Mar 4, 2019
Today, more and more women are travelling independently. With the opportunity to meet more like-minded travellers and choose exactly what you want to see without having to compromise, there are many perks for women to travel alone. However, women still need to be prepared before they travel and take the necessary precautions to make their trip a safe and successful one.
Whether you’re an experienced traveller, or a first-timer, here’s our top 10 tips for women travellers.
- Make friends with other travellers
During our river cruises and tours, it’s very easy to make new friends with your fellow travellers. Our great range of EmeraldACTIVE inclusions allow you to meet likeminded travellers and go out in groups on various shore excursions including a guided hike through the vineyards or a guided bike tour along the Danube River, between Melk and Dürnstein.
Before you leave, check out online forums for women travellers for some hints and tips. Some have meet-ups that may coincide with your itinerary.
- Get orientated
If you’re visiting a place for the first time and arriving, book a city tour or hop-on-hop-off coach tour for the first day to help orient yourself and learn some local knowledge from the guide.
- Tell someone your travel plans
Be sure to tell your friends or family your travel plans and leave them with a detailed itinerary. Keep in regular contact during your trip and let them know when you arrive.
- Leave expensive jewellery at home
When you travel it’s best to leave your expensive jewellery at home so you don’t attract unwanted attention or accidentally lose your favourite earrings.
- Pack light and use a secure bag
To make travelling easier, we recommend keeping your bags as light as possible. This will help with collecting your luggage from the luggage carousel at airports. During your shore excursions and day tours, having a secure bag will help to keep your belongings safe and sound. Use a bag which has good zips and inside pockets and don’t carry all of your money on you – only bring what you need for the day.
- Keep important documents safe
When out and about, keep your important documents like your passport locked up in your suitcase. Be sure to make a copy of all your important travel documents before you travel and store these separately from your originals.
- Dress appropriately
Dress like a local and pack items that will help you be adaptable to your surroundings. In certain places you need to remember to dress appropriately and respect the local customs. At sacred places like temples, you typically need to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. For these occasions, we recommend bringing a light shawl.
- Always act confidently
If you’re out and about on your own, walk with confidence and don’t look too touristy. Try to look like you know where you are going, even if you think you are lost. If you need to check where you are, consult your map or guidebook in a safe place away from too many people. You can always get your bearings before you leave your hotel room or ask the Cruise Director or crew for the easiest way to your destination.
- Learn some of the local language
It’s always a good idea to learn some of the language when travelling which will help you communicate with the local people and immerse yourself in the culture. However, in Europe you will find that most people will speak English, but a phrasebook can come in handy if you enjoy learning new languages.
- Trust your gut
If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Trust that female intuition. If the food looks a bit so-so, the street feels a bit too dark and eerie, and the charismatic local is overly friendly or pushy – it’s best to get out of there. If you want to explore a town on your own, we recommend speaking to the crew or your Cruise Director who will be able to assist you with recommendations on the best places to go and can also provide you with maps of the local area.
Finally, be prepared to get to know yourself in a whole new way – grow in confidence, step outside your comfort zone and discover abilities you didn’t know you had.
With Evergreen Cruises & Tours, many female travellers choose to travel with us particularly on our river cruises through Europe and we have a number of single cabins available on our Emerald Star-Ships dedicated for our solo travellers. You can also enjoy a variety of solo traveller offers including no single supplements.
