Advice for Female Travellers...

Few female travellers experience problems during their gap year travels. Many women travel to countries alone and the majority of the time do not experience any difficulties. However, there are always times where even the most seasoned traveller can find herself in a tricky situation.

Here is some tip top advice for female travelers:

Should I travel alone or go with friends?

Having people you know with you can make you feel more secure and, as the old saying goes, there is safety in numbers. However, don't let concerns about your safety put you off travelling on your own. Around 70% of our customers head off on their own, and many of them are solo female travelers. As long as you take sensible precautions there's no reason you shouldn't stay safe on your gap year.

How to deal with unwanted attention

Travelling alone is fun but female travellers occasionally find themselves the subject of unwanted attention. If someone starts talking to you and it makes you feel uncomfortable or if you are simply not interested then you can try the following:

• If he is being polite it is best to just smile, say hello and then immediately walk away from him. This way you do not appear too rude, but at the same time you have made it clear you have no interest in stopping to talk to him.

• If he persists or comes on too strong then clearly and confidently tell him you are not interested, ask him to leave you alone and then simply ignore him.

• Travellers are invariably only too happy to help fellow travellers. If there were no tourists around, then go to the nearest restaurant, hotel, cafe or shop until you feel safe again.

It's important to remember that most locals are extremely friendly and welcoming, so please don't think that every time a local attempts to talk to you that they have ulterior motives, because most of the time they don't. Try to keep an open mind, but trust your instincts.

Dress Appropriately

Female travellers should take care to dress appropriately. Avoid making yourself an easy target by not flashing too much flesh. Think about the local culture. Look at how local women dress and then follow their example. Keep your beachwear for the beach and it's probably not a good idea to sunbathe topless. In culturally sensitive areas, cover your shoulders and your legs. Look at our advice on what clothes to take with you on your gap year so you can pack the appropriate clothing.

Common sense precautions

The best advice for female travellers is to trust your common sense:

• Avoid walking alone in unfamiliar areas, especially after dark.
• Never hitchhike and only use licensed taxis.
• Don't leave your drinks or valuables unattended and don't drink so much that you feel you have lost control of your own safety.
• Always practice safe sex on your gap year and remember no means no!
• Look after yourself in the same way you do at home, keep vigilant and don't take unnecessary risks.

Follow this advice for female travellers, and you can relax and enjoy your gap year in style!