Top 7 Safety Tips For Female Solo Travellers

This post will share my top seven safety tips for female solo travellers.

I’ve been taking solo trips for over a year and have been to thirteen countries.

While that might not be much, it’s a decent number for someone who recently garnered the courage to travel solo.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t travel the world in my late teens and early twenties like most people.

But now that I’m approaching thirty, I’m making up for the lost time.

I had zero experience travelling by myself before now.

I just started because there was no one to go with, and I desperately wanted to see the world.

So, I began to build my courage by taking local day trips.

But before then, I took my first solo international trip to Paris before COVID happened.

I had planned to start my solo travel career in 2020.

I was automatically set back by two years.

So, I had no choice but to build my confidence with local day trips until international travel opened.

In January 2022, I took my first post-COVID solo trip to Dublin; the rest is history.

I have travelled every month this year with a couple more planned for the holidays.

Taking these trips frequently has taught me a few safety tips for female solo travellers.

While Europe is generally safe for solo travel, you can never be too careful.

You should always observe the same safety measures wherever you find yourself as a woman.

Other than that, I do a few practical things to ease any stress and anxiety about visiting a new city.

Here Are Some Practical Safety Tips For Female Solo Travellers

While these are general tips, they are also not conclusive.

You don’t have to do certain things if you don’t feel safe doing them.

Always go with your instincts as much as possible.

Stay In Hostels With Female Only Dorms

Hostels generally get a bad reputation, but I’ve stayed in almost a dozen, and I can categorically say that they are safer for female solo travellers.

With the two hotels I stayed in the last year, I had to be much more cautious than usual because I was alone.

On the other hand, I’m never concerned about my safety whenever I stay in a hostel.

I try to choose female-only dorms with 4-6 people.

I also try to select dorms that have privacy curtains in the beds.

I’ve never had any issues as long as I keep my belongings safe and padlocked in my assigned locker.

I’m also careful enough that none of my belongings has been stolen.

But I didn’t learn this overnight. I had to take a few trips first to remember to keep my stuff safe.

Also, many modern hostels have 24-hour reception desks with CCTV cameras, so I feel safer than staying in a hotel room.

If you’re staying in a hotel, get a portable door lock.

The first time I stayed in a hotel in Montpellier, I had to ensure I was well prepared by buying a Portable Door Lock and Door Stop Alarm.

Even though I eventually didn’t use it because the hotel was safe, it was comforting to know it would be helpful if needed.

So if you can’t stand hostels and want to feel extra safe in hotel rooms, always travel with these two safety gadgets.

Read reviews about the accommodation’s area before booking.

It is essential always to read reviews from other women about the location of your accommodation.

If booking through Booking.com, you can filter the reviews by location.

I’ve seen one or two instances where someone mentioned how unsafe she felt walking back to the hostel at night by herself.

To avoid dodgy areas, try to pick accommodation within the city centre.

It might cost a bit more than going far out, but at least you’ll have peace of mind walking at night.

To fully gauge the area you’re going to in advance, plug in the address on Google Maps and use the Google Earth feature to view the surroundings.

It will give you an idea of the area in advance.

Avoid late flights if you’re visiting for the first time.

If you’re visiting a new city for the first time and are not particularly street-smart or new to solo travel, try not to take a late flight.

Chances are you’ll need to find your foot when you land to find public transportation or directions to your accommodation.

You don’t want to arrive close to midnight and have no choice but to pay for an exorbitant Uber because the buses or metro have stopped running.

You need to factor in the transport schedules of your location when planning your trip.

If you cannot take a late flight, make sure you budget for an Uber or arrange a private airport transfer.

Some hotels offer those services as well.

I’ve taken a few late flights before recently switching to early morning flights.

From Milan to Amsterdam and Malaga.

I ensure my hostel is not too far from the nearest train station when there’s no alternative.

Download Offline Google Maps

I already pay for roaming services through my internet provider, so I never use offline Google Maps.

But downloading offline Google Maps is a good idea if you don’t pay for roaming and prefer to use public Wi-Fi while travelling.

There’s nothing that screams you’re travelling by yourself, like asking people for directions.

I never speak to strangers during my trips.

I work around each city with my shoulders high like a local because I’ve done as much research beforehand.

So, I automatically know my way around.

When travelling solo, especially as a woman, Google Maps will be your best friend for everything.

So please don’t sleep on it.

Share your real-time location with a friend or family member.

Google Maps is another handy tool you can use when travelling.

To keep yourself even more safe and traceable in case anything goes wrong, especially if you get lost, share your location with a trustworthy friend or family member.

It is super simple to do.

They must have a Gmail account for you to activate location sharing.

You can decide how long you want to share your location, and when you get back, you can turn it off.

Read up on local scams in the city you’re visiting.

I remember reading up on the terrible tourist scams in Cairo, Egypt.

Since then, it’s been stuck at the back of my head.

One way to keep yourself safe is to educate yourself about the local scams in the city you’re visiting.

Don’t be too overzealous, and try to speak to any stranger who comes up to you.

Beware of people that try to offer you something for free.

More often than not, they will demand money from you one way or another.

Try not to put yourself in a questionable situation.

Read up as much as possible and apply common sense to all problems.

In Conclusion,

Female solo travel still feels daunting for many people, and I don’t blame them.

It was for me at the beginning.

But you must take that first step to overcome the fear.

I promise you; it is indeed life-changing.

Even when it comes to safety while travelling, you must find what works for you.

This can’t happen until you take a solo trip.

Solo travel is not scary at all. It just requires courage.

Being in a new country doesn’t mean you should throw safety out of the window.

Don’t be afraid, but be security conscious.