u/Hairy_Yak_6735

About to take my first solo trip in ages and trying to avoid the rookie mistakes. Curious what lessons you’ve learned the hard way so I can (hopefully) avoid a few myself.

For me: always pack painkillers! You never know when you’ll actually need them. AND screenshot directions before leaving Wi-Fi - saved me more times than I can count.

We were having a heated debate in a hostel the other night about the differences in solo traveling between men and women.

Of course there are the obvious differences in feeling safe, but i'm curious what you think are the key differences, and if it depends more so on the place.

Thought it could be an interesting discussion to continue on here!

Sorry to bring up the obvious here, but I want to share this with other women solo travellers who fixate too much on "which destinations are safe for women". I learned on my recent solo trip that it isn't the destination you should be so focused on in terms of safety.

I travelled solo to Norway last month and for all of the trip, Norwegian men never gave me a hard time and were nothing but friendly and respected boundaries.

The people who would continually hound me, follow me, or try to advance friendly interactions: other travellers (a mix of tourists, expats, or other short-term travellers). I won't name where they're from because it's not fair to portray "all people from ___" do this. I think anyone from any country will try to push boundaries.

So I've come to take "countries that are safe for women" with a grain of salt. Sure, don't visit a country that's actively going through a war (unless for humanitarian efforts). But I don't think we should choose a solo travel destination based on its supposed "safety rating", or judge based on the locals that live there and their cultures and customs.

I'm curious – women solo travellers – could you think back to times when you were made to feel uncomfortable, unsure, or unsafe – were they locals or were they other travellers/passing through? What were those destinations?

Hey All,

I've done quite a bit of solo travel over the last few years, so I thought I'd share a few tips and experiences I've had over the years.

1. Don't worry about meeting people. Tons of people travel, especially on certain circuits like Peru/Ecuador, most of central and western Europe, South East Asia, etc, that you'll be rolling in new friends by the end of the trip.
2. To find those friends though, make sure you book good, sociable hostels. I'm wicked cheap, so spending $18/night instead of $12/night is painful. But if you're traveling alone, meeting people in the hostel is crucial (for me at least), so I've found it's generally worth a few extra bucks.
3. Enjoy your time alone to reflect and learn more about yourself. I always find one of the best parts of traveling alone is that I learn a lot about myself while interacting with totally new environments. It's a lot of fun!

I guess all this is to say that you should definitely travel solo at least once if you have the chance, and hopefully these tips make it easier. Cheers.

When I’m in the States I’m such an introvert. I get awkward approaching people, I overthink what to say and I usually just keep to myself, making small talk feels uncomfortable and I never know how to start a conversation without sounding weird.

But the moment I land in a new country it’s like something in me flips. I talk to people on the street, in museums, coffee shops, bars anywhere. I feel lighter and way more open like all the social pressure just disappears. I don’t worry about saying the wrong thing or looking awkward, I’m just myself and somehow that version of me is way more confident.

And every trip it happens the same way I meet someone random, we start talking and next thing I know we’re exploring a neighborhood together or grabbing dinner like old friends, my awkwardness flies away and I actually enjoy being social. Why is it so much easier to talk to people abroad than at home?

I'm on the first solo trip ever as a 55 year old woman. I've always traveled with my husband and kids, brother and sister, grandkids or on girl's trips. I am always the person in charge of logistics, and itinerary planning. But I never get to do what I want, as I'm more of a go with the flow type.

I planned my first trip ever with no one else along. I am so relaxed. I really should have done this years ago.

Ok so we know about pretty privilege but can we talk about Ugly Privilege? 😅

I’ve been solo travelling for the last 3 months and while I’m travelling I’m in comfy clothes, have my hair tied back in a messy bun (usually hasn’t been washed in daaaaays) and I don’t wear make up. I very much go unnoticed. And omg is it amazing when you’re a solo female traveller! I don’t get hassled as much/don’t get stared at (except in India but classic lol) and generally get left alone which is a privilege in itself. Now that’s not to say I think of myself as ugly but I haven’t been attracting the male gaze while I’m in my traveller aesthetic and it’s felt FREEING.

Anyone else relate? 😂

Edit: This post is not intended to perpetuate victim blaming at all - harassment is the fault of the harasser and not what those on the receiving end are doing/wearing etc. This is a personal experience I’ve noticed about day to day interactions while travelling.

I’m all for traveling on a budget but there’s so many posts on here where someone says something like “my hostel is super weird and creepy but I can’t afford a different place” or “my airbnb’s locks are broken but I don’t have enough money to go somewhere else.” I’m sorry but if you don’t have enough money to go to a different hotel if something goes wrong at your current place you shouldn’t be traveling! Especially if you’re trying to save by staying at an Airbnb or hostel. I can’t imagine risking my safety while traveling because of money. EVERYONE, no matter where your going, should have some type of emergency fund for you’re traveling. If you don’t, then save up and postpone your trip, but it’s so not worth risking your safety while traveling and being stranded in a sketchy situation.

Hey everyone! I'm u/Hairy_Yak_6735, a founding moderator of r/SoloFemaleTravelTips.

this is a space for women who love traveling solo — whether you’re just thinking about your first trip or you’ve been doing it for years

feel free to:

• ask questions (no question is too small)
• share your experiences and stories
• give tips about safety, destinations, or planning
• help and support each other

traveling alone can be exciting, scary, empowering… sometimes all at once. here, you’re not alone

start by introducing yourself if you’d like — where are you from and where was your last (or dream) solo trip? 🌍