Female Travel Tips
Travelling solo as a woman could be a challenge at times. However, we are more than happy to find out more and more female backpackers conquering the travel world that just shortly back in time used to be reserved for the strong male figure. Not that we think that travelling is a luxury that only male tourists and backpackers can enjoy, for sure, but women used to be a bit more reserved when it comes to solo travelling. However, this is not the case anymore! Because of that, today we would like to provide you with a few helpful tips, tricks, and practices that can make your journeys more comfortable, safe, and exciting if you are a female discovering the world all alone. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Packing
A reasonable and realistic packing could be a challenge for every woman. We, girls, love to over-pack in the majority of the cases and there is nothing bad about being prepared in all situations and having a lot of your favourite stuff with you anywhere you go… besides the additional fees and charges, you are going to be charged with at the airport. In addition, if you are travelling solo, the chances are you are not willing to handle a couple of enormous and filled to the brim luggage bags that will make your migration definitely more stressful and a lot of hassle.
In order to prevent all this happening, packing only the essentials and preventing taking with you too many clothes you never end up wearing is the best strategy. In addition, keep in mind that you are most probably going to have the desire to do some shopping when abroad. In this case, a half-empty bag is a serious challenge, but also the best thing you can do to allow yourself some room for all the new and beautiful things you are going to purchase when travelling.
Some of the best ideas to help you make sure you are not over-packing include planning your outfits in ahead of time. Of course, you would like to be prepared for all possible scenarios and occasions, have enough clothes to take some wonderful and different pictures, however, chances are you are still not going to wear a half of the outfits you took with you. This is why planning your outfits before the final pack of the bags can help you a lot. In addition, it will save you the time of wondering what to wear and how to match your clothes once you are abroad and every second is precious.
Try to pack mainly basic outfits and colours that you can easily mix and match. In addition, if you are travelling for longer, keep in mind that you are definitely going to do some laundry and there is no reason for you to take your whole wardrobe. Keep in mind the climate of the place you are going to travel to, but if the weather allows it, try to pack only light and airy materials. You can also opt for versatile designs that can serve you as different pieces of clothing depending on the way you style them.
In fact, all the limited baggage topic is not that much of a drama anymore, because it allows you the pleasure of being creative. One last thing you remember is looking up what is culturally appropriate in the country you are going to visit and pack the right clothes. When you choose your outfits in a way that you are respectful to the country and local culture or religion, it will be easier for you to blend in, feel less of a tourist and be treated less like a tourist too.
Periods
As a female, you are going to travel in those special days of the month too. Of course, you will hardly have any desire to bring a bulk of tampons and pads with you that will take up so much of your space. However, there are many countries in the world that simply do not sell tampons, or female hygiene products tend to be very expensive in some areas of the world. One of the things you can do in this case is looking up beforehand and making sure that you will have an access to female hygiene products.
If the access is very limited, make sure to bring your favourite products with you. However, if you want to save the extra space in your luggage, you can use the reusable period cups available on the majority of the European and American market. As simple as that, these products are reusable plastic cups that you can use during the day and night without the need of constantly changing them or taking care of them. You can wash the tiny cup anytime you want and use it back again immediately. It does take almost no space, it is convenient, hygienic, and safe.
Men and Safety
Men exist anywhere in the world and men are great! However, sometimes when you are travelling as a solo female traveller and you stumble upon some customs and cultures you are not familiar with, you may feel a bit more uncomfortable and you need to learn how to deal with men from different cultures and in different situations. One of the main things in the majority of the countries you are going to visit is stares. As a female traveller, you are going to get a lot of stares. There are a lot of factors coming into play and most of them have nothing to do with you. In fact, you are going to wear a culture appropriate clothing and still get stares.
However, do not get offended, this is part of the human nature’s curiosity. Stares could even be a culture thing too. For example, in Italy catcalling is part of their culture and they do not assume stares and shouting: “Bella!” to you as a rude thing. In fact, they do believe they are complimenting you and making your day even better. In fact, all that unwanted attention can make you a bit uncomfortable, but remember that in 99.99% of the situations it is completely unharmful and just out of curiosity. In addition, remember that there are still a lot of cultures out there that do not expect a woman to be independent.
However, they are respectful enough to female tourists and understand the motives of people not belonging to their culture as far as you are respectful too. It is important to realise that it is different anywhere in the world, however, you can still be cautious enough to keep yourself away from troubles and issues. Just don’t let that all consume you and make you feel disappointed about your trip. What you can do to make sure you are staying away from all the troubled situations? One thing is completely ignoring catcalling and unwanted stares. Do not look back and smile, because for many cultures this is inviting. It will be better to just keep walking and eventually the stares will end and men will get bored.
Wearing a wedding ring even if you are not married is a good solution too. In some cultures being married over the age of 16 is an important tradition, so whenever you are wearing a wedding ring, men are very respectful to the marriage institution. In a nutshell, be cautious, but also do not ignore the fact that in many cultures people would like to help you with honest intentions just because you are a solo female traveller, so it is possible to receive kindness too.
When it comes to safety as a female traveller as a whole, it is a fact that for many male travellers different cultures and countries don’t make any difference in the way they are treated, but as girls, you should often be aware of the cultural differences and obey some traditions. Keep an eye for all these stuff and be prepared, because as a female traveller and as a human being in general, you want to be safe and comfortable anywhere you go.
Accommodation
As a solo female traveller, you may be wondering what are the best options you have for staying in. Hostels are a very good and very cost-effective option in 100% of the countries around the world. Hostels are also a great way to meet new people and make friends. However, if you are not comfortable with the idea of sharing a bedroom with males, make sure to do your research and check out if there are hotels offering female specific dorm rooms in the city you are visiting. If you are solo, the idea of renting an Airbnb, especially if shared with the host, maybe a bit too intimidating for you. However, do not be afraid to try out, it is totally ok, but always remember to read the comments and check out the rating of the host beforehand.
So in a conclusion, if you are a female solo traveller, there are most certainly going to be some things you should be aware of. However, do not let yourself to be scared and consumed by the idea that solo travelling for a girl is something really dangerous. Allow yourself to be the happy, strong, and independent girl you are and enjoy every second of your journey!
