If you're looking to start solo travel, and safety is one of your concerns - I totally get it! It can be intimidating to imagine a solo trip for many reasons, but I know that safety is at the top of many's concerns.
In particular, many solo travelers are women and while we would like to live in a world where that didn't matter, it sadly does and so sometimes as women we need to take extra safety precautions, even on vacation.
So how do you navigate solo travel safely?
1) Research your destination.
For me one of the most fun parts of any vacation is the planning before I leave home, and all the research I do into the destination I'm visiting. Not only should you research where you want to stay, and what you might want to see, it's also important to familiarize yourself with the location as much as you can. For instance, it's good to know if there areas you should avoid.
It's also good, in particular if you are going outside of the United States, to research any laws or customs that could impact your travel. This is one of the many reasons I like to use a travel agency while booking a new destination, because they are familiar with important items like this that you'll want to keep in mind.
2) Take any safety precautions like you would at home
Vacation brain is a real thing - and sometimes we can forget when we're enjoying that special trip that we need to take the same precautions we do at home. Be aware of your surroundings, and make sure as you're exploring a new destinations you don't do things on vacation that you wouldn't do at home.
3) Be careful what and when you share on social media.
Whether you have 10 followers or 100,000, it's important to be careful what and when you share on social media. Trust me, I know how fun it is to share your vacation and the great time you're having, and to bring people along for the ride, but please keep in mind your safety when doing so.
If you're posting pictures or videos, consider waiting until you leave the location to share them. If you'd like to share where you stayed (ie, a hotel or AirBNB review), hold on giving those details until you get home.
It's unfortunate but it only takes one bad person with ill intentions to use that information in a way that would put your safety at risk. It truly doesn't matter either how many followers you have, or think you have; this is something we all have to keep in mind.
4) Be careful what you share with other travelers or those around you.
One of the most fun things about solo travel is meeting new people. However, take care to be really aware of your safety and careful with what information you share, in particular with new people you may have just met. Like I said above, vacation brain is a real thing and sometimes without thinking we can do things on vacation we wouldn't do at home, like share with a stranger where we're staying. It's totally fine to be friendly, but make sure you're choosy with what information you share in a public place, and with whom.
For example, when I travel solo and am in a hotel checking in (and if online check in wasn't an option), when the desk clerk asks me if I want one key card or two, I always say two. I don't need the second key card, but just in case there is someone around me listening, I don't want to advertise that I'm traveling alone.
5) Consider sharing your location via your smartphone with a trusted friend or family member.
I feel like this is a good practice just in general, not only on vacation. But for those of us who solo travel, this can give you as well as your loved ones important peace of mind.
Many smart phones come with this functionality as part of the operating system but if not, there are third party apps you can use as well.
Solo travel is totally safe and a wonderful way to see our world, but just keep these tips in mind so you can enjoy your adventure to the fullest!