Copyright BuzzFeed
Traveling in itself is stressful enough. However, for women, there are additional steps we have to take to ensure our health and safety, especially when we're traveling solo... That's why when Redditor u/SignificanceOdd5980 asked, "Women who travel solo — what’s one thing you’ve learned the hard way?" hundreds of solo women travelers shared their biggest "dos and don'ts" for staying safe on vacation. From fake boyfriends to first-aid kits, here are 17 of their best responses: If you're a woman with safety tips and tricks for solo travel, feel free to share them in the comments or answer anonymously using this form! 1. "I'm never afraid to scream, get loud, or act 'crazy' if I feel I’m in danger. When people (usually men) choose a victim, they do not want to deal with someone who is loud or presents a problem. I act a little aggressively, but it’s only for my own safety." 2. "As a frequent solo traveler for over two decades (5–8 international trips per year), I still print out the really important things (event tickets, hotel directions, booking confirmations, etc.) in case I lose my phone or the battery dies." "Additionally, some apps will not function without Wi-Fi, making it impossible to open the ticket for inspection. I also write down all the important phone numbers on a piece of paper." —u/FR-DE-ES 3. "When you book a hotel, book it for two people — same with dinner reservations. Otherwise, you will get the crappiest room and a table stuck in a corner IF you can get a reservation at all." —u/merford28 4. "Always have a place booked in advance for your first night in a new city." 5. "I changed all my two-factor authentication apps to email a code instead of SMS. There's nothing worse than getting accidentally logged out of an important travel-related app and not being able to log in again easily." —u/KezaBoo "Once, my ATM card got eaten by the machine, and the bank was closed. A nice couple with cash offered to lend me some, and I told them I would pay them back using Cash App. However, it suddenly required two-factor authentication via text, which I couldn’t complete from outside the country. Email would have been perfect." —u/LeatherAppearance616 6. "Men will prey on you if they realize you're alone. I'd recommend always saying you're there with friends or a boyfriend (and maybe even get a fake wedding ring to wear) if you even feel uncomfortable." "I hate going to places and coming across men who clearly come from places where women are less respected. They come up to you, start asking too many intrusive questions, and then think you'll go on a date with them." —u/Gluecagone 7. "Following local modesty customs is about respecting a foreign culture — nothing more and nothing less. I say that as a hardcore feminist who lived/traveled in Southeast Asia. Tourists often wanna wear bralette tops and short-shorts, but that is culturally insensitive in most places outside North America." 8. "I've learned that it's okay to pay for the safety and convenience of transport. I always used to take the cheapest option, even if it was much longer or even a bit sketchy." "Now, given the choice between two fairly equivalent options, such as taking a bus or a taxi, sure, I'll take the bus. However, if it's a choice between the taxi or taking three buses and walking through a dark alley to get to a hotel, I'll just pay for the taxi." —u/mustardpanda 9. "Book an all-women's dorm wherever possible. Plenty of men will try to hook up with you otherwise. Sometimes they are very persistent, and it ventures into the creepy zone." "Then you might end up being the only woman in the mixed dorm, sleeping less than a meter away from a man who is just staring at you in the dark, or maybe you think you have the room alone until one man walks in at 2 a.m. to sleep there, and suddenly you are now sharing a room alone with a strange man. Just no." —u/HistoricalHorse1093 10. "For now and any future trips, make sure you have healthcare travel insurance to ensure you're covered internationally." 11. "Pack wet wipes. They're a nice way to freshen up quickly on long travel days (I used them once when I had to overnight unexpectedly at an airport) and also a lifesaver if ‘nicer’ bathrooms are hard to come by (I was at a festival in Spain earlier this year and most porta-potties had run out of toilet paper)." "They don’t take up much space in your bag either." —u/flyingwhaleswut 12. "Even if someone else says something is safe, that doesn’t mean it will feel safe for you." "Trust your gut feeling, and if you have any doubts, change your plans or upgrade your transportation, accommodation, etc." —u/Live_Blackberry_6665 13. "Remember to bring a power bank if you depend on your phone for maps and as a camera, and especially if the phone is constantly searching for a connection to mobile data or Wi-Fi — turn it off if you don't use the connections to save power." 14. "Carry a serious first-aid kit with you: cold meds, anti-nausea, sleeping aids, Imodium, Pepto, ginger chews, cough drops, nail clippers, AND travel insurance papers." "I thought in an emergency, I’d always be able to make it to a pharmacy until I was literally stuck in Barcelona, practically immobilized." —u/pinkpepper81 15. "Always make sure you have enough birth control if you're traveling for a long period of time. I was in Spain for a month and ran out. I heard you could get OTC birth control pills at the pharmacy, but they didn't have my dosage (I'm on a very low dosage)." 16. "There's a huge hookup culture with backpackers (especially the longer-term ones). Try it out if you want to, but be careful, and honestly, I don't recommend it." "You take risks you wouldn't normally take in your hometown, and people aren't as responsible with each other when you can just pack up and move on the next day." —u/Tough-Stomach-9856 17. Lastly, "Be aware of scammers everywhere you go — even the ones who mean well by offering you huge discounts or the ones you come across on the street who look like they’re struggling. They are the smooth talkers and sadly know very well how to target 'vulnerable' women." Did any of these surprise you? Women who travel solo, what tips and tricks do you have for staying safe? Tell us in the comments or answer anonymously using the form below!
