Reply
Occasional Visitor
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎08-21-2019

Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

Everyone cringes when I mention that I want to go to India soon. I am a middle-aged woman who has traveled quite a bit solo, including to developing nations, and a very mid-range traveler in general. I am not sure how seriously to take the cautions -- a lot of stuff about how I could be raped -- I guess that's in the news, but India is vast.

Is this truly a concern? In all of India? Only some parts of India? For someone like me, even? Or is this just classic American fear-mongering?

I know Indian culture pretty well and can speak some rudimentary Hindi. I would brush up before going though.

Thanks if you have been a solo female traveler there and can share your sense of discomfort, if any.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 128
Registered: ‎11-05-2010

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

I traveled to 4 cities in India for work:  Mumbai, Dehli, Bangalore and Chennai.  I have traveled extensively for work by myself, but I felt more vulnerable in India than any other location I have traveled.  In general, there is a hightened sense of security at hotels and airports.  But, even in the Marriott in Mumbai they had a "single women traveler" floor to provide extra protection.  

 

This was a few years ago, and I was in my mid 50's at the time.  

 

Maybe it was the locations and perhaps it would have been different should I have been in other cities.  But, maybe a tour would provide that safety buffer?  Although, I am not a fan of tours for the most part...

 

I would check with the safety ratings through the state department.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,845
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

If you've traveled a lot solo before what did you do to prepare in the past?  I haven't traveled much solo but when I travel I do a lot of research online to the area I plan on visiting.  Have you checked TripAdvisor?  There is a lot of information regarding each area of interest (cities & towns within a country) plus an extensive forum to ask questions.

 

From what I have heard about India, one should be extra cautious as a solo female traveler.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,074
Registered: ‎10-03-2014

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

Although, I traveled alone a bit in the past in the USA, I wouldn't travel alone anywhere, not even in the USA anymore. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,739
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

I wantted to tell you this. My son has taught all over the world. India was the only country he was given a guide, for security purposes

 

He had no issues, but ,I think it could be dangerous.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,992
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?


@jasminepednekar wrote:

Everyone cringes when I mention that I want to go to India soon. I am a middle-aged woman who has traveled quite a bit solo, including to developing nations, and a very mid-range traveler in general. I am not sure how seriously to take the cautions -- a lot of stuff about how I could be raped -- I guess that's in the news, but India is vast.

Is this truly a concern? In all of India? Only some parts of India? For someone like me, even? Or is this just classic American fear-mongering?

I know Indian culture pretty well and can speak some rudimentary Hindi. I would brush up before going though.

Thanks if you have been a solo female traveler there and can share your sense of discomfort, if any.


Please take the advice/experiences very very seriously!!!!

 

Highlighted
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,934
Registered: ‎05-09-2014

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

[ Edited ]

Based on State Dept advisories, this wouldn’t be my destination of choice for solo travel. There are safety concerns relevant to crime and terrorist threats and there are health risks requiring caution and extra vaccinations. 

 

If your wanderlust simply urges you to go, get your affairs in order, buy travel insurance and certainly purchase travel medical coverage to make sure you can afford to be removed from the country to get specific care. Hide your money in your room, or carry it and your passport everywhere.  Or you can ask to use the hotel safe at the reception desk. Hotel room safes are notoriously risky.

 

Oh yeah, uh: bon voyage!

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Informa...

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/india-travel-advisory.h...

 

https://in.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,484
Registered: ‎11-24-2013

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

@jasminepednekar  Oh do please define "classic American fear mongering." I'd love to hear your definition.

 

I have neighbors from India who will not even travel there anymore.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,168
Registered: ‎10-23-2011

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?


@Love my grandkids wrote:

@jasminepednekar  Oh do please define "classic American fear mongering." I'd love to hear your definition.

 

I have neighbors from India who will not even travel there anymore.


That was the phrase that caught my eye when I read the post.  I hope it's answered.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,881
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Solo female travel to India: anyone else been like this?

[ Edited ]

I have travelled worldwide extensively, usually with DH or a friend or two  but there are several places where I have/ use a guide (either for safety or communication) or gone with a group.  We used a guide in Morocco and Vietnam and twice used a group in China (no safety issue, just to expedite getting around in cities that had from 22million people all the way up to ChungKing (33 million).  I would insist on a tour in Egypt or India (haven't been to either place yet).  The only country in which I will never travel to again is Mexico (have been there at least 20 times);  about five years ago the Cartel kidnapped a busload of Mexicans and then used them to train attack dogs and later buried the remains in a common grave.  There are too many countries to take unnecessary risks!