Solo Female Travel: Practical Safety Tips for Indian Women, at Home and Abroad

Where should you go first?

No place is risk-free, and the same city can feel very different depending on the neighbourhood and the hour. These destinations are good starts because they have reliable transport, many solo travellers, and plenty of women who have done it before you.

Visa rules differ for each country abroad; check our visa guides before booking. Destinations with heavy party scenes, such as parts of North Goa, Pattaya or Phuket's nightlife streets, need more care at night than their reputations suggest.

How should you plan the arrival?

The first hour in a new city is when you are most tired, most loaded with bags, and least sure of where you are. Plan it in detail.

• Land in daylight where you can, even if the flight costs a little more.
• Book the first night at a place with 24-hour reception, and save its address in the local script.
• Arrange the first ride. Use a pre-booked transfer, an airport prepaid taxi booth, or a ride-hailing app. Ignore touts in the arrivals hall.
• Get connected before you leave the airport, with an eSIM or local SIM, so maps and messages work from the kerb.
• Carry a little local cash for the first ride and a meal.

Choosing where to stay

Read recent reviews from solo women, not just the overall rating. Look for a well-lit street, 24-hour reception and a working room lock. Ask for a room above the ground floor and not at the far end of a corridor. Use the door latch, and don't say your room number aloud at reception; ask them to write it down.

Hostels with women-only dorms are a good way to meet other travellers; check for lockers and staff on duty at night. Homestays run by families, common in Kerala, the hills and the north-east, are often the safest-feeling option of all. With rentals, prefer hosts with long review histories and places with other guests nearby.

Getting around safely

In India, app cabs with trip sharing are the default in cities. Check the number plate and the driver's photo before getting in, sit behind the driver, and share the trip with a friend. The Delhi Metro has a women's coach, and Mumbai's suburban trains have ladies' compartments. On overnight trains, AC classes are more comfortable and better staffed, and many women prefer upper berths for privacy. The Railway Protection Force runs a programme for women travelling alone on long-distance trains; the Rail Madad helpline is 139.

Abroad, use official taxi ranks or apps such as Grab, Uber or Bolt, and public transport during the day. In Japan, Singapore and much of Europe, trains are often the safest way around at any hour.

Everywhere:

• Keep your drink in sight and decline open drinks from strangers.
• Walk on main streets at night, and take a cab for the last stretch if a road looks empty.
• Dress modestly at religious sites and in conservative areas; a light stole covers shoulders or a head when needed.
• Keep plans vague with strangers. Saying a friend is meeting you later is a perfectly good answer.
• Know the local scams: tuk-tuk detours to shops, fake jewellery deals, people saying a sight is closed today, and strangers who insist on helping at ticket machines.

Share your live location with one person at home, and agree a time each night after which, if you haven't messaged, they call your hotel.

Emergency numbers and help abroad

Save your nearest Indian embassy or consulate's emergency number before you travel; it is listed on each mission's website. For consular help, such as a lost passport, the MEA's MADAD portal lets you register a request online. Carry travel insurance with a 24-hour assistance line, and keep its number on paper as well as on your phone. Our travel insurance service can help you choose a policy.

What to pack

• A cross-body bag with a zip, worn in front in crowds
• A portable door stop or door alarm for older guesthouses
• A light stole or scarf
• A power bank, so your phone never dies at night (cabin bag only)
• Copies of your passport and visa, kept separately from the originals
• A small padlock for hostel lockers
• Any medicines and personal care items you rely on

Our packing lists cover the rest by trip type.

Solo, but not always alone

Travelling solo doesn't mean spending every hour alone. Join walking tours, cooking classes and day trips to meet people, and consider a women-only group tour for a first trip abroad. If it is your first international trip, read our first international trip checklist, and when you are ready, send us your plan to book stays and transfers that suit travelling on your own.