Solo Travel In India – Safety Tips For Foreign Women
‘Solo travel in India‘ is my favourite topic to discuss. And, I’ve been mulling over the safety tips for foreign women who wish to travel alone in India, because Indian women travelling solo in India can be largely different from foreign women travelling solo in India. People’s perceptions change with a woman’s colour and her ethnicity. It’s definitely easier for an Indian woman than a foreign woman to deal with certain situations that may or may not take place on her travels in India.
Solo Travel In India – Safety Tips For Foreign Women
My heart aches when people look at India as an ‘unsuitable’ or ‘unsafe’ destination for solo travel. Well, yes, travelling in India can be challenging for a foreign woman. But, it is not as bad as it’s made out to be by some people. I believe the challenges a foreign woman is likely to face are no different from the challenges that an Indian woman may come across while she travels in a foreign land. So, I guess it’s got more to do with our own unfamiliarity of the other culture and the way of life.
Today, I have roped in four awesome women, who belong to different parts of the world, to share their views and tips on travelling solo in India. These women have travelled alone in India, and have travelled extensively. So, their tips on solo travel carry a lot of weight.
Also read: How To Decide Where To Go Solo?
Candace Rardon
(Blog: A Great Affair) tells us how to be safe while travelling on a train in India –
 |
| Image copyright: The Great Affair |
“For me, India is one of those places where the journey is just as much fun as the destination — and chances are, part of your time there will involve a long-distance journey by train. Having spent over 300 hours on Indian trains, I found it was best to always book an upper berth–this will not only give you somewhere to keep your bags safe and secure during the day, but it will also help you feel safer at night as well, kept out of the fray as you sleep.”
Read more about her India travel experiences here.
Juno Kim
(Blog: Runaway Juno) tells us how she could deal with the fact that people in India have a different understanding of personal space.
 |
| Image copyright: RunawayJuno |
“Travelling in India requires a different perspective of the world. First, please know that the concept of personal space is different in each culture, India, especially. I had a lot of people leaning on me in the trains, looking at my ATM screen, reading my book with me in public places, which made me uncomfortable at times. Slowly I realized that the behaviour was out of curiosity and the people’s personal space is smaller than mine. I had the best time and worst time in India. I loved and hated travelling the country for two months. Would I go back? In a heartbeat.”
Read more about her experiences in India here.
Monica Stott
(Blog: The Travel Hack) tells us how to be safe on Indian trains.
 |
| Image copyright: The Travel Hack |
“My tip for solo females travelling in India is to book 3rd class tickets on trains. First and second class tickets might be more luxurious but you’ll be placed in a small, private compartment. This is brilliant if you’re travelling with friends or if you’re lucky enough to share with nice strangers – but you don’t know who these strangers will be. Because of this, it’s safer to travel in the 3rd class compartments. In 3rd class you’ll still have air conditioning and a comfortable bed but you’ll also have plenty of people around you to keep you safe.”
Read more about her India travel experiences here.
Last but certainly not the least, I bring you Mariellen Ward (Blog: Breathe Dream Go) who tells us to be instinctive and follow simple rules to stay safe.
 |
| Image copyright: BreatheDreamGo |
“I have always maintained that travel safety is more of a mindset than a destination. Personally, I have not found India to be the unsafe place the media portrays. I find the people here warm, generous and helpful. AND I always practise what I call “safe travel strategies” — such things as arranging for airport pickup, trusting your instincts and carrying a phone with a local SIM card. If you feel called to come to India, you might want to start with an organized group tour and then venture out on your own as you gain confidence. When you are able to open up to the beauty of India, she rewards you with magical moments you will treasure forever.”
Read more about her solo travel safety tips here.
I hope these wonderful ladies have infused the right confidence in those foreign women who desire to travel alone in India, but have fears.
In my opinion, no place in the world is safe or unsafe. As a rule, you have to be careful everywhere you go. In the end, I’d also like to give a few helpful safety tips for foreign women solo travellers :
. Do a lot of research before coming to India. Read about its culture.
. Dress according to the atmosphere and people around you. For example, in places like Goa and Hampi, it’s okay to dress skimpily, but there are places where people are used to seeing women dress in a certain way (like Uttar Pradesh). So refrain from wearing anything that might draw attention.
. Never wander alone in a deserted place. Always be aware of your surroundings.
. Take help from official tourism board of the state that you are travelling in.
. Stay in a recognised home stay instead of a hotel. Never choose a stay just because it’s cheap. Safety comes first.
. Keep your people back home informed about your stay and whereabouts.
. Always trust your instinct and stay away from anyone who seems weird.
. Be confident, nice and polite, but avoid being too friendly with taxi guys or anybody of that sort.
What would YOU say about solo travel in India?
If you enjoyed this post, you can –
Subscribe to receive ‘new post’ updates through Email.
Become a fan on Voyager For Life Facebook page.
