Your Safe Solo Travel Guide And Preparation Tips

Join a global community of over 200,000 TEFL teachers working throughout the world! Enrol me!

Now that you’ve decided to take the leap and follow your dreams of becoming a solo traveller, for whatever reason, there are a few things to consider when choosing your destination. Research the spoken language, cultural beliefs, security/ crime rates, religious beliefs, etc. Some of the factors to consider will impact women more than men so do pay attention to this especially if you are a female solo traveller. We will outline our top tips for safe solo travel throughout this piece and although we may sound like your mother giving you an unwanted lecture, do take notes! The experience you gain will make all of the hard planning worthwhile, and there are many benefits of solo travel, which we’ve previously discussed in detail in our blog here

Choosing a destination

Unfortunately, we live in a world where women face stronger obstacles than men when travelling alone, but don’t let that stop you. There are plenty of resources available to help you choose a destination that is safe (especially for female travellers) and numerous guides to help you feel at ease while travelling alone! Careful planning, completing risk assessment tests, and thorough research of your chosen country will minimize stress and uncertainty, and is key for a hassle-free trip! A top tip for safe solo travel is to research the local laws and the role of women in the society of your chosen country. Remember that wearing a bikini during summer is the norm in places like Ireland or Canada, but could be unacceptable or a fineable offense in some foreign countries such as parts of the UAE. Some of the safest destinations for solo travellers include New Zealand, Iceland, Canada, and Switzerland. Check out our Instagram highlights to hear how some of our teachers are getting on with their solo travel experiences! 

Festivals for solo travellers

Solo travel receives great recognition worldwide, and there are many festivals and events held especially for solo travellers and single people in general! Europe’s most famous festival for singles is the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival in Ireland. Starting early at 11 am and finishing when the sun comes back up, you can expect to dance the night away with performances from Ireland’s top musicians. It’s a fantastic way for singles from all over the world to meet, from traffic light parties, daily matchmaking sessions with king matchmaker Mr. Willie Daly, and endless sessions in the pubs! Among other fantastic festivals for solo travellers include Soul Circus in the UK, Pitchfork festival in Chicago, and Flow Festival, Helsinki. You can read more about these here

Festivals for safe solo travel

Safety tips

As experts in the subject of travel, and with many of our graduates setting off to teach solo, we have plenty of safe solo travel tips to share, most of these tips are applicable to group travel too! It’s expected to get caught up in the thrill of adventure, but be wary of your belongings as you snap that perfect sunset for Instagram. Watch out for pick-pockets and be sure to have your wits about you especially if you’re walking home alone at night, it could be as simple as taking the well-lit path home rather than the shadowy shortcut. Other simple yet effective tips to go by to ensure safe solo travel include scanning your personal documents and having multiple hard and soft copies of them, just in case you lose your passport after sampling a few too many local beers or worst case scenario it gets stolen. Update your close friends and family on your whereabouts, whether you’re visiting a friend a few hours away or jetting off on a month-long solo adventure. It’s important to share your itinerary and check in regularly (it’ll put your loved ones’ minds at ease if nothing else). For females especially, don’t leave drinks unattended as spiking is sadly common worldwide, ensure your accommodation has door locks, and avoid easily accessible ground floor accommodation. You can find many more safety tips and planning guidelines on the Government of Canada website, a great resource with insightful information for all nationalities – not just Canadians! 

Safe solo travel

Hopefully, you’ve found this piece useful and you’ve learned something new about safe solo travel and how best to prepare for your life-changing adventure! Whether you are a qualified TEFL teacher about to move overseas to fulfill your purpose, or if you’ve taken some time off work to see the world, solo-travel is completely eye-opening and awe-inspiring. While it’s important to be cautious, don’t overthink it – life is for living, enjoy the uncertainty that comes with travelling, and let’s not get caught up in the what-ifs! 

Comments:

Hi… I have been interested in viewing a few possible destinations to travel… I would love more of a prospective to what the options are to travel alone being a women also!

Kiran Alam

Kiran, 9th November 2020

Get Social

Follow us on social networks, join our newsletter - get the latest news and early discounts

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us on social networks, sign up to our e-newsletters – get the latest news and early discounts

Accreditation Partners

The TEFL Academy was the world’s first TEFL course provider to receive official recognition from government regulated awarding bodies in both the USA and UK. This means when you graduate you’ll hold a globally recognised Level 3 (120hr) Certificate or Level 5 (168hr) Diploma, meaning you can find work anywhere and apply for jobs immediately.

Product added to your cart

You have added to your cart:

Request call back

    Please leave your details below and one of our TEFL experts will get back to you ASAP:

    captcha Type characters on the left:

    Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

    Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

    Thank you! Your message has been sent!

    Download the TEFL World Factbook

      Please enter your details in order to download the latest TEFL World Factbook.

      Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

      Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

      Thank you for downloading the TEFL World Factbook!


      If the TEFL World Factbook did not download
      > Click Here To Download <

      Download the Online Teaching Guide

        Please enter your details in order to download our Online Teaching Guide.

        Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

        Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

        Thank you for downloading our Online Teaching Guide!


        If the Online Teaching Guide did not download
        > Click Here To Download <

        Download Prospectus

          Please enter your details in order to download our latest prospectus.

          Would you like us to update you on TEFL opportunities, jobs and related products & services?

          Yes, keep me updatedNo, but thanks anyway!

          Thank you for downloading our prospectus!


          We hope you enjoy reading our prospectus, we have tried to make it as useful as possible! Please get in touch if you have any questions.


          If the prospectus did not download automatically
          > Click Here To Download <

          $
          $