The final Travel Myth Buster Series excuse I would like to address for not incorporating international travel into one’s life is:

Every other excuse that I have addressed in the Travel Myth Buster Series, I have believed whole-heartedly to be a bad reason for not traveling. This final excuse, however, is a little more difficult. Traveling solo as a female can be a very nerve-racking experience. Unfortunately, a solo traveling female is often seen as a target. And even if you do everything right, you can never guarantee an incident-free experience.

I have decided that I will not write on this topic personally, as I am a 25 year old male who has never and will never experience solo female travel. Instead I’d like to write about the thousands of women around the world who have already begun what is turning into a small movement of solo female travelers. I think the best thing a prospective solo female traveler can do, is to listen to what the experienced female travelers have to say, their stories, tips, and advice, then make a personal decision as to whether or not solo travel is right for them.

86% of women have already traveled alone or said they would be “up for it” in the future:

A recent AirMiles survey (found via Gapyear.com) showed that 21% of their female customers have already traveled alone. 51% said they’d be “up for it” in the future, and another 14% said that they would be “up for it” if travel was in a developed western country. This leaves only 14% that would NOT consider the idea.

Obviously, if you are a female considering solo travel, you are not alone. There are literally thousands of women out there that have already gotten on-board, and many more that will in the future. So, how can you find out more?

Ask the experts!

If you are interested in solo female travel, my recommendation is to learn as much as you can from those who have already experienced it. By listening to their stories you can better determine if solo travel is something you are interested in, or something you’re not comfortable with for the time being.

Writers and Bloggers: There are a number of writers and bloggers who have recently picked up the topic of solo female travel.

• Wanderlust and Lipstick: Beth Whitman has emerged as the un-spoken leader of the “female solo traveler’s movement”. Her recent book “Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo” has received solid reviews from large publications such as USA Today, as well independent and trusted sites such as Brave New Traveler and Go Backpacking. Beth provides great insight, inspiration, and advice on the topic of female travel, and even runs her own blog devoted to the solo female traveler.
• Stay Safe But Don’t Stay Home: A must read by Zahara Heckscher. Does a fantastic job outlining the potential risks of solo female travel, as well as the an explanation of common local assumptions of western women.
• Journey Woman: Journey Woman is an online publication exclusively for female travelers. The design is a bit “1993”, but there is a lot of good content pertaining to safety as well many other topics of interest to female travelers.
• Travel Minx: The Travel Minx (aka Shona Riddell) is also a seasoned veteran when it comes to solo female travel. She writes on the topic occasionally with posts like Top Safety Tips for Women Travelers, and is always quick to respond to comments and questions.

Online Forums: Online travel forums are also a great way to get in touch with experienced female solo travelers. These forums are normally populated with a number of well-traveled and even expat females who can provide a wealth of knowledge regarding site-specific descriptions of local environments facing female travelers.

*A simple but effective question to ask is, “I’m considering solo travel in country ______ as a female. Can any fellow female travelers give me their recommendations or advice?”

• Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree
• BootsnAll Travel Forum
• Aardvark Travel Forum

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