Featured image: This month’s solo travel tips include packing tips and clever ways to save money | Photo by shiwork on Envato

Curated Wisdom from Our Community: Safety, Packing, and Practical Advice

Curated from our Facebook Group and Email Tips 

This month’s reader solo travel tips focus on safety, packing light, and practical travel strategies—perfect for avoiding those hefty checked bag fees. Compiled from inbound emails and our private Solo Travel Wisdom Facebook group, we’re excited to share these firsthand solo travel tips with you. These insights are designed to help you travel safely and smartly. If you have a solo travel tip to share, we’d love to hear from you! (You can do that here!)

Tip: You can download these tips as a PDF or print them using the icons above!

Solo travel tips: safety

1. Another woman traveller shared this tip with me. When you are lost and cannot find your way back to your hotel, go into the first hotel you pass and ask for directions. Hotel staff are generally familiar with the hotels in their community and should be able to give you good directions to yours. — Jackie H.

2. I get a business card with the name, address & local phone number of my hotel and tuck it in my purse. — Arlene P.

3. Copy your passport and put that copy in your luggage. — Terry S. [Take a copy of your passport] and email it to yourself so it’s on your phone – or just a picture. — Dorothy B.

4. A must-do is to get the business card of the hotel you are staying at, in each city. Present it to your taxi driver to make sure they know where to drive you, then get the card back. Lots of times they don’t speak English and you don’t speak their language. — Shirley J.

5. I always take a plastic envelope for paper copies of all my documents just in case something goes wrong with my phone, plus a few thank you cards and envelopes. As I use them they are replaced by receipts, brochures, postcards etc that I can stick into my journal. I also use Day One App to take a photo and make some notes as I go along, as reminders for when I get to the written journal. — Margaret B.

6. If you’re walking in a new place, use your phone for directions. You can change your Google map from driving to walking in order to reach your destinations. The walking maps will give you live views of your surroundings as well as the different terrains you might encounter! — Atonya C.

7. When I look for places in new cities, first I check the hostels, then the university and hospital websites for advice on where to stay. The universities and hospitals (especially teaching hospitals) are usually located in very walkable neighbourhoods that are well-appointed with good, quick, and easy food options and access to transportation. Use Google Maps to check out the area for shopping, food, transportation, and the specific areas you want to explore. — Diane E.

8. I lived in Japan for a year, a long time ago. Absolutely loved it. Don’t wear shoes inside homes (and many other places too), don’t blow your nose in public, and NEVER stick your chopsticks in your rice — it signifies death. — Mariellen W.

9. I found that a Bluetooth transmitter allows me to use my wireless noise-cancelling headphones on aeroplanes. I don’t have to use those lousy ones that the airlines give out now! — Kitty P.

Clothing tips

10. My savvy friend brings old clothes to throw away as she goes along. If needed buys local. — Salome O.

11. On long flights wear underwear one size larger than needed. It will be more comfortable and easier in a small lavatory. — Thalia C.

12. I have a large drawstring laundry net (aka lingerie bag) for certain types of travel when I might want to share a washing machine with another traveller but only have a few items. I wash all my laundry in the net, especially the small things, and the bag goes directly from the washer to the dryer. — Debra K.

Travel essentials

13. I use one of those film canisters as a sewing kit. Folding scissors, a piece of cardstock with a needle in it, safety pins, and some thread. — Debra K.

14. I always carry a very small travel manual alarm clock. I never trust wake-up calls, ever. — Shirley J.

15. Always travel with some good coffee and a small pepper grinder. — Marion H.

16. Take a pillowcase. Good for laundry and also if the pillowcase is suspect where you want to lay your head. — Faye J.

17. Hotel shower caps, one for the sole of each shoe you pack. Avoids the soles touching anything else in the suitcase, and having one cap per shoe means you save space. — Debra K.

18. Ziplock bags. Always have a few. Great for dirty, smelly or wet clothes. Also great to contain leaky bottles. — Marilyn T.

19. Always pack granola bars. They have saved me more times than I can remember. Airport delays, late night arrivals, early morning departures and when you just can’t be bothered – have a granola bar. — Vikki I.

20. A small fan will be a noise machine in a hotel and cool you off in a hot plane or airport. — Emilie F.

21. Always carry a pair of earplugs in your purse, you never know when they will come in handy! — Lotus E.

Money-wise travel tips

22. If you have a long delay or layover, go into the chapel. Most airports have one, and I have yet to find anybody in one. If there’s no chapel, head to the best restaurant you can afford. Even an excellent meal will cost you less than joining the clubs that give access to special lounges. You’ll be well-fed and rested. Bonus: the restrooms are nicer than the ones on the concourse. — Henrietta S.

23. If you have a spare room, consider renting it out on Airbnb. This has two benefits: 1) You get extra money you can earmark for travel. 2) You meet wonderful folks from all over; they can give you travel tips from where they live and can meet up with you while travelling. I’m a host and have had former guests show me around in their hometowns in Taiwan, Italy (x 2), Germany, and soon in Turkey. I even stayed with two of them and had an offer to stay with another (in NYC, no less). — Stacy K.

24. A few years ago, a group of six of us were in Paris, staying at an apartment, and we wanted to go and visit the Monet house and gardens. We looked at booking a tour, but it meant getting up very early and getting to the far side of Paris to join the bus. Instead, we rented a large car and driver which picked us up at our apartment and took us there and then back when we were ready to go. No bus, no waiting for other people. And the cost was the same or slightly less. We used Sixt for the car. — Diana E.

25. On a recent return from a trip, I found out my debt card had been cloned (despite being super careful) and $1k taken out of an ATM in the Philippines. My bank was very quick to respond and my card was immediately blocked. So my tip is to have more than one form of card while travelling and make sure you have a backup. I have a “travel fund” account which my card is set up to withdraw funds out of so they don’t have access to my chequing account. And also have a WISE card. And I transfer funds into there as I need them. So my funds are not tied up in one place. Your Phone banking app is a must to check your accounts regularly to pick up anomalies and block cards if required. — Gina S.

26. In Portugal when paying for a train ticket, or entry to a museum it pays to ask if there is a senior discount. They are not offered or on display, but almost always there is a discount. You need to produce an ID for the train ticket. Sometimes the discount is more than 50%. For instance, my 5.75 euro ticket costs 2.50 for seniors. Well worth it! — Kerry O.

27. I used Wise on my recent trip to Turkey and it was wonderful. I brought my debit card as a backup (never needed) but Wise worked wonderfully. — Donna M.

Use Wise to avoid international transaction fees when you travel. Learn more here!

Other solo travel tips

28. If you’re ever in London, I recommend the Chelsea Flower Show. Still the greatest flower show anywhere! — Jeannie K.

29. I really loved the Montemar Hotel in Llanes Spain. What a fabulous town. The north coast of Spain was uncrowded in early October. The Picos de Europa National Park is stunning. — Virginia M.

30. Yesterday I stumbled into the most fabulous shop in Polignano A Mare. Vetrò Handmade. Roberto the maker & designed this custom piece for me & I came back 5 hours later & it is now on my wrist. #supportthemakers Local & handmade & one of kind. 🥰. — Shanon J.

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