Safe Travel for Women
How to Stay Safe During Your Trip

Is there such a thing as safe travel for women?

Of course there is. It's a common question, especially among women who travel solo.

How will you protect yourself in difficult situations?
What should you do if faced with danger?

Admittedly these thoughts can be daunting but remember, travel is no more dangerous than staying at home.

Concerns about travel safety shouldn't change your travel plans but being prepared will help you relax and boost your confidence.

Women's initial travel safety concerns are all about preparation - research about safety at your destination, airport and airline security, physical training and self-defence, packing the right kit, and making sure you take the right information with you.

Where should you go? What are the safest destinations for women, especially those who are new to solo travel or even travel generally?

Another important concern about safe travel for women is how to stay safe once you're on the road. What happens if disaster strikes, such as an earthquake, hurricane or tsunami?

Then there are the more predictable annoyances on the road - unwanted male attention, street beggars, travel scams, and hostel and hotel room safety.

How do you avoid crime abroad? One thing you might consider is training in self defense for women.

And lets not forget all kinds of travel means - bus travel, boat travel, road safety...

Plenty of travel gadgets and tools can help keep you safe - or at least make you feel safer. Your money and valuables should always be in a travel money belt. If you don't like wearing something around your waist, try a neck wallet or leg wallet for your documents. Or you can buy safety locks for your hotel room and mesh covers for your backpack. My own approach is to carry a plastic doorstop to keep intruders out, and take along a tattered backpack no one would want to steal.

Don't forget your health information for travel - proper vaccinations, allergies, prevention of illness, sexually transmitted infections and HIV, medical treatment while you travel.

The kind of traveler you are will also influence the safety measures you take. Are you a mature or senior traveler? A young girl on a gap year or junior year off? Are you a mother traveling with children? A lesbian traveling alone or with your partner? A woman taking a trip on your own for the first time? Each of these circumstances means you'll look at safety through a different lens.

How do you keep safe in dangerous places? What if you need to travel to a war zone or an area that's just been devastated? You will have to deal with the military or police, many of whom may be trigger-happy because of the unstable situation, with minefields or actual fighting going on.

For those of you who are religious, some travel prayers might help.

And for those who just need a little bit of help, why not take along a safe travel talisman or amulet - my green tin cup, called Kermit, never left my side through years of travel.

All this may seem bit scary - but it shouldn't be. Being prepared and aware will usually do the trick, and most of the time women can and do travel safely.

It just doesn't come naturally - we need to work at it.

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.women-on-the-road.com