Travel Tips for Women

Would your husband rather sit at home watching football than go globetrotting with you? Are you single or divorced and looking to travel with a group of adventurous, like-minded women? Or are you looking for a girls-only getaway with your daughter or best gal pal?

Women travel together for these and many other reasons - which is why a growing number of tour operators and travel clubs have formed to cater to intrepid female travelers. These companies have fun, audacious names like Gutsy Women Travel and Wild Women Travel, and they offer a plethora of women-centric trips from hiking excursions in the Rockies to gourmet tours of Tuscany.

Whether you want to take an organized tour or would rather plan your own independent gals' getaway, there's a wealth of resources out there for women travelers. Below are our best safety tips for women traveling on their own, as well as a list of the top female-centric travel sites and vacation providers.

Single Travel: Tips for Going Solo

Most tips for women travelers, and indeed all travelers, come down to one thing: common sense. It's the kind of stuff your parents told you growing up - don't walk in strange neighborhoods after dark, lock your doors, don't leave your valuables lying around, be alert.

An intrinsic part of traveling is paying attention and adapting to the cultural milieu in which you travel, which means an awareness of gender roles and expectations. Learn everything you can about the values and customs of a country, and be aware of how you should tailor your behavior to fit into that culture.

Don't do anything you can't imagine a local woman doing (or yourself doing at home) - like following strangers to out-of-the-way places or accepting lodging or rides from men you don't know. It's also not a good idea to wear flashy jewelry or show a lot of money in public places.

But more than that, be aware of local attitudes toward women in the country in which you are traveling. Do women tend to wear concealing clothes in that country? If so, don't draw attention to yourself with short shorts, plunging necklines or tight tank tops. Many women travel experts recommend wearing long, loose-fitting clothes when traveling internationally, which also offers the added benefit of concealing money belts.

In some cultures, a woman traveling alone is considered to be available. If you want to ward off unwanted advances from foreign men, try wearing a (fake) wedding ring. Avoid eye contact with unknown men, as this may be construed as an invitation.