10 Tips for Solo Female Travelers

Every year, thousands of solo travelers make their journey around the world. Southeast Asia is no different, and it’s a very popular destination for travelers of all types, especially solo-female travelers. Unfortunately, tourists are often targets of scams and crimes as they’re seen to be easy targets. Even more unfortunate, is the perception that female travelers are very easy targets. Read the helpful tips in this article to help you stay safe during your big trip.

Do your Research

Use the internet to find out as much as you can about your destination before you arrive. There are often many scams targeting tourists and if you know what they are, you will know how to avoid them happening to you.

Daytime is Safer than Nighttime

Try to arrange your long journeys so that you are traveling during the day and arriving at your destination before the sun goes down.

Plan your Accommodation

The internet has a lot of information about hotels. You shouldn’t believe everything you read online, but you can get a good idea about a hotel before you arrive. Read what other people say and know where you’re going to stay before you arrive.

Partying Alone

It’s not a good idea to get drunk when you’re alone. You put yourself at risk by making yourself an easy target. That’s not to say that you can’t have fun, but make sure you’re with trusted friends before you have one too many.

Be Aware of your Surroundings

Always be aware of your surroundings. Whether you’re in a crowded city or a sleepy beach town, you should never let your guard down. Take safety precautions such as wearing a money belt and not using your expensive iPhone as a torch light.

Street Smarts

If you stand on the corner of a street holding a map in one hand and your guide book in the other, you’re basically telling the world that you’re a tourist. Be careful about who you ask to help you and seek out families or other women to ask for directions. Similarly, stay away from groups of men who inappropriately look at you. Western women often dress differently from locals. Men might not be used to your appearance and you may get a lot of attention.

Stay in Touch

It’s easy to stay in touch when you’re traveling. Most people travel with a smartphone which they use as a map, translator, travel guide, and more. You’ll still be in easy contact with all your friends and family back home, so tell people where you are staying.

Common Sense

Use your common sense like you would anywhere else in the world. If something doesn’t feel right then go with your instinct and get out.

Blend In

You don’t need to dress in traditional local clothing everywhere you go, but you should understand cultural differences. If women are dressed moderately, then you should follow their lead. If you’re in a country where women are wearing headscarves, then it wouldn’t be wise to wear a skimpy bikini.

Important Documents

You should make sure that you have your documents organized. Keep contact details of any regional offices for travel companies you are using. Also ensure that you have your hotel address and contact details readily available. Finally, you should ensure that you know how to contact your embassy in an emergency.

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter what you do and you might just find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. It shouldn’t matter that you’re a solo female traveler, but women traveling alone are often seen as an easy target. If you don’t put yourself in dangerous situations, do a little planning, and use your common sense, you’re likely to have an incident-free visit to Southeast Asia.

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