More Than 50 Safety Tips for Female Travel

Travel is one of the greatest pleasures of my life so I am thrilled to share this blog with you. Along my various journeys and trips, and in learning more about how we travel as women, from my personal experiences and the experiences of other women, by far, one of the biggest concerns of female travelers is safety. I am in many female travel groups on Facebook and the topic of safety surfaces frequently, for many good reasons of course. In addition to the multitude of great articles already available with tips for traveling safely as a woman, this is why I am sharing my top tips for staying safe as a female traveler, whether traveling alone, with a companion or with a group. Regardless of the travel styles and options, women have many safety concerns that require planning, solutions and options.


So, in this blog I am sharing more than 50 safety travel tips that I have accumulated in my personal travel experience to over 30 countries and hundreds of towns and cities across six out of the seven continents. I have visited countries, towns and cities in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania (with only Antarctica left as the seventh continent to round out my travel experiences). 


My top travel safety tips are related to:

Documents

Accommodation

Phone

Clothing

People

Self-defense

Awareness


So, let’s get started with my list of safety suggestions:

  1. Learn about travel advisories before booking your trip to determine if the destination is safe

  2. Do a google search of the news on the destination to learn about the location before booking your trip

  3. Email a photo of your passport to someone you trust 

  4. Send your travel itinerary to someone you trust 

  5. Buy travel insurance and email a copy to someone you trust 

  6. If there is an embassy of your country where you are visiting, you might choose to register with the embassy

  7. Leave your passport (if it is not required to carry with you in that country) and large amounts of cash and extra credit cards in the locked safe in your accommodation 

  8. Choose accommodation that is in a safe neighborhood (you can research safe neighborhoods online) such as areas where embassies are located

  9. Choose accommodation with a 24-hour front desk presence

  10. Bolt all locks and latches on your accommodation door

  11. Do not open your accommodation door for anyone you do not recognize even if they claim to be sent by the accommodation property

  12. Do not post the name or location of your hotel accommodation on social media at least until after you have completed your trip

  13. Notice and identify landmarks (a shop, a tree, a building, for example) near your accommodation so that you know when you are safely approaching your accommodation 

  14. Keep your mobile phone charged for use if needed

  15. Include roaming on your mobile phone and/or buy a local SIM card or eSIM to use your mobile if needed

  16. Research your destination through blogs, videos, articles, books, podcasts, documentaries, social media, travel groups such as facebook travel groups in general and for that particular destination to gain confidence, knowledge, trust, information, comfort in your understanding of how things work more or less in the places you are visiting so that you are calmer and less anxious about your trip

  17. Plan your routes before leaving your accommodation or use online maps like google maps or maps or ask your hotel/host for a local map and directions to the places you want to visit so that you are confident in finding places

  18. If you get lost, go inside a shop or cafe and ask the host discreetly for directions instead of standing on the sidewalk looking at your phone or map for directions in plain view of people on the street

  19. Share your mobile phone location tracking with someone you trust

  20. Keep your purse close across the front of your body or keep your money and documents in your coat inside pockets or in a travel waist bag/pouch under your clothing

  21. Wear clothing that is in alignment with local customs so that you don’t draw too much unwanted attention to yourself

  22. Wear comfortable shoes that allow you to walk quickly or run easily if needed

  23. Connect with local women in the destination prior to traveling through women’s Facebook groups including (though not limited to) Solo Female Travelers, Host a Sister, and Host a Vegan Sister

  24. Attend meet-ups (meetup.com or Eventbrite or Facebook) in the destination to make new like minded friends

  25. Do not tell everyone that you are alone on your trip to avoid potentially becoming a target of someone with problematic intentions

  26. Do not tell strangers on your trip where you are staying to avoid problematic people finding you at your accommodation

  27. Use drivers recommended by your accommodation or from another trusted source for tours/transportation

  28. Ask your accommodation and your trusted travel groups (such as Facebook groups) for recommended places to eat, visit, shop, etc.

  29. Let your accommodation know where you are going for the day so that someone locally knows where you are 

  30. Keep in touch regularly with a loved one so that someone knows that you are safe

  31. Do not tell taxis and ride share drivers that you are alone and do not share personal information with them; keep the conversations focused on the tourist sights in the location that you are visiting

  32. Match the color, make, model and license plate number of your driver (Uber or other rideshare vehicle) with the information on the app to ensure you enter the correct vehicle 

  33. Take a self defense class prior to traveling so that you can cultivate that inner confidence and skills that will strengthen your courage in public even if you never have to use the self-defense skills that you learned

  34. Check if the local tap water is safe to drink to avoid potential issues 

  35. Do not drink too much alcohol to allow yourself to stay alert

  36. Do not accept drinks given to you or bought by other people

  37. Do not leave your drink out of your sight at any time once it is served to you by the server

  38. Do not be afraid to scream if someone approaches you in a problematic way (this is not the time to be polite, a people pleaser, Miss Goodie Two Shoes, Little Miss Perfect, or Little Miss Manners)

  39. Do not talk to complete strangers on the street who approach you randomly; just keep walking away from them without making eye contact

  40. If you feel uncomfortable with someone in the street, switch sides of the street 

  41. Do not be afraid to actually run away from someone if you feel uncomfortable with them (this is not the time to be polite, a people pleaser, Miss Goodie Two Shoes, Little Miss Perfect, or Little Miss Manners)

  42. Trust your instincts, trust your gut, and if someone feels problematic, leave immediately as you are not obligated to be available to everyone who wants you to be available to them

  43. Stay adequately hydrated to ensure your body and alertness are functioning properly 

  44. Practice awareness of your surroundings, even in your hometown, so that you take that awareness with you on your trips

  45. Walk with confidence

  46. Avoid walking alone at night in places where there are not a lot of people

  47. Get enough rest, relaxation and sleep so that you are energized and alert

  48. Attend local classes such as yoga, deep breathing, meditation sessions in yoga and wellness spaces to be in the safety of like minded people and to increase your clarity and alertness

  49. Practice mindfulness and attention to your surroundings by noticing the sounds, smells, people and places around you and how you are feeling in your body so that you are more aware and alert to stay safe in the present moment versus being preoccupied by the past or the future; and to keep your awareness of your surroundings to avoid colliding with objects  

  50. Practice meditation, deep breathing and journaling to calm your nervous system and enhance your enjoyment of your trip

  51. Choose a retreat as a best of both worlds travel option of solo travel and group travel so that you will have travel companions for most of your trip with the option for alone time whenever you wish 

  52. Enjoy your trip. After all enjoyment is part of being a safe traveler since if you are not having a nice time you might become more distracted by your lack of enjoyment so enjoy your trip.

  53. Share your own travel safety tips with others (in blogs, articles, videos, posts, etc.) to expand the knowledge and experiences of female travelers worldwide.

I would super love to hear your thoughts about the travel safety tips I have shared. It would also be great to hear your personal travel safety tips so please add them in the comments. 

I’ll be back to share more travel tips in the near future. Until then, happy travels and take good care. Bye bye.

Follow me on YouTube and Instagram for more inspiration and join our beautiful retreats around the world!

Best wishes,

Angel

Certified Raw Vegan Chef & Yoga Teacher

Wellness Lifestyle Coach & Author

Meditation & Retreat Leader



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