20 ways to stay safe while travelling solo

Travelling solo is a wonderfully liberating experience. You can do what you want when you want, and see new places in your own special way. However, it’s not all fun and games, and perhaps one of the greatest downsides of seeing the world alone – especially if you’re female – is the huge list of safety risks that comes with it. Today, I’m going to be going through twenty things that have made me feel more safe while travelling solo, and will hopefully put you at ease too, should you ever embark on such a trip.

Before you go

The process of travelling safely starts before you’ve even left! Here are some things I would recommend you do while preparing for your trip.

Pick safe countries to travel to

There are so many beautiful places to explore in this world, but some of these are just not safe to visit right now. No matter how adventurous you think you are, it is never worth travelling somewhere where your safety could be seriously threatened. Before you book your trip, look up the country you want to visit, and find out if there are any serious problems afflicting it: political conflicts, fatal illnesses, dangerous weather conditions, etc. If yes, think very carefully about whether you really want to put yourself in that same situation.

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Set up travel alerts

No country is one hundred percent safe, so even if you find somewhere with relatively little danger floating about, it’s still worth setting up travel alerts. Before I left for my year abroad, my university recommended that I sign up to receive these from the UK’s government website, so I now get regular emails updating me on any safety risks presenting themselves in either France or Italy.

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Book accommodation in a safe part of town

Whenever you travel, you should always feel that you have a safe place to return to at the end of the day, so try to avoid booking accommodation in dodgy areas. One of the best ways to steer clear of these is by reading reviews of potential hotels or self-catering apartments. People will usually say it as it is, so if no one has mentioned anything about the neighbourhood being dangerous, you should be good to go!

In addition, I’d recommend staying in places with other people if you can: hotels, hostels, Couchsurfing accommodation, etc. That way, you’ll have people to help you out if danger arises.

Set a clear itinerary, and share it with someone back home

When travelling, it’s always worth scheduling things in advance, but this is particularly important if you’re going to be alone. Share your itinerary with someone back home, and have them check up on you regularly to make sure that things are going to plan. If you decide to be a bit more spontaneous at any point, just pop your loved one a message, or share your location with them.

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Learn some of the language

If you’re travelling somewhere where your mother tongue isn’t spoken, it’s a good idea to learn a few basic phrases in the native language of the country. These can be as simple as ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’, but should also include serious things like ‘help! ’ and ‘where is the nearest hospital? ’. Of course, we’re now lucky to have online translators at our fingertips, but it’s not always easy to whip your phone out when you land up in a sticky situation!

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Memorise the emergency number of your destination country

There won’t always be people around to help if you fall into danger, so make sure to memorise the emergency number of your destination country, just in case you need to phone for help. You’ll know, if you read my ‘ultimate guide to Biarritz’ that while I was there, I slipped and cracked my head open on a rock. Everything turned out fine, and I luckily had my friend there to help, but we were very grateful for the advice given to us by the emergency services we rang.

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Get travel and health insurance

Crime and danger exist even in the safest parts of the world, so it’s always worth setting up some kind of travel insurance. This is especially important if you’re going to be participating in risky activities (extreme sports, for example). You also never know when you might need to make use of foreign hospitals, so health insurance is also an important thing to buy. If you’re an EU citizen, make sure to order a free EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), so you can claim back charges (or a percentage of them). These are not always the cheapest things to get, but remember that your health and safety are priceless.

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Stay protected – get injected!

One of the best ways to avoid getting ill while abroad is to get all the necessary injections before you leave. You’ll be able to find out which shots are needed in each country on the Nomad Travel website.

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Learn self defence

An excellent way to stay safe abroad or in the comfort of your own city is to learn some self defence moves. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be involved in a physical attack while travelling, but you never know. If you don’t have the time or funds to take a proper course, there are plenty of YouTube videos and resources available online.

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Invest in a rape alarm and pepper spray

Finally, it may seem a little extreme, but I’d recommend investing in a rape alarm. No matter whether you’re male or female, this will come in handy: you'll have a way to alert others if you’re in danger and will also feel more protected while out and about.

It's also worth getting hold of some pepper spray: if there's no one around to help, it will be a great way to distract and ward off attackers.

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When you've arrived

All set? Here’s how to stay safe once you’ve reached your destination!

Travel lightly

The less you’re carrying, the less likely you are to be pickpocketed, and the less you’ll lose if you are! Try to bring only essential items with you, and carry only as much cash each day as you think you’ll really need. If you can, get a bank card that works abroad – that way, if the worst comes to the worst, you can cancel your account and won't lose a single penny.

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Don’t attract attention to yourself

If you do need to carry more expensive items – digital cameras, for example – make sure not to attract attention either to yourself or to them. Keep bags zipped up (and padlocked, if possible), and only get these items out when you actually need them. Also, don't be like me in this photo: never sit with all your valuables in plain sight! Along with this, try not to make it too obvious that you’re a tourist: don’t speak really loudly if your native language isn’t that of the country you’re visiting, and don’t stop every five seconds to check directions. Thieves will be looking out for oblivious tourists: they're the easiest targets after all.

Dress modestly

This one is important, especially for you young women reading. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of nasty people out there who assume they have the right to harass anyone wearing scanty clothing, so if you want to minimise the risk of being victim to this sort of behaviour, try to dress modestly. Hopefully one day this won’t be an issue, but for now, try to stick to wearing high-cut tops and long bottoms, and exposing as little flesh as possible.

Try to look confident, even if you’re not feeling it

Criminals tend to target people who look lost, confused, or out of place, so even if you are feeling any of these emotions, try not to let it show. Always walk with your shoulders back, with your head held high, and with a big smile on your face. Fake it till you make it, as they say: not only will you start to feel more assured, yourself, but you’ll put others off from disturbing you.

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Avoid going out when it’s dark

The later it is in the day, the more dangerous it is to be out and about, so try to get all your sightseeing done while it’s still light, then head home as the sun is setting. This way, you’ll not only be out of harm’s way, but you’ll also have a good long time to rest your legs in preparation for the following day.

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Keep to main, well-lit streets

Having said this, some of the best things happen at night, so if there’s a concert you want to go to, or a bar you’ve just got check out, make sure that on your way there and back you’re sticking to busy, well-lit streets as much as you can. Avoid small alleyways whenever possible, and try to make sure you can see other people at all times.

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Don’t ignore safety warnings

I mentioned my cliffside head injury earlier, but what I didn’t say then was that I ended up in that state as a result of ignoring safety warnings. The pathway down to that particular rock was blocked off and had a number of danger signs next to it, but I was too curious to take any notice of them. Things like that are never put in place just to spoil your fun: there’s always a good reason behind them. My old boss told me that a couple had actually been swept off that very cliff by a huge wave and drowned at sea, so I certainly had a lucky escape!

Safety in numbers: make friends!

If being alone is making you feel uncomfortable, why not try to meet some other travellers? You’re less likely to fall into danger if you’re with a group, and if anything does happen, you’ll have people there to help you. Want to know how to make friends while abroad? Check out the article I recently wrote on this topic!

Know your limits and stick to them

I cannot stress enough how important it is to know your limits and stick to them. If two drinks are enough to get you tipsy, don’t then let yourself be pressured into downing five more. Not only will you put your health at risk, you’ll also limit your awareness of your surroundings, and could make yourself an easier target for crime.

It’s also important to know how far you can go when it comes to things like extreme sports. While it’s great to challenge yourself, it’s never worth going beyond your limits, especially if no one is supervising you. Be adventurous by all means, but know when enough is enough!

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Trust your gut

Last but not least, always trust your gut! We as humans are programmed to sense danger, so always listen to your instincts, and if you feel that something is a little off, try to remove yourself from the situation as quickly as you can.

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That’s all, folks!

So there you have it: twenty ways to stay away from danger while travelling solo! Have an absolutely wonderful time if you go on holiday alone any time soon, and always remember: better safe than sorry!

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