Q: Is there anything to flat out avoid when traveling alone?

A: YOU BET! Here’s what NOT to do to stay safe when traveling solo!

It goes without saying that safety while traveling solo is all-important, especially as a solo female traveler! Above all else, let your inner voice be your guide. But if you’re looking for some more concrete advice, check out my solo travel “donts” below, including some ways to act differently than you would at home!

Here are my top safety tips for solo female travelers!

Don’t: Advertise that you’re alone

There are times when I feel comfortable telling people I’m a solo female traveler and times when I don’t. When I met a few other American women at the Tokyo fish market, we bonded and became fast solo traveling friends. When I met a strange older man asking me detailed questions while road-tripping through Joshua Tree, I casually mentioned that my boyfriend would be right back. My rule with strangers hasn’t evolved much from when my parents told me to avoid windowless vans with candy; rely on your intuition and take yourself out of ANY uncomfortable situation! Ain’t nothing wrong with a little white lie in the name of solo travel safety.

Don’t: Forego safety for budget

This is one I’ve had to learn the hard way — avoid my mistakes! Since you don’t have the advantage of sharing all your accommodations with a travel companion, solo travel CAN be expensive (my tips on keeping things frugal in a forthcoming post!). While it may be tempting to pick the cheapest hostel possible, I’d really recommend NOT doing that. Instead, dig into past reviews, research the specific area, and get a general sense for the typical clientele. Saving a few bucks is never worth a potentially sketchy situation in a foreign place.

Don’t: Bury your head in your phone

To stay as alert as possible, I highly recommend keeping your head up as you commute through a new city. This is actually a HARD one for me because my natural tendency is to keep the Google Maps app up on my phone and watch the little blue dot move closer to my destination. Instead, preview the turn-by-turn directions before leaving your hotel and then stash your phone (unless you’re hopelessly lost)! You’ll also appear more authoritative and confident, i.e., less of a target for pickpocketers and the like.

Don’t: Be out of touch

While adventuring alone, the more people who are looking out for you, the better. Before traveling, I always share my itinerary with a family member or friend. Obviously, your itinerary can change mid-adventure, so I also make sure to keep in touch relatively frequently during my travels and update my tribe on my current plans. Additionally, I like to share my live location through the “find my friends” app. Better safe than sorry when it comes to accountability.

Don’t: Act differently than you would at home

As a general rule of thumb, don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do at home, k?! Do I stumble home drunk and alone through dark alleys at 3 AM in NYC? No way, so that’s similarly not something I’d do in a foreign environment.

When in doubt, abide by those spidey senses!! Want even MORE tips to prepare for your first solo travel trip?! Check out my detailed solo travel pre-departure checklist!!

What are your solo female travel no-no’s? Want to hear more of mine? Subscribe to The Soloist and learn more solo travel safety tips!