What Women Need to Know When Traveling Solo

Going on a trip alone can be the experience of a lifetime! There’s nothing like the freedom of waking up in a new place surrounded by people you’ll never see again. There’s something truly magical about leaving your old life behind for a little while to explore an exciting new place in totally anonymity. Unfortunately, traveling alone can have its fair share of dangers. For women especially, knowing how to stay safe will make a solo trip a lot less intimidating. Here are some tips to stay out of trouble and make the most out of your next journey.

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Stay on the Path

Know exactly where you’re going and carry a map. The last thing you want while on vacation is get lost alone in an unfamiliar place. It’s important to have current maps of the cities you’re in, as well as maps of public transportation paths such as subway systems and bus routes. Don’t make the mistake of relying on your phone, either. In foreign countries, it’s much safer to do it the old-fashioned way and have paper copies. This way you don’t have to worry about your signal not coming in, or racking up huge bills for using data outside the country.

Become Familiar with Local Laws

If you’re planning on traveling abroad, be sure to familiarize yourself with local laws and regulations before your trip. Foreign countries can have extremely different rules than the United States, and you don’t want to find that out after the fact. Depending on where you plan to travel and how long you’re going to stay, it may even be helpful to speak with a law firm that is familiar with international travel. This way you’ll become acquainted with the laws of the place you’re traveling, and you’ll even have an ally back home who can help you out in case something goes wrong.

Trust Your Gut

Some people call it “street smarts”, others call it “intuition”. No matter how you look at it, listening to your gut can keep you out of trouble. If you’re talking to someone while traveling alone and they seem suspicious, immediately cut contact, and go back to your hotel. If a restaurant you’re eating at seems like it has less-than-ideal food safety standards, pack up and go somewhere else. The bottom line is, if something would seem sketchy back home, it’s probably sketchy in a new place as well.

Although traveling alone has its risks, it can be an extremely rewarding experience. With proper planning, your trip will end up being the trip of a lifetime. Traveling alone allows you to find yourself and figure out how you want to spend the rest of your life. As long as you take proper precautions, your trip will end up being amazing.