So you want to travel solo but are unsure if it is safe or not. You start to doubt yourself and worst case scenarios begin to play in your head. You ask yourself will I get kidnapped? Will someone rob me? Someone might spike my drink and so on. Fear not, in this blog post I will share with you some tips I learned from my personal experience to stay safe throughout my solo trips which you can apply for yourself.
Use Common Sense and Trust Your Instincts
It sounds simple but people don’t seem to use this thing called common sense. What do I mean by use common sense? If you are walking home at night and there is an alley way that will save you 5 minutes and there is a group of men standing there, do you choose the alley way or the main street? My instincts would say to me that’s not a good idea walk the extra 5 minutes.
Some common sense practices to consider when travelling alone include being discrete when taking out your wallet. Being aware of your surroundings and checking over your shoulder when walking to make sure you’re not being followed and not carrying all your money in your wallet at once.
If someone approaches you and they seem shady and your gut is telling you this doesn’t feel right there is a good chance you should go with your gut and get out of that situation. An example of when I listened to my instincts was when walking the streets of Manila. Not hating on Manila but my gut was telling me this wasn’t safe and I felt as if I would get robbed if I kept walking so I went back to the hotel.
Research Ahead of Time
In the words of the great Benjamin Franklin “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Same applies when failing to properly research and prepare for your trip especially when going solo. Research the area you wish to book your accommodation for. You don’t want to book a hotel that you thought was a good deal and arrive and wonder why you’re in the hood.
Take the time to read reviews of hotels, the destination in general, read about the country on your governments travel website. Be as prepared as possible so you know what to expect when you arrive.
If Someone Approaches You It’s Probably a Scam
This is something I learned while travelling throughout South East Asia. Scamming is a frustrating yet avoidable occurrence. After my fair share of times being scammed in Thailand, Vietnam and the
Philippines I have learned the tricks scammers use to reel you into their trap.
One thing which was common with the scams I have been victim of was that I was approached by the scammer. For example when I was in Bangkok, I was approached by tuk tuk drivers offering me a “good deal” on a ride to the popular tourist attractions. They will attempt to start a conversation with you by asking where you are from or they will say “hello friend, where are you going”. You see they approached me because they were the ones who wanted something and that was my money.
If something sounds too good to be true it usually is. If you need to get somewhere or buy something you should be the one who takes the action.
Get a Local Sim Card with Internet Access
I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a reliable internet connection whenever you are travelling. Yes updating your Instagram story is important but so is Google maps, translate and the internet in general so you can access the information you need from your phone. Having a local sim card will obviously allow you to make local calls and international depending on your plan.
Seriously if you still rely on one of those big fold out maps what are you doing? You stand out to scammers who are probably thinking in their head “look at this dumb tourist, I’ve found my next target”. Don’t get me wrong physical maps are good to have for a backup but apps like Google maps are so much more useful.
Walk with Confidence
One of my best tips is to walk around with confidence. Walk with your head high like you have somewhere to be and you know where you’re going even if you don’t. When you walk slowly with a confused facial expression and a big fold out map you are just asking for attention, and please never wear one of them “ I love inset city here shirts”.
If you genuinely are lost just walk into a store or café and take a couple of minutes to plan out the route of where you need to go and review it enough so that you are confident you know where you are going. Ideally you should do this in your hotel room before heading out and also take a screenshot of the route on your phone.
Keep Your Belongings in Sight and Within Reach
It should be common sense but don’t keep your phone or wallet in your back pocket. Don’t keep valuables in the easiest to reach part of your bag. Don’t leave your bag while you go to the toilet.
If you have some brains and think those were obvious some more advanced tips are:
When sitting, sit with your bag in between your lower legs. Do you think a thief is going to try and tug your bag from in-between your legs… probably not.
Load your luggage into taxis yourself or at least watch the driver load your bags into the boot and watch them close the door.
If you are in a country that isn’t very wealthy don’t wear your jewellery or flash your IPhone X if unnecessary.
When I walk I place my hands on the front of my pockets so there is no way anyone can slip their hands in them. I also walk fast enough so that it will be difficult for someone to open a zipper from my backpack.
When standing still have your back facing the wall.
Use padlocks to lock the luggage you leave at the hotel especially if you are staying at a hostel.
Drink Responsibly and Keep an Eye on Your Dam Drink!
You hear about it all the time people’s drinks being spiked and terrible things happening to them. No matter how friendly the bartender may seem always watch them pour your drink (I mainly do this see if they are skimping on the alcohol to mixer ratio) and keep your drink within sight at all times. Also be aware of your surroundings and the people nearby who may seem like innocent bystanders but could be in on the spiking.
Remember you don’t have your friends with you to escort you out the club and into a taxi if you get too sloppy, so always drink within your limits.
This may sound like you will be spending more time worrying and not having a good time but it comes back to common sense.
Keep in Contact with Friends and Family Back Home
Keeping in touch regularly with friends and family is important not only for telling them about how you’re having the time of your life but it also lets them know where you are, what you are doing and your plans. If you still live at home your parents will be worried about you especially if you don’t keep in contact with them. Don’t wait for them to contact you. Be sure to keep your friends and family updated.
Solo travel isn’t as dangerous and scary as you may think. I believe if you use common sense, research/prepare and trust your instincts you will stay safe and be confident while travelling the world. Trust me if you follow these tips you will be fine and have the time of your life, so don’t let fear hold you back from travelling solo. If you found this blog post helpful I would appreciate it if you shared it and be sure to leave a comment if you have any tips of your own.
