Every day, I see posts come up on different Facebook groups asking about whether or not different cities or countries are safe for solo female travellers. While incidents do occur, the good news is that most parts of the world are safe for women!
As a solo female traveller who has traversed the globe many times (120 countries and counting!), I have encountered both amazing not so amazing things around the world. (By the way, I am 6’0 tall and blond so I don’t blend in anywhere besides northern Europe. I sometimes wonder if some things would be easier if I had the type of ethnic background where I look like I could be from anywhere. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything I can do to blend in more besides adapt my clothing.)
So without further do, here is my list of the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of solo female travel around the world.
The Good – To start, I LOVE travelling solo. I love the flexibility that it gives me and I strongly believe that you often have more opportunities to interact with locals. I have found that in many of the “scary” countries, people are thrilled to see a woman traveling through and try their best to make you feel welcome. From feeling like I am surrounded by overprotective “aunties” in India to being taken under the wing of young women in Kenya, to being deposited at my destination in Tokyo after wandering around lost to finding it very easy to find couchsurfing hosts, travelling as a solo female has many advantages.
In conservative countries, women are more open to you than they would be to men. Men often treat you like you are a little sister that needs to be protected. With the exception of very few places, I have been treated kindly.
I have met many, many amazing people while travelling solo and it is extremely likely that I would never have met them if I was travelling with other people. I have made long-term friendships, had short-term flings with fellow travellers and everything in between. People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime and travelling solo has helped me connect with people who have changed my life. Whether or not these people are still part of my life, everyone holds a special spot in my memory.
Finally, another wonderful thing about travelling alone is that you begin to feel more comfortable being alone. While some people don’t feel comfortable going to dinner alone, I love it! I can choose my own restaurant without worrying about anyone else and I can read, write or just plan switch-off while I wait. After a long day exploring a new city, it is actually a bit of a relief. Now, I often go out to eat alone even if I am in my “home” city of Mumbai. Believe it or not, no one is staring at you or judging you. Relax and enjoy!
The Bad – Of course, with everything, there is always the not-so-great side of things. Travelling solo is often more expensive than when you are traveling as part of a couple. Recently, in Kenya I paid for a private taxi to get from one destination to the other because my 6’0 tall frame wasn’t too happy with being squashed into overstuffed vans. Rather than paying 100% of the fare, I could have paid 50% if I was travelling with someone else. You can cut down on transport costs, accommodation, activities, etc simply by having a travel buddy. It can also increase your safety, especially if there is a man with you (I hate the fact that it is the 21st century and I STILL have to type that.) As an added bonus, you also have someone around to take photos of you so all of your pictures don’t end up being selfies 🙂
The Ugly – Sadly, I have encountered my fair share of issues with men. In many countries, “white” women have a certain reputation. Blame it on “sex tourism” (Yes, this does happen. Apparently, a lot of old European women go to Egypt for boy-toys.), pornography or scantily-clad college girls partying in Cancun, there is an overall feeling that white women are promiscuous.
While I normally wouldn’t care if someone thought this about me or not, it can impact your safety greatly. In my experience, in parts of South Asia, Northern Africa and Latin America, men think it is perfectly acceptable to walk up to you and announce that they want to fuck you. I have been told by short men in Peru that although I was taller than them we are all equal in the bedroom and after being harassed incessantly by a horny little Moroccan and repeatedly saying no that “fuck you, my girlfriend is hotter than you anyways…..”. While this is annoying and degrading, it can also be downright scary when men begin to get aggressive after being turned down. They seem to believe that as a white woman, we owe IT to them and that we are theirs for the taking. When this feeling starts washing over you, it is extremely difficult to feel comfortable. This is a side of racism that few people talk about and many people simply choose to ignore. sadly, there is no way to protect yourself from this besides to dress appropriately and try to keep yourself safe.
There are many, many great things about travelling solo. You meet more people, you have more flexibility and you learn to be comfortable being alone.
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