8 Ways Women Can Find the Courage to Travel Solo

The thought of travelling alone can feel terrifying. Questions like: What if I get lonely? What if I’m not safe? What if I regret it? They are likely to race around through your mind. 

However, if you’ve ever had these thoughts, just know that you’re not alone. I can almost guarantee that every woman who has solo-travelled has felt the same way before taking her first trip (myself included).

Getting the courage to travel solo doesn’t mean not being scared to do it; it means feeling the fear and doing it anyway (I know, I know a cheesy, cliche quote, but it definitely fits in this situation).

And I know all of this because I’ve been there. At 22, I set off on my first solo adventure after my friends and I decided to go our separate ways in Southeast Asia.

Thankfully, it was not due to a big argument after spending 3 months in each other’s pockets, but because we all wanted to visit very different destinations by this point. 

I was nervous, but I went and did it anyway because if I didn’t, it would have meant going home, and that is something I categorically did not want to do. 

And now, more than a decade later, I’ve solo-travelled safely through nearly 40 countries (including destinations like India), and I can honestly say it’s one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done.

In this post, I’ll share the exact steps that helped me build the courage to travel solo as a woman, so that you can take that first leap too.

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1. Start Small Before Going Big

If the idea of flying halfway across the world on your own feels overwhelming, one of the best things you can do is test the waters by travelling solo somewhere closer to home.

That could look like taking a day trip to a nearby city, going for a weekend away to a destination that’s just a short flight away, or even simply eating out or going to the cinema alone.

These little steps help you get comfortable with your own company and ease you into less familiar surroundings before you make a bigger leap.

A lot of people think solo travel only “counts” if you quit your job, pack a backpack, and disappear for six months. 

But it doesn’t need to be that way AT ALL because solo travel can be as simple as a weekend city break.

When I first started, I didn’t set out with the goal of being a “solo traveller”; I found myself alone by circumstance. Choosing to continue solo was nerve-racking, but because I’d already built some confidence travelling around Southeast Asia with friends, it didn’t feel impossible. 

Starting small is how you begin training for the bigger adventures. And trust me, once you do it, you’ll be surprised at how easy it feels and even question what you were worried about in the first place.

2. Reframe Fear as Growth

A lot of us can see fear as a red flag and a sign that something is wrong and that, because of that, we shouldn’t take the risk. However, that’s just us mistaking fear for gut instinct or intuition.

When it comes to solo travel (and most things in life), fear is often a sign that we’re on the edge of growth.

I used to think fear meant I wasn’t ready. Now, I see it completely differently. I now know that fear means I’m about to do something that will get me out of my comfort zone and ultimately lead to some sort of personal growth. 

Some of the most transformative moments of my life came when I was scared. Things like boarding a flight alone to a new and intimidating destination with no one waiting for me on the other side.

Every time I’ve shown up on my solo travels, I’ve always pushed through and proved to myself I could handle the situation. 

Even after more than 10 years of solo travel, I still get fear and anxiety from time to time, especially when heading to more off-the-beaten-track destinations like Oman and India.

But the difference now is that I’ve built up the muscle, so it means that squashing the fear gets easier and easier each time.

3. Focus on Safety (Not Fear)

For most women, safety is the number one reason solo travel feels so scary. And it’s true because safety is paramount and will have the biggest impact on your solo travel experience. 

But it’s just one part of the journey, and like all of the downsides to solo travel, it’s something you learn to navigate as you go.

One thing that made all the difference for me was that instead of focusing on all the things that could go wrong, I focused on how best to prepare myself to keep myself as safe as possible. 

When I first started, I had a few simple rules that helped me feel more secure:

• Always trusting my instincts ( if something felt off, I removed myself from the situation).
• Booking accommodation with lots of good reviews (especially from other women).
• Sharing my travel plans with a friend or family member so someone always knew where I was.
• Avoid walking alone down dark or isolated streets at night.
• Carrying myself with confidence (even if I had no idea where I was going).

Back when I first started solo travelling, tools like eSIMs and easy travel insurance weren’t available and going online often meant finding an internet café or waiting until you were back at the hostel to connect to the very slow Wi-Fi (gosh, I feel old even typing that out).

These days, it’s SO much easier, and I never travel without a few essentials that give me peace of mind:

• SafetyWing Travel Insurance – Reliable coverage for medical emergencies and unexpected travel issues. Having it means I don’t have to worry about what I’d do if something went wrong abroad. The best part is that you can renew it monthly, and you can take it out even if your trip has already begun. Plus, the payouts are super quick (I’ve had to claim on it 3 times in the last year).
• Airalo eSIM – Affordable mobile data as soon as I land is so handy, as it makes it easy to message family, check maps, or book transport straight away. 
• Offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me) – A backup that’s saved me countless times when I’ve had no signal. Downloading maps in advance means I can always find my way.
• Translator App (Google Translate) – A lifesaver when I don’t speak the local language. It’s helped me to translate menus, communicate with taxi drivers and more. 

4. Build a Support Network

Solo travel doesn’t have to mean doing everything completely on your own. One of the easiest ways to build courage is to know you have people in your corner rooting for you and offering advice if it’s needed. 

Before my first trip, I made a point of checking in regularly with family and friends to remind myself that no matter how far away I was, I was never truly alone.

Today, it’s even easier to create that support system. You can:

• Schedule regular check-ins with a friend or family member.
• Share your live location through apps like WhatsApp or Google Maps.
• Start a social media account to share your travel experiences and build an online community.
• Join solo female travel Facebook groups or forums where you can ask questions and get advice.

The best part is that the more I travelled, the more my support network grew from fellow travellers I met on the road to the fabulous women in my online community.

An amazing fact that I also learnt is that 84% of solo travellers are women, and more than half are planning to travel alone (Condor Ferries), so it will probably be much, much easier to build this network than you think.

5. Change the Narrative in Your Head

So much of the fear around solo travel isn’t about what’s actually happening in reality; it’s more often than not about the narratives (shaped by our past experiences) we have going on in our heads (and I say this as someone who could win a gold medal for her overthinking skills). 

I used to spiral with thoughts like: “I’ll be lonely,” “People will judge me,” or “What if something goes wrong?” And, if I’m totally honest with you, I still do get these thoughts from time to time. 

What changes things for me is flipping the script. Instead of thinking, “I’ll be lonely,” I’ll tell myself, “I’ll have the freedom to choose without compromise.” Instead of, “People will judge me,” I reminded myself, “Most people will admire me for travelling solo.”

Shifting these narratives might not erase your fears completely, but it can help to reframe them in a positive light.

6. Embrace The Independence

Before I started travelling solo, I saw independence as something intimidating. The idea of being fully responsible for myself, planning routes, making decisions, and eating out alone all felt like A LOT.

However, once I got going, I realised independence is one of the best parts of solo travel, if not THE best part (and it definitely becomes addictive).

There is absolutely no compromise on where to eat and no debates about which city to visit next. Every decision was mine, and that felt really bloody good!

Some of the things I once dreaded became my favourite parts of travelling alone:

• Eating out solo (which I now often prefer).
• Planning trips exactly the way I wanted, without having to factor in someone else’s priorities.
• Waking up and choosing my day on a whim (even if that includes chilling in my hostel bed all day). 

7) Make Sure To Do Your Research

One of the biggest things that can help you to feel more confident and comfortable when solo travelling is knowing where you’re going and what you’re doing, especially if you’re solo travelling for the first time.

A little bit of planning goes a long way. Understand whether you’d feel better by just properly planning out your first few days, or your first few weeks and go from there.

I’m not saying you need to plan every minute (and I don’t think you should because there is no fun in that), but having a rough idea of how to get from the airport to your accommodation or where you might grab dinner can be such a game-changer in helping you feel calm and confident with what you’re doing.

Once you build up your solo travel confidence, you can start to leave more room for spontaneity and unplanned adventures (which, speaking from experience, will form some of your fondest solo travel memories).

8. Remind Yourself You Can Always Change Your Mind

One of the biggest mindset shifts that gave me courage was realising solo travel isn’t a lifelong commitment. If you try it and don’t like it, you can stop. Whether that looks like meeting up with people to travel with them, or cancelling your trip and flying home, it’s absolutely ok to change your mind.

At 22, that thought took so much pressure off. I told myself, “If I hate it, I can always change it.” Knowing the decision wasn’t final gave me the freedom to just try, and of course, once I did, I discovered I loved it.

One thing you have to remember is that very few choices in travel are permanent. If you don’t like something, whether that’s a hostel or a new city you’ve arrived at, you can always change your mind and book a new hostel, or the first bus out of the city.

Final Thoughts 

Make sure that you start small to build your confidence, reframe fear as growth, and focus on good preparation and planning to give yourself peace of mind.

Most importantly, remind yourself that you’re capable of more than you think.

I’ve now solo-travelled safely through nearly 40 countries (including places like India), but I’ll never forget the 22-year-old version of me, standing in Thailand, terrified of taking that first step alone. If I could do it then, you can do it now.

So if you’ve been telling yourself, “I want to travel, but I’m scared”, this is your sign to book the ticket and trust yourself.

If you need a little extra nudge, I’ve put together five reasons why every woman should solo travel at least once, and if you’re already dreaming about packing your bag, don’t miss my guide on backpacking in your 30s with tips to help you feel prepared and confident for an over-30s backpacking trip.

And when you do, don’t forget the essentials I never leave home without: SafetyWing Travel Insurance for peace of mind and an Airalo eSIM to stay connected wherever you land.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out or take a look at my solo female travel hub for more tips and advice.