10 Tips for the Solo Female Long Term Traveller
Before I met Steve (incidentally through my travels) I travelled solo for the better part of a year in my early twenties and learned so much from the experience. If you have the opportunity to do so, it comes highly recommended.
Solo travelling for females is getting more and more popular as the world becomes more connected and accessible. Like many of the solo females I know currently dotted about around the world, my experience was very positive. I attribute this to feeling empowered and safe during my time abroad, and realised I felt this way because of some key things that I did throughout my travels.
To inspire and encourage more women to get out and experience the world, whether it’s with a partner or not, I put together 10 things I personally did that made me confident on the road. It’s to create a shift in our mindset to being and feeling informed, rather than travelling in fear.
An Important Note:
This post won’t necessarily apply to everyone that identifies as female. No matter who/what you identify as, you may find that some of these points resonate with you and some do not. It is important to acknowledge that, generally speaking, there are some things women have to think about if we are solo travelling that cis men (in particular) would not have to consider.
I hope that no matter who you are, this can act as a useful collection of things to think about to help to fuel your confidence in travelling solo - whether it’s for a long term stint, or a shorter term getaway.
1. Choose a destination that is popular with solo females
Although no country is 100% safe, there are destinations that are absolutely considered safer for solo females than others. It’s all relative.
Start chatting to other women who have travelled abroad solo and ask for their input, feedback and advice, whether that is through your own social group or through online channels. Women travellers support other women travellers- there is the unspoken bond that we have each other's back!
Perhaps you already have a destination in mind, and don’t know how friendly or accessible it would be to solo females. Head online to do some research; what you’re looking for are places that don’t condone or operate under a general culture of gender discrimination and inequality, harassment, and violent attitudes (again, all relative). It’s worth mentioning that even the safest places in the world have dodgy areas, and it’s worth knowing where these are, especially if you’re planning something like a night out.
No matter where you are in the world, having general rules like not walking alone in the dark, and wearing culturally appropriate clothing can definitely protect your safety.
2. Check in with a trusted person from home
Whether it’s a parent, a friend, or a sibling, make it a point to check in with someone you trust regularly and let them know your plans. Make sure it’s someone who will actually follow up with you if you don’t check back in.
The idea behind this is not to feel like you’re taking away your independence, it’s simply so people who care about you know what your travel intentions are. It helps with a peace of mind when you are on your own that at least someone out there knows exactly where you are and when you’re intending to come back.
Maybe it’s a group message that you regularly update, or it’s through an app like Find my Friends, but these check-ins don’t have to be long, or even very detailed. If it’s ‘heading to x place’ ‘got to x place’ ‘going to x will check in at x time’, the other person doesn’t even have to respond unless you don’t check in when you say you would.
3. Create a home base
If possible, create a home base where you’re travelling!
For me, that looked like the family I au paired and lived with for my first four months in Australia. Afterwards, as I continued in my travels around the country, knowing that they were only a phone call away, and would always welcome me if I needed, was so reassuring.
I understand that I was very lucky with my au pairing experience, so maybe for you it doesn’t look like this. Maybe your home base looks like meeting up with a friend of a friend who has lived in the area for ages and has offered their place as a refuge if needed. Maybe it’s a hostel that you go to and use as a central base when exploring a new area. Maybe it’s a host of an energy exchange community that you really connected with.
A home base simply looks like somewhere you feel safe, and with people that would genuinely help you if you were in need. Whether you’re close to them personally or not, it’s invaluable to have a spot in mind that you can go to if you really need it, and get the support you’re after.
Australia is renowned as a popular destination for solo females - it was definitely the right choice for me!
4. Consider travelling teetotal
A recent statistic from The Office for National Statistics showed that 1 in 5 Brits now stray off alcohol, who would’ve thought? Considering not drinking on your holiday or trip can seem (at first) like a dealbreaker, but stay with me.
Travelling without drink as a solo female means that you can always remain in control- knowing at all times who you’re with or where you are. Not only does it help to keep you right on your own, you may even find that you’ll have more fun in the activities you plan to do on your travels (because you won’t be nursing that hangover), and it can also be an awesome opportunity to save money, funds that can be spent on more adventures.
Even though I considered myself quite a big drinker when I was travelling solo, I chose to stay off the drink when I was truly by myself, and I’m really happy I did. It meant that I never had to rely on people that I didn’t know to get back to my accommodation safely, I always knew what was going on around me, and I didn’t make any decisions that put my overall safety in jeopardy.
5. Budget that little bit extra
You never want to have to choose between money or safety. This is true in all areas of our lives, but is especially true when you’re travelling far from home on your own. Whether it’s for hopping in a cab because you’re feeling a bit uneasy, upgrading to a private room from a shared dorm, or splurging on getting a comprehensive data plan so you always have access to contacts- you want to be able to just make the decision without worrying you’ve compromised your budget.
Saving that extra amount will depend on where you’re going, your currency exchange and how long you plan to go for, but start with a few hundred, earmark it for this purpose, and go from there.
Another thing you could consider is taking an emergency card and packing it in a separate section of your luggage. In the event your wallet gets lost or stolen, you can rely on that emergency card without being completely reliant on others you may not know.
6. Connect with other solo females
One of the huge upsides to social media these days is that it’s relatively easy to connect with others. Look out for local travel groups, especially if they are all-female, to see if you can connect with anyone who is travelling to the same location as you.
Not a fan of social media? Try connecting with others in your accommodation or tour group. Consider staying in female-only dorms if you choose a hostel stay, and see if anyone wants to buddy up for a night out, a day trip to explore the city, or to accompany you to that hike you’ve been eyeing up.
As much as it can be awesome to meet people out at a themed night at the local bar, or on a pub crawl, consider booking a day tour, as it can be better for the solo female to connect with people when alcohol isn’t in the mix. Day tours can sometimes get mixed reviews, but they are popular with travellers, and it can be a safe way to go and get a good idea of your surroundings. They’re usually cost-effective, and you can even choose age-ranged tours, so you’ll be able to connect with people your own age.
7. Know before you go (out)
One of the first things I do when travelling (solo or otherwise) is to sort out any and all emergency numbers and load them into my phone. I’ll look up what the emergency number is for the country I’m in, save the numbers for a couple of local cab companies, and preload my accommodation details into my phone so that I can have it for a reference. There’s a reason why the phrase ‘know before you go’ is so popular, and for us solo females, there’s a lot to be said for it.
This can also look like knowing where your local embassy is - just in case. If you, for whatever reason, lose your valuables, knowing where the embassy is is a good place to start. This would be where any emergency passports would be obtained, and it would be where you could get advice or help if you needed it.
8. Think ahead when using dating apps
This one is true whether you’re travelling or not, but just keep in mind that when you’re travelling solo there can be a slightly greater risk as you may not be as used to the area you’re in, you may not speak the local language, and you won’t have the support of when you’re at home in terms of friends or family to call in a pinch.
If you do choose to use dating apps and agree to meet someone abroad, check in at home, let them know who you’re meeting and where, and agree to check in once you’re back in for the night. It may seem over-the-top, but if you’re in a bind you’ll be happy you’ll have done it.
Another option is to keep an eye out for schemes within local bars or pubs about subtly alerting staff members to a date gone wrong. They run a scheme like this in the UK, and you can usually find signposts in female toilets about the details of what to say or do in particular venues. If you see that there isn’t a scheme in the place you’re headed to, it may be worth heading over to the venue a bit early and agreeing with a staff member to intervene if you use a certain word, order a certain item, or ask for a particular member of staff. These interventions are usually really subtle and they will either call a cab on your behalf, or help you sneak away.
9. Try travelling nationally before going abroad
If this is your first time travelling solo, consider travelling somewhere within your own country first.
For me, moving to Western Canada (having grown up in the Central/East) really was like travelling abroad. Enough things were different to make it seem like I had made a huge change, but enough things were also similar for me to still feel comfortable with the transition. This was important because it built my confidence in being on my own before I ventured further afield. After my time out West, I moved to Australia right after and I always consider my time in Banff as my springboard into the life I lead today.
You may be thinking that it’s easy for someone from Canada to travel across their country and feel like they’re in another world - maybe you’re from somewhere nowhere near the size. However, I think no matter how small your country, there will always be somewhere that is unique and diverse to what you’re used to. In Scotland, we’ve used the last year of lockdown to travel extensively, and even for a place as small as this, there are huge changes from the cities to the highlands to the islands to the west coast. Give it a go.
Heading to Western Canada before heading abroad was definitely one of the best experiences I’ve ever had - and it felt like I was in a different world!
10. Buddy up when going OOS
Alright, so Cheryl Strayed was a badass when she went out into the woods solo. However awesome her experience was, I personally recommend buddying up when going out of service, especially abroad. Whether you’re travelling for the sake of a long hiking or camping trip, or you’re heading on a road trip that is completely off-grid, if something unexpectedly goes awry, it could put your personal safety in jeopardy. This isn’t news for any seasoned hiker or backcountry camper, but is relevant to solo females as there is an extra element of safety that we have to take into consideration if we do go completely OOS.
If you’re really after the solo experience, and think it’s a crucial part of your travels, use the ‘check in’ tip to a greater extent. Although some people leave their hiking plans on their dashboard if they summit solo, still drop messages to a couple of people you trust to communicate your plans, and mention the latest time that you would check back in. For example, “headed on an overnight camping trip hiking out to X, below is my intended route. Will check back in tomorrow, the latest X.” Like I mentioned above, make sure it’s someone who will actually follow up with you if you don’t check in.
Travelling as a solo female can be an amazing experience! It allowed me to feel more independent and more empowered than ever and I still consider it one of the highlights of my life.
Happy Adventuring,
Sam
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