Comments on: Why Solo Female Travel is Different

By: Neha Sharma

Neha Sharma — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:20:14 +0000

Every couple of months I get an email from someone who wants to travel, but their boyfriend does not. This should not hold you back. I know quite a few women who travel without their significant others. Many people enjoy the clarity that travelling alone gives them and come back to their relationships feeling refreshed.

By: Jessica Festa

Jessica Festa — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 15:28:33 +0000

Great post, Kristin. I can definitely relate to a lot of this (I’m currently in Bhutan solo but with a guide), especially the ‘groped in the dark’ part (sadly). I was staying at a budget hotel in Ecuador and when I went down to the lobby to get water at around 11pm the security guard on staff pushed me against the wall and put his hands down my pants. Luckily I had befriended another male traveler in the hotel, went to his room crying and he went downstairs to straighten this guy out. It was a mess. The hotel owner came down and in the end the security guard was, thankfully, fired. Crappy situation, but that was 3 years ago and still traveling solo strong! 🙂

By: Dana

Dana — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 08:21:55 +0000

When I was in Mexico taking classes, there was some construction in the street, so pedestrians had to pick a path through the rubble while the workers waited to continue. I usually wore jeans on the way to class, but one morning, I wore a skirt, a long skirt, down to my ankles. This was the day the construction workers whistled at me and called “Hola, guera!” I went back to my room during lunch and changed, and wasn’t whistled at again.
Women travelers have these stories. Women who DON’T travel alone have these stories from their own hometowns. I want the world at large to change so I don’t have to carry my keys between my fingers or have emergency dialed up on my phone or think about wearing rohypnol detecting nail polish, because I want men to know that no one is entitled to anything from us, willingly, coerced, or forced. Until then, we have our fake husbands and stabby kitten keychains.

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 22:16:57 +0000

I was apprehensive about traveling solo in India. After having experienced two incidents of harassment in South East Asia, I made it a point to never go anywhere without my pepper spray. However, turned out it is a country like any other, where safety is concerned. I did learn that while some people seem friendly and trustworthy, they might have ulterior motives. For example, in India, I met two men who helped me find a guest house and they seemed really nice. On the way, one of them said to the other if they are nice to me, they might have a “chance”. Plus some other things that I cannot write here (I am from Nepal and I understand Hindi). However, I do believe that there are good people and not- so- good people everywhere.

When I travel in Nepal, I am usually met with surprise and curiosity because single women my age are supposed to settle down and not go off gallivanting on their own (it is not rude to rude to ask a woman´s age and marital status in Nepal). To avoid being interrogated, I usually tell people that my husband is traveling and I am on my way to meet him. I have also realized that men leave me alone after I tell them I am married.

“Solo traveling doesn’t have to be dangerous or scary, it just requires the right amount of preparation and alertness.” I totaly agree but I think it is also important to research, understand and respect the culture of the country beforehand. I once saw a woman walking on the streets of Pokhara (Nepal) clad in a Bikini (her cover- up didnt do much covering up). A middle aged woman who was walking behind me shrieked and started ranting about how tourism is ruining our culture. I am sure she didn’t mean to offend anyone but just lacked the understanding of the culture. I value personal freedom but I think it is important not to create uncomfortable situations for the local people.

By: Cassandra

Cassandra — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 16:14:23 +0000

I’ve experienced everything you’ve mentioned here as a solo female traveler (even being groped in Nepal – which is a little ironic!). I do have to point out one positive I noticed however – during parts of my journeys where I did travel with males, they often got stopped/searched/questioned by local police, whether they appeared to be doing/acting suspicious or not. I never did, nor did any of my female friends. Women just are not seen as a threat in certain countries so we are largely ignored. In Nepal the men pass around the tip that if they get questioned about drugs or drinking while in Nepal, they can “pay off” the officers and they will leave you alone – however it has backfired and is now happening more and more be sketchy officers, but again only to males it seems. I also tend to pay less in countries like Nepal for the same items my male friends inquire about – no flirting or anything involved, it is just something that happens. So, I do think there are both negatives/positives to being male or female when traveling solo.

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 19:26:35 +0000

When I backpacked as a solo female traveler, most of the time I was SO happy to be alone (liberation!) but there were a few select times when I would have given a lot to have a male travel companion with me. I pretty much always came back after dinner, before actual darkness set in no matter where I went. That’s when staying at hostels with bars inside of them came in really handy!! I could still hang out at the bar, drink a pint or two, and then at the end of the night, just walk upstairs to my room! Hostel bars can be so fun, too.

By: Sonja

Sonja — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 22:08:55 +0000

Interesting article! I do mostly agree with your points of view. I traveled as a solo-female mostly through South America. I was blessed with all the experiences I have made. Families and elder women often asked me: “where is you husband?”. There was no husband or boyfriend, so they invited me to their homes and to be part of their families. They took care of me… My best experiences with the “locals”.

By: Flavia Lozano

Flavia Lozano — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 20:08:41 +0000

Being a young woman and living by myself in a foreign country, I’ve learned the hard way that, unfortunately, we still have to take care of ourselves in a different way that men do. Not because we’re the weak sex or because we need someone to take care of us, but because people still see us as an easy target, and because we attract sexual assaults, besides the fact that some places have different beliefs.
It’s great to see that these difficulties don’t stop us, though. I believe things will change, and, until then, we just have to naturally be aware of where we are and how to be safe. Really liked your post.

By: Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 22:25:14 +0000

Same for me. It’s been huge for building my problem solving skills and has made me largely fearless.

By: Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 22:23:39 +0000

In reply to Kathryn. Diva cup!