9 Safety Tips for Solo Travellers
Imagine yourself sitting at a cute little river-side café, sipping on a nice warm cup of coffee, watching boats go by. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?
If you’re travelling alone, then you can soak in all the sights & sounds, and truly enjoy the vibes of such places. For many people, travelling alone can be a life changing experience.
However, as tempting as solo travel might be, it comes with its own challenges and safety concerns. But, do not fret.
Herein, we’ve listed a few safety tips for solo travellers that would help you stay safe during your trips.
Interacting with Strangers
When you’re travelling solo, interaction with strangers is bound to happen.
Sooner or later, you would have to speak to a local to ask for directions or strike-up a conversation to know more about the local culture.
You might even talk to other travellers at a café or a club. It’s a part of the whole solo travel experience.
As fun as these interactions can be, it is best to not let your guard down. Talk to people, be polite, but never ever reveal where you’re staying at your destination.
Doesn’t matter how friendly, sweet or harmless a person may seem to you, you should not give out certain personal details.
And your accommodation is one of those things.
Blend in
Nothing makes you a bigger target to a con man (or woman) than the fact that you’re a tourist and new to the place.
And the fact that you’re travelling solo makes you an even bigger target. So, as much as you can, try to hide the fact that you’re not a local resident of the city you’re exploring.
You should also try to hide that you are not familiar with your surroundings.
Yes, walking with confidence helps. But that’s not the only thing you can do. Go through a map (paper or phone app) of the area you’ll be visiting the next day.
This way, you’ll know which direction to head to after entering a particular area and won’t have to keep looking at your phone for directions or keep asking other people for directions.
Doing the aforementioned things would only make you get noticed more by other people.
If you’re visiting a new country, try to learn a few useful phrases beforehand so that speaking to the locals would be easy.
And speaking in a local language would let you stay off the radar of people looking to dupe you.
Another important thing you can do is dress like the locals do. It doesn’t have to be a whole ensemble. Maybe a top or a scarf that’s in-tune with the local attire.
Choose Your Hotel Wisely
When you’re thinking about how to travel solo safely, an important factor to consider is the hotel you choose for your stay.
Usually, while selecting a hotel at a new destination, most travellers only think about the cleanliness, complimentary services, and the views they get to see from the room.
When a person is travelling solo, there are so many other things to think about.
If possible, book a room on the upper floor rather than on the ground floor. It is supposed to be safer than a room on the ground floor.
After you reach the hotel, check-out where the alternative exits on your floor are placed. It would come-in handy in case of an emergency.
Keep the door of your room locked at all times, even if you’re expecting room service soon.
If you return late at night, and the hotel looks deserted, swallow your pride and ask a hotel staff member to escort you to your room. Like they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you’re a woman who’s travelling alone, you can ask the hotel if they have a women-only floor. If they do, you can book your room on that floor.
Stay Sober
For many travellers, an important part of exploring a new place is to hit the nightclubs and get acquainted with the local urban-culture.
But while travelling solo, one needs to be extra-careful about everything.
So, while there are no restrictions on having fun and dancing the night away, it is advisable that you refrain from alcohol and other similar substances.
Even if you decide to include drinks in your plans for the night, it is best to keep it to a minimum.
In other words, do not get intoxicated to the point where your sense of judgement or alertness is getting affected. It is best to stay sober while travelling alone.
It doesn't matter if you’re a man or a woman, being drunk would make you a target of muggers or con men and women.
Get the Right Gadgets
In the current era, technological advancements have reached a stage where there’s a device (or three) for any given task.
When it comes to the safety of solo travellers, the gadgets that are available in the market do a great job.
There are many devices and apps that help a person travelling alone stay safe or get help quickly in case they face an emergency.
There are apps, bracelets and other devices that track your location and send out the current location to a designated person.
These devices also send out messages to the designated person to call the police.
There are panic button alarms that start making loud alarm sounds when you press the button. This startles the attacker and stops them from doing any further harm.
This tactic has been proven to be quite helpful in stopping an attacker midway. If you want to protect your belongings from pickpockets, you can get an anti-theft backpack or purse.
While staying alone in a hotel, make sure that you use a door-stop alarm.
It not only prevents the door from being opened from the other side but also sets off an alarm that is loud enough to wake you up.
Some of these alarms are loud enough to wake up others in the hotel, thus getting you the help you need.
Don’t Flash Your Cash
These days, people don’t really carry that much cash with them.
However, if you prefer to have cash with you rather than spending plastic money on your travels, don’t take out all the cash from your pocket at once while making a payment.
Instead, put your cash in different pockets, or different compartments of a purse/wallet. You do not want people to see how much cash you have with you.
This is an uber-important rule when it comes to travelling solo safely. And it is not just about the money.
As tempted as you might get to dress-up and go out & about in town during your trip, it is best to avoid wearing flashy clothes and accessories.
In fact, while packing for the trip, try not to pack anything that draws attention to you.
The more mundane and regular your clothes look, the better you’ll be able to escape the eyes of a predator (pickpockets, muggers etc.).
Keep Important Belongings Close
This is a no brainer, but keep super-important things close to you. For many people, it is their wallet, cell phone and passport.
While exploring a new city, don’t keep these things in your back pocket. If you use a backpack, don’t keep these things in any pocket that is easily accessible.
Also, when you’re walking in a crowded street/market, you can keep your backpack at the front, on your chest instead of carrying it on your back.
Stay in Public
When having a discussion about how to stay safe while travelling alone, one of the first things your friends/family may suggest is for you to stay in public.
Which basically means that you should not wander too far from the crowds; or from places where there are other people.
Do not go to remote places by yourself, no matter how much you enjoy your solitude. Take a licensed tour guide with you.
And also, never wander alone in dark deserted streets or alleyways. No matter which country you’re in, it is never safe to do so.
Trust Your Instincts
This is something that we can’t stress enough, trust your instincts!!
An intuition is something that we are all born with. It’s there for a reason. And it gets heightened when we’re at a new place.
And no, you’re not being paranoid when you feel like a particular cab is not safe for you or that a shopkeeper is trying to scam you.
If your intuition is telling you to not walk down a street alone at night or that you should not accept a drink from the good-looking stranger that’s been eyeing you all evening, then listen to your inner voice.
It could save your life.