Solo travelers have their work cut out for them as they have to do all the planning and scheduling by themselves. Additionally, solo travelers have another important thing to take into consideration, which is safety. Safety should especially be on high priority for women going on their first solo trip. Ensuring safety in a new city or country where one does not know the people, the language, or the social norms and culture is double the hard work of ensuring safety in one’s local surroundings. Although this should not dampen the enthusiasm for a trip, one should always take extra precautions before venturing to a new place on their own. Here are some tips for solo travelers to ensure safety:

• One should start off their solo travel experience by visiting nearby cities in other states before going on an international trip as this will make one more confident. Also, when traveling internationally for the first time alone, visiting a country that speaks a familiar language and has an established tourist infrastructure helps.
• Solo travelers should always thoroughly research the place they intend to visit. Reading up on the country or city’s geography, climate, seasons, political state, cultural norms, way of dressing, scams or hoaxes, if any, is a must. Talking to other travelers who have been to the place is also very helpful.
• Having multiple copies of the passport is a good idea. A digital copy of the passport can be stored in the drive or cloud. This will come in handy if the passport gets lost or stolen.
• As a solo traveler, being constantly aware of the surroundings is prudent. One should not walk around in new places with their earphones plugged in and completely unaware of the surroundings.
• It is best to leave one’s passport back at the hotel room locked within a safe, as there is always a fear of it being stolen or pickpocketed. If identification is needed while making a purchase, a digital copy stored on the phone should suffice.
• Carrying the phone and a power bank on them is a must for solo travelers at all times. Apps like Google Maps, Find Your Phone, and a translation app will help in navigating through alien locations and languages if needed.
• Connecting with other people on the trip is comforting. For women solo travelers, staying in an all-women hostel or traveling with other women ensures that they have someone to turn to if needed.
• Getting an international phone plan or SIM card is advised to ensure that easy connectivity is maintained.
• Staying at places that have good reviews is recommended. Be it a hostel, hotel, bed and breakfast, or a dorm, one should always check the reviews pertaining to the locality and its safety. One can also specifically look for reviews from other solo travelers.
• Solo travelers should especially be cautious at night. Scheduling arrival for daytime and visiting places with a group of other travelers are some useful tips.
• One should also avoid walking to places at night and opt for public transport instead.