Nowadays, Solo Travel has gained huge popularity among the youths. More and more women are now choosing to travel solo due to their liberating and adventurous nature. It provides people with a chance to connect with themselves and also the freedom to travel to the places they want to.
If you combine Solo Travel with the uniqueness of Slow Travel, it can easily heighten your travel experience. Solo Travel gives you the opportunity to Travel to Impact as your travel itinerary is based on your personal choice allowing you to explore off-beat locations. However, traveling alone, especially for women, is usually filled with a lot of apprehensions and self-doubt. But we are here to make your solo trips safer and much more enjoyable.
Just follow these 10 tips to get the best out of your Solo Travel Experience.
1. Chalk Out a Plan First
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Before going on any solo trip it is necessary to curate a suitable itinerary after doing prior research about the preferred destination. Book your place of stay in advance and gain some knowledge about the nearby sightseeing and offbeat locations. This will provide a sense of confidence and readiness to explore the unknown and experience the unseen.
2. Always Pack Light
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Save space and time by packing light. Stick to just one main bag and maybe a small bag for your necessities. Remember that you're travelling alone, not with your friends or family. There won't be people to help you lift your heavy bags. Packing light will help you to travel easily and quickly as & when required from one destination to another. It will also ensure you can fit in all the souvenirs and other things that you may buy during your trip.
3. Carry all your travel essentials first
It is important to keep yourself equipped with all the travel essentials like a torch, pepper spray, sanitary products, power banks, and some dry food so you can be independent throughout your journey. Also, carry enough cash with multiple denominations so you do not have to face a crisis in any unknown place.
4. Keep your documents and money in a safe place
Keep documents related to your travel and identity in a safe place. If possible carry extra copies with you. Keep soft copies of your documents stored in any secured cloud storage. Try not to keep all the cash and valuables in one place. Keep them handy yet hidden like inside your makeup pouch or in your socks.
5. Trust your guts & do not compromise on your safety
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Try to arrive at your destination during daylight or early evening, so you don't have to carry out the ordeal of navigating through unknown streets at night in anticipation or fear. Also, try not to back off spending a few extra bucks to ensure your safety during the trip. Be cautious and confident while you travel. Try to be polite while initiating conversations and making new friends. Trust your guts and inform your family and friends whenever you feel unsafe and uncomfortable. Learn to say no politely yet firmly when necessary.
6. Choose to stay in homestays or hostels
Switching to homestays or hostels over commercial hotels is comparatively a lot safer for women. Homestays provide you with a homely environment as they are mostly operated by families. It's better to live amongst people than to live alone in an unknown place. This is also a more budget-friendly option with a higher probability of finding other like-minded travelers.
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7. Keep details of your accommodation Private
Do not share any personal details and details about your accommodation with any unknown person whom you can’t trust. Provide vague details in case anyone asks you anything related to your stay.
8. Keep your closed ones informed
Share details related to your travel itinerary, and accommodation with your trusted family members and friends. If you end up being a part of a group, share the details of a trusted member with your family. Wherever possible, share your live location while traveling. This way it would be easy for you to avoid undesirable situations and your close ones can stay in touch with you.
9. Befriend other women travelers
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Befriend other solo travelers and form a gang of your own, or try to associate yourself with a group of other women solo travelers. Being a part of a group will help you to make new memories with new people and will also lessen your anxiety about traveling alone.
10. Befriend Locals
Unlike what we may have been taught, befriending the locals has its own set of perks. Always remember that the locals know the place better than you. Living in homestays will automatically allow you to meet the natives. Befriend the children, youth, and women of the communities so they can provide you with immediate help and support in case of any need.
Image Credits - NotOnMap: Rafi’s House
Offbeat locations in Ladakh, Rural Tourism experiences in and around different eco-villages across India, and different places like Pangi, Chamba, and Mandi across Himachal Pradesh are some of the places which are gaining popularity as Solo Travel destinations among women.
With Sustainable Tourism’s increasing promotion across the world as well as the nation, people are getting more and more cautious about how their actions impact the place and the people they travel to. Travel to Transform is slowly becoming one of the most important mantras of traveling that Solo travelers are also swearing by.