I was recently asked by a reader if I had any safety tips for a first time solo traveler. As a matter of fact, I do!

My first true solo traveling experience was a backpacking trip was through Peru for a month. And boy of boy did I learn a lot. Here are a few of my top four tips for you to be as safe as possible while traveling. 

To learn a bit about traveling Peru, click here!

Safety Tip 1: Follow your gut! 

If you are on a bus, in a hostel, getting a ride, or walking down the street, do not feel bad rejecting someone, saying no or anything like that. Because if you’re gut says to do or not do something, it’s probably right.

For example, while in Lima, I was stayed at a hostel. I had been hanging out on the roof with some other travelers and had gone to bed early. I curled up with my pack on the bed and fell asleep, as one does. At some point during my sleep time, one of the guys woke me up to ask if I wanted to cuddle with him.

I turned to look at him and said “Dude, no. Go to bed.” And he did. I saw him again on my way to Macchu Picchu and it was awkward. I like to think he felt bad, but you know what? At least he asked and didn’t assume. As my friends tattoo says, consent is sexy!

Safety Tip 2: Don’t get drunk, high or anything like that.

Especially if you are a solo female traveler. You cannot be too careful. 

I was at a stop along the Salkantay Trek when we joined forces with a tour group. One of the nights, the tour group had a party at camp. They all got HAMMERED that night. As I like parties, I hung out with them. There was dancing, eating, and general merriment.

At one point, one of the guides was being weird and trying to coerce me into joining him in his tent for the night. He got forceful, handsy, and a little aggressive. However, I was not drunk and totally in control of the situation and was able to dismantle his advances and get to my tent. Alone. And without any unwanted male company. 

However, I know that drinking in certain countries say…. Spain is part of the cultural experience. People go to places like that specifically for the quality of the wine. That being said, feel free to indulge a bit. But I repeat, do not get drunk! One glass is fine. No matter where you are, who you are, and how you expect to be treated, there are jerks everywhere. Not everyone is a jerk but one jerk ruins everything. So please, be careful. Be smart. And Be aware. 

Safety Tip 3: It’s okay to say NO!

If you are staying at someone’s establishment and they are trying to take advantage of your finances (AKA trying to make you pay for couch surfing), it’s okay to say no, excuse yourself, and leave an honest review.

If you are in a car and you are uncomfortable with the people and/or driver in the car because, say they have a rifle under the seat or you simply get a bad feeling, it’s okay to reject the ride. Or get out of the car.

If someone invites you to a party and is trying to get you to separate from the pack because they have an elevated sense of grandeur and they tell you they hold the world record for longest and highest slack lining, it is okay to say no!

If you are at a place and someone is trying to get you to drink or eat something, it’s okay to say no and walk away!

Safety Tip 4: Walk tall, hold your head up, and don’t spend too much time looking down. 

If you look, feel, and act confident, people are less likely to try and rob or hurt you.

When I travel (or even walk down the street from my house) I keep my head up, back straight and acknowledge people as I pass them. I never walk with my head bowed or looking unsure. Even if I really have no idea where I’m going, I try to give an air of confidence.

So far, this strategy has worked wonders in my life. I have been to Morocco, Canada, New York City, Peru, Belize, Argentina, Mexico, LA, Spain, Portugal, and Honolulu and have yet had someone try and pull a fast one on me. I have actually only been robbed one time and that was while staying with a friends friends family member in Morocco. We left our bags at their house for the day and next thing you know, our brand new, Bluetooth headphones were gone. Which was a massive bummer.

Lesson? Never leave valuables out. Ever. 

Long story short, traveling alone is amazing!

If you implement these basic safety tips, it can be empowering, exciting, and exhilarating. You will laugh, cry, lose sleep, and thrive! You will see things that you previously have never seen and meet people you otherwise would not have met. Some of my most profound life experiences have occurred alone, somewhere in this big world. I can’t express profoundly enough how valuable my solo traveling experiences have been. 

Adopt these safety tips, add onto them and travel as safely and as smartly as you can! 

And please, as always, please let me know if you have any questions about anything travel related.