Women Travelers

More than a few women travelers have asked us how safe it is to travel in countries like India, having heard bad stories. Let me just say it’s like traveling in your own country, where you know basic things like don’t go down a dark alleys alone, or wear proper clothing at temples or very religious areas, or follow what other people are doing till you get the hang of things. I was asked by a woman from Mexico City how safe India was for a woman traveling alone. She heard bad things and it stopped her from going. The funny thing was that I heard that Mexico City was one of the dangerous cities in the world. It’s all about false perceptions and focused rumors on only the worst cases.

I haven’t traveled the entire world… yet… but I feel that generally, people are inherently good and helpful, especially in the poorer areas. Also, women travelers I’ve met feel safer in Asian countries than most Western ones due to the nature of the Asian culture.

There are many good websites for women traveling alone if you google them. Most of them have lots of wonderful information, including how to avoid misunderstandings of unwanted male attention.

Journey Woman - A great website for women run by women. It has lots of travel tips and advice specifically for women.