I've been to 50 countries solo as a female. Here's what I've learnt
The comment sections on platforms like Booking.com are also helpful. When were the most recent comments posted? Does the hotelier respond quickly? Have many people left positive feedback? These are all good indications of a safe and reliable space.
Share your itinerary
Sharing my whereabouts not only allows my mum to live vicariously through my travels – it also keeps me safe. Apps like TripIt can amalgamate confirmation emails into a detailed plan to be shared with friends and family, while TrackMyTour creates an interactive map of waypoints.
If mobile roaming isn't an issue, switch on location services and share details with a select circle through the Life360 app or Find My on the iPhone. Where possible (and affordable), I always take an Uber rather than a taxi or local bus – largely because journeys are tracked and the trip status can easily be shared.
But don't overshare
Tempting as it might be to shout about adventures, avoid posting any geo-located material on social media in real time. Unless shared within a private group, never make public any information about travel plans and places where you intend to sleep. Either be vague about specific locations or post material a few days later.
Making new friends is one of the great joys of travel, but I'm always hesitant to reveal too much personal information with strangers.
If ever in doubt, it's fine to tell a few white lies and pretend you are travelling with somebody else or have plans to catch up with friends. When arranging to meet up with new acquaintances, always choose a busy place and share your plans with others at home.
Carefully timetable
Arriving anywhere after dark can be daunting – especially if you've never been there before. I always try to travel during daylight hours and avoid arriving at a hotel too late. If there's no other option – especially in the case of international flights – I pre-book transport through a reputable company or arrange to stay somewhere close to the airport.
Connect with other women
Sharing experiences with other female solo travellers can be both reassuring and helpful. Similar to a dating app, platforms like Tourlina, Bumble BFF and NomadHer can be used to find like-minded matches in different destinations. Users can create profiles, share ideas and even arrange meet-ups.
On several occasions, I've also requested a female guide – partly to support greater gender equality but also to get a female perspective and inside knowledge.
Another option is to join a specialist escorted tour. Companies like Intrepid, Trafalgar and The Adventure People arrange women-only tours – often providing access to activities that wouldn't be possible in a mixed gender group.
Come prepared
A lot of my travels are in developing countries so I'm always cognisant of the yawning inequality between (relatively) wealthy foreigners and local workers on a low wage. Unfortunately, I've occasionally had cash go missing – even in five-star hotels.
To avoid any issues, I carry a padlock to put on my suitcase and keep any valuables inside – although I tend to leave any jewellery at home and prefer to travel light.
I use a door latch, if there's one available, and stuff any visible peepholes with a piece of tissue. When entering a room, I check windows are lockable along with any interconnecting doors.
Pack appropriate clothing
I'm a big believer in clothes as a form of self-expression, but sometimes it's better not to shout about your presence too loudly. Preferring to blend into the background, I avoid wearing anything showy and opt for conservative clothing where culturally appropriate.
In Muslim countries like Oman, for example, I would never bathe in a wadi wearing a skimpy bikini and would always opt for long skirts, trousers and T-shirts rather than hot pants and crop tops.
Use your intuition
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If a situation feels uncomfortable, there's no shame in walking away. Whether it's a guide, fellow traveller, bus driver or waiter – nobody has the right to invade your personal space. Either politely deflect any unwanted attention, or – in more serious cases – alert others to what is going on.
Even if you are travelling solo, having a network of friends nearby or connected online means you will never be alone.
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Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We left behind our spouses and grown-up children': The rise of the girls' trip
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Think 'early explorers' and it's often names like Marco Polo, Francis Drake and Captain James Cook that spring to mind. Not so much Jeanne Baret – the first woman credited with circumnavigating the globe after she joined the botanical expedition of French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1766, with the help of her lover and professional partner in botany, Philibert Commerson. She did it dressed as a man until she was eventually found out, at which point Bougainville wrote in his journal, 'her example will hardly be contagious.' It's only taken the best part of three centuries, but Baret – and the countless corseted would-have-been female explorers denied the chance to travel – may yet get the last laugh. One of the hottest trends in travel over the past 10 years is women carving out 'me time' from work, family and caring responsibilities, to either travel alone or in all-female groups. 'The 'mumcation' is a whole new world of sisterly misadventure that recently opened up to me,' says financial services professional, Kathryn Hanes, who late last year joined her sister and two of her oldest friends on a week-long trip to New Zealand, which they dubbed 'Mothers Uncorked'. 'We left behind our spouses and nine (mostly) grown-up children and walked up and down mountains, around lakes, through valleys and talked and talked and talked,' says Hanes, who is in her early 50s. 'It was so thrilling to have a holiday where the backing track wasn't 'Are we there yet?' with an 'I'm bored' chorus.' Hanes' two children are now aged 22 and 18, but she well recalls the 'draincations' with young kids: 'So often on family holidays there's no real downtime, days are planned with military precision,' she says. 'This was the first time since my 20s that I felt truly open to spontaneity again. But unlike in our 20s, we now have well-paid, full-time jobs, so the trip wasn't on a shoestring. We had long, lazy meals with lovely plonk. It was bliss.' Whether setting out in all-female groups or alone, more women are embracing the shift. In a survey by online portal 54 per cent of female respondents said they planned to travel solo in 2024. More than 64 per cent of the world's travellers are women, according to New York-based Skift Research's 2024 The Woman Traveller report, and women over 50 are the fastest-growing cohort. Almost a quarter of women aged 55-plus said they would prefer to travel solo than with their spouse and kids. Such figures are no surprise to Jenny Gray. She created the Women's Expedition product range in 2018 for Australian-owned Intrepid Travel. The tours make a particular effort to support women-owned and operated businesses. 'We launched our Women's Expedition range seven years ago, when we realised more than 63 per cent of our travellers were female – and they were telling us they wanted to better understand and connect with women in a range of destinations and cultures,' says Gray. Today, women aged over 45 represent the fastest-growing demographic for the Women's Expedition category, and many are booking into an all-female trip on their own: 'They are prioritising themselves like never before,' says Gray. 'An increasing number of them are repeat travellers with us. It's not that they want a 'soft' option, they just want the logistics taken care of, and to travel with like-minded women.' India is the top-selling Women's Expedition for Intrepid's Australian customers, with a newly created women-only trip to Saudi Arabia and a long-standing tour to Morocco the next most popular. An increasing number of operators, including Banyan Tours in New Delhi (overseen by Lucy Davison), Girls' Guide to the World and India Design Tours (run by Nicole Court, based out of Sydney) also facilitate trips for women to India. Australian outfit Pink Pelican Tours was founded last year. Next year it will run five women's tours, to Italy, Indonesia and Slovenia. 'The Bali Girls Tour and the Italy Food Tours book out the quickest,' says Pink Pelican's director, Felicity Armstrong. 'Women are redefining what it means to live fully, independently, and on their own terms. They feel less pressure to wait for a partner, family or friends before they travel. The narrative has shifted from 'being selfish' to 'self-worth'.' Loading When it comes to travelling solo, safety remains the number-one concern for women, according to the Skift report. But technology has made things easier; laptops, mobile phones, global roaming, WhatsApp and online travel-support forums offer a greater degree of contact and backup. And there's more airplay online about the safest places to visit. Spartacus World's 2025 Gay Travel index nominates Canada, Iceland, Malta, Portugal and Spain as all excellent for LGBTQ+ friendliness, a factor that tends to mirror safety indexes for women. New Zealand consistently rates highly, as does Japan, Norway, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Roving communications consultant Erin Forster, 33, spent almost six months in 2024 travelling through Europe and Asia, mainly solo. 'For my age group, solo travel is seen as normal,' she says. 'It can also be an even more social experience than travelling with friends. Travelling alone is something I wish I'd done much earlier. The personal growth you experience when pushed outside your comfort zone can't be underestimated.'
The Age
6 days ago
- The Age
‘We left behind our spouses and grown-up children': The rise of the girls' trip
This story is part of the June 28 edition of Good Weekend. See all 21 stories. Think 'early explorers' and it's often names like Marco Polo, Francis Drake and Captain James Cook that spring to mind. Not so much Jeanne Baret – the first woman credited with circumnavigating the globe after she joined the botanical expedition of French captain Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1766, with the help of her lover and professional partner in botany, Philibert Commerson. She did it dressed as a man until she was eventually found out, at which point Bougainville wrote in his journal, 'her example will hardly be contagious.' It's only taken the best part of three centuries, but Baret – and the countless corseted would-have-been female explorers denied the chance to travel – may yet get the last laugh. One of the hottest trends in travel over the past 10 years is women carving out 'me time' from work, family and caring responsibilities, to either travel alone or in all-female groups. 'The 'mumcation' is a whole new world of sisterly misadventure that recently opened up to me,' says financial services professional, Kathryn Hanes, who late last year joined her sister and two of her oldest friends on a week-long trip to New Zealand, which they dubbed 'Mothers Uncorked'. 'We left behind our spouses and nine (mostly) grown-up children and walked up and down mountains, around lakes, through valleys and talked and talked and talked,' says Hanes, who is in her early 50s. 'It was so thrilling to have a holiday where the backing track wasn't 'Are we there yet?' with an 'I'm bored' chorus.' Hanes' two children are now aged 22 and 18, but she well recalls the 'draincations' with young kids: 'So often on family holidays there's no real downtime, days are planned with military precision,' she says. 'This was the first time since my 20s that I felt truly open to spontaneity again. But unlike in our 20s, we now have well-paid, full-time jobs, so the trip wasn't on a shoestring. We had long, lazy meals with lovely plonk. It was bliss.' Whether setting out in all-female groups or alone, more women are embracing the shift. In a survey by online portal 54 per cent of female respondents said they planned to travel solo in 2024. More than 64 per cent of the world's travellers are women, according to New York-based Skift Research's 2024 The Woman Traveller report, and women over 50 are the fastest-growing cohort. Almost a quarter of women aged 55-plus said they would prefer to travel solo than with their spouse and kids. Such figures are no surprise to Jenny Gray. She created the Women's Expedition product range in 2018 for Australian-owned Intrepid Travel. The tours make a particular effort to support women-owned and operated businesses. 'We launched our Women's Expedition range seven years ago, when we realised more than 63 per cent of our travellers were female – and they were telling us they wanted to better understand and connect with women in a range of destinations and cultures,' says Gray. Today, women aged over 45 represent the fastest-growing demographic for the Women's Expedition category, and many are booking into an all-female trip on their own: 'They are prioritising themselves like never before,' says Gray. 'An increasing number of them are repeat travellers with us. It's not that they want a 'soft' option, they just want the logistics taken care of, and to travel with like-minded women.' India is the top-selling Women's Expedition for Intrepid's Australian customers, with a newly created women-only trip to Saudi Arabia and a long-standing tour to Morocco the next most popular. An increasing number of operators, including Banyan Tours in New Delhi (overseen by Lucy Davison), Girls' Guide to the World and India Design Tours (run by Nicole Court, based out of Sydney) also facilitate trips for women to India. Australian outfit Pink Pelican Tours was founded last year. Next year it will run five women's tours, to Italy, Indonesia and Slovenia. 'The Bali Girls Tour and the Italy Food Tours book out the quickest,' says Pink Pelican's director, Felicity Armstrong. 'Women are redefining what it means to live fully, independently, and on their own terms. They feel less pressure to wait for a partner, family or friends before they travel. The narrative has shifted from 'being selfish' to 'self-worth'.' Loading When it comes to travelling solo, safety remains the number-one concern for women, according to the Skift report. But technology has made things easier; laptops, mobile phones, global roaming, WhatsApp and online travel-support forums offer a greater degree of contact and backup. And there's more airplay online about the safest places to visit. Spartacus World's 2025 Gay Travel index nominates Canada, Iceland, Malta, Portugal and Spain as all excellent for LGBTQ+ friendliness, a factor that tends to mirror safety indexes for women. New Zealand consistently rates highly, as does Japan, Norway, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Roving communications consultant Erin Forster, 33, spent almost six months in 2024 travelling through Europe and Asia, mainly solo. 'For my age group, solo travel is seen as normal,' she says. 'It can also be an even more social experience than travelling with friends. Travelling alone is something I wish I'd done much earlier. The personal growth you experience when pushed outside your comfort zone can't be underestimated.'
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Your questions: My daughter is doing the Americas solo. Is it safe?
My 27-year-old daughter plans to spend two months travelling solo in Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Panama and Nicaragua with no fixed plans. I am the soon-to-be-worried mum, losing sleep. She is well versed in travelling in Europe and lives independently in the UK. For us to be both rational about this, I am seeking your considered and impartial views. A. Robinson, Camberwell, Vic What parent does not feel your pain? But your daughter is possibly more resilient than you realise. After all, she has made a life of her own in the UK and that requires problem-solving and overcoming challenges. However, Central and South America, and solo, comes with next-level challenges. Communicate your concern. You might ask that she takes some steps to reduce her risk and give you peace of mind. For example, you could suggest she starts her travels with a group tour, perhaps in Mexico. She'll be in the company of like-minded travellers, she'll be well taken care of, she'll probably pick up some useful tips for travelling in Central America and that helps build a solid foundation for the rest of her travels in the region. There are plenty of tours that qualify, perhaps G Adventures might appeal. You might also suggest that she carry a personal safety alarm. These are small devices that fit easily into a pocket, yet they can be activated instantly and they emit an ear-splitting shriek. The international emergency number is 112, get that locked into her phone. In most of the world, the number can be dialled on mobiles, even without a SIM card or when locked. Uber is a safe way to get around in many cities in Central America. In Nicaragua, Aventon provides the same service. Travel insurance is of course a given. Bad things can happen, but the world is more frightening from a distance than it is close-up. The kindness of strangers is very real, and underestimated. One of my daughters has worked in Afghanistan since 2019 and she's totally OK. My partner and I are planning a trip on Amtrak's Silver Meteor from New York City to Miami. What are the top three to four must-see stops along the way? Does Amtrak have a ticket that allows for multiple stopovers? S. McLeod, Breakfast Point, NSW Make Washington DC your first stop and spend at least three nights to take in the Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Hill, the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, Constitution Avenue and lively neighbourhoods such as Georgetown. One hotel I particularly like is The Line in the Adams Morgan district, known for its pop-up restaurants, bars and flea markets. Next stop, South Carolina's Charleston. One of the most historic cities in the country, Charleston charms with its cobblestoned streets and antebellum architecture. Some of its plantation houses including Middleton Place and Boone Hall and their surrounding gardens evoke memories of Tara in the film version of Gone with the Wind. Fort Sumter National Monument, reached by ferry from the city, is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. From there your next stop is Savannah, Georgia, famous for its Savannah Historic District, the largest National Historic Landmark District in the US. In its grid of streets there are 22 landscaped squares with fountains, sculptures, and live oaks and highlights including Chippewa Square, Madison Square and Monterey Square. The Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters explores the asymmetric relationship between slaves and masters, a moving and powerful experience. While Amtrak does not have a provision for multiple stopovers on one ticket, look for Amtrak's Multi-City link, and you can book separate tickets for each sector, with up to four segments. We will end our European trip with about eight days in Malta, any recommendations on where to stay? Preferably two places, with a view of the water with good access to transport and restaurants. We would like to explore the historical sites and also have some time to relax at beaches and swim. Would you recommend using public transport or hiring a car? K. King, Springwood, NSW Malta is small and there's no real need to stay in more than one place, although you could stay for a few days on the neighbouring island of Gozo if you want a change of scenery. Either Sliema or St Julian's would qualify, both are close to the city of Valetta, where most of the main attractions are located and these you can easily explore on foot. The Plum Guide has a few high-quality suggestions for self-contained apartments in Valetta and Casa Rocca Piccola and Palazzo Consiglia are also great choices. From there you can take a tour to visit places that are further away such as the Blue Grotto, Marsaxlokk, Mdina and Hagar Qim. Take a boat tour to visit the nearby islands of Gozo and Camino. You need to take a few tours but unless you go in peak season you don't need to book in advance. Malta Tours covers everything you need and Viator has more options. A hire car gives you more freedom, and the rewards include hidden beaches, remote temples and villages that are hard to reach any other way. However roads are narrow and congested if you're there in peak period, and parking can be problematic. My husband and I will arrive in Tokyo's, Haneda Airport at 8.15pm, staying at the ANA Intercontinental in Minato City. As we are elderly, could we travel by airport coach or public bus after 9pm? Any suggestions on tours available in Tokyo and Aomori? M. Gomes, Baulkham Hills, NSW Public bus is not a great option when you're arriving in a strange city late in the evening, and the limousine bus that usually operates to the ANA Intercontinental is currently out of service. At Haneda's Terminal 3, the taxi stand is on the first floor, just outside the terminal building. You can expect to pay between ¥9000 to ¥11,000 ($95 to $116), and there's no fear of bad behaviour with Tokyo taxi drivers. Another option is a private transfer. You'll be met at the terminal, a representative will take your luggage and you to the waiting car, and you'll be whisked off to your hotel. Blacklane is one operator, or use NearMe, an airport taxi transfer app. Tokiotours is a tour agency based in Minato with a range of food and cultural tours, Arigato Travel is another tour operator. Both have excellent reviews. In Aomori, the Aomori Tourist Information Center in Shin Aomori Station is your best bet for finding local tours.
