Worried about Female Solo Travel?
Why being a woman makes little difference to your travel fun
Female solo travel is not for you according to the newspapers or if you listen to general hearsay and gossip, the fact you are a woman should make a massive difference to your travel plans. Apparently, your breasts mean you should not venture off backpacking, you should not head off into the unknown, and you should certainly not be doing any of it alone.
What absolute rubbish, right?
Female travel, be it as part of a group or a solo adventure, is just as safe as any other kind of travel, provided you heed a little advice and listen to that instinct which comes pre-programmed in us women.
With the day and age we live in, simply walking down the street could be dangerous, so really you can’t put too much danger on the idea of a woman heading off backpacking or visiting a country alone.
If you are at all worried about female solo travel, but you’re still itching to head off into the unknown, check out these 6 top tips and nuggets of advice, which all go to prove that female travel of any kind should certainly not be avoided.
Female Solo Travel Tip 1 – Listen to travel advice
This first piece of advice basically goes for any kind of travel, not just the female type, however you may be a tiny bit more susceptible to potential trouble if you don’t heed general, official advice. I say the word ‘official’ there, because there is a lot of scaremongering which goes on these days. Official government websites are where you need to be looking, the ones which tell you the alert level in a particular country, and give you up to date advice on where you should avoid. Listen to what these sites are telling you, because they’re not making it up for the hell of it. If you’re visiting a place that is at a low level of concern, or none at all, grab your bag and go – the fact you wear a bikini and not swim shorts should not make a difference.
Here’s a List of Some Official Government Travel Advice Websites
USA Gov Travel Alerts and Warnings
USA Gov information on Various Destinations
International Travel Vaccines Medicines Advice (Just advice mind you..)
Female Solo Travel Tip 2 – Dress appropriately for the place you’re visiting
Generally if you’re visiting a country where women often cover up, especially Muslim countries, then you need to do the same. Again, it’s about heeding advice and doing a little research, but don’t go flashing arms and cleavage when you’re in a rural area, because you’re only going to attract unwanted attention, which could then lead to trouble.
Female travel, provided you listen to advice, is safe, and the biggest piece of advice anyone could give you is to dress modestly. Of course, if you’re on a beach in a tourist resort, you can whip that bikini out, no problem, but if you’re wandering through a rural village in the middle of Turkey, perhaps covering up a little would serve you better. It’s always a good idea to carry a pashmina in your bag too, in case you’re called upon to cover your head in a circumstance you weren’t expecting.
Female Solo Travel Tip 3 – Stay in contact back home regularly
The wonder of technology has made things so much easier in terms of communication these days, and the great thing here is that you can easily check in back home on a daily basis, which ups your safety to high levels. It doesn’t have to be a full-on email per day, or a lengthy phone call, but a quick Facebook message, or a WhatsApp, is all that is needed. You also need to make sure you give someone you trust at home a general idea of where you’re heading, just in case something happens, or you fall off the radar with those back home. It’s always good to be prepared in any circumstances.
Female Solo Travel Tip 4 – Don’t fall for charm
It’s an unfortunate fact of the world that some men attempt to charm women for reasons other than the fact they genuinely like them. This can happen the world over, and whilst I’m not suggesting you tar everyone with the same brush, after all you could meet the love of your life, what I am suggesting is that you treat everyone with the same level of caution. Trust has to be earned. Not everyone who smiles at you is your friend. I can’t think of any other quotes to throw out there right now, but I’m sure you get the general gist.
The bottom line is that if you’re travelling alone, you are a little more vulnerable than if you’re travelling in a group, and although female solo travel is safe, it also has a few more risks – calculated ones, mind you.
Female Solo Travel Tip 5 – Listen to your gut and remember your common sense
We women are born with a natural instinct, and it is something we should listen to. If your gut is telling you something isn’t right, for the love of God listen to it. Don’t leave your common sense at the airport, don’t go flashing your valuable belongings around willy-nilly, don’t walk down a dark street, don’t agree to going for a walk on a beach with a stranger, whether he’s drop-dead gorgeous or not. Don’t take risks with your personal safety, listen to your gut, and you should come out the other side unscathed.
Female Solo Travel Tip 6 – Consider women-only tours
This particular suggestion has a couple of advantages to it; firstly, traveling as a group is safer than travelling on your own, more enjoyable, and you get to see things in a more structured way, generally with the help of a very knowledgeable guide. Secondly, travelling as a group means you could meet new friends, and that is partly what travel is all about.
You’ll find many companies specialising in female-only travel on the internet, and it’s a case of researching which are the best ones, checking out reviews, and whittling down your choices.
I’m sure you’ve read this little ditty and come to the same conclusion as me – female travel, solo or otherwise, is basically about not taking undue risks, listening to your instincts, and being respectful of local customs in terms of dress etc. If you can do that, there’s no reason why the fact you have breasts should stop you exploring the world in the same way as a man.
Safe travels.
Female Solo Travel Tips – by Nicola Curtis.
Cover Image by photographer59 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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