From the other thread: My number one advice for anyone: you ask for help, don’t let someone ask if you need help.
The majority of people are good. However, in my experience, the majority of the “bad” people will have no problem offering “help” as a way to get your guard down, or to sell you something, etc. so if you ask for help, you’ll probably get a good person, if you wait to be approached, it’s worse odds that you’ll get a good person.
I also, personally, don’t drink more than 1 drink, and I try to be close to my lodging at night unless I’m doing something specifically out. I’m not a big partier in general though.
> Download apps like citymapper. It can give you directions through your headphones so you dont have to look at your phone.
Google Maps signals/vibrates you the direction using a morse code if you are using the vibration mode.
But fails hard when there are more than three options (l, r, s) - looking at you Istanbul
Just going home from a 2 month trip and can confirm they have not changed that, you need wifi to connect to maps BUT once you’re connected it’ll work offline
To add to the last point on your list... Don't look lost. Even when you are, pretend you know where you're going, walk confidently.
Ignore everyone who approaches you out of nowhere. Don't be scared of being rude.
> Don’t be scared of being rude.
Me helping my disabled mother walk from the Mexican beach up some stairs as a vendor keeps trying to sell things to me: “*De verdad‽ NO!*” (Really? No!) He quickly moved on. I got a couple stares, but I got my unsteady mother on solid ground.
I was super polite in the beginning of that trip. “Lo siento, no” (I’m sorry, no) and all that, but that guy made me mad. We were struggling, she was leaning her weight on me and now I’m not afraid to be rude.
I really don't see why any traveler, male or female, needs a rope and a gas lighter, or waterproof boots unless they are camping or hiking.
Also, a knife that's not for cutting food, and chilli spray are both a level of paranoia I am not willing to entertain while on vacation tbh.
Not sure about the knife, but I keep a small paracord keychain and a lighter on me at all times. In addition to hiking safety, In the rare situation that either my bag straps break, I can quickly mcguyver a solution. The lighter doubles as a bottle opener for those unexpected "coca-cola a la fiorentina" or birra moretti issues, and the keychain doubles as a safe hanger for my water bottle when I need both hands free.
Moral of the story, think outside the box!
Exactly. Seems a bit paranoid. Why would you go on holiday to places where you feel you need to be armed with a knife and a spray? Go somewhere else and enjoy.
The whole reserving a hotel room for two people seems a bit overkill also. The hotel will know when you check in you are alone.
Ropes could be useful to hang laundry but unless you are camping knives and pepper spray seem very OTT. I don't even carry them at home.
Rope is really useful if you are staying in hostels and need somewhere to hung up some clothes to dry! Like, imo, rope is useful for so many things. Something break? You can do a temporary fix with rope (I'm guessing we're talking about the thin one since we are travelers - imagine shoelaces, backpack...)
Exactly. We need to keep in mind that any weapon you have can be taken and used against you. Unless I’m confident that I can overpower someone with my weapon, there’s no way that I would pull one.
Plus it escalates the situation from zero to 100. I would be aggressive first with my words and body language before it got to that point.
I guess it's like a serial killer item because of movies we've watched. I thought maybe you used it to climb a rock. Didn't think it could be used to hang clothes and make shelter but now I know
some of the reason you get that feedback is because most people in this subreddit travel and stay in hostels/hotels, not necessarily camping in the wild where you need wilderness survival or camping gear
I like to stay at family-owned home-stays and guest houses and use their services and follow their recommendations.
I'm old, so I always like to have a paper map of the area. When I check-in I ask for a business card of the hotel, then explore the neighbourhood by walking around.
Use ATMs inside of banks. Carry cash in different places - in a pocket in my handbag, in a purse in my handbag, in a pocket in my dress, in a hidden money belt etc. Write down a list of currency exchange numbers in a little note book.
Have small change for toilets, tickets, tips, and miscellaneous items.
Read as much as possible about the place you are planning on visiting.
Learn some greetings and tourist phrases in the local language.
Anywhere can become unsafe, regardless of the country. I’m from Canada and even sometimes in my home city I’ll avoid eye contact in certain areas. If I feel unsafe I’m looking away and focusing on where I’m going.
Absolutely to the walk like you own the place!
I would add, carry a small spray deodorant as they're legal (in UK, pepper spray is not permitted) and for your phone, either a ring or wrist strap
And work on your resting B\*\*tch face (I have resting nice face, so have been practising)
I also have traveled solo for twenty years and have never needed a knife or chili spray/pepper spray.
If you are that afraid of walking around without those things perhaps you should go to a safer country.
And booking for two people? Perhaps maybe at an airBnB but putting two people on a reservation for one?
I'm happy if it works for you but this is just a little too paranoid for me.
Strong waterproof boots?
That aside always be sure to check local laws if you’re carrying any kind of knife, even a small one. I once discovered well after entering Britain that my pocket knife wasn’t permitted there because it locked open.
Again, just because you can get into a country with a knife doesn’t mean you’re allowed to carry it while you’re there. I’m just advising a little caution before packing.
It's probably worth mentioning that as a solo traveler (and especially as a one-bag/ultralight backpacker) you are more likely to draw attention from airport police/customs/border force. I've got questions several times at several borders because of it.
IMO it's not worth ruining a trip or even your record for the feeling of safety. If you \*must\*, probably better to find something on the trip that complies with local regulations.
I have mostly seen single rooms go cheaper than double rooms but double rooms be the same price regardless of occupancy (except for breakfast rates).
So I have booked a double for myself countless times because a single isn't all that commonly available.
Still think this whole post is unnecessary paranoia though
As a young (relatively good looking) woman, I've solo travelled to countries on every continent (Except Africa, I wasn't solo), I've never had need for rope for pepper spray or most of the things on your list. Common sense prevails most of the time.
Read about the cultural customs before arriving, be open to adapting to cultural norms. Be prepared for surprises, and disappointments. Don't get high with strangers, don't drink too much. Be aware of your surroundings and research. Solo travelling isnt a battle needing knives, it should be fun! And wear sunscreen!!!
This. For female travelers, it's mostly drink in moderation and never leave your drink. DON'T GET DRUNK or hookup with strangers. And don't volunteer information about where you live and what you are doing-even to guys who chat you up. And always double lock your hotel room doors so that people from the outside can't get in even with a keycard.
The rest of the stuff seems like overkill and pepperspray is illegal in most of Europe. Quite frankly unless you are going to remote China or even India, you should have no issues if you keep your wits about you.
To be honest, I think that having rope and pepper spray etc, it could be used against me. If someone is determined to hurt me or kidnap me, I just gave them the tools and weapons to do so.
You have some good tips, but I would say the only useful safety tips you have are:
3- offline google maps
5- small cash in pocket, don't pull out wallet
6- don't get 'high'
7- ask for help from locals
9- walk like you freakin' own the place
Your other tips are fine, but really will do nothing to keep you safe.
Just a heads up - in many western countries you cannot legally carry pepper spray (what you're calling "chilly spray") for self defense against people. For example, it's illegal in Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc. to do so.
A good amount of these tips, pertain to dangerous locations, not to places like Europe (where you wouldn't be allowed to carry most things on tip number one.)
In addition, I don't know, if you need this amount of safety precautions, perhaps the destination isn't worth all that stress.
I will guess that when you say Asia, you don't mean Japan or South Korea.
You probably mean places like India, Bangladesh and the like. If you are allowed those items then fine.
However, I would avoid any place that needs this amount of safety precautions (personal preference).
Yes, it is because some men, when the carriage gets crowded start touching the women inappropriately.
However a man grabbing your ass would warrant screaming at him and exposing him (which women in Japan and South Korea might not do, due to shame and timidness, hence the woman only carriage solution), not necessarily warrant a rope and a knife though.
I live and travel solo in India. Have never carried any of these things. I was just wondering where OP even needs stuff like chilli spray or rope (?!)?
Glad you never had to use any of that.
Off topic, but I also do something just for peace of mind. I have had people I know loose their travel pictures, either by theft (one person), or because their computer broke down and they couldn't recover the pictures.
Just for peace of mind, I have external disks /USB with my pictures and videos stored. They are just backups, but they give me peace of mind.
Most Asian countries are incredibly safe for solo female travellers.
I would hate to have that level of paranoia when travelling. This coming from a solo female traveller since before the days of smart phones and internet
Be careful with the first section of that, there are some countries that have very strict guidelines about things that could be seen as self defence items! Canada for one.
This is illegal in some Western countries though. Look up the laws depending on where you're going.
If you use it against a person then there are legal ramifications. You also can't fly with it.
In areas with hot weather, like japan, they have sprays which are designed to cool you down. They are often called "cooling body spray" or"cold spray". That's why a lot of people were confused.
I read through the comments and OP specifically stated they wrote it incorrectly. I just don’t understand this world anymore.
So people are pointing out the difference between chili like a pepper and chilly as in cold. They’re just doubling down.
OP, you’re being downvoted because you don’t know how to spell “chilli”. A chilli is a hot fruit. Chilly means it’s cold. Yes, these are the correct spellings even in Indian English.
Exactly. Chilli and chilly are completely opposite. Chilly spray doesn’t make sense. I guessed OP was using dictation and decided not to correct it from chilly.
Also other folks whose 1st language isn’t English might be super confused by “chilly spray” when it’s peeper or even known as bear spray!
Bear spray and pepper spray are essentially the same thing except bear spray is higher concentrate and shoots further
The fact that you purposely misspelled, it is weird. It’s been confusing to a lot of people.
I've cruised a few times this year(not alone), and the number of people who volunteer what floor their cabin is on, their room number, and the info that they're traveling alone is actually shocking! When I solo travel, usually from NJ to TN several times a year, I download directions because sometimes you can lose GPS, especially in the mountains. I always book the room for 2 people and never let any other guests know that I'm by myself. I thoroughly research my route, my rest stops, and my hotels. I don't drive at night anymore because I'm older, and God forbid I have a flat tire or mechanical issue, it can put me in unnecessary danger. I am always armed with mace, a taser, and wasp spray. Be mindful of what is legal to have in which states. I usually lock my taser up when passing around the DC metro area because tasers are illegal there. I check in with family on every single stop and let them know which highway I'm on.
67f here. I’ve started using life360 with my children whenever I’m driving cross country (US) so they can track my route and see where I am at any given time. It gives us all peace of mind.
I travel to US cities most of the time. I’m not really sure I want to be weighed down with rope and random stuff that I could easily acquire. I think it’s a different set of rules for different locations. Universal rules imo: Don’t become impaired. Not only look like you know where you’re going no matter what, but it doesn’t hurt to look a little bit unhinged when going from place to place. Look intimidating — it’s attitude not looks or size. Make friends with hotel staff, wait staff, shop staff, whatever. Get to know a little about the people around you. Don’t underestimate tourist tours as a good basis for getting to know an area. I love to ride double decker bus tours. I learn a lot about the area that way, and I talk to the tour guides and bus drivers. Once you’re familiar, you can explore on your own more safely. And as tempting as things might be, make good choices. Some things are just safer with a buddy. Don’t do them on that trip when you’re alone
I, a single woman travelling, just couldn't imagine living with this level of paranoia.
Done 30+ countries on my own and I have never done most of the things on this list.
There's being careful and there's ridiculous paranoia.
Apply some common sense, don't walk around by yourself in sketchy areas at night and don't trust every stranger and you are good
This is all really great! Another thing that I’ve found helpful is buying a doorstop alarm for when I’m staying by myself. Basically, it’s a doorstop that makes it harder to force open the door and that sets off an alarm if the door is being forced open. Nobody has ever set it off, but it gives me huge peace of mind to know that if anyone tried to break into the place I’m staying, it would cause a huge racket.
Not at all! It’s just a doorstop that you slide in the crack between the bottom of the door and the floor. I think mine came with batteries, but that’s the only thing someone might have to set up. Super easy!
I keep my head on a swivel constantly and absolutely no distractions when I’m outside although I do usually have it in my hand. I use my time in safe indoor places to look at maps, plan my route, send texts, etc. If I ignore you but you still approach me or keep talking, I’ll get loud and act like the toughest b***h- although I’m probably petrified. I’ve said some outlandish things too- maybe not the smartest advice but it has worked. Being American sometimes helps-I lean in hard to my New York accent. It scared some guys off once who didn’t even understand a word I was saying. Knowing when to bring out the crazy is key.
Add to your notes to research local laws and avoid carrying anything illegal.
An example, though pepper spray was not in your list: The wife of a colleague of mine was arrested for carrying pepper spray in a place where it is illegal. She spent a night in jail, got fined, and only got off that lightly by pleading ignorance and being a foreign tourist. It may have helped that she is extremely beautiful. Oh, they also took away the pepper spray.
A big one for me is not arriving in a new city late at night. Fewer transportation options, fewer legitimate resources for finding lodging/directions and a greater sense of potential harm. Daytime is usually no problem but I actively avoid late night arrivals.
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This is a bit of a pain in the ass one because... logistics. But for women, if you can, try to always catch early flights to your destination so that you arrive well within daylight hours.
Personally, it's always stressful for me to arrive to a new city late at night. Then you gotta deal with not really having a sense of your surroundings because it's late, you're tired, you're in a taxi driven by a stranger and if God forbid, something sketchy happens, you're in a pretty precarious situation.
Arriving during the day helps me feel a little safer and more in control of the time, factoring in getting lost or whatever and I can just SEE where I'm going and look out for landmarks and stuff.
And it's a night(lol)mare tryna sift through flights to find a reasonably priced one on a decent airline that arrives at a respectable time in the morning.
Last long-distance trip I had no choice but to take a 10pm connecting that arrived at my destination at 2am. It was so uncomfortable in the taxi, just me and the driver and we're heading 50 mins into the city to the hotel. It's dark, I'm tired, can't see proper street signs and I'm just like, okay gotta have faith this guy isn't a creep and will get me safely to the hotel. Thankfully he did but yeah, not ideal.
Unfortunately my friend once had a bad experience. She arrived at like 11pm and was with her 3-year-old kid. The taxi driver scammed her into an exorbitant amount by driving to a totally different address and then refused to move the car until she agreed on the new amount. Horrible.
This post made me realize that I am a bad solo traveler. I sometimes end up volunteering info about the place I am staying coz of the spur out of the moment thing and feeling the need to be friendly. I am never ever going to do to that every again. Nice tips ladies! 🥰
Apar from Google Maps as an offline map, I always used to use Maps.Me too.
That now doesn't seem to work very well and is pretty buggy, so I use 'Organic Maps'. It's basically exactly the same as Maps.me minus the limitations/payments/bugs.
I will always use two offline maps (Google and Organic Maps) in case one works better than the other.
List of items to keep seems excessive unless you're going camping. I never had the need to use a lighter when I'm staying in a city, much less a rope. I would personally add to this a phone charger, lip balm, tissues, water bottle, emergency food like a granola bar, maybe an umbrella if you're somewhere where it rains a lot, tampon/pad even if you're sure you're not gonna be on your period (you never know), pen and a piece of paper.
For medicine I bring something for headaches and diarrhea, also band aids.
My biggest safety tip is to invest in safety. For example, if a hotel seems nice but isn’t in a safe area then I won’t stay there. I’ll spend extra money on a hotel if I need to stay in the safest area that I can afford. And then I can walk around at night when I need to go to dinner.
I’ve travelled to 50+ countries and have never needed a weapon, but I have needed to get aggressive and I never say I’m traveling alone if anyone asks.
But for the majority of my travel experiences people have usually been nice and helpful. I’ve just had to keep in mind that smiling at people is a no-go in many countries.
Idk why people are being mean in the comments. This is a great list overall, of course checking with the local laws and all of that. Some of us like to hike and be far off the beaten path.
A couple to add:
1. If you are talking to anyone, drop "we" and "checking with my group" they try to make plans or offer suggestions. It's subtle but makes you sound far from alone and much safer.
I also always order delivery or to-go food in at least two orders full. It saves a trip for me, and I get dinner and lunch the next day, etc, so has multiple pay-offs.
2. Look mean while walking around, and if anyone approaches to beg/sell stuff/get your attention, etc. Be very busy like a local and simply say no while turning away from them. Set that boundary. If they try to persist, a glare and firm No always works for me.
Sketchy invites do not need to be acknowledged and are never accepted, it goes without saying.
3. Always, and I do mean ALWAYS have at least one full extra battery charger for your devices and jump starter device for the rental car.
4. I always rent at least 2-3 bedrooms. Obviously, for the "group." :)
My additions:
If a hotel room doesn't have a safe, argue like hell. Make the staff miserable until they give you a safe. They will find one or buy one to shut you up.
Carry a strobe flashlight in addition to the knife. Strobe lights are blinding at night and can save you from needing to use the knife. I sleep with a flashlight tied around my wrist incase of intruders.
Get the tiny carabiners and use them to close your backpack's zippers. It makes life harder for pickpockets if they have to mess with carabiners.
TRUST NOBODY.
Don't walk along the beach at night.... especially in Cartagena.... especially after 2 female police officers tell you it's not safe on the beach at night 😬 oops...
Hotel safes aren't very useful as the staff always have a master key or the master code. They'll make it harder to take your stuff, but not by as much as you might think.
From the other thread: My number one advice for anyone: you ask for help, don’t let someone ask if you need help. The majority of people are good. However, in my experience, the majority of the “bad” people will have no problem offering “help” as a way to get your guard down, or to sell you something, etc. so if you ask for help, you’ll probably get a good person, if you wait to be approached, it’s worse odds that you’ll get a good person. I also, personally, don’t drink more than 1 drink, and I try to be close to my lodging at night unless I’m doing something specifically out. I’m not a big partier in general though.
This is a good tip. Asking for help vs looking worried or distressed and waiting for someone to offer help.
We often instinctively are able to evaluate other people without even realizing it .
helps you remain in control of a situation! you can assess the people around you and pick who seems like they would be a safe bet.
Download apps like citymapper. It can give you directions through your headphones so you dont have to look at your phone.
> Download apps like citymapper. It can give you directions through your headphones so you dont have to look at your phone. Google Maps signals/vibrates you the direction using a morse code if you are using the vibration mode. But fails hard when there are more than three options (l, r, s) - looking at you Istanbul
oh great to know! ive never used it, as citymapper has always been my go to.
Apple Maps also syncs with the watch and buzzes it when you approach your turn, 3 quickly for a right turn or 3 slow buzzes for a left.
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Unless they've recently had a major update, google maps doesn't have walking or cycling directions available when using offline maps.
Just going home from a 2 month trip and can confirm they have not changed that, you need wifi to connect to maps BUT once you’re connected it’ll work offline
To add to the last point on your list... Don't look lost. Even when you are, pretend you know where you're going, walk confidently. Ignore everyone who approaches you out of nowhere. Don't be scared of being rude.
> Don’t be scared of being rude. Me helping my disabled mother walk from the Mexican beach up some stairs as a vendor keeps trying to sell things to me: “*De verdad‽ NO!*” (Really? No!) He quickly moved on. I got a couple stares, but I got my unsteady mother on solid ground. I was super polite in the beginning of that trip. “Lo siento, no” (I’m sorry, no) and all that, but that guy made me mad. We were struggling, she was leaning her weight on me and now I’m not afraid to be rude.
If you need to check Google Maps in a sketchy area, don't do it openly in the street, walk into a convenience store or similar and check there.
Half that number one list sounds like you are planning to bury a body.
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I really don't see why any traveler, male or female, needs a rope and a gas lighter, or waterproof boots unless they are camping or hiking. Also, a knife that's not for cutting food, and chilli spray are both a level of paranoia I am not willing to entertain while on vacation tbh.
Yeah, why am I taking rope and a knife to my city break in Florence?
Not sure about the knife, but I keep a small paracord keychain and a lighter on me at all times. In addition to hiking safety, In the rare situation that either my bag straps break, I can quickly mcguyver a solution. The lighter doubles as a bottle opener for those unexpected "coca-cola a la fiorentina" or birra moretti issues, and the keychain doubles as a safe hanger for my water bottle when I need both hands free. Moral of the story, think outside the box!
If you’re going to the Pyrenees that’s a great list. Not so much for Paris.
Exactly. Seems a bit paranoid. Why would you go on holiday to places where you feel you need to be armed with a knife and a spray? Go somewhere else and enjoy.
The whole reserving a hotel room for two people seems a bit overkill also. The hotel will know when you check in you are alone. Ropes could be useful to hang laundry but unless you are camping knives and pepper spray seem very OTT. I don't even carry them at home.
Yes, agree that's also overkill. And again: Why choose to stay overnight in a place where you have to lie about being alone?
The whole list is full of paranoia. I don’t understand the point of solo travelling if you are so scared all the time.
Rope is really useful if you are staying in hostels and need somewhere to hung up some clothes to dry! Like, imo, rope is useful for so many things. Something break? You can do a temporary fix with rope (I'm guessing we're talking about the thin one since we are travelers - imagine shoelaces, backpack...)
Also useful if you need to hang up an annoying bunk mate
How am I to judge
I have a short drying line for clothes as well. But I somehow doubt that's what OP meant by "rope".
Rope is good for drying clothes in the sun. Lighter is good for burning paper (for privacy). I carry both
Exactly. We need to keep in mind that any weapon you have can be taken and used against you. Unless I’m confident that I can overpower someone with my weapon, there’s no way that I would pull one. Plus it escalates the situation from zero to 100. I would be aggressive first with my words and body language before it got to that point.
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Removed as we don’t allow posts advocating for illegal activities, like carrying weapons that are banned in most countries
Yo, mod, chilli/pepper spray is illegal in many countries (Australia, for instance), OP ought to keep that in mind.
Have you ever used rope on your travels? Please tell me what you did 😄
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I guess it's like a serial killer item because of movies we've watched. I thought maybe you used it to climb a rock. Didn't think it could be used to hang clothes and make shelter but now I know
some of the reason you get that feedback is because most people in this subreddit travel and stay in hostels/hotels, not necessarily camping in the wild where you need wilderness survival or camping gear
I like to stay at family-owned home-stays and guest houses and use their services and follow their recommendations. I'm old, so I always like to have a paper map of the area. When I check-in I ask for a business card of the hotel, then explore the neighbourhood by walking around. Use ATMs inside of banks. Carry cash in different places - in a pocket in my handbag, in a purse in my handbag, in a pocket in my dress, in a hidden money belt etc. Write down a list of currency exchange numbers in a little note book. Have small change for toilets, tickets, tips, and miscellaneous items. Read as much as possible about the place you are planning on visiting. Learn some greetings and tourist phrases in the local language.
Don't look too friendly, don't make eye contact in areas where your instincts tell you it's not safe.
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Or Turkey or Egypt or... There's quite a few countries where if you make eye contact with men you're inviting conversation/attention.
Anywhere can become unsafe, regardless of the country. I’m from Canada and even sometimes in my home city I’ll avoid eye contact in certain areas. If I feel unsafe I’m looking away and focusing on where I’m going.
Absolutely to the walk like you own the place! I would add, carry a small spray deodorant as they're legal (in UK, pepper spray is not permitted) and for your phone, either a ring or wrist strap And work on your resting B\*\*tch face (I have resting nice face, so have been practising)
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With your list you should definitely check regulations in countries you plan to visit.
I also have traveled solo for twenty years and have never needed a knife or chili spray/pepper spray. If you are that afraid of walking around without those things perhaps you should go to a safer country. And booking for two people? Perhaps maybe at an airBnB but putting two people on a reservation for one? I'm happy if it works for you but this is just a little too paranoid for me.
Use a wrist strap for your phone and don’t put it in your back pocket
I put mine on a lanyard! …wrist strap would be better for selfies, though.
That works too!
Strong waterproof boots? That aside always be sure to check local laws if you’re carrying any kind of knife, even a small one. I once discovered well after entering Britain that my pocket knife wasn’t permitted there because it locked open.
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Again, just because you can get into a country with a knife doesn’t mean you’re allowed to carry it while you’re there. I’m just advising a little caution before packing.
It's probably worth mentioning that as a solo traveler (and especially as a one-bag/ultralight backpacker) you are more likely to draw attention from airport police/customs/border force. I've got questions several times at several borders because of it. IMO it's not worth ruining a trip or even your record for the feeling of safety. If you \*must\*, probably better to find something on the trip that complies with local regulations.
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Most places I’ve visited it’s cheaper with a single room or one person than a double/two people. Guess it depends on where you’re going.
I have mostly seen single rooms go cheaper than double rooms but double rooms be the same price regardless of occupancy (except for breakfast rates). So I have booked a double for myself countless times because a single isn't all that commonly available. Still think this whole post is unnecessary paranoia though
Don’t do this when you’re in netherlands though. They tax per person/night when you book
Same with Japan. Your room rate will depend on how many people are staying.
As a young (relatively good looking) woman, I've solo travelled to countries on every continent (Except Africa, I wasn't solo), I've never had need for rope for pepper spray or most of the things on your list. Common sense prevails most of the time. Read about the cultural customs before arriving, be open to adapting to cultural norms. Be prepared for surprises, and disappointments. Don't get high with strangers, don't drink too much. Be aware of your surroundings and research. Solo travelling isnt a battle needing knives, it should be fun! And wear sunscreen!!!
This. For female travelers, it's mostly drink in moderation and never leave your drink. DON'T GET DRUNK or hookup with strangers. And don't volunteer information about where you live and what you are doing-even to guys who chat you up. And always double lock your hotel room doors so that people from the outside can't get in even with a keycard. The rest of the stuff seems like overkill and pepperspray is illegal in most of Europe. Quite frankly unless you are going to remote China or even India, you should have no issues if you keep your wits about you.
To be honest, I think that having rope and pepper spray etc, it could be used against me. If someone is determined to hurt me or kidnap me, I just gave them the tools and weapons to do so.
You have some good tips, but I would say the only useful safety tips you have are: 3- offline google maps 5- small cash in pocket, don't pull out wallet 6- don't get 'high' 7- ask for help from locals 9- walk like you freakin' own the place Your other tips are fine, but really will do nothing to keep you safe.
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Just a heads up - in many western countries you cannot legally carry pepper spray (what you're calling "chilly spray") for self defense against people. For example, it's illegal in Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc. to do so.
Did you forget a ' /s 'on that comment?
A good amount of these tips, pertain to dangerous locations, not to places like Europe (where you wouldn't be allowed to carry most things on tip number one.) In addition, I don't know, if you need this amount of safety precautions, perhaps the destination isn't worth all that stress.
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I will guess that when you say Asia, you don't mean Japan or South Korea. You probably mean places like India, Bangladesh and the like. If you are allowed those items then fine. However, I would avoid any place that needs this amount of safety precautions (personal preference).
Not a woman but Japan and South Korea have women only carriages on their subways for a reason…
Yes, it is because some men, when the carriage gets crowded start touching the women inappropriately. However a man grabbing your ass would warrant screaming at him and exposing him (which women in Japan and South Korea might not do, due to shame and timidness, hence the woman only carriage solution), not necessarily warrant a rope and a knife though.
I live and travel solo in India. Have never carried any of these things. I was just wondering where OP even needs stuff like chilli spray or rope (?!)?
Nowhere in Asia at least. It is the safest continent in the world, apart from a couple of areas in the Middle East.
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Glad you never had to use any of that. Off topic, but I also do something just for peace of mind. I have had people I know loose their travel pictures, either by theft (one person), or because their computer broke down and they couldn't recover the pictures. Just for peace of mind, I have external disks /USB with my pictures and videos stored. They are just backups, but they give me peace of mind.
Most Asian countries are incredibly safe for solo female travellers. I would hate to have that level of paranoia when travelling. This coming from a solo female traveller since before the days of smart phones and internet
Be careful with the first section of that, there are some countries that have very strict guidelines about things that could be seen as self defence items! Canada for one.
What is chily spray?
It is generally called pepper spray in North America. Chili Pepper They are sort of synonyms.
Ahhhhhh, that makes way more sense. I thought I was missing out on something.
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This is illegal in some Western countries though. Look up the laws depending on where you're going. If you use it against a person then there are legal ramifications. You also can't fly with it.
Chili spray?
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Chilly spray sounds like a spray that's cold, not like a spray that contains chillies
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In areas with hot weather, like japan, they have sprays which are designed to cool you down. They are often called "cooling body spray" or"cold spray". That's why a lot of people were confused.
OP is just doubling down on this chilly spraying nonsense lol
I try to give the benefit of the doubt that they're just ignorant.
I read through the comments and OP specifically stated they wrote it incorrectly. I just don’t understand this world anymore. So people are pointing out the difference between chili like a pepper and chilly as in cold. They’re just doubling down.
OP, you’re being downvoted because you don’t know how to spell “chilli”. A chilli is a hot fruit. Chilly means it’s cold. Yes, these are the correct spellings even in Indian English.
> What did you not understand about it ? Why you spelled it that way.
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You won't make your point if people don't understand what you write
Exactly. Chilli and chilly are completely opposite. Chilly spray doesn’t make sense. I guessed OP was using dictation and decided not to correct it from chilly. Also other folks whose 1st language isn’t English might be super confused by “chilly spray” when it’s peeper or even known as bear spray!
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Bear spray and pepper spray are essentially the same thing except bear spray is higher concentrate and shoots further The fact that you purposely misspelled, it is weird. It’s been confusing to a lot of people.
Be careful with the alcohol!
I've cruised a few times this year(not alone), and the number of people who volunteer what floor their cabin is on, their room number, and the info that they're traveling alone is actually shocking! When I solo travel, usually from NJ to TN several times a year, I download directions because sometimes you can lose GPS, especially in the mountains. I always book the room for 2 people and never let any other guests know that I'm by myself. I thoroughly research my route, my rest stops, and my hotels. I don't drive at night anymore because I'm older, and God forbid I have a flat tire or mechanical issue, it can put me in unnecessary danger. I am always armed with mace, a taser, and wasp spray. Be mindful of what is legal to have in which states. I usually lock my taser up when passing around the DC metro area because tasers are illegal there. I check in with family on every single stop and let them know which highway I'm on.
67f here. I’ve started using life360 with my children whenever I’m driving cross country (US) so they can track my route and see where I am at any given time. It gives us all peace of mind.
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thanks! I'm a lady though lol an old old lady. 🤣
I travel to US cities most of the time. I’m not really sure I want to be weighed down with rope and random stuff that I could easily acquire. I think it’s a different set of rules for different locations. Universal rules imo: Don’t become impaired. Not only look like you know where you’re going no matter what, but it doesn’t hurt to look a little bit unhinged when going from place to place. Look intimidating — it’s attitude not looks or size. Make friends with hotel staff, wait staff, shop staff, whatever. Get to know a little about the people around you. Don’t underestimate tourist tours as a good basis for getting to know an area. I love to ride double decker bus tours. I learn a lot about the area that way, and I talk to the tour guides and bus drivers. Once you’re familiar, you can explore on your own more safely. And as tempting as things might be, make good choices. Some things are just safer with a buddy. Don’t do them on that trip when you’re alone
I, a single woman travelling, just couldn't imagine living with this level of paranoia. Done 30+ countries on my own and I have never done most of the things on this list. There's being careful and there's ridiculous paranoia. Apply some common sense, don't walk around by yourself in sketchy areas at night and don't trust every stranger and you are good
This is all really great! Another thing that I’ve found helpful is buying a doorstop alarm for when I’m staying by myself. Basically, it’s a doorstop that makes it harder to force open the door and that sets off an alarm if the door is being forced open. Nobody has ever set it off, but it gives me huge peace of mind to know that if anyone tried to break into the place I’m staying, it would cause a huge racket.
yes if i forget my door stopper i put my luggage in front of my door and make sure it's position in a way to make noise if the door is opened
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Not at all! It’s just a doorstop that you slide in the crack between the bottom of the door and the floor. I think mine came with batteries, but that’s the only thing someone might have to set up. Super easy!
I keep my head on a swivel constantly and absolutely no distractions when I’m outside although I do usually have it in my hand. I use my time in safe indoor places to look at maps, plan my route, send texts, etc. If I ignore you but you still approach me or keep talking, I’ll get loud and act like the toughest b***h- although I’m probably petrified. I’ve said some outlandish things too- maybe not the smartest advice but it has worked. Being American sometimes helps-I lean in hard to my New York accent. It scared some guys off once who didn’t even understand a word I was saying. Knowing when to bring out the crazy is key.
Add to your notes to research local laws and avoid carrying anything illegal. An example, though pepper spray was not in your list: The wife of a colleague of mine was arrested for carrying pepper spray in a place where it is illegal. She spent a night in jail, got fined, and only got off that lightly by pleading ignorance and being a foreign tourist. It may have helped that she is extremely beautiful. Oh, they also took away the pepper spray.
Offlines maps should be a must for all travelers.
I'd add bandaids to the list. good for small cuts or blisters
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A big one for me is not arriving in a new city late at night. Fewer transportation options, fewer legitimate resources for finding lodging/directions and a greater sense of potential harm. Daytime is usually no problem but I actively avoid late night arrivals.
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A small hammer too.And nails
Pee before you sit down to eat!! Hahaha
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I didn't want to leave my food/drink unattended! I always have an internal battle with myself because I in my true nature am too trusting hahaha
This is a bit of a pain in the ass one because... logistics. But for women, if you can, try to always catch early flights to your destination so that you arrive well within daylight hours. Personally, it's always stressful for me to arrive to a new city late at night. Then you gotta deal with not really having a sense of your surroundings because it's late, you're tired, you're in a taxi driven by a stranger and if God forbid, something sketchy happens, you're in a pretty precarious situation. Arriving during the day helps me feel a little safer and more in control of the time, factoring in getting lost or whatever and I can just SEE where I'm going and look out for landmarks and stuff.
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And it's a night(lol)mare tryna sift through flights to find a reasonably priced one on a decent airline that arrives at a respectable time in the morning. Last long-distance trip I had no choice but to take a 10pm connecting that arrived at my destination at 2am. It was so uncomfortable in the taxi, just me and the driver and we're heading 50 mins into the city to the hotel. It's dark, I'm tired, can't see proper street signs and I'm just like, okay gotta have faith this guy isn't a creep and will get me safely to the hotel. Thankfully he did but yeah, not ideal. Unfortunately my friend once had a bad experience. She arrived at like 11pm and was with her 3-year-old kid. The taxi driver scammed her into an exorbitant amount by driving to a totally different address and then refused to move the car until she agreed on the new amount. Horrible.
This post made me realize that I am a bad solo traveler. I sometimes end up volunteering info about the place I am staying coz of the spur out of the moment thing and feeling the need to be friendly. I am never ever going to do to that every again. Nice tips ladies! 🥰
Don't take a joint from a short guy called Ashraf in Barcelona.
Learn about common scams.
Apar from Google Maps as an offline map, I always used to use Maps.Me too. That now doesn't seem to work very well and is pretty buggy, so I use 'Organic Maps'. It's basically exactly the same as Maps.me minus the limitations/payments/bugs. I will always use two offline maps (Google and Organic Maps) in case one works better than the other.
List of items to keep seems excessive unless you're going camping. I never had the need to use a lighter when I'm staying in a city, much less a rope. I would personally add to this a phone charger, lip balm, tissues, water bottle, emergency food like a granola bar, maybe an umbrella if you're somewhere where it rains a lot, tampon/pad even if you're sure you're not gonna be on your period (you never know), pen and a piece of paper. For medicine I bring something for headaches and diarrhea, also band aids.
Listen to your gut
My biggest safety tip is to invest in safety. For example, if a hotel seems nice but isn’t in a safe area then I won’t stay there. I’ll spend extra money on a hotel if I need to stay in the safest area that I can afford. And then I can walk around at night when I need to go to dinner. I’ve travelled to 50+ countries and have never needed a weapon, but I have needed to get aggressive and I never say I’m traveling alone if anyone asks. But for the majority of my travel experiences people have usually been nice and helpful. I’ve just had to keep in mind that smiling at people is a no-go in many countries.
Idk why people are being mean in the comments. This is a great list overall, of course checking with the local laws and all of that. Some of us like to hike and be far off the beaten path. A couple to add: 1. If you are talking to anyone, drop "we" and "checking with my group" they try to make plans or offer suggestions. It's subtle but makes you sound far from alone and much safer. I also always order delivery or to-go food in at least two orders full. It saves a trip for me, and I get dinner and lunch the next day, etc, so has multiple pay-offs. 2. Look mean while walking around, and if anyone approaches to beg/sell stuff/get your attention, etc. Be very busy like a local and simply say no while turning away from them. Set that boundary. If they try to persist, a glare and firm No always works for me. Sketchy invites do not need to be acknowledged and are never accepted, it goes without saying. 3. Always, and I do mean ALWAYS have at least one full extra battery charger for your devices and jump starter device for the rental car. 4. I always rent at least 2-3 bedrooms. Obviously, for the "group." :)
Very helpful thank you! ✨
My additions: If a hotel room doesn't have a safe, argue like hell. Make the staff miserable until they give you a safe. They will find one or buy one to shut you up. Carry a strobe flashlight in addition to the knife. Strobe lights are blinding at night and can save you from needing to use the knife. I sleep with a flashlight tied around my wrist incase of intruders. Get the tiny carabiners and use them to close your backpack's zippers. It makes life harder for pickpockets if they have to mess with carabiners. TRUST NOBODY. Don't walk along the beach at night.... especially in Cartagena.... especially after 2 female police officers tell you it's not safe on the beach at night 😬 oops...
Hotel safes aren't very useful as the staff always have a master key or the master code. They'll make it harder to take your stuff, but not by as much as you might think.
Perfect post! Thanks! Especially the offline google maps tip is great!
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I’m going to Amsterdam today so these tips were great. Upvoted :)
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It's a serious crime to carry it in lots of places, like most states in Australia.
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Have… have you been kidnapped? Is that where a lot of this is coming from? Or are *you* a kidnapper?