14 Best Travel Accessories for Solo Female Travel

As dusk fell on Cape Town’s GreenMarket Square while I was on a solo trip in South Africa a few years back, I started hustling to get to my dinner reservation. I had been told to avoid wandering the area on my own after dark and only had a few blocks to go when a local teen asked me to buy him something to eat at the corner bodega. Not wanting to expose my wallet, I grabbed a Clif Bar that I happened to have in the outer pocket of my bag, gave it to him, and headed off. 

A few blocks later, I was walking towards a tourist dining al fresco on the sidewalk facing me — and as I approached, she shouted firmly, “Stop following her!” Turns out, the kid had been tailing me and I was unaware — and unprepared. Now, I always pack a personal safety alarm and encourage any solo traveler to do the same. But this is just one of the many safety devices that have become a permanent part of my always-packed luggage. 

Having traveled to at least 50 countries, most of my trips in the last decade have been on my own, and I can’t imagine any other way to discover the world. While it’s easy to let paranoia about isolated incidents cloud our adventures, all it takes is some simple preparation to ensure that our global wanders stay safe. “Rarely have I felt like I needed any safety device during solo travels, but the peace of mind that comes from having a few items on hand is invaluable,” Radha Vyas, co-founder of Flash Pack, a solo travel company for those in their 30s and 40s (and one of my favorites to travel with) tells Travel + Leisure. “Solo travel is incredibly rewarding, and it takes confidence. And sometimes that confidence comes from having the right tools in the toolkit for when you need them.” 

Over the years, I’ve developed a network of solo travelers, from other journalists and writers to folks at my most trusted travel companies, and they each have their own essentials that they never venture without. Here are the 14 must-have personal safety products that every female solo traveler should consider packing, according to fellow solo female travelers.   

Anker PowerCore+ 5,000mAh Portable Charger

To keep up with my RunWestin training program for the Boston Marathon while I’m on the road, after a rainy few days in Vancouver, I went for a spontaneous run around Stanley Park, even though it was twilight. With both my international roaming and running tracking app Strava on (the app lets me send a “beacon” to my friends back home in case of emergency), I didn’t anticipate that the battery on my phone would quickly drain as darkness fell. 

As my power went to single digits, I panicked since I needed my phone’s map to guide me back to my rental car, or at least to connect me with an Uber to give me a lift if things got too sketchy, and I immediately regretted not packing my favorite, pint-sized portable charger on this trip. Measuring about the same size as a lipstick tube, the Anker battery pack provides just enough of a boost of juice when emergency moments strike since — let’s face it — our phones do become our lifelines.

Cekkiena Carbon Monoxide Detector Portable Mini Air Quality Monitor

When headlines first started spreading a couple years ago about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning for travelers — at both a Bahamas resort and Mexican vacation rental — my sister sprang into action by buying portable detectors and encouraged me to do the same. At first I thought that it was excessive, but since the poisonous gas is odorless, I’ve since realized how essential it is just to do a quick check. I’ve bought quite a number of them before settling on this Cekkiena one, which does need to be charged routinely, but is so small and compact that it doesn’t weigh you down.

Sabre 2-in-1 Clip-On Personal Alarm With LED Safety Light

While the Birdie Personal Safety Alarm is no doubt a reliable — and trendy — favorite among solo female travelers, I actually depend on Sabre’s more basic clip-on model since I can feel it securely sitting against my waistband, knowing that I can beckon help with the push of a button. The latest model also has a LED safety light, doubling the protection visually, and a blaring alarm that the brand notes is audible up to 1,300 (or the length of four football fields). Plus, I can get two of these for the price of one Birdie.

Apple AirTag

When Apple AirTags first came out, I didn’t love the idea of being tracked. But after an airline’s tracking app showed that my checked bag had made it from Newark to London when it clearly hadn’t, I knew that it was time to take tracking my belongings into my own hands — and I haven’t looked back since. Now, I keep one in both my backpack and carry-on, as well as a third one in a checked bag for long trips. But one of my travel friends, Helene Sula, whose book “Two O’Clock on a Tuesday at Trevi Fountain” comes out in April, has another creative use, carrying one on herself when she’s traveling alone. “I always let my husband know my AirTag is on me,” she says, noting it’s “tiny” and “not super expensive.” She adds, “If I go missing, he’ll be able to know exactly where I am.”

Rerishom Portable Door Lock 

On a recent trip to North Carolina, I was taking a quick rest in my Dillsboro hotel room when a man unlocked the door and walked right in. Turns out, we had both been given the key to the same room. It was a serious wake-up call to start packing a door lock. The same thing had happened to Sula, who always travels with this Amazon one since it gives an “additional barrier of entry,” she explains. “Its compact size and simple installation make it a practical solution for reinforcing door locks in unfamiliar environments…and ensures a restful night’s sleep.”

Homotek Wedge Rubber Door Stops

Similar to the door lock, Liz Carr of Intrepid Travel (I took my first big solo trip with them to the Galapagos) always brings a triangular door stop that’s usually used to keep doors open, but places it “facing the door on the inside to keep it from being opened on the outside. She says it’s “very cheap and there’s always room in the suitcase” for one. Vyas does the same and is a fan of this Homotek one since it has a strong grip: “It’s so simple, yet so effective.” 

Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kit

Another great travel friend, Juliana Broste, a travel video journalist better known as Traveling Jules, says, “When you’re traveling solo, you’ve got to anticipate your needs since you don’t have a friend you can send to the pharmacy for you.” That’s why she always has a mini first-aid kit like this Johnson & Johnson one handy with all of the basics. The bandages are not just useful for accidental cuts and scrapes, but also can help “prevent blisters from a naughty pair of shoes,” she advises. Broste one-ups the kit with her own extras like travel-size Advil and Tylenol, as well as Pepto Bismol and allergy pills since “you can never be too prepared.”

Eatmi Wedding Band 

One of my favorite budding travel writers is Acacia Gabriel, who I met through Be a Travel Writer. When she’s exploring the world on her own, she slips on a wedding band that she bought in Greece. Usually it’s on her middle finger, but she’ll slide it to her left ring finger “when a situation calls for it.” That includes when she’s walking around late at night or drinking with a new group of people. “I don’t even have a boyfriend, but I’m a small girl and I prefer to avoid conflict if I feel like someone is overly interested,” she shares. “I wear the ring to signal to people that I’m not available. Unfortunately, some people are more likely to respect an imaginary man than a young girl.” That said, she hasn’t had to use the trick often, but always rests assured knowing that it’s there.

The Atomic Bear Stealth Pen 

Since Fora Travel Pro Travel Advisor Jacqueline de Guzman so often travels for business on her own, often getting back to her hotel room late at night, her husband bought her a tactical safety pen. “While it appears and functions like a standard pen, its tungsten construction gives it dual capabilities: serving as both a personal defense tool and an emergency escape aid,” she says, explaining that it can help ward off threats or break glass to get out of a dangerous situation. ”This discreet, yet invaluable tool provides me with a profound sense of security.”

Her go-to one is about to sell out at Amazon, but there’s another useful version from the same brand that’s fully stocked (and on-sale): The Atomic Bear Tactical Pen, which serves as a flashlight, military EDC pen, glass breaker, and bottle opener. 

Anvil TSA Approved Cable Luggage Lock

With locks built into so many suitcases today, we often don’t think to carry an additional lock, but like Fora Pro Travel Advisor Linday Vaughn, I keep a cable lock in my bag since your big luggage isn’t all that you need locked up; they also come in handy for personal items like purses, backpacks, and more, according to Vaughn: “When I visited nine countries in Europe, I mainly rode the night train and slept most of the time on the train, so having the TSA cable lock on my backpack and luggage allowed me to be able to relax and sleep while traveling alone on those trains.” 

Eagle Creek RFID-Blocking Pouch 

Another travel expert, Anne McAlpin, a.k.a. @packitupwithanne, has traveled to more than 83 countries — mostly solo —and has been using a passport security wallet for more than 25 years on every international trip. She says the key feature to look for is one with RFID-blocking technology to protect not just your passport, but also your credit cards from possible skimming. This Eagle Creek one has a belt loop (in black and brown to blend with your belt!) so it can tuck into your waistband discreetly — and also has extra pockets to stash cash. “Tucked under clothing, this provides protection from pickpockets, especially in crowded tourist spots like train stations, monuments, and the like,” according to McAlpin, who also notes that a neck pouch can also do the job.

If her go-to Eagle Creek RFID-blocking pouch is out of stock during your next Amazon visit, you can also get it at Backcountry. Or, you can grab this similarly-designed version from Lewis N. Clark, which also has a secure belt loop and offers RFID-blocking protection. 

Photon Freedom Micro Flashlight

A little light can go a long way, as McAlpin has found: “Using a smartphone flashlight app can drain the battery quickly — and I prefer not to pull out my smartphone in the dark for obvious reasons.” So, she clips on this mini-flashlight on the outside of a crossbody bag or a jacket zipper for quick access. She says that she’s used it on almost every trip, but it came in especially handy on a late evening visit to Petra, Jordan. “Even though they had luminaries lighting up the way into the Treasury, it was still dark,” she recalls. “I used the micro flashlight so I didn’t trip along the way — and shared my light with another solo woman traveler. We became fast friends.” 

Sabre Runner Pepper Gel

When I was in college, my dad gave me my first pepper spray, which happened to be from Sabre. Throughout the years, it’s still the safety device that I trust the most. Ever since the unfortunate onslaught of anti-Asian hate, there’s always one in my purse or backpack. My choice model is the Sabre Runner Pepper Spray since it grips so comfortably in my palm — and even comes in a fun pink color. Thankfully, the furthest I’ve gotten to using it is clasping it tightly in dodgy situations in New York City. But there’s a relief and peace of mind that comes with feeling like I’m protected.

Pro tip: Check local laws before purchasing one since every state has different specifics for both buying and carrying pepper sprays, and remember that TSA regulations prohibit them from being packed in a carry-on and there are limits on carrying them in checked bags. One brilliant hack from Meaghan Walzak, head of North American sales at Intrepid Travel, is: “When I was traveling on a 56-day overland in Africa, my mom had me bring a whistle around with me as well as travel-sized mosquito repellant in my purse,” she says. “It works much like pepper spray, which isn’t always possible to fly with.”

GlocalMe U3 Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE Wireless Portable WiFi

Intrepid Adventure Consultant Christine Sy swears by this pocket Wi-Fi device that she’s used in more than 140 countries. “I’m able to pull it out, connect, and use Google Maps in case I get lost,” she shares. “I no longer feel anxious when I’m out and about — I just know that I will always find my way back to my starting point.” As a bonus, in hotels or vacation rentals with weak Wi-Fi, it’s also helped her stay connected.

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