A solo traveller has revealed her top tips for travelling alone, including booking certain hotel floors and being rude, plus some of her scariest experiences.
Sierra Belle, a creative account director from North Carolina, USA, has travelled all over the world, from Croatia to Montenegro to the Dominican Republic, and says confidence is one of the keys to reducing the chances of being targeted.
It’s okay to be rude
The 26-year-old, who imparts her wisdom to her 22,300 followers on Instagram under the username @belletropicssaid Daily luxury tripsThe more confident you appear when exploring a new place, the less objective you will be.
‘Before you can assess someone’s intentions, it’s important to avoid revealing any information that might make them more vulnerable.
Sierra Belle (above) has traveled the world from Croatia to Montenegro to the Dominican Republic. The 26-year-old shares her wisdom with others on Instagram under the name @belletropics
Sierra warns women that they can be “rude.” “They don’t owe anyone anything and they can’t afford to ignore their boundaries in order to be nice,” she said.
‘How much you share about yourself depends entirely on how comfortable you are in the situation and your intuition will be of great help in this case.
‘Especially as a woman, it’s very easy to feel the pressure to be polite and give people the benefit of the doubt.
‘Sometimes you can feel caught in this dance of “don’t be rude, but don’t give people (especially men) the wrong idea.”
‘You don’t owe anyone anything and you can’t afford to ignore your boundaries for the sake of being nice.
‘If you let that feeling of obligation take over your real instincts, you can end up in sticky situations.
‘You’ll have to get used to feeling safe by ignoring or completely ignoring people who make you feel uncomfortable.’
Book your hotel room carefully
Sierra said: “Traveling alone gives you an incredible amount of independence. It’s an amazing feeling that builds a lot of confidence.”
The traveler advised people to never stay on the ground floor of their hotel if it faces the street. She said: “If you ever feel uncomfortable, remember that you can always find a new place to stay.”
Sierra often receives comments from others about how excessive her travel rules are, but she refuses to pay attention to other people’s opinions.
Her next tip for staying safe is something people often don’t consider when booking accommodation.
Megan says you should never book a room on the first floor (ground floor for Brits) or one with a door directly facing the street.
Megan said: ‘I learned this lesson the hard way in Mexico when I booked a cute Airbnb with a frosted glass door that opened onto a relatively quiet street.
‘An hour after my arrival, I was unpacking when a man stood at my door and repeatedly tried to force the door open in broad daylight.
‘It was especially scary because even though the door had iron bars, I could literally see his silhouette through the frosted glass of the door the whole time.
‘Two days later, a man aggressively harassed me on the street during the day. He attempted to follow me and took photographs and videos of me from a distance.
‘Both experiences made me realize that I never want to live on the streets again.
‘These were two of the scariest experiences I’ve ever had traveling solo and it was just sheer bad luck that they happened back to back.
“If you ever feel uncomfortable, remember that you can always find a new place to stay. It may seem like an overreaction at the time, but I’ve done it twice and I don’t regret it.”
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
“Realistically, you can’t figure everything out on your own,” said the solo traveler, who noted that it’s okay to ask for help when traveling.
Sierra said: “Traveling alone gives you incredible independence. It’s an amazing feeling that builds a lot of confidence.
‘I’ve sometimes avoided asking for help, either because I find it embarrassing in some way or because I’m hesitant to trust strangers.
‘Although, in reality, you can’t discover everything by yourself!
“This was an important moment in which I learned that I can’t solve everything on my own and that it’s not always necessary to do so.”
Ignoring other people’s opinions
Sierra often receives comments from others about how excessive her travel rules are, but she refuses to heed others’ opinions.
She said: ‘Most of the online reactions have been very comforting, but a little frustrating at the same time. Overall, I feel very supported in the community I’ve created online.
‘The fact that so many women can relate to this is a sad and frustrating reminder that we have to go to great lengths to safely have the same experiences that men can more easily achieve.
‘Finding the courage to travel solo is largely an inside job, but having a community of women on your side can really make a huge difference.’
The best time to go
She said: ‘I think one of the best times to consider travelling solo is when you’re in the midst of some of those intimidating or destabilising turning points in life.
‘Honestly, I had never thought about traveling solo as a concept, let alone as a possibility for myself.
‘Many travelers you see online seem like intrepid adventurers.
‘Before I started, I looked for sources that resonated with me so I would feel confident enough to try it.
“It’s hard to explain how much traveling alone can change your life, but there really is nothing like it.”