Have you ALWAYS wanted to travel alone but never had the courage to do so?
Why should women travel alone once in their lifetime?
How do you stay safe traveling alone as a woman?
In this blog, I’ll give you some travel tips and safety advice for your first time traveling alone as a woman.
Why should you try traveling alone as a woman?
Traveling alone as a woman can be scary, but the experience that you’ll have is priceless. Have you ever wondered if there’s still something about yourself that you don’t know about? Going on a trip alone is also a way to find yourself and you’ll probably be surprised by the experience at the end of the trip.
I took a similar trip with one of my friends and strangers before to just get the taste of it. My first time traveling alone was visiting New York City for a month. I believe every woman should try traveling alone once in their lifetime and I promise you you will discover something from the experience and possibly, be additive!
Solo travel tips
1. Do research
Understand the culture and background of your destination. How did you get there? How much does it cost? When does it open? What’s the weather? How do you access the internet?
You have to do your research on every little detail beforehand, especially when traveling alone to another country. I would suggest starting with your country first to get a taste of it. The biggest thing about traveling to another country is to have cellular and internet. Even if they speak a different language, at least you can translate it on your phone.
2. Pack light
Determine how many days you’re going, pack things that are only necessary since you’ll have to carry them around. A backpack and a carry-on suitcase should be a perfect combination. You can lock your suitcase at the hostels or places you stay, so you don’t have to carry all your belongings with you all the time.
3. Take pictures of your important documents
Just in case you accidentally lose any document during the transition from place to place, always takes pictures of your documents and have a copy on your phone to avoid the hassle.
4. Trust your guts
While you’re trying to make friends with travelers like you, sometimes being a little aware won’t hurt. I believe that most travelers are friendly and want to enjoy the best of their travel experience as well, but if you feel something is off, trust your guts and don’t be afraid to change the plan. You can give yourself more time to observe your surroundings to determine if something is comfortable for you to do so.
5. Carry self-protection weapons
As a woman traveling solo myself, ALWAYS carrying self-protection weapons. I always carry pepper spray on my keychain with me just in case if I need it. You never know what might happen. Thankfully, I’ve never used it before. I recently purchased a stun gun as well for double security.
6. Be prepared and flexible
Always be prepared and have a back up plan in case anything goes wrong. Don’t be discouraged when things don’t work out and enjoy the alternative!
Things to avoid while traveling alone
1. Stay aware and don’t be the target
In the summer time you might want to dress up cutely in your new outfit for your trip, but be aware not to get too much attention to yourself, especially in places where more men are around. You don’t want to be too obvious, dress up like telling everyone you’re a “tourist”, sometimes it can be easily targeted since you don’t know much about the people. Be smart and ask questions if anything seems suspicious.
2. Don’t stay out late
It’s OK to grab a drink at the bar with your new friends or the locals, but always be aware of the people you just met. Just keep your eyes on your food at all times or ask someone to watch out for you. Don’t stay out late while traveling alone, especially if you have to go back to the hostel or places you stay by yourself.
Most importantly, ENJOY IT!
Now you have done (or are going to have) your first trip traveling alone as a woman, it doesn’t seem so hard after all! I personally love to have full control of the plan and places to visit without the pressure of waiting for one another. It’s very nice to have someone to share the moments, but being alone in a completely new place gives me excitement and makes me enjoy and focus on my surroundings more (sometimes it’s easy to miss little things when you’re talking to another person).
Most importantly, you overcome yourself! You’ll probably understand yourself a little more and will be surprised by discovering new things about yourself you never knew before!
After doing so many solo trips, it definitely helps me to become more independent in difficult situations, such as having to move from NYC to GA by myself during Covid-19.
Final Thoughts
Now everyone has access to the internet and more women are traveling solo compared to before. One of the purposes why I created this blog is to provide a place for women to feel safe traveling alone and I would love y’all to join me and let me know your thoughts! I hope you find this blog helpful for your first time traveling alone, and stay safe!
Check out my other post Top 10 BEST Things to Do in San Diego
Happy Adventure Soul 🙂
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