Backpacking as a solo traveler: What you should know

“Don’t go to India, you’ll get raped!”

“Why are you going to South America? It’s full of drug cartels and gangsters!”

“Stop hitchhiking, you'll get kidnapped!”

These are just a few of the warnings I’ve received about traveling alone, mostly from well-meaning, caring people who don’t travel themselves.

I’ve just spent three months traveling all around India, more than a year backpacking around Latin America, and I have been hitchhiking in Southeast Asia and around Patagonia de Chile. My family and friends are a bit worried about my adventurous travel lifestyle but the only people who can understand that it’s not as dangerous as it appears from the outside are fellow travelers.

Most of the news on television will stop us from traveling because it’s all drug trafficking, rape, calamity and horrible accidents, which to be honest can happen anywhere, even in our own country, but it’s nowhere near as common as the fearmongers would like to have us believe.

Traveling will open your eyes to the realities of the world and make you aware of dangers whilst keeping a calm and balanced view of the risks you face (and the ones you don’t).

Here are my tips for safer traveling for solo travelers, male or female.

1. Always keep your documents in a safe place and make sure to have a digital copy stored online. If your room has a safe or a locker, it’s best to lock your passport away in there, rather than take it out with you.

2. Separate your cards, cash and important documents. Don’t walk around scared of being robbed all the time, but remember that where there are tourists, there will be opportunists. If you have your bag or wallet taken, you don’t want to lose everything all at once. Only carry the cash you need and try to split your money between different cards if you can. There are some really good "pre-load" debit cards available that really help with this, and they often come with lower withdrawal fees too.

3. Contrary to what people say, you SHOULD talk to strangers. That’s how you meet people and learn things. Just be aware of your situation at the same time, at all times.

4. Never carry other people’s bags while traveling. Mind your own business and let other people take care of theirs. This may seem harsh and unhelpful, but in reality, tourists have ended up in jail in foreign countries for unwittingly carrying a bag full of something very illegal onto a bus or train.

5. Never go out late at night when you’re alone. This really depends on the definition of "alone." Depending on the area you’re in, there’s nothing wrong with going out into a crowded night market or to a busy bar. In fact, for a solo traveler it’s just part of traveling. Really, "alone" means really alone, in a place with little or no people. Just let your common sense guide you on this one!

6. Dress appropriately. Unfortunately, no matter what we know or believe in terms of male behavior towards women, sometimes we just have to accept that in certain countries, if we show a bit of skin, even if it's just the shoulder or the neck, we’re going to attract the wrong type of attention. Knowing what to wear is a must for both make and female travelers.

7. Learn some basic words and phrases. Learning at least a couple of words in the language of the country you're going to before you arrive is always helpful. When traveling alone, it can help you connect with local people, which could be very useful in many situations. Words like "NO," for example, are a good start!

8. Ask locals for advice. Ask the owner or staff of the hostel you're staying at about safe places you can go, when it is best to go there, what to do and not to do, and what kind of transport is OK to use. The locals usually give the best advice: if they don’t go somewhere, there’s usually a pretty good reason why they don't.

9. Know your limits. Bar crawls and drinking are all part of traveling for many backpackers. But just because you’re with other backpackers doesn’t mean you should just get wasted. Let’s be real, you’ve just met these people – you don’t know them, they don’t know you and you shouldn’t rely on them like you would your friends back home. When it comes down to it, if you get separated, they’re probably not going to come looking for you. Learn you limits and watch your drink!

10. Always trust your instincts. Learn to recognize that slight uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach, the tingling hairs on the back of your neck, or your heartbeat changing for no apparent reason – these are our instincts telling us that something isn’t right. Some people lead very protected, insulated lives at home, which causes us to become detached from our instincts, but they are still there and they are your best gauge between what’s safe and what’s not. If it feels wrong, walk away!

These simple safety tips for solo travelers can helpp you enjoy your journey without worrying so much about danger that you miss out on having an amazing time.

Remember: be aware of your surroundings, ask for advice, use common sense and most of all, trust your instincts! Have fun and safe travels! — BM, GMA News

If you have any more questions about solo female travel, or travel in general, connect with the author on Twitter at @2monkeystravel.