These are the Essential 20 Solo Travel Safety Items You NEED to Pack

Door Lock

If you buy nothing else on this list, purchase this door locker! I found this while searching for solo travel safety items on Amazon a while back, and ever since I have NEVER traveled without it. It’s very easy to set up and use, and it helps you create a primary (or secondary) lock so that no one can enter your room while it is on (I’d recommend it even for a hotel or just anywhere your room doesn’t feel quite secure enough!). Even more pros: it’s small and lightweight, you can pack it in your carry-on, and it fits on a variety of door types.

Anti-Theft Backpack

While solo traveling (or traveling in general!) it’s important not only to keep yourself safe, but also to keep your valuables & personal possessions safe. This PacSafe backpack is my favorite to use on trips especially in Europe where pickpocketing, bag snatching, and bag slashing is more common. The key features I look for: RFID blocking technology, the ability to secure your backpack to your chair (so it can’t be grabbed), cut-resistant fabric, and lockable zippers so no pouches can be opened without your knowledge.

Solar-Powered Phone Bank

One of your most important solo travel safety tools is your phone – and making sure it never runs out of battery is essential, so I ALWAYS recommend a phone power bank so it’s easy to recharge anywhere! But don’t worry, you can also just charge it in the wall as usual so it’s a perfect two-in-one combo.

Phone Leash

I almost had my phone stolen in Chile, and the only reason it remained in my possession was because another solo traveler had advised me to use this phone leash – thank goodness I had purchased it IMMEDIATELY and put it to use! Phone theft has unfortunately exploded in much of Europe and in South America and it is so important to make sure your phone is ALWAYS attached to you or your bag at all times! As a double precaution, avoid being distracted by it or unaware of your surroundings, and as a triple precaution, keep it hidden when not in use.

Door Stop Alarm

This door stop alarm is another great solo travel safety item for hotels – it lets out a loud sound when pressed, waking you up if someone is attempting to enter your room. It’s not so great for hostels unless you’re already with a group, but it can also be useful for when you rent a single room in an Airbnb or even the entire place.

Portable Safe

If you plan on leaving your valuables at any point, a portable safe is a great option to protect your most important belongings. My favorite portable safes are this one, which is more lightweight and perfect for when you are leaving items on a beach or a similar situation, and this portable safe, which is more heavy-duty and is ideal for when you leave your valuables in your hotel room or in a hostel.

Don’t Forget This Essential:

SafetyWing Travel Insurance

Picture this: I’m on a solo trip in the middle of Patagonia – just about as remote as you can get – and I’ve spent the last 5 days sick & feverish. Getting sick abroad was DEFINITELY not on my solo world trip plan but it WAS the reality.

THANKFULLY I had the foresight to sign up for SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance – I knew with my multi-country hopping I’d likely need medical assistance at some point and wow … did I ever.

SafetyWing covered not only the local clinic visit, but it also covered my eventual hospitalization and treatments (spoiler: I got TYPHOID and had to get a lot of tests and some intense IV-therapy). And happily, the claims process was incredibly easy and only took me a few minutes to submit.

SafetyWing has been my go-to since this trip – I love that it has GLOBAL coverage, and includes all of the little things you don’t think about until something bad happens – like a trip delay, lost luggage, stolen items, and other (sadly common) travel woes.

So whether you are headed on a quick trip or longer adventure like me, do NOT forget THIS essential: SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete!

What’s included:

  • Complete healthcare – from doctor visits to hospital stays, routine check-ups, diagnostics, motor accidents, injuries from sports, and much more!
  • Global coverage – no more second-guessing whether you can get medical help
  • Fast & simple claims – it took me literally under a minute to submit my forms!
  • 24/7 human support – can attest I got an email response right away when I had a question
  • Lost checked luggage & stolen belongings – not something you want to deal with on a trip but a reality
  • Trip interruption & cancellation – if you travel long enough, you learn that something goes wrong eventually so having this kind of coverage is essential
  • Travel delay – sooo common these days and airlines don’t always cover your expenses!
  • AND MORE – it’s pretty much one-stop coverage, which is always a win in my book!

Don’t wait for the worst to happen! TAP BELOW to get coverage!

Hidden Money Travel Belt

Another one of my solo female travel safety tips: never keep all your money in one place. That’s why I like to have both my daily use wallet and this hidden money travel belt. It sits perfectly under your clothes and can be used as either your primary or secondary wallet. I use mine to keep spare cash and an emergency credit card, with the rest of my credit cards and cash in my easier-to-reach wallet. But my travel-loving parents are fans of doing the reverse; having most of your credit cards and money in the hidden belt and just a spare credit card and some cash in your daily wallet – so the choice is up to you!

Personal Safety Alarm

I love any solo travel safety item that does double duty for both my travels and my daily home life. I tried out the She’s Birdie personal safety alarm and now it lives on my keychain 24/7. It lets out a loud alarm to help deter an attacker, and if your travels are in the United States, you can even set it up to call the police and give the police your GPS coordinates. Unfortunately, this specific feature doesn’t work abroad, but I still bring it on my travels. If anything, a sudden loud sound is startling to your would-be attacker or robber, and in the few seconds they take to cover their ears, they will let go of you or your items, allowing you to create distance and escape the situation.

Anti-Theft Crossbody / Fanny Bag

I pretty much never travel without a crossbody bag – I love how it makes it easy for me to store and reach my most important items (phone, wallet, etc) but also keeps these in front of my body in my visual line of sight too. So when I saw PacSafe made an anti-theft waist pack, I purchased it straightaway. Similar to an anti-theft backpack, I wanted something that had RFID-blocking technology to keep my credit cards safe, locking zippers so no quick fingers could reach in undetected, and slash-proof material for ultimate security.

Airtag

It’s true; I have trust issues with airlines and I will ALWAYS opt to carry-on when I can. But if I can’t, I put an Apple Airtag in my suitcase so I can keep an eye on it wherever it ends up. I loved doing this so much, I ended up buying a multi-pack and shoving an Airtag into ALL of my bags – my carry-on, my backpack, and my crossbody bag. This way I ALWAYS know where all of my belongings are, which is a huge peace of mind when you’re out adventuring to just double check that your suitcase and backpack are safe where you left them (hotel / Airbnb / hostel / storage / etc).

RFID-Blocking Passport Holder

This RFID blocking passport holder is my favorite daily travel wallet – it protects your passport and your credit cards, and it’s small and flat, fitting perfectly into a crossbody bag (never store your wallet in your pocket!), a hidden money belt, or a backpack. Since the dawn of contactless cards, RFID-blocking is more important than ever!

Headlamp

You never know when your random hostel in the middle of the jungle in Guatemala will suddenly lose power – and you don’t want to drain your phone battery using it as a flashlight. I can’t tell you how many times a headlamp has come in handy in my solo travels – from packing my bags in the middle of the night in my hostel for an early-morning flight in Greece to coming back from a sunset hike in South Africa. I’ve even used a headlamp when a bathroom light was too dim to get ready! Definitely add this headlamp to your solo safety travel kit.

Travel-Sized Carbon Monoxide Monitor

If you prefer staying in an Airbnb or a VRBO – for long-term travels or a bit more comfort and amenities – I would highly recommend packing this travel-sized carbon monoxide monitor. This is incredibly important and an absolute ESSENTIAL solo travel safety item – there have even been cases of carbon monoxide poisonings in hotels! Some hotels don’t update their monitors or lack them entirely, so don’t trust anyone but YOURSELF with your safety when it comes to poisonous gasses where you sleep.

  1. Airbnb and vrbo link

Universal Travel Adapter

For any trip abroad, a universal travel adapter is a must-pack. I often country-hop on my solo travels, and it’s nice to just have ONE all-in-one travel adapter; and bonus if it has USB plugs! Trust me, you’ll always want a universal travel adapter, even if you’re only going to one place – I learned from my mistake of having the correct adapter for my final destination but was unable to charge my phone in my stopover country because it had a different plug type!

Personal GPS Tracker

If your family worries a lot when you solo travel, help their peace of mind by using the LandAirSea GPS tracker – this tracker is waterproof, dust-proof, and even has a SIM card (!). Essentially, this means your family, friends, and/or partner can get real-time GPS tracking of your location across the GLOBE. This is the very BEST tracker out there – perfect for letting your family keep track of your location or perfect for keeping track of your valuables – and it even has long-lasting batteries. 

I do use this in conjunction with my Airtags – the LandAirSea updates every 3 seconds but Airtags need a nearby phone to update; so while they’re great for my suitcase and backpack, I prefer the LandAirSea GPS tracker for my personal location for my partner to check on my location whenever needed.

TSA Approved Luggage Lock

I don’t know how I ever traveled without a luggage lock – this is my personal favorite because it is TSA approved. If your luggage already comes with a lock, that is fantastic, but you might not have a locking luggage or backpack – which is where these come in handy. Now whenever I leave my luggage locked up, it’s like having a portable safe where I can keep items safe that I’m not using during the day. There’s also no risk of someone tampering with my suitcase or rifling through things when my luggage is in storage – sometimes you land early and have to leave your luggage with a hotel front desk until check-in time, and having it locked is great for peace of mind – you never know who has access to their storage area!

Infinity Scarf with Hidden Pocket

As I mentioned before, I always advocate for you to split up your cash and your credit cards – so this infinity scarf with a hidden pocket is another perfect way to squirrel away emergency cash and cards, and to have them literally attached to you! I like to use this scarf during long airplane flights or on overnight buses so I know my most important cards are tucked up against me and hidden.

Hidden Camera Detector

Listen, you can never be too careful, especially as a female solo traveler, so use this hidden camera detector ANYTIME you’re staying in an Airbnb, VRBO, or hotel. Chances are, you won’t find anything in most cases, but for me it’s worth just being SUPER sure there is no random nanny cam spying on myself or the items I leave in a room. Protect yourself out there, ladies!

Fake Wedding Band

Wearing a fake wedding band whether you are married or not is my favorite subtle solo travel safety item – and these are fantastic wedding bands for adventure travelers; as they are flexible and breathable. If you are married, I’d recommend swapping out your valuable rings for something like this and leave your diamonds and gold at home. This way, not only are you protected from theft but also general wear and tear damage from traveling! For those female solo travelers not married, wear one of these rings anyway as a deterrent, and don’t be shy about making it obvious that you’re both uninterested and taken – for those times someone is being extra pushy or bothersome.

Travel-Sized, Compact First Aid Kit

No solo travel safety kit is complete without a travel-sized first aid kit. You never know when you’ll need a band-aid for a blister or something more substantial for injuries sustained while traveling. Travel can be rough on the body and it’s so important to be prepared! My top tip is to go through every item included in the kit so you’re familiar with what you have, and then supplement it with YOUR personal favorite or essential first aid items like a dedicated blister treatment, essential medications, and more. Make sure to keep it topped off whenever you get home too!

Solo Travel Safety Items Checklist

What are YOUR essential solo travel safety items? Have you tried any of these out? I would love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions – feel free to comment below!

Nov 5, 2024 | Solo travel, Travel

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RoamFreeRebecca content creator photographer

Hey I’m Rebecca!

I’m a travel & outdoors photographer, blogger, and content greator living in the US but you can find me adventuring around the globe! On this blog I share tips to help you improve your photography, inspiration and advice to explore the outdoors, destination guides, travel tips, and more to plan your own adventures!

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