When making plans for solo travel, knowing you’ll be safe is probably top of your list. Or it should be.
DayDream: When I’m in the daydreaming phase of planning (link to my blog where in the world would I want to go), I do give consideration to how safe I think I’ll feel traveling solo in a particular country. There is enough stress when planning a trip in the best circumstances and I don’t want to add the additional worry of my safety to the equation.
Process of elimination:
I immediately eliminate countries that are war torn, under political unrest, or have notoriously high crime rates. Be sure to read about the current political climate, but take into account that the media often reports salacious headlines to increase readership. Validate what you read with other reliable sources as you narrow down your list of possible destinations. It’s really easy to go down a rabbit hole of despair, but if you apply my suggested list of do’s and don’ts to your short list of dream destinations, you will be able to make a more informed decision on the countries where you will feel safe traveling solo.
Safety Tips
Before you leave:
- Check out Travel.State.Gov . It’s an excellent resource for US citizens traveling abroad.
- Know the laws of the country. Ignorance is not bliss everywhere.
- Make copies of your important travel documents and share them with friends and/or family. Also keep a copy stashed away in your luggage.
- Book at least your first night accommodations before you leave. Knowing where you’ll be staying the first few days will help keep you focused once you arrive at your destination.
- Write down (on a piece of paper) the address where you’ll be staying the first night. When you exit the airport, you will definitely be overwhelmed. If you are able to hand a piece of paper with an address to the bus or taxi driver, it will increase the likelihood of you getting where you need to go while decreasing your anxiety.
- Double-check your passport’s expiration date and make sure it is good for at least six months post departure date.
- Check out the Covid-19 entry and exit criteria. Here is a comprehensive list of COVID-19 Country Specific Information.
- Cash is King! Make sure you have credit and debit cards that will work abroad. In many countries, especially in more rural places, you may not be able to use a credit card so be sure to have a debit card ideally with no foreign transaction fees and a reimbursement policy for ATM fees.
When you arrive:
- Arrive at your final destination during the daytime, if possible. Personally, I like to get a sense of my surroundings while traveling to the hostel. When I can see more, I feel more comfortable.
- When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When you are a guest in someone else’s country, it is essential to adapt to the customs, culture and dress of the locals.
- Don’t go out after dark, if possible. This may be impossible if you eat dinner late, but make sure you have reliable transportation back to your hostel.
- Lock up your valuables. Most hostels will have a place where you can lock up your luggage and valuables, but you have to supply the lock.
- Pick up a business card from your hostel with the address in the local language.
- Go to the ATM and get local currency.
- Always know how to get back to your hostel.
- Rely on your spidey senses and always be aware of your surroundings.
Regardless of where in the world you are going, staying safe is paramount. Following the safety dos and don’ts and listening to your intuition will reduce the time you spend worrying about your safety and give you more time to enjoy your travels.
