The number one piece of advice that I can offer a female looking to travel solo, is to choose the wise thing over the daring.
I believe that these tips apply to all genders and types. However, statistically a solo female traveler draws more attention to a crowd and that is why I have titled this as a guide for solo female travelers.
LUGGAGE PRACTICALITY & SAFETY:
Travel light and practically
You really don’t need to bring a lot of clothing or shoe options with you when traveling. Especially if you plan on traveling to more than one place during a single trip - you’ll likely wear the same articles of clothing repeatedly and you really want to focus on comfort and ease. With that being said, this also applies to the type of luggage you choose to travel with. Make sure that you alone can pick up, transport and carry your luggage with ease. Shop for a luggage that is lightweight in its own framing. Then after you’ve packed your belongings, see how much effort you exert in lifting it up. If you have access to stairs, I would practice going up and down the stairs with your full luggage also - many places abroad don’t have elevators so be prepared to lift and carry often!
Always keep a close eye on your belongings, wherever you go
This includes when you are getting into a taxi or car. The driver will always likely offer to help put your luggage in the trunk of the car. Stand by the trunk and watch the driver stow your luggage away, close the trunk and walk to the driver side of the vehicle BEFORE you get into the car.
BEFORE YOU GO:
Before you leave home, get all of your transportation figured out
Download any apps you think you’ll need for your trip - taxi/car service apps (not every country has Uber or Lyft), train apps so you can check train schedules with ease and airline apps to easily pull up your boarding pass and travel information.
It’s always best to know a few key phrases or words in the language of the country you’re traveling to
Not only is it respectful to the residents of the country, but it will make you feel more comfortable to lightly converse with someone when you’re asking a simple question. The easiest thing to do is write out a list of phrases/words in the notes app of your phone, so you can easily refer to it. Also download Google Translate - this will be your best friend! It’s not 100% accurate, but it’s pretty close and it will help you out a lot. Also be sure to download the offline use of whatever language you’ll need, so you can use the app without being connected to wifi or data
Download offline maps through Google Maps
You never know if or when you’ll lose cell service while traveling. For example if you’re traveling to Rome in Italy, type in “Rome Italy” in Google Maps and scroll over towards the left and click on download. A box will appear on the screen highlighting the area of Rome and how much of the area you want to download. Click download and now you have access to maps even if your phone is offline. *note: you cannot use live directions when your phone is off or on airplane mode, you’ll only be able to see the directions and then use your sense of map reading skills to guide your way* This also helps save data usage and phone battery.
Invest in a portable charger and have it fully charged daily
There are many options of lightweight compact chargers that easily fit in a small purse. Remember to bring the phone cable with you too! You can buy a short one, so you’re not carrying a 3 foot wire around.
On Google Maps, save your accommodation’s address
This helps you easily access the address so you don’t have to fumble around for it when you need it. Google Maps has a great feature where you can save addresses under “travel plans” or “saved places” which makes it easy to filter through.
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY:
Send your entire travel itinerary, including passport information and photo, to your emergency contacts and a few close friends at home
Hopefully no one will need to use this information, but it is always better to have it in the hands of the right people who can help in case you need it. I find that creating a Google Document is best for this, because you can edit it as you go and the updates show up live.
In your notes app, write out any and all emergency numbers
Local hospital, fire department, urgent care, your hotel or Airbnb contact information. Write these numbers on a piece of paper also and keep it in your wallet, in case your phone dies.
Save a photo of your passport in the hidden folder on your phone
In case you lose your passport, it’s always wise to have a photo backup of it on hand.
SAFETY AND SECURITY:
You’re at your destination! A few things to help you enjoy your trip with ease
When you’ve arrived at your place, download the Fing app to check for any hidden cameras
I know this sounds creepy and uncomfortable, but there are some strange people in the world. Fing is awesome - it connects to the home’s wifi and checks if there are any cameras connected to it inside the home. If it detects it, it will show you directly on the app.
After you’ve checked into your place, go check out the neighborhood
This is a great time to start marking landmarks and get yourself familiar with your surroundings. You’ll thank yourself days later when you’re heading home, not sure if you’re going the right way and then seeing that mural and remembering your place was to the left of it.
If you find yourself lost or in need of directions, always aim to ask someone at a hotel or restaurant/cafe for directions
Hotels especially are a great place to stop over in case you ever need anything during your trip, since their job is to provide service and help. They won’t ever turn down someone who isn’t staying at their hotel!
You’re walking around town and using Google Maps to guide your way
Number one, invest in a pop socket for your phone. It helps you grip onto your phone much easier and firmer, in the event of a pick pocketer. In New York, they call them “Apple Pickers” because these people tend to go for iPhones! I suggest making a peace sign and then sliding the pop socket in between your two fingers. And then hold onto your phone with the other fingers and thumb on the opposite side. Holding onto your phone this way makes it nearly impossible for anyone to grab it off of you - and if you’re clumsy like me, it keeps YOU from dropping it!
Turn the brightness of your screen as far down as you can, so that only you can see it and no passerbyers can see that you’re looking at directions. Or purchase one of these privacy screen covers for your phone. Get a sense of where you’re going and try not to stare down at your phone the entire duration of your travel from one destination to another, so you can walk confidently and with assurance. If you find that you need additional guidance with directions, turn on the live guide and wear one headphone so you can listen to the directions in one ear and your surroundings in the other.
Turn on your location on “Find My Friend” app
This is so your friends and family at home can see where you are at any time of day. Again, just in case!
EASE & COMFORT:
Download Flush Toilet Finder
Have a tendency to urinate often? You’ll love this app. And when in doubt, use a hotel or restaurant’s restroom.
Download the app here
If you suspect you’ll get your period while traveling, bring feminine products with you
Many countries abroad do not offer the vast array of options in feminine products (many don’t even have tampons, if you’re a regular tampon user). Also be aware that your cycle might shift while you travel due to change of environment, food, sleep and travel itself. If this happens to you, don’t worry! Your body will self shift and your cycle will come when it’s ready to. Just keep track of your cervical fluid and basal body temperature using a basal temperature reader like Daysy
Purchase Daysy here
Book group activities so you can meet other travelers!
I love Airbnb experiences to book fun and unique opportunities. You can also do free guided walking tours in almost any city (these are free, but tips are encouraged for the guide at the end of the tour)
At the end of the day, trust your gut! And remember that solo traveling is so much fun and comes with many perks:
You’re on your own schedule, not someone else’s
You learn how to be in your own company and befriend the feeling of being “alone”
You open the opportunity to meet other people, including other solo travelers
You garner a great appreciation and admiration for other cultures and the world
Enjoy your travels!