More and more people are opting for solo traveling these days. The main reasons are being able to travel at your own pace, having the freedom to choose your own destinations to explore, and just pursuing specific goals, such as drawing inspiration or overcoming personal challenges. No matter where you’re planning to go, having safety tips for solo travelers in place when traveling alone is a must, especially as a woman. According to recent statistics, 88% of women don’t feel safe traveling solo, but they do it anyway.
Having said that, what are some of the most important tips to remember when embarking on a journey without any friends, family, or just anyone who can help you in case something happens? Let’s get into the details.
How to Travel Safely as a Solo Traveler: 5 Most Important Tips
1. Prepare Before Setting Out on a Journey
Preparation is a key point in everything, especially solo travels. Since you’re going to be alone during your journey, you’ll have no one to rely on, which makes it especially important to research as much as possible.
Start with choosing accommodation. Whether it’s a hotel, an Airbnb, couchsurfing, or your friend’s place, make arrangements in advance. If you’re traveling in the U.S., you can research the place to see who owns it, their contact information, and whether they have criminal records. A reverse address lookup also allows one to find out the nearest local amenities and whether there are sex offenders in the area.
Another key aspect is to plan your itinerary a few months before the trip. Identify places you want to visit and research public transport options, local taxi services, and how to get around safely.
2. Share Your Itinerary With Friends and Family
This might be the most important of the safety tips for solo travelers. Even if you’re traveling to the safest country or city in the world, staying connected with friends and family is one of the most effective options to safeguard yourself during your travels. Tell your parents, siblings, relatives, and best friends where you’re going and for how long you’re planning to stay there. Knowing that someone is aware of your plans can help you in case of an emergency and make you feel more secure and confident while traveling.
Here’s a list of essential details to provide:
- Travel itinerary, including all the places you plan to visit;
- Dates of travel;
- Accommodation details, including the names and contact information for the places where you’ll be staying;
- Transportation plans;
- A communication plan that will help you stay in touch, including your local number;
- Itinerary changes in case you decide to add something new or leave some places out of your trip.
Remember, even if you think that you have everything figured out and don’t need anyone’s help, informing at least one person about your whereabouts is essential for your safety.
3. Avoid Reckless Behavior
If you’re an outgoing person who likes to party till the morning or just someone who isn’t aware of their surroundings, there’s a higher chance you might encounter a risky situation.
Reckless behavior also involves exploring isolated areas alone, drinking excessively, using drugs, trusting strangers too quickly, oversharing personal information with people you don’t know, walking alone at night in unsafe areas, and other actions that might threaten your safety.
Using common sense while traveling alone can prevent you from many life-threatening situations. So, if you’re someone who first acts and then thinks, make sure to think twice before getting involved in something that you’ll later regret.
4. Secure Your Valuables From Pickpockets
In some countries, pickpockets are the biggest concern for tourists. Imagine walking around the city, looking at the attractions, taking pictures, and then noticing that your wallet is no longer in your purse. You look around, but there’s no one to be found. You didn’t even feel anything and now have no money. Well, this is how pickpockets work: carefully, sneakily, and invisibly. Everything happens so quickly that some people don’t understand how it could even happen.
To avoid becoming a victim of pickpockets, it’s important to secure your valuables. Remember, such thieves usually operate in busy, crowded places like tourist attractions or public transportation. They usually “accidentally” bump into someone they intend to steal from or push people in the crowd to avoid suspicion. Sometimes, they work in groups and even use children who are thought to steal.
But what are the most effective tips to protect your valuables? Wear anti-theft gear, such as bags with hidden zippers or a money belt under your clothes. Don’t flash your phone, wallet, or other valuable things in public or keep them in your back pocket. Instead, put them in an inner pocket or in outer compartments of bags.
5. Be Ready for Unexpected Situations
No matter how carefully you plan for your trip, there could be a situation when something might go wrong. You may get sick, lose your valuables, or get lost in the city you’re exploring. There are many situations that require preparation.
So, to avoid being caught off guard, you need to prepare in advance. For example, if you get the flu or something more serious, it’s important to keep local emergency contacts accessible. Before setting out on a journey, it’s wise to get travel insurance that will cover all your costs.
Another important tip is to make copies of all your documents and place them in a secure location. These documents are your passport, visa, driver’s license, travel insurance, and other important documents.
It’s also a good idea to learn some phrases in the local language. Phrases like “Help”, “Emergency”, and “I’m lost” can help you ask locals for help in case of an emergency.
Traveling alone brings a lot of positive emotions, yet it’s also a risky and sometimes life-threatening endeavor if a person doesn’t prepare for it. As a solo traveler, you need to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge before embarking on a journey. From avoiding reckless behavior to preparing for emergencies, there are many tips you need to know before going somewhere alone. I hope you found this article on safety tips for solo travelers helpful.
Are you planning a solo trip? Read these articles next:
- The actual TRUTH about travelling solo
- 15 Best Things to Do Alone in Dubai
- 73 Solo Travel Quotes: Inspiring Quotes for Travelling Alone
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