Solo Female Travel Safety Tips I Actually Use: What I Pack + Hacks No One Talks About
I have lived and traveled alone through multiple countries, and somewhere along the way, I realized that solo female travel safety is rarely about doing one huge thing.
It's usually a bunch of little things.
Where I put my money. How I carry my phone. Whether somebody knows where I am. Which car I get into. Whether my phone is charged. Whether I listen to myself when something suddenly doesn't feel right.
When I lived alone in Cali, Colombia, I stayed in Miraflores, La Flora, and Cristales. I walked around neighborhoods by myself, went downtown regularly, took Ubers alone, went shopping, ran errands, and generally lived my regular life. I did the same thing in Brazil and El Salvador, which had so many people asking me what I did to stay safe.
I never personally felt unsafe in any of the those neighborhoods.
But I also wasn't moving around like nothing could ever happen to me.
There is a middle ground between being terrified of traveling alone and pretending that being aware of your surroundings doesn't matter.
I prefer that middle ground.
So these are the solo female travel safety precautions I actually use, the things I like having in my bag, and a few travel safety hacks that don't always make those pretty little "10 Things Every Solo Traveler Needs" Pinterest lists.
And no, carrying all of this does not require turning your purse into Batman's utility belt.
1. Hide Emergency Cash Somewhere Nobody Would Think to Look
Everybody tells you to separate your money when traveling.
I agree.
But let's get more creative than putting $100 in the pocket of a wallet thats going in the same bag as your other.
One of my favorite places for emergency cash is inside feminine hygiene product packaging.
Take a clean pad wrapper, put folded emergency cash inside, close it back up, and put it with the rest of your feminine products.
It's discreet, lightweight, and probably not the first place somebody is going to look while quickly going through a bag.
The important part is that this is backup money.
I still carry the money I expect to use normally. This is the cash I want to forget exists until something goes wrong or I need emergency cash.
You can use the same idea with other boring-looking personal care packaging. The point is not to create an elaborate hiding system you'll forget yourself. It's simply to avoid keeping all of your money in one obvious place.
I also keep a backup card separate from my primary wallet whenever possible.
Because losing your wallet is annoying.
Losing your wallet containing your cash, every debit card, every credit card, and your entire financial life while you're in another country?
Now we have a problem.
2. Keep Your Phone Attached to You
One of my favorite travel accessories is ridiculously simple:
I love mine.
When I'm exploring a new city, I'm constantly using my phone. I need Google Maps. Then Uber. Then Google Translate. Then I see something cute and need my camera. Then somebody messages me. Then I'm back on Maps because apparently I have been walking in the wrong direction for seven minutes.
A phone strap lets me use my phone and then drop it without actually dropping it or immediately having to put it back into my bag.
It also means I'm less likely to absentmindedly leave my phone on a table somewhere.
And if you're walking in an area where phone snatching can happen, having your phone physically attached to you gives you an additional layer between someone reaching for it and your phone disappearing.
That does not mean I walk everywhere with my phone dangling in front of me.
Street awareness still matters.
Sometimes the safest place for the phone is inside my bag.
But for day-to-day travel, I love having my strap.
[Shop my favorite style of phone strap →]
3. Never Let Your Phone Die
If you're traveling alone, I consider a portable power bank less of an accessory and more of a backup plan.
Your phone isn't just entertainment when you're abroad.
It's your map.
It's your Uber.
It's your translator.
It's your boarding pass.
It's your banking access.
It's how you call someone.
It's how you look up the address of wherever you're staying after realizing that you absolutely did not memorize it.
So I try not to leave for a full day with a phone sitting at 34% telling myself, It'll be fine.
Because three hours later, somehow I've taken 87 pictures, watched a Reel, used Maps for an hour, and now I'm negotiating with 4%.
A smaller 10,000mAh portable charger is usually enough for me because I want something that fits inside my everyday bag without weighing it down.
Charge the power bank at night.
Put it back in your bag in the morning.
Repeat.
4. I Prefer App-Based Rides Instead of Hailing Random Taxis
When I travel, I personally prefer Uber and other app-based transportation over hailing taxis from the street.
I like being able to see:
the driver's name
their rating
the vehicle
the license plate
my route
my trip history
approximately how long the ride should take
I can also share the trip information with someone else.
That gives me information I don't automatically have when I step into a random car.
Before getting into the vehicle, I check that the license plate matches what the app says.
I also make sure I'm getting into the correct vehicle before putting my luggage inside.
And when possible, I use the ride-sharing app's safety features, such as trip sharing or PIN verification.
5. Share Your Location With Someone You Trust
Someone should know where I am.
That does not mean I need to send my mother a live documentary every time I go buy mangoes lol
But when I'm traveling or living abroad, I like having my location shared with someone I trust.
Depending on your phone, you can do this through Find My, Google Maps, WhatsApp, or other location-sharing tools.
If I'm going somewhere unusual, taking a longer ride, meeting someone, or heading somewhere at night, I may also send the person additional information.
This is especially important when you're dating abroad.
If I'm meeting someone I've never met before, somebody else needs to know:
Who I'm meeting.
Where I'm meeting them and preferably what time I'm expected back.
Romance is cute, documentation is cuter.
6. Carry a Crossbody Bag, Preferably One That's Harder to Get Into
I love a crossbody bag while traveling because I can keep my belongings in front of my body instead of hanging behind me.
For particularly crowded places, markets, public transportation, festivals, downtown areas, or major tourist attractions, you can take it another step further with an anti-theft crossbody bag.
Some include things like locking zipper clips, slash-resistant straps, concealed pockets, or RFID-blocking sections.
You don't necessarily need every feature.
What I care about most is being able to keep my essentials close to me without constantly thinking about them.
And I don't keep everything in the easiest outside pocket.
Your passport and emergency card probably don't need to be sitting directly behind one zipper screaming, Guess what's in here!
[Shop anti-theft crossbody bags →]
7. Add a Portable Lock to Your Packing List
This is one of those tiny purchases that makes sense if you stay in hotels, Airbnbs, guesthouses, or other short-term accommodations.
A portable travel door lock can provide an additional barrier on certain inward-opening doors while you're inside.
It doesn't work with every single type of door, so always test it.
But when I'm somewhere by myself, I like the idea of the door having an additional layer between me and whoever might have access to the building's keys or codes.
You can also pack a door-stop alarm.
You wedge it underneath the door, and if the door pushes against it, the alarm makes a very loud sound.
Tiny item with a very loud opinion lol
[Shop portable travel door locks →]
8. Carry a Personal Safety Alarm
Instead of relying on improvised weapons, I would rather carry something actually designed to draw attention.
A personal safety alarm attaches easily to a keychain, crossbody bag, or backpack and produces an extremely loud sound when activated.
The goal is simple:
Make noise.
Get attention.
Create an opportunity to move toward other people or a safer location.
They're also small enough that you're much more likely to actually carry one instead of leaving some giant safety device back at your Airbnb.
[Shop personal safety alarms →]
9. I Keep Spray Hand Sanitizer Easy to Reach, but I Don't Treat It Like a Weapon
I love spray hand sanitizer while traveling anyway because I'm touching elevators, money, door handles, shopping carts, Ubers, airport everything, and Lord knows what else.
So I keep a little bottle somewhere I can reach easily.
I've heard women talk about carrying spray products as improvised protection. I wouldn't depend on hand sanitizer as a self-defense tool.
You don't know how another person is going to react, local laws vary, and escalating a confrontation can make a dangerous situation worse.
For actual travel safety, I would rather have my personal alarm accessible and focus on getting away from the situation.
But the sanitizer?
Still in my bag.
Because airports alone have convinced me humanity needs it.
[Shop travel-size spray hand sanitizer →]
10. Password-Protect More Than Just Your Phone
Most people think about physical theft.
I also think about what somebody could access if they got my phone.
Your phone may contain your email, banking apps, credit cards, passwords, passport photos, hotel reservations, home address, social media accounts, and messages.
That's a lot.
So use a real passcode.
Protect sensitive banking and financial apps with additional authentication when the app allows it.
Use two-factor authentication.
Don't store every important password in an unlocked note titled "PASSWORDS."
And if you're keeping digital copies of important documents on your phone, put them somewhere protected rather than leaving them loose in your camera roll.
I also recommend knowing how to remotely lock or erase your phone before you travel.
You don't want to learn how after the phone is already gone.
11. Don't Keep Your Passport, Cards and Cash Together
This deserves its own section because it is such an easy mistake.
Do not create one beautiful little travel wallet containing:
Your passport.
All four cards.
$500.
Your driver's license.
And your only backup form of identification.
Then lose it.
Spread things out.
I might carry one primary card and some cash with me while another card stays securely at my accommodation.
I also keep digital copies of important documents.
The goal is that losing one thing shouldn't leave you completely stranded.
12. Put a Tracker in Your Luggage
I like having a luggage tracker such as an AirTag or similar Bluetooth tracker inside checked luggage.
This isn't really about personal safety as much as reducing chaos.
If the airline says my bag is in Panama while my phone is telling me she's sitting peacefully in Miami, at least we now have somewhere to begin the conversation.
It's also useful with luggage during long travel days when you're moving through airports, buses, hotels, and multiple accommodations.
13. Pack a Small Flashlight
I know.
Your phone has a flashlight.
Your phone is also the thing we're desperately trying not to drain.
A tiny rechargeable flashlight takes almost no room and can be useful if you're staying somewhere with power outages, walking into a dark building, looking underneath something, or dealing with an emergency.
This became even more obvious to me after living in places where infrastructure doesn't always operate exactly like it does in the United States.
Sometimes old-school technology wins.
[Shop mini rechargeable flashlights →]
14. Have a Dummy Wallet or Small Backup Wallet
This isn't something everybody needs, but I like the concept of having a cheap secondary wallet.
That can simply mean keeping a smaller amount of cash and one card in your everyday wallet while your primary backup items remain somewhere else.
The bigger principle is what matters:
Do not carry your entire financial life on your body every time you leave the house.
If one bag disappears, I still want another way to pay for an Uber, eat, contact my bank, and get back to wherever I'm staying.
15. Learn Your Surroundings Before You Start Wandering
Whenever possible, I learn the basic layout of the neighborhood I'm staying in.
Where is the grocery store?
Where is a pharmacy?
Where is the nearest mall?
Which roads are busy?
Where can I find an ATM inside a bank or shopping center?
What landmarks are near my apartment?
I don't want Google Maps to be my only understanding of where I am.
That was one of the things I liked about actually living in Cali instead of simply vacationing there. Eventually I wasn't navigating every outing like a tourist anymore.
I knew my areas.
I knew which way I needed to go.
I knew where I felt comfortable walking.
That familiarity matters.
16. Watch People, Not Just Your Phone
Street smarts are difficult to package into something you can add to your Amazon cart.
But they're probably more important than everything on this list.
I pay attention to people.
If somebody has been behind me for several blocks, I notice.
If the energy of a street changes, I notice.
If everybody suddenly disappears and I'm the only person walking somewhere, I'm going to question why.
If someone is getting unusually close to me, I'm moving.
If I'm looking at directions, I try not to stand in the middle of a sidewalk looking completely lost for ten minutes.
You can enjoy your surroundings without becoming oblivious to them.
Solo travel taught me how to do both.
17. Trust Discomfort Before You Can Explain It
This might be the biggest one.
You do not need enough evidence to present your case to a jury before removing yourself from a situation.
Sometimes a person hasn't technically "done" anything.
But something feels off.
Leave.
Sometimes your Uber driver makes you uncomfortable.
End the ride somewhere populated.
Sometimes somebody you're talking to starts becoming overly controlling.
Stop engaging.
Sometimes you walk onto a street and your body immediately says, Nope.
Turn around.
Women are often taught to prioritize being polite over being uncomfortable.
I do not.
If something feels wrong, my first responsibility is getting myself somewhere that feels better.
I can analyze why later.
18. Don't Post Your Exact Location in Real Time
I create content while traveling, so this one is especially important for me.
People do not need to know exactly where you're sleeping while you're still sleeping there.
You can post the cute café.
You can post the rooftop.
You can post the beach.
It doesn't necessarily need to happen while you're physically standing there.
Be especially thoughtful about showing:
apartment building names
room numbers
Airbnb entrances
recognizable views directly outside your accommodation
regular routines
exact locations you visit every morning
boarding passes or reservation information
You can share your life online without sharing your entire security system.
19. Keep Emergency Information Somewhere Besides Your Phone
Phones break.
Phones die.
Phones disappear.
Have important information somewhere else.
That might include:
the address of your accommodation
emergency contact information
travel insurance information
a photocopy of your passport
important phone numbers
embassy or consulate information
A small piece of paper inside my bag weighs essentially nothing.
Technology is wonderful.
I just don't want technology to be my only plan.
20. Don't Let Safety Anxiety Ruin the Entire Experience
And this is the other side of this conversation.
You can prepare for solo travel without spending your entire trip scanning every person around you for danger.
I don't want women to believe traveling alone requires being scared all day.
When I lived in Cali, I walked around Miraflores. I walked around La Flora, including at night when I felt comfortable doing so. I went downtown for everyday things. I explored. I took myself places. I lived my life.
I was aware.
But I wasn't afraid every second.
Those are two different things.
I wrote more specifically about what safety was actually like for me living alone in Miraflores, La Flora, and Cristales in Cali if Colombia is one of the destinations you're considering.
[Read: Is Cali, Colombia Safe for Solo Female Travelers? →]
The Solo Female Travel Safety Rule I Follow Most
If I had to reduce this entire article down to one rule, it would be this:
Make it harder for one bad moment to become a catastrophe.
If my phone dies, I have a power bank.
If my wallet disappears, I have another card.
If my bag disappears, my passport isn't necessarily inside it.
If somebody needs to know where I am, my location is shared.
If my hotel door doesn't make me feel secure, I have another layer of protection.
If something makes me uncomfortable, I give myself permission to leave.
Solo female travel isn't about eliminating every possible risk.
That's impossible.
For me, it's about creating enough backups, awareness, and confidence that I can experience the world without constantly feeling like I need somebody beside me in order to do it.
And after traveling alone for as long as I have, that freedom is still one of my favorite parts.
Planning More Than a Vacation?
If you're not just thinking about traveling abroad but seriously considering living abroad, I created a free Living Abroad Planning Workbook to help you think through the parts people tend to forget: choosing a country, budgeting, documents, transportation, healthcare, access to your money, and what your first 30 days might actually look like.