When you tell someone you are traveling solo, what is the first reaction you usually get? I could count how many times it has been excitement or joy on a single hand. It is always the shocked and confused look for me. And the next thing to come out of their mouths is one of two things: “I could never do that!” or “Well you better be careful!”. As a solo traveler and as a woman, it has been engraved in me to be careful and that there are crazy people out there. It’s on a constant loop in my head, especially when I am in a different country by myself. But I can’t let the fear of something that may or may not happen keep me from doing what I love. Here are some safety tips for solo travelers I have picked up along the way.
Some precautions to take before leaving on your trip are to have some type of find my location turned on on your phone. I have an iPhone so I have the Find My app. I also suggest sharing your itinerary with someone as well. I check in with someone twice a day, so if I missed one or they couldn’t reach me, they could look at my location or my itinerary to get a better idea of what I might be doing or where to start searching. I also have an app on my phone called Noonlight. It is a button you can hold or press and release if you feel unsafe which dispatches help to your location. Thankfully, I have never had to use it, but I feel better knowing I have this at my fingertips.
During your travels, I recommend finding groups if possible. I know, the whole point of traveling solo is to travel alone. I’m not saying always stay with a buddy but use your best judgment. Maybe stay at a hostel, make some friends or book a group day tour. Also, carry some type of weapon to protect yourself. This is sometimes an obstacle when traveling internationally but use your imagination. I say this hypocritically, but try your best not to stay out after dark. If you have to, try to stay in well-lit areas and avoid places that you know are not safe. Lastly, Always try to be on guard. Traveling is supposed to be a time to let loose and have fun, but you also want to stay vigilant. One more tip is to not post about where you are until after you have left that place.
I’m sure I could go on and on and list more and more safety measurements to take, but I feel these are some of the simplest and easiest ones to follow. Was there some on here that you will use in the future? What other tips do you have to make sure you stay safe while traveling solo? Let me know in the comments below!
Lost in the Adventure 