Being a single women on the road takes courage, determination and passion. It’s definitely not something anyone can do. Technically speaking, maybe everyone could, but not every girl wants to.

And that’s OK.

If you are an adventurous type, heading off to another country or another part of the world excites you to the core and the idea of facing the unknown liberates your inner explorer.

Often, the excitement is mixed with a lot of “what if” questions. Sometimes those questions came from ourselves, but often they come from our surroundings.

Here are our tips to stay safe and still have a great time:

Carefully choose where you’ll sleep

Even though some hostels may be super cheap, try to double check how they rank on safety and where they are located. Always keep in mind that you may be walking alone late at night and that accommodation close to public transport is probably a good idea. Also, consider AirBnB, as you can stay with the locals and get heaps of local tips immediately upon arrival.

Find ways to connect with locals

Connecting with people is the key to staying safe and feeling comfortable in a new city. There are cases and cultures where it could be more difficult to reach out to locals, but even having one local as your friends means a lot. Not only are locals the best guides and an endless source of information, they are every traveller’s window to local culture, customs and traditions. One thing is to read it all from a book, another thing is to experience it on the spot.  Read here about different ways to meet new people on the road.

Carry only what you need

It is a clever move not to take any expensive personal belongings with you on the road in the first place. Think carefully which countries you are visiting and how safe it is to have the newest phone, camera or expensive jewellery with you all time time. Stick to the basics and if you have expensive belongings, leave them in your hotel’s safebox.

Make copies of important documents

Have copies of your passport, credit cards, ID cards, driver’s license ready and safely stored on a cloud storage like DropBox or Google Drive. Having copies stored that way allows easier access and you don’t have to worry about loosing the copies. In case your documents get lost or stolen, access your saved copies easily. Also, try not to carry all your credit cards with you at once and have a bit of cash with you at all times.