I would consider myself to be an experienced traveller, and although I thoroughly enjoy travelling with friends and with small groups of likeminded individuals, I really value my independence and find solo travelling most liberating. Coming from a community where this is rare for women to do independently of family and friends, I’m often asked how I do it and manage to keep safe as a ‘woman’, more importantly an Asian Muslim woman! I guess we’re fairly new in the travel scene like many migrant communities those that are embarking on travels will first explore the most Muslim friendly destinations such as the UAE, Turkey, Morocco and some places in Western Europe (if your base is the UK). This is natural of course, all these places are beautiful catering to a range of Muslim needs.
I’ve always been drawn to the less mainstream destinations, which I realise is not everyone’s cup of tea hence why I started solo travelling initially but through the safety nets of volunteering on conservation projects from remote islands in the Maldives to the jungles of Borneo. I may no longer be a newbie to the solo female traveller world, but appreciate that I’m a minority amongst a group of minority travelers, and that there are many who wish to embark on their first solo travel adventure but the idea alone is daunting! This is perfectly natural and sometimes often induced by ‘unnecessary anxiety’ reflecting an individual’s environment as opposed to current state of the world. I hope the following will help some of you venture outside of your comfort zones and help keep you safe!
First timers solo travelling: For those who have never solo travelled before but like the idea, start of visiting a different city in your country. This will give you a little more confidence to board a plane on your own to a neighbouring country. Once you passed travelling on your own to another city, to neighbouring country or even revisiting somewhere on your own that you had previously been to with friends/ family – you’ll be so much more confident to try a new destination. Give yourself a year or two to get to this level of confidence, perhaps start with mainstream destinations then you’ll be eager to try out somewhere off the beaten track.
- Join groups on social media of the destination you’re heading for ‘expats/ foreigners in…’ and ask any questions here. Follow vloggers/ bloggers for inspiration on destinations. Only communicate with those you feel comfortable with online.
- Research & Plan
I am known for both my planning and research skills, so planning a trip in advance comes naturally to me. So, before you’ve booked your trip, do some basic research into requirements of destination as the world of travel has changed enormously since COVID-19 hit our lives. In addition, ensure it is ‘safe’ to travel to, your local government will inform you and advise you against any non- essential travels and often these are areas that might border nations in domestic or political conflict. Most travel insurers follow government travel advice and if you are advised against any non-essential travel to a destination, it is unlikely to be covered by insurance so make sure to check this.
Make sure you fully understand what’s expected of you by authorities on arrival and have the relevant documentation needed (visit the embassy page of destination for specific and updated information). Visit this up until day before travel so you’re informed on any sudden changes to rules and guidance.
- Plan a basic itinerary, a chart or a table on Word/ Excel even Notes on your phone would do.
- List the activities you want to do ranking from top to bottom that way even if you managed to do ½, it was high up on your list.
- Research as much as you can about all the spots on your itinerary, create your own map on google maps, plan your days based on location (hit 3-4 spots in a day depending on accessibility).
- Research on public transportation and make a note of routes on your itinerary. Planning or knowing about what bus/tram takes you from airport to hotel is a great money saver! Download local city transport apps before arrival
- Avoid reading up sensationalised news stories about solo female travelers abroad, there’s nothing worse than reading about kidnappings or watching ‘Berlin Syndrome’ before your solo trip!
2. Printed Documents:
We all use our devices now to download boarding passes to locate bookings even to pay for tickets. In case something happened to your device (talking from experiencing of having lost a phone on arrival, printed copies saved my day). Have the following saved as PDF on your phone as well as a copy downloadable on your email so you can access it regardless of device. Also print a copy and carry with you:
- Scan and print passport picture page + relevant visa page if needed
- Your itinerary (include important numbers such as local and home embassy, insurance details and any info of any contacts you’ll be meeting). Leave a copy at home for your family
- Mandatory documentation for arrival if requested by authorities
- Boarding pass
- Booking confirmation
- Any maps (including metro/ subway maps)
3. Valuables:
If you’re lucky enough to be in a hotel with a safe, you can leave your passport and other valuables here if feel safe to do so. Alternatively carry it secured with you and ensure any cash you’re carrying whether in local or foreign currency is divided in different purses.
- Carry a smaller purse with only cash that you will use for that day, one that you will take out frequently throughout the day but doesn’t contain too much cash in case you were to lose it.
- Have an online banking debit card such as Monzo available for card purchases, again with enough money to last you your trip but one you could cancel easily if lost and is not connected to your income nor DD.
4. Blend in:
Avoid drawing unwanted attention:
- Avoid taking out your phone/ camera/ valuables in places where you might stick out as a tourist
- Wear earthy colours (adds a little subtlety and helps you blend in a lot of places)
- Less with the make up – in general if walking alone on your own in areas where there aren’t many tourists, less with bold colour lipsticks!
- Modest wear: In some areas helps to dress like locals if you can easily blend in, this might come in a form of a different type of hijab or even the outerwear (I’m not a hijabi but wearing one in a less touristy Indonesian island helped prevent unwanted comments from by passers by on scooters).
- Observe locals and imitate body language / mannerism (try it next time at a local market)
- Learn a couple of sentences or phases in the local language (shopping transaction become easier)
5. Basic do’s and don’ts:
- Inform your accommodation if you happen to be coming back later in the evening
- Avoid returning late on your own using public transport unless you know the route well and feel comfortable
- Ensure to have some data allowance on your phone or buy upon arrival
- Avoid uploading locations on social media
- Communicate changes in plans or itinerary to your loved ones (even if it is taking a bus instead of train).
- Download offline google map of destination prior to arrival
- Avoid going on hikes alone however tempting, if so keep immediate contacts informed
- Avoid high risk activity on your own and ensure your insurance covers it if taking
- Avoid petting astray cats/ dogs however cute and harmless (if you’re scared of dogs on the other hand and one happens to be following you) pop into closest shop or ask a local to steer away (this has worked with me) – the dog was just hungry!
- Take care crossing roads especially in busy cities if there’s no traffic light system or ask a local to help you cross (again worked with me well in Jogja)
- Take a hands free bag (ideally backpacks with secret compartments) wear it on your front
NB: This is not an exhaustive list and will get updated accordingly. If you found this helpful or have any concerns regarding solo traveling, do reach out!
Halal Foodie Travel 