Solo travelling is a fun idea to explore on. Especially if you’re a girl. But there’s always that little voice inside your head that said, “Oh, you can’t possibly go. It’s far too dangerous!”. Well, believe it or not, that teensy tiny voice is not saying the whole truth. Solo travelling is everything but dangerous for girls. Well, maybe if you didn’t take enough precautions maybe it is.
Hence, in this latest article, we’re going to help you in beating those intruding thoughts and proving those who thought you couldn’t commence on a female solo travel journey, wrong. Girls can also take over the world by solo travelling. Girls can do whatever they want if they put their mind to it. To get you start up, here are our go-to female solo travel guide.
Safety
First and foremost on the female solo travel guide, we have to take consideration of our safety. In general, women are more prone to be victims of crimes. So here are some safety measures:
Research
It is understandable if you want to be more carefree while you’re travelling solo. You know, get lost through the streets of that unknown towns or cities, discover hidden gems of that country you’re making your mark on. Isn’t that an awesome worthwhile adventure is all about? You’re absolutely right. But, it’s not wise to know nothing at all about your destination.
Simple research as far as the do’s and don’ts of a country, or pick up some simple phrases, or maybe a little bit knowledge on the local cultures and customs will bring you a long way – literally. It will help you to get used with how things are working around your destinations so you won’t be an easy target for being clueless thus easier for you to blend in with the locals.
Keep Your Valuables in check
Let’s be honest – it’s a hassle to be checking your belongings once too many times. Plus, you would risk the fact that someone’s eye might be onto you. To prevent you from getting into any sort of trouble, make sure not to carry more cash than you need to. Let’s face it, you won’t want to add unnecessary weight to your luggage. Always keep your valuables like passport and ID in somewhere you know it’ll be safe.
Get a cross-body straps bag since they are less likely to be tugged away and you can keep them right in front of you at all times. Bring your ID instead of your passport, if possible, meaning, you are able to keep your passport somewhere safe. It’s a wise practice to always lock your bags whenever you have to leave it in compartments and such with combination locks. Normal locks have the risk of you losing the key so do avoid that. These are big parts to the female solo travel guide.
Watch Out and Don’t Trust Easily
Do learn some self defense before you embark on your journey to find yourself in a foreign country. Equip yourself some pepper spray or any sort of self defense product that would help you in case of emergencies. Updates about your whereabouts with someone you can trust, so that they don’t worry about you and they can act immediately if anything bad were to happen.
Plan your trip so that you would arrive when there’s still light outside and you are able to recognise the place. Take precautions when you visit the bars alone or with fellow travellers, this is the popular place where women are victimised for dreadful reasons, just by their drinks getting drugged. So, don’t put your trust that easy to people who you just met. People can wear mask you wouldn’t able to decipher.
Extra Precaution
Sometimes it’s good to let loose, but don’t be careless. Save emergency numbers in your smartphones or written somewhere in a notebook, and keep it with you at all times. Save the number to the local police station, hospital and most important, save the number to the Malaysian Consulate in whatever country you are in. It will come in handy in case of possible attacks or rape. Scary right? But, it does happen.
Make copies of all of your important documents such as your itinerary, passport, reservations to the hotels and flight tickets, both hard copies and soft copies. It is a burden to carry if you’re planning a first time female solo travel and might render you at your wit’s end. So remember to take a breather from planning, you’re going to enjoy your trip, not dreaded it. Have fun, while being careful and cautious.
Financial
The dreaded part of travelling but inevitable because without those Ringgits or Dollars or whatever currency you’re using, you won’t be able to travel. So, here are our female solo travel guide for financial planning.
Plan Your Budget
This is the trickiest part about female solo travel. As you are travelling alone, the cost can cost twice as much compared to when you’re travelling alone because of the so-called “solo supplement”. Before you start planning for a female solo travelling, check and compare prices between sites when booking accommodations, flight tickets, range of food prices.
Check between destinations too, as some countries would cost more when you are travelling there compared to the others. If possible, avoid paying for a 2-person based price. It may be hard to find things that accommodate 1 person, but don’t let that stopping you from travelling. Make sure to save up according to what you have found on your mini research.
Emergency Funds
Another great tip from the female solo travel guide: funds for the rainy day. Saving just enough for your itinerary is won’t cover for your trip. You need to spare a few hundred ringgit or accordingly to the currency of the country of your destination. We can’t expect your trip will run as smooth as you would have dreamed of. Dreams are dreams, and some dreams don’t come true. Ouch! We know right. So, save more, for your emergency funds.
Unless you purchased a travel insurance, travel emergencies and itinerary changes can be costly. Worst part, you have to cover it all out of your own pocket. We surely don’t want that catastrophe to happen. Keep in mind not to save your funds in the same place you keep the rest of your cash. That way, you lessen the risk of being penniless if your wallet ever gets stolen.
Transport Expenses
Another major aspect of the female solo travel guide is transportation. Major cities in the world provides easy and economical means of way to get around your destination. Renting a care may be safer in some cases, but is it wiser? There are some hidden expenses when you rent a car such as the car insurance, the gas expenses, parking fees, not to mention, the risk of auto theft, break-ins and car breakdown which will cut a hole in your pockets.
Public transport on the other side give you a vis-à-vis view of the city and how the locals living their day to day lives. Plus, you’ll have access to the maps to guide you around or you can skip the map altogether and explore the city by following your heart. And the best part is, it’s way cheaper than renting your own car, just make sure to save some cash for it. Some cities even offer packages from one day pass up to an annual pass.
Best Places
Singapore
Almost all the list ever existed in the world wide web of best places for female solo travel includes our neighbour Singapore and we couldn’t agree more. This kecil-kecil cili padi of a country is the best option for female solo travellers as it is well-known to be friendly, safe and extremely clean. You could even get summons or a ticket for littering there, so ladies, mind your trash. This luxurious country is also the perfect spot for shopping opportunities, food hunting for mouth watering cuisines (nasi lemak lobster anyone?), and of course a mash-up of different cultures.
Canada
Get a taste of Europe in the most friendly, not to mention charming place in North America, Montreal. Engulfed in rich culture and history, it no wonders that it’s a popular stop for all female solo travellers. From its grand old French restaurants to it’s modern and contemporary buildings, Montreal is the place to be. Visit their Botanical Gardens to get close and personal with nature. If you want a little detour, Niagara Falls is just a few hours away. Or if you’re more to the lively side, head out to their dozens of bars and nightclubs.
Australia
Let’s head to the “Land Down Under,” right to Melbourne which is said to be the safest place for female solo traveller. Plus, it’s English-speaking community will aid us Malaysia’s female solo travellers if we got any problems. Melbourne dazzles and appealing to men and women alike with their verdant gardens, extensive parks, a range of shopping valley, and remarkable Victorian-era architecture. For the passionate explorers, you can heads to these awesome places of Phillip Island, The Great Ocean Road and Grampians National Park.
Don’t Forget! Pack up a Travel Insurance
Just like Beyoncé said, “Who run the world? Girls!” So, girls, after you’ve sunked in this female solo travel guide, be smart and equip yourself with a travel insurance. You don’t want to spend extra out of pocket expenses if something like, let’s say, you lost your passport or luggage (psst, you can check out what to do if these mishaps happened, in our other articles), and you have to pay for replacement. Travel insurance does cover for loss of personal belongings and at PolicyStreet, we reimburse up to RM5,000 for it. Interested? For more information, log onto our site at PolicyStreet.com . Bon voyage!
