Traveling alone is an adventure into self-discovery: there’s nothing like being alone in an unfamiliar place, to learn more about yourself, and enjoy everything the place has to offer.
However, when you’re a woman, there are many doubts and fears about traveling on your own – and rightfully so.
Recently, we’ve been partnering more and more with female run travel providers throughout Brazil, and with this, have also been booking more and more itineraries for women traveling together or solo female travelers. With these experiences, we thought it would be interesting to put together a short guide for those who want to take a trip on her own, and it’s possible to have an incredible travel experience, in the pleasure of your own company. In honor of International Women’s Day, we used our own staff’s expertise, and spoke to some of our favorite solo female traveling friends to get some tips for all your fabulous ladies going on solo adventures around the world!
1. Research and Respect Local Traditions
This one is great for any trip, but if you’re traveling alone, you should pay even more attention to cultural nuances. Besides researching the best restaurants and attractions, look for religious traditions, places you should be more careful in when visiting, and how women are generally treated at the destination.
This comprehensive research is great, because it helps you to enjoy our vacation even before arriving at the destination, and allows you to keep safe, avoid trouble, and enjoy the trip even more!
If you’re visiting a place with very different traditions, it’s worthwhile to prepare for the way you’ll have to act while there. Respecting local customs help us stand out less, and increase our safety. A quick search about local traditions and clothing, for example, will be a great place to start and help tons!
2. Understand the Logistics of Your Vacation
Pay attention to arrival and departure times (flights, trains, busses). I know that sometimes better times cost more, but when it comes to safety it’s not worth the risk! Arriving alone, to a place you’re not familiar with, in the middle of the night and having to commute, may put you in unnecessary danger, depending on the destination (arriving during the day is always better).
Once (before working in travel, I promise!), I was going to a conference in Thailand, and at check in, was asked for my vaccination card. I learned, at this point, that when you’re leaving Brazil, you need the yellow fever vaccine to visit the country. I’d done all my research in English, and so I never found this information! This, and other bumps on the road when traveling alone have helped me with my work today, in which I make sure everything is sorted out (and research based on the departure and destination countries!) for our clients.
3. Use Your Existing Network
Another one of Nathália’s tips is to use your network to help you on your solo trip:
Ask your friends if they know someone on your destination, or if they have any useful tips – some places are more welcoming to solo travelers, while others are more conservative and, unfortunately, dangerous, which makes a support network very necessary.
Polyana does this a lot too!
Talking to friends who I know live or know someone that lives in certain destinations has gotten me free stays, local “guides” and visits to bars, restaurants and concerts I’d never know about if I had researched only on forums and travel blogs. I’ve also been the person that’s helped others who are visiting my city. Even for our clients that don’t have the budget to hire a guide, we try speaking to local guides to pass some tips on to them!
4. Get Close to Other Women and Groups
Another important thing is surrounding yourself with other women when possible. Though there’s a myth of female rivalry, if you’re a woman, you must have realized that, in general, we tend to help each other. This is true all around the world, so if you’re traveling by yourself, a good tip is to stay close to other women. Aside from helping you feel safe, if you need anything and ask a woman, you’ll probably get the help you need!
It’s very easy to travel alone in Brazil, but my best tip is to stay at a hostel to get to know people who are visiting the same destination. Even if you don’t like sharing a room and bathroom, there are many which offer private suites. It’s like being at a hotel, with a hostel environment in the common areas.
This tip comes from Roberta Martins, creator and editor of the Territórios blog (where you can find texts in Portuguese and English, from her 11+ years of travel blogging!).
5. It Doesn’t Have to be More Expensive!
A lot of people give up on traveling alone, thinking it will be much more expensive than traveling with someone else or in a group.
It doesn’t have to be that way! Going back to Roberta’s tip, besides saving money on shared rooms, staying at a hostel is a great way to find people to share the cost of tours. To save money, search for tours where you can join a group. Many local agencies offer this option, so it’s worth it to ask around, when organizing your trip!
Check out our Experiences page for great tour opportunities!
Cinthia Barros, a software developer and digital nomad can work from anywhere in the world and takes advantage of it! She told her biggest trick is to house sit, which is when you live in someone else’s home when they are away and, in exchange, watch their pets or takes care of their garden. Cinthia uses Nomador, which has many options in Europe and Asia, to save on your accommodations, but there are many similar sites, with opportunities all around the globe.
6. Travel Light
Another one of Nathália‘s tip is to go easy on your luggage weight.
I know we love to take a lot of stuff with us and be ready for anything, but to be able to deal with your own luggage without needing anyone’s help to carry your stuff, it’s super important to pack only what you need! Realizing you don’t need much to get by, gives you a lot of confidence and a sense of independence (which may seem silly but I swear it’s not).
7. Know the Basics of the Language
Whether you’re traveling alone, or in the company of family and friends, it’s important to know a few words of the local language, as a courtesy to your host country and its locals. However, when we’re alone, this becomes even more important, since we won’t have someone there to go through it with us! Technology helps us a lot, thank goodness, so it’s nice to be prepared with some apps or even hire a local guide who speaks your language, in case the destination is trickier than others.
8. Hire a Guide, At Least on the First Day
Here at Viare Travel, we have many customers who travel alone. They are often foreign women coming to Brazil for the first time, or even Brazilians visiting other parts of the country. When they don’t book group tours, we recommend a guide who speaks your language, or has shared interests with you, to spend at least the first day with the traveler. This way, the guide can share some valuable tips for the rest of the trip and many times, the client leaves Brazil with a new friend!
We think traveling alone is an amazing opportunity and hope that this becomes easier and safer for women all over the world! Have you ever traveled on your own as a woman? Do you have any great tips for doing so? Share them with us below!
