. Many of these tips can be helpful to any traveller (regardless of gender) and I hope that it will help at least one future individual on their next trip. Remember that your safety always comes first.

Always try to travel and site-see during the day.

When roaming the city it is usually more safe to travel around when there are other tourists and locals around. There are fewer chances of being robbed or harassed if there are other people around to potentially stop them.

Never go drinking alone or with people you don’t know.

You are vulnerable when you are drunk! Therefore, it is extremely important that you are with people you can trust. Never go drinking with complete strangers or by yourself because you never know who might try to take advantage of you.

Watch your drinks.

Make sure to always watch your drinks. Please, NEVER put your drinks down and leave them unattended! Keep an eye on it at all times. You never want to put yourself in a situation where someone can drug you or potentially physically harm you because they have successfully intoxicated you.

Stay connected to your family back home. (text, social media, Skype)

It is always a good idea to stay connected to family back home. It is extremely important to keep people updated especially if something happens to you when you’re away. For example, if you usually contact your family almost every day and suddenly you don’t contact them for 3-5 days, they can inform the local police that you have disappeared. This simple action can potentially save your own life.

Leave copies of important documents with a trusted friend or family member.

If you are to ever lose important documents or phone numbers when abroad, make sure to leave a copy of all important information (insurance numbers, passport copy, etc.) with a trusted friend or family member. This way they can send you the information you might need if the situation ever arises. You can even leave a digital copy of important documents in your Google drive or email as another alternative.

Being polite is never more important than your own safety.

Don’t get me wrong, being polite is a great asset to have, but never jeopardise your safety by being too polite. This leads into the next tip.

Be okay with saying “no”. Stand your ground.

Don’t be afraid to refuse. Please say NO if something seems dangerous, off, or you just simply don’t want to do something. You are not a bad person if you turn someone’s invitation down and know that it is not your responsibility to help every person you come across.

Always trust your gut instincts.

I’ve mentioned this before, but always trust your gut instincts. If something is screaming danger please trust that you are having that feeling for a reason.

Be aware of local scams.

Before entering a new city you should research the local scams that often occur throughout it; especially in the downtown core. Be careful of local scam artists and pickpockets.

Here is an article I wrote on how to avoid being pick-pocketed.

Stay away from troubled city areas; especially at night.

If there is a specific area that even locals hate visiting than this is definitely a major red flag. Try your best to shy away from questionable neighbourhoods that are known for high crime rates. Try to stay on well-lit streets at night as well (PLEASE NO ALLEYWAYS!).

Stay aware of your surroundings.

Make sure to stay alert at all times! This might be as simple as not listening to music or being on your phone all the time. Another suggestion,  if you like to wear headphones or earbuds in the hopes that people don’t talk to you, put them in your ears, but don’t have any music playing. This is a trick that I have even used once or twice that still allows me to be aware of what’s happening around me and also keeps the creeps away.

Walk with confidence and head held high.

Look confident. This will make you look less like a target for scam artists. They tend to prey on the “weak” and people they think will be more gullible in stressful or awkward situations.

Be prepared for cat calling and try to ignore it.

Unfortunately, catcalling is a thing that happens all over the world. My advice is to simply ignore it and try your best to just walk away. If the person is overly persistent, you can start talking to anther stranger that might understand that you need help. Simply pretend that you know them, and the cat-caller will hopefully give up now that you are not alone. We are always stronger in numbers.

Dress like the locals.

If you don’t want to stand out in the crowd you can try to dress more like the locals if possible You basically don’t want to look too much like a tourist as it might grab some unwanted attention.

Don’t flaunt your money or possessions.

Shy away from expensive clothing and brands as that might make you a target for theft. If people see that you have expensive clothing they might assume that you are carrying a lot of money on you as well.

Join a tour and talk to the locals.

Try and make friends while you’re on the road. By joining a city tour you might be able to meet a few locals that can help you learn the city. You might even make a great friend along the way.

Pro tip, while on the guided tour make sure to ask your guide if there are any places you should be weary of and stay away from in particular. If anyone will know it will be the local guide.

Divide your money in case of theft.

Make sure that not all your money is in one spot. I recommend dividing it up into different pockets just in case you are robbed. You don’t want to be left in a city without any form of money. Simple hiding places for money could include your shoes, bra, pads, sock,s and your inside coat pocket.

Make copies of important documents. (Passport, health card, etc.)

Make sure you have photocopies of all your important documents just in case someone steals them, or you lose your bag. Keep theses copies in a separate place than the originals.

Use an anti-theft bag.

I suggest getting an anti-theft bag for when you are travelling during the day. Leave your main backpack or luggage at the hotel/hostel and keep a small anti-theft bag with you. I recommended that the bag is slash-resistant, has lockable zippers, and is RFID approved.

Carry an alarm or whistle when walking alone for your own safety.

Simply stay safe. Having an alarm or whistle is a great way to scare off a person who you think is a threat to your well-being. This will also hopefully give you enough time to run away, call for help, or get to a busier street where they cannot get to you.

Walk close to groups or families when walking alone at night or in bad areas.

This is a little odd, but if you are walking alone I would recommend trying to blend into a group so that you don’t look like you are walking alone. This will make you look less vulnerable and less likely to be harassed on the streets.

Take a basic self-defence course before leaving on your trip.

If you are really worried about travelling alone, take a basic self-defence course. This is a great way to learn some basic skills that could help you in a bad situation. You never know what the future may hold and it is extremely important to be prepared even for the what ifs.

Here are a couple of great videos to teach you some basic self-defence moves:

7 Self-Defense Essentials to Protect Yourself by POPSUGAR Fitness

Simple Self Defense Moves You Should Know by BUZZFEED Videos

5 Self Defense Moves EVERYONE Should Know by fightTIPS

How to Defend Against a Knife Attack with Nick Drossos by Ando Mierzwa

When taking taxi-rides, keep bags with you.

Never place your bags in the trunk of the taxi. You never know if you might need to get out quickly or if the taxi driver will drive off with your bags. It has happened before and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens again.

Be kind. Not everyone is out to get you.

Never be overly aggressive or rude. Through being kind you will encounter kindness in return. Remember, not everyone is bad or wants to hurt you. It is important to not be afraid of meeting new people and sharing cultures with each other. Travelling would be pretty boring if you were alone all the time.

Try to be as prepared as possible.

Lastly, be prepared for as much as possible. Travelling brings up many new challenges every day and can throw curve balls at you left and right. Leave for the trip knowing that you are ready for anything.

I hope that you’ve learned some important safety tips for your next adventure!

Safe travels,

Carina