10 Useful Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers

For women especially, planning for a solo trip can come with a lot of anxiety but the good news is that you can still tick off those destinations on your bucket list as a solo traveler.

It is reported that between 2018 and 2019 alone, more than 60,000 women traveled alone. Research also indicated that females make 80% of all travel-related decisions when planning and booking trips. With $15+ trillion of spending power, women are known to spend more than men when they are travelling. 73% of travel agents agree that women are more likely to go on a solo travel trip as compared to men.

And so, if solo travel is your thing, here are some useful solo travel safety tips to help you travel with confidence on your next adventure.

Benefits of Traveling Solo as a Female Traveler

Many women continue to choose to travel solo. It's becoming a popular way of traveling and here's why you should plan and go for that solo trip.

1. Convenience

When planning for a solo trip, you don't have to align with other people's schedules so you can travel. You basically plan yourself and off you go to your solo adventure!

2. Freedom

A solo travel journey gives you the freedom to plan your itinerary however you want and visit all the places that you desire without having to compromise on anything.

3. Meeting new people

Solo travel can provide you an opportunity to socialize with other solo female travelers and meet new friends. It's usually a good way to make new connections with locals and other female solo travelers. Together, you can even plan and go on new exciting adventures like group tours.

4. Personal growth

Women who are traveling alone get an opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves, thus leading to personal growth and self-discovery.

5. Relaxation

Solo travel can offer women the chance to disconnect from their daily lives and focus on relaxation and self-care.

If you're a woman and are planning for a solo trip soon, here are some helpful solo travel tips for you.

Tips for Solo Female Travelers

1. Consider staying in a women-only hostel or a private vacation rental

Hostels usually have a warm and inviting atmosphere and you are likely to meet and socialize with other solo female travelers. This can help you feel less lonely on your trip. If you're out for an adventure, you can also get to know about local events that are happening.

Another great accommodation option to consider is private vacation rentals. To ensure your safety, do some research beforehand, book the space/ home on a legitimate platform and also look for rentals that are located in safe neighborhoods. An advantage with vacation rentals is that you get your own space and enjoy privacy.

For additional security, always ensure that you lock your door whenever you're inside or use a door stopper or a portable lock. For your important documents like your ID and passport, have soft copies of each on your email or phone and then put the hard copies of each in a safe if you have one in your space/ room to avoid loss or theft.

If you're planning for a trip to Venice, California soon, here's a great vacation rental that you should consider staying in.

Resthaven LA

Resthaven LA is a beautiful luxurious vacation rental under Resthaven Properties. The home is located at 522-524 Rialto, Venice, California in the upscale neighborhood of Venice, CA. The property is a Black-owned luxury vacation rental with modern amenities and is perfect for people looking to experience luxury travel, are on a solo trip, on their honeymoon, on a staycation or simply looking for new adventures.

This home sits on 3,400 sq. ft., has 4 beds and 4.5 baths. Its close proximity to popular tourist attractions such as Muscle Beach, Ocean Front Walk and the Venice Fishing Pier makes it the perfect home for travelers looking to explore the city. It is also located less than half a mile from Venice Beach and Abbot Kinney Boulevard and less than ten miles from Los Angeles International Airport.

For those looking for an exclusive, safe and stunning vacation rental where you can just unwind, Resthaven LA is the perfect vacation rental for you.

Resthaven Properties offer you the ultimate membership for an extraordinary life of travel. The 3 membership options that you can choose from are:

Infinite Access

This option comes with:

• Complimentary 3 nights and 2 days visit across all U.S. based properties
• No annual membership dues
• $250 cleaning fee per visit
• $250 pet fee per visit

Global Entry

This option comes with:

• Complimentary 3 nights and 2 days stay across Resthaven properties worldwide
• No annual membership dues
• No pet fee
• $250 cleaning fee per visit

Global Entry, Monthly Financing

This option comes with:

• Monthly Financing
• No FICO requirements
• 10% down & 19% APR
• 20% down & 12% APR
• No prepay penalties

To book the property or for more information, get in touch with us here.

2. Get travel insurance to cover any unexpected events or emergencies

Traveling can come with some challenges and unforeseen circumstances such as falling ill during a trip or loss of luggage. Therefore, it is important to get a good travel insurance cover that will cushion you, in case of things like trip cancellation, baggage loss and any medical expenses that you may incur.

3. Learn about the cultural norms and customs of the place you’re visiting

Every country or destination that you visit will have its own unique culture. As a visitor, it is important that you research these before heading out to your destination because it might inform how you plan different aspects of your trip like dressing, mode of transport and food options.

It would be uncomfortable to find yourself in a situation where for example, you're traveling to a hot and humid destination and you've only carried shorts and tank tops only to find that such clothing is inappropriate within such a culture.

4. Keep in touch with family and friends

Being that we live in a world that is connected by social media, be sure to stay connected to your friends and or family using apps like WhatsApp or Instagram. For safety reasons, ensure that at least one trusted person in your life has details of your location and whereabouts at all times so that in the unlikely event that something happens to you, somebody has your details.

In addition, be sure to share all your travel details, that is flight bookings, hotel details, cab details with a trusted friend or family member.

5. Plan to arrive at your destination during the day

If you're traveling to a new place, plan your itinerary such that you're able to arrive at your destination during the day. This is because you can be able to navigate easier being that you are not very familiar with the landscape of the new area that you're in.

And if it happens that you arrive in the evening or at night, organize with your hotel or accommodation partner for pick-up, even if it might cost you a bit more. That way, you ensure that your safety isn't compromised as you move from one location to the next.

6. Wear a wedding band to keep off unnecessary attention

As sad as it may be, if you're traveling solo as a woman and you want to keep off unwanted attention from men, you might just have to buy a fake wedding band and wear it.

Buy a cheap wedding ring before you leave home. Don't get anything too flashy as you may attract the attention of thieves.

7. Be mindful of your alcohol consumption and never leave your drink unattended

During your travel escapades, you might meet other travelers on solo trips like you and decide to go out and have a good time.

In such instances, be very careful of the amount of alcohol that you consume as you don't want to get too drunk in a foreign place and place yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. Also, never leave your drink unattended as that's an easy way to get drugged.

8. Trust your gut and be aware of your surroundings

Being in a new environment requires you to be extra careful of your surroundings. At all times, trust your gut feeling. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or unsafe in a situation, leave immediately.

Since you probably have to carry a few belongings with you at all times, ensure that you have a fanny pack that you can wear close to your body or inside your clothes or use a hidden money belt to keep all your valuable items close to you. Another tip is to avoid wearing expensive jewelry or carrying large amounts of cash.

Also, avoid listening to music using your Airpods or headphones in a new country or city as it may make you less aware of your surroundings and you might find yourself being a target for thieves.

9. Familiarize yourself with emergency services and the local embassy

When you get to your new location, make sure you're aware of how to access emergency services and also where the local embassy is and how to get there. This information may really come in handy in case of an emergency situation.

Invest in a good quality personal alarm or pepper spray (if legal) for added security.

10. Don’t overshare on social media

It is very tempting to document everything that you're doing while on vacation but don't do it in real time. And even when you do post, don't overshare especially if you're still at that destination. This will keep you safe as people will not be aware of your whereabouts at every second.

It is okay to speak and engage with the locals and other travelers but don't disclose details of where you're staying or your trip itinerary in detail.

Conclusion

Solo travel can be a fulfilling and empowering experience. If you're planning your first solo trip, ensure that you research your destination beforehand, including local customs and laws, to be prepared and respectful.

Learn basic phrases in the local language, especially if you're in a non English speaking country to help you communicate and navigate, Be cautious when accepting offers of help or accepting rides from strangers.

Solo female travel has gained quite some popularity. So don't let fear hold you back from exploring and seeing the world! Go ahead and start planning for your first solo trip.

Resthaven Properties

Unified Hub is an online booking engine that shifts the accommodation search experience from “where” to “who.” Consumers are inspired to experience the same properties as the value-aligned content creators they follow which leads to intentional purchase decisions based on whom they are spending in support of, not where they will be located when they spend.

Resthaven Properties is a collection of Black-owned luxury vacation properties. Resthaven Properties focuses on acquiring vacation property across the world's best travel destinations for predictable income and appreciation. So far, the luxury properties under the Resthaven Properties portfolio include Resthaven Los Angeles, Resthaven Tahoe, and Resthaven Zihuatanejo. Resthaven Properties operate under membership options that disrupt traditional lodging and timeshare accommodations by implementing a pay once and use for a lifetime strategy. The team opportunistically acquires properties in the 5-7M range based on the high potential for appreciation and a prime location for leisure travel and intentionally supports diverse vendors in each property.

Bay Street Capital Holdings is a leading Black-owned investment firm. The team of 17 is 75% women, 66% 1st-generation American, and 47% under the age of 30. DLA Piper serves as legal counsel, Weaver serves as tax advisor, and Juniper Square serves as fund administrator.

Sources

https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/solo-female-travel-safety/

https://www.worldpackers.com/articles/traveling-alone-as-a-woman

https://www.mstravelsolo.com/how-to-stay-safe-as-a-solo-female-traveller/

https://www.gogaffl.com/blog_posts/safety-tips-solo-women-traveler

https://theawkwardtraveller.com/safety-tips-for-solo-female-travelers/

https://www.kiwi.com/stories/35-safety-tips-for-solo-travelers/