While I’ve done my fair share of traveling with my family or friends, I also really enjoy solo travel. I’m typically the (fully Type A) person to do the flight planning, itinerary arranging, and overall coordinating of trips, so it’s not much of a leap to go on solo trips and get to do exactly what I feel like doing every day. However, as a woman I’m also acutely aware that I have to be more cautious at all points of my trip to make sure I’m staying safe. So, here are a couple of safety measures I take when traveling alone.

1. Booking the all-female dorm in a hostel.

Or, if the price is insanely different to get an all-female room, I’ll book the mixed dorm and do my best to get a top bunk. While this doesn’t guarantee 100% safety, it does help me sleep a bit better at night. And as any traveler will tell you, sleep is THE most important aspect of your travels. Continuing with the sleep theme…

2. Not revealing where I’m staying.

If I’m chatting with someone on my trip, I never ever tell them which accomodation I’ve booked. I might say something vague like the area of the city or simply lie and say I’m staying with friends. You never know what someone’s intentions are, and you can never be too cautious with what information you reveal to strangers. The same goes with telling people what I’m planning to do next that day. I don’t want others to know where they can find me later on- am I paranoid? Maybe a little, but I also enjoy the individual experiences I have and don’t want random people tagging along.

3. Bringing a knife or other small self-defense object.

I always check the laws of a place I’m traveling to before bringing my self-defense objects, but most countries permit small, foldable knives for protection. I only bring these when I’m traveling by train, or when I’m checking a bag, but it helps me to feel safer when walking alone. Some girls I’ve met also bring pepper spray on their trips.

4. Not drinking.

I choose to not drink when I’m alone anyway, since I don’t see the point in not combining alcohol with a social setting, but when I’m solo traveling I definitely don’t drink to keep my senses on the alert. If that’s not your thing, and you can function on high alert after a few drinks, then this point isn’t for you, but I choose to save drinking for times when I’m with my friends and we can look out for each other!

5. Working out when I’m at home..so I can run away if I ever need to.

This point is more of a pre-travel topic, but I run and do cardio when I’m not traveling to keep my heart and lungs in shape… just in case. I also tend to gravitate toward wearing sneakers or other shoes I could easily run in. Luckily, I’ve never had to run away from anyone (I have had to run to get my passport but that’s a story for another post), but it never hurts to be prepared! If you’re a pro at running in heels you can totally opt for less comfy shoes to match your outfits, but my preference is usually sneakers.

5. Last, but not least..post after the fact!

When I’m traveling, I post a few stories of the big sights I see, but try stay away from any identifiable or locational pictures until I’ve already left the city. This helps protect you while you’re on the trip, as well as making sure people don’t know exactly when your house or room are empty.

If you found this post helpful, let me know! I’d love to hear from you about where I should travel next and what other topics I should cover. Just write to me at feliciacarrara@gmail.com or on Instagram @felcarrara.