How to Travel Alone Safely As a Woman in Latin America

Traveling alone as a woman in Latin America is an experience for the ultimate adventurer. Follow these guidelines to ensure a safe, healthy, and rewarding trip.

EditSteps

Part 1: Understanding Latin America

Understand why being a woman makes a difference. Latin America is one of the most economically unequal regions of the world, which means the region is also home to higher crime rates. The machismo culture makes it more unsafe for a woman outsider, as you are perceived as weaker than men and therefore an easy target.
- Read about the development and history of Latin America. Research information on cultural traditions, race, machismo, politics, trade, and the environment. Learning a bit about these topics will help you understand why locals may treat/perceive you a particular way, and also why the inequality exists.

Broaden your knowledge about the safety of your destination country/city. You will be more prepared on the ground if you know where you should and should not be.
- Research neighborhoods that are safe for international travelers, and those that should be avoided due to crime. Within those neighborhoods, identify the safe/unsafe places (restaurants, public parks, cafes, libraries, stores) and learn their physical locations.
- Often, hostels and hotels listed in travel books are legitimate and safe, but always do internet research about the neighborhood the lodging it is located in.

Make contacts within your destination country. Reach out to your social network and ask if they know anyone in this country. Utilize these contacts to learn more before you arrive, as the internet provides valuable information but can sometimes be out-of-date.

Part 2: Developing Awareness and Changing Your Behavior

Make a conscious effort to become more aware of your surroundings. Practice awareness, even before your trip. Try to take note of the number of people around you, the physical space you are in, your personal belongings, the time of day, and how you are being perceived. Practicing these skills at home—in an environment where you feel comfortable—will make it much easier to draw on them during your travels.

Identify personal habits that could lead to unsafe situations and work to change them. Here are a few examples of things that you may need to un-learn to protect yourself and your belongings.
- Holding your phone loosely in your hand in public, or asking someone next to you at a café to watch your computer/stuff as you go to the bathroom.
- Storing your credit card/money/phone in a back pocket or a purse that is poorly sealed and or not close to your body.
- Hanging your purse/backpack on the back of your chair or on the ground in a café.
- Meeting people in public and sharing information about what you do, the company you work for, or where you are staying.
- Taking many photographs of yourself in public or having someone else take them of you.
- Taking a significant amount of money out of an ATM and carrying it in public.
- Outwardly displaying your wealth through fancy clothes, electronic gadgets, or jewelry.

Understand how you are perceived as a non-native woman. The culture of machismo is real and strong, especially as a “gringa” outsider. You are seen as exotic and sometimes even “easy”, as many Latin American men perceive North American/European/Australian women as more available and promiscuous.

Be aware of how you carry yourself and interact with others.
- If you can, speak the language of the country you’re in instead of English.
- Dress conservatively (no tight dresses, high heels, flashy jewelry), and do not use excessive makeup. Dressing provocatively invites extra attention your way, so be sure to avoid looking your best when traveling alone!
- Ignore whistles and catcalls. Smiling back invites the person trying to get your attention to approach you.

Be careful when you go out at night. Although you may want to meet locals and experience true cultural immersion through nightlife, do not go alone into a local party, club, or even a restaurant at night. Instead find other foreigners to go with you!
- Stay alert and aware, especially at night. This means not drinking too much!
- Keep an eye on your drink when out in public, and don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know.

Part 2: Preparing for Your Trip

Pack lightly and efficiently! The less stuff you bring, the more control you have over the important belongings that you need. Pack only the essentials, and invest in a travel backpack that will enable you to be mobile at all times. If something happens, you don’t want to be weighed down by heavy luggage.

Scan a copy of your passport and email it to yourself and your family. You might also want to print out a copy and store it in a safe secret place in your luggage, especially if you’re traveling to a location without reliable Internet access.

Memorize all important personal numbers. This includes your passport number, social security number, cell phone numbers of your family, local emergency number in the country you are in, personal banking information, and the address of your home country’s embassy in foreign country.

Make sure you can contact others in case of emergency.
- Look up your international country code before you travel, and as soon as you arrive make a test call at a local call center or via Skype.
- Create a Skype account and fund it with money to make international calls. Although many internet cafés have Skype, many hostels/hotels have WiFi. Make sure you have the Skype App on your smartphone to connect and call home.

Figure out your finances. Contact your bank/credit card company to notify them you will be traveling abroad. This way, they will not cancel your card if they see a strange foreign charge. Also ask them about ATM fees and credit card charges, and figure out the least costly way to withdraw money.
- Ideally, you should bring two cards on your trip (a credit card and debit card). Store the cards in different places (one on your body and one in a secure luggage compartment) so if one gets stolen you have the other.

Notify your family of where you are staying and the phone number of the hostel/hotel. If you will be on the move, invest in a cheap cell phone that they can call to check in.

Buy an up-to-date travel book of the region/country you will be staying in. These books have the latest information about restaurants, hotels, taxi services, neighborhoods, etc. These books also have detailed maps, which are great resources for international travelers.

Know the local geography. Since you may not have access to your smartphone (and therefore live maps of where you are) in this country, study the basic geography of the location you will be traveling, as well as the main highways and key landmarks.

Part 3: Arriving at the Airport

Be very alert and confident as you exit the gate. Airports are the perfect place for locals to identify travelers that do not know what they are doing, so have everything in order before you leave the airport.

Wear a money belt under your clothes with your passport, cash, credit cards, and phone. Keep a small amount of cash in a purse for a taxi so you don’t have to reveal the location of the belt.

Avoid using any of your electronic gadgets (phone, computer, iPod) in public, especially when you first arrive in the airport.

Have someone you know meet you at the airport. If this is not an option, book your first few days in the country at a legitimate, trusted hostel/hotel and arrange for a ride from the airport through them. This ride may be more expensive than the going rate, but your safety is worth the extra money.
- Tell the hostel/hotel your name and make sure that the person approaching you is from your hostel and knows your full name. Never get in a taxi with a driver who approaches you and simply states he is from “your” hostel. Here are some helpful phrases:
  - Do you know my name: ¿Sabes cuál es mi nombre?
  - Hi, are you from Hostel Miraflores: Hola, ¿eres del Hostal Miraflores?

Be careful in taxis. Keep all of your bags in the back seat with you, ideally at your feet. Do not put your backpack on the seat next to you, as someone could easily break a window and steal it if the taxi is stopped at a red light or in traffic.
- Do not play with your phone, camera, or computer on this ride. Keep all of your belongings at your feet, and try to blend into this new environment.

Part 4: Considering Transportation, Lodging, and Food

Stay aware at the hostel/hotel. Keep a mental map of all of your belongings (cameras, phones, computers, headphones, travel books, shoes) and be very organized. Do not leave your belongings scattered across your room. Keep important things contained and out of sight (especially if someone is cleaning your room). Use a safety deposit box if you have one, especially for your passport and other valuables.

Eat and drink wisely. In most places in Latin America, you should avoid drinking the tap water, especially in rural places or cheaper hostels/restaurants. Also avoid eating things that may have been washed in the water and not cooked through, such as salad and raw vegetables.

Get recommendations for transportation from a trusted source. Do not accept offers of transportation from just anyone, even if it’s a taxi that seems registered. Instead, find out the best services from the hostel/hotel you are using, and pre-arrange rides through them. Ideally, always use transportation with someone who you know.

EditTips

Don’t be loud, obnoxious, or insensitive to cultural or economic differences you may observe.

If you want to experience nightlife and dance Reggaeton, just be safe about it. Go with multiple international friends (preferably some men), and do not walk back to the hostel late at night while drunk.

If you do not want attention from men, remember to not fuel the Machismo by smiling, giggling, or responding to the cat calls.

Always know where you are and how to get back to your hostel/hotel or a central location.

Wear comfortable shoes that you can run in.

Don’t assume that no one can understand you because you are speaking in English. Be aware of what you are saying when you call back home or meet someone from your country.

Although you may be eager to befriend many travelers at a hostel/hotel or locals who work there, don’t rush into social situations, especially in the beginning of your trip.