Best tips and top products for solo women travelers
While the act of solo traveling continues to grow in popularity, learning how to do so efficiently is vital.
To set you on the right path, "Good Morning America" has tapped Lale Arikoglu of the "Women Who Travel" podcast to breakdown everything from general tips to safety hacks for solo travelers.
One of her leading tips includes signing up for a walking tour or a class to immerse yourself in the culture. She said it's also a great way to meet people along the way.
However, if you're looking for more structure, some tour operators have created self-guided tours.
Arikoglu said if you love cruises, "Don't rule them out."
"More and more lines have launched single supplement rates that cater to the solo traveler," she said.
Alternatively, she advised finding a tour company that does small group tours for women, such as AdventureWomen.
Safety tips for solo women travelers
Tip #1:
Share your location with friends and family. Also, if you're hiking outdoors, stay on well-trafficked trails and don't go off the grid -- if you hurt yourself, you may need someone to find you easily.
Tip #2:
Don't post on Instagram and geotag in real time if you're traveling alone -- it means sharing your location with strangers.
Tip #3:
If you don't speak the language of the place you're traveling to, empower yourself to use a translation device such as the Vasco V4 language translator device.
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Top products for solo women travelers
From a safety perspective, the Garmin InReach Messenger, which is like a mini satellite messenger, is a great pick to have, according to Arikoglu.
"If you are out somewhere that doesn't have cell phone service, whether you are in a city or you're out in the woods, it can send SOS alerts to specific numbers that you have set up in the device," said Arikoglu. "And it's very small, so you can just bring it along with you. You can let family and friends know that you are OK or send your location information to them.
She continued, "Also, it has a weather update on it, so if you're out on your own and you need to prepare for rain or snow, you can have that alert with you."
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"An essential item for a solo traveler is a power bank (or even two)," said Arikoglu. "In daily life, you may rely on others for a phone charger, but when traveling alone, it's not very safe or smart, and also not very helpful when you need to look things up or remember how to get back to your hotel."
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Arikoglu also recommends having a backpack that's durable and lasts a long time, since when you're alone, you will need to be hands-free.
"A Cotopaxi travel pack is a great option. It essentially feels like it is designed for any occasion," said Arikoglu. "It's the kind of backpack that you can zip open and it lies flat, so you can see everything at the same time. It's got different compartments that you can use for dirty clothes, clean clothes or just separating two different parts of your trip, such as a beach part and city part. It's very ergonomic. It distributes the weight the best and it's great for backpacking because it's waterproof, but also good for city trips and essentially any type of trip."
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Having comfortable, easy-to-wear pants is also essential for solo travels. Arikoglu's recommendation for bottoms is Shop Duer's No Sweat Everyday Pant.
Available in black, green or tan, these pants have a ribbed waistband and drawcord for an adjustable fit. They are also designed with plant-based lyocell for antibacterial and moisture-wicking properties.
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