Traveling alone can be an incredible experience: you’re free to follow your whims, explore all the things that interest you, and truly immerse yourself in a new place. However, if you’re a woman traveling solo, it’s important to take some extra precautions when planning your trip. Here are a few tips to make sure you stay safe while still having the time of your life:
1. Make a plan before you leave. Before you go anywhere, email someone a map of where you’ll be staying and when you expect to return. Let them know if anything changes—even if it’s just that you want to do an extra activity or stay out late at night. Always tell someone where you’ll be!
2. Get a buddy system going with a random local friend. It’s fun to get out and meet new people while traveling anyways, and having someone who knows the area well can help keep you safe. You’ll have someone to ask for directions or recommendations on places to visit (and they may even let you crash at their place instead of paying for an expensive hotel!).
3. If you want to drink in public, carry a fake engagement ring with you.
4. Remember that you’re more unique than you realize. Your fingerprints, walk, and fashion sense are all one-of-a-kind—and can’t be copied by anyone else. Don’t wear anything that makes it easy for someone to impersonate you (like a nametag or lanyard with your name on it), because that could make it easier for someone to take advantage of you.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Even if the person only speaks another language, don’t let that stop you from asking.
Whether you’re traveling alone or with a good friend, it’s important to make sure you take precautions to stay safe while traveling. Traveling solo is an excellent way to break away from the monotony of daily life and explore a new city so don’t let fear keep you from going somewhere new.
