The Essential Travel Safety Guide for Women

Dive into this essential travel safety guide for women to safeguard yourself from scams, theft, and various safety issues during your travels. These essential travel safety guides for women apply to any destination with bonus tips for ladies who like to travel solo.

From opportunistic drive-by purse snatchers to identity thieves and more serious threats like kidnappers and sex traffickers, news stories often highlight instances of female travelers being taken advantage of.

In my extensive travels, I’ve been fortunate to avoid major issues, and the majority of travelers will likely face nothing more severe than pick-pocketing. Nonetheless, it’s crucial to keep these safety practices in mind while traveling.

Planning your next adventure? Explore these simple and practical travel safety tips for your comprehensive safe travel guide. Additionally, discover the current safest places for women to travel to and refer to our trip preparation guide for every type of female traveler for a worry-free experience.

Essential travel safety guide every woman should know

1. Do Your Research – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Before arriving at your destination, delve into its details. Read traveler reviews, consult locals, and check the State Department’s website for updates. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for added security.

2. Avoid Drawing Attention – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Minimize the risk of robbery by leaving flashy jewelry at home, especially in crowded areas. Blend in by choosing inconspicuous clothing and staying discreet when consulting maps.

3. Safeguard Your Hotel Room – Travel Safety Guide for Women

With an increase in troubling news about hotel staff and guests gaining entries into women’s hotel rooms, this tip is a must-do. Enhance your hotel security (or bedroom if renting in a private house) with doorstop alarms and portable door locks. These lightweight travel safety gear items provide an extra layer of protection against unauthorized entry and exits (and definitely when traveling with kids).

4. Spend Smart and Splurge Wisely – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Invest in personal safety by choosing accommodations strategically and opting for safer transportation methods, such as organized tours or reliable rideshares especially when drinking is involved. Make sure to also read reviews by other women who have visited the accommodation you plan to stay at, this extra will give you more insight on how the location is for women.

5. Drink Responsibly and Protect Your Drinks – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Enjoy local nightlife responsibly, especially when exploring unfamiliar areas. Keep an eye on your drink, and never leave it unattended. Be cautious of your surroundings and limit your alcohol intake to the bare minimum to avoid becoming an easy target. When buying drinks, always make sure to get your own and never let strangers carry your drink.

My rule is to buy either a bottle or a can of beer when in a crowded space. Thanks to how small the openings of a beer bottle and can is, I can easily place my finger over the opening to prevent anyone from pouring a foreign substance into the drink without my knowledge.

6. Avoid Public WIFI – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Protect your data from cyber threats by steering clear of free public WIFI. Use a reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN) like NordVPN for added online security during your travels if you have to rely on public WIFI.

7. Pack a First Aid Kit – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Include a basic first aid kit with essentials like band-aids, painkillers, and rehydration salts. Customize it for your needs and destination.

8. Minimize Cash Carry – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Limit the amount of cash you carry and use local ATMs when needed. Keep cash and cards in different places to minimize loss in case of theft.

9. Use GPS for Navigation – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Navigate confidently with GPS, whether walking, hiking, or using rideshares. Download offline maps for your destination to ensure reliable navigation like Maps.me or Google Maps. When in taxis or the like, make sure to visibly keep track of where you are going using GPS, I find that drivers stick better to the route when they see me also tracking the destination.

10. Be Aware of Popular Scams – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Research local scams to avoid falling victim to common tricks. Awareness is key to staying one step ahead of potential scams during your travels.

11. Check Rental Vehicles – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Before embarking on a road trip, inspect rental vehicles for damage. Note any issues and ensure compliance with the rental company’s rules.

12. Know Emergency Numbers – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Research emergency service numbers and embassy contacts for your destination. Keep this information on paper and the phone for easy accessibility in case of unforeseen situations.

13. Invest in the Right Bag – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Choose a secure cross-body bag with features like slash-proof straps and RFID blockers to deter theft during your travels.

14. Bring Travel Locks – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Secure your belongings with travel locks, whether staying in hostels or using public transportation. Protect valuables by locking your bag in your seat or chair.

15. Keep Digital Copies of Important Documents – Travel Safety Guide for Women

Ensure a hassle-free replacement process in case of a stolen passport by keeping digital copies of essential documents.

16. Use apps for emergency alerts – Travel Safety Guide for Women

There are a variety of apps out there aimed to provide safe travel information and help travelers, these two are essential.

• bSafe (Android / iOS) is an essential app that is an “emergency management system developed with a holistic view to offer prevention, handling, and documentation of incidents both at an individual, organizational, and societal level.”
• Smart Traveler is the official U.S. State Department app and a must-have for travelers. Packed with useful features, this app provides timely notifications for travel advisories and alerts, ensuring you stay informed throughout your journey. Additionally, Smart Traveler helps you easily locate U.S. embassies wherever you are.

17. Don’t do dumb things for photos – Travel Safety Guide for Women

While it may seem like common sense, and very few women are guilty of this when traveling, it’s crucial to emphasize that if a sign prohibits climbing, please refrain from doing so. Whether faced with a fence or a ledge, the goal shouldn’t be to get as close to the edge as possible. Tragically, many individuals have lost their lives or suffered severe injuries while attempting to capture that ‘perfect’ photo.

Travel Safety Tips for Solo Female Travelers:

• Keep an eye on your belongings and be aware of your surroundings.
• Use lockable day bags and invest in hidden pocket clothing.
• Project confidence and situational awareness.
• Carry a personal alarm and safety whistle.
• Have two debit or credit cards linked to different accounts.
• Get travel insurance and carry details with you.
• Be mindful of your drinking and watchful of your drinks
• Wear a wedding ring – a simple band on your ring finger to avoid unwanted attention.
• Always make it seem like you are not traveling alone when around strangers.
• Dress conservatively to avoid unwanted attention.

Stay safe, explore responsibly, and make the most of your travels with these comprehensive travel safety tips.