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Safety advice for women travelers in India, Solo woman Travel to India, Safety tips for women traveling in India, Solo women's travel India
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Is travel in India safe? My top 20 tips for women travellers
IS TRAVEL IN INDIA safe for women? Is the concern over travel safety for women tourists justified? What are the most important travel safety tips for female travellers who visit India? These are some of the top questions and top concerns women have when planning a trip to India.
Travel in India is different than many other destinations. It’s not for everyone. You need to be ready, you need to feel confident, and you need to exercise caution and common sense. But if you do feel called to India, I wouldn’t hesitate. I would, however, prepare, do research and practise “safe travel strategies.” That’s why I put together these 20 safety tips for women travelling in India.
Why am I qualified to write about travel safety in India?
I have travelled across India for more than five years in total, over the past 13 years — most of it solo. I now live in Rishikesh, in North India. In all that time, I have rarely felt unsafe, and I personally do not feel India is particularly dangerous for female travellers.
I do think, however, that India is uncomfortable for women. I have often felt uncomfortable by unwanted attention, especially staring, and I’ve been followed in the street a few times. The worst thing that’s happened was that I was groped in Old Delhi, while riding a bicycle rickshaw. I had my telephone stolen from my purse by a group of women, who surrounded me at a temple in Mumbai. An Uber driver drove me around behind the airport for 30 minutes, to increase the fare – that was nerve-wracking. But I have never felt seriously threatened or really unsafe.
When I am asked the question, Is India safe? I answer: that’s not the right question. Anything can happen anywhere. It’s not about WHERE you travel, but HOW you travel.
I’m a big believer in caution … but fear, not so much. The media has incited fear among many women travellers, and I don’t think feeling fearful is a good way to approach travel or life. Although I do not hesitate to pursue my travel dreams in India, I am always careful about my planning – to make sure I don’t arrive on a train platform alone in the middle of the night for example. And I am cautious about my dress and deportment.
So please read on to have all your questions answered about travel safety in India. And follow my top tips for women travelling in India – and travel with confidence.
Is India safe for women?
When I was my planning my first trip to India back in 2005, I don’t recall any particular warnings about travel safety for women. Nothing beyond the usual cautions. Most of my concerns were about feeling lonely and overwhelmed, getting sick or lost.
But all of that changed after the Delhi Gang Rape in 2012. A 23-year-old student got on the wrong bus in Delhi on the night of December 16, 2012, and was brutally raped and assaulted. After a courageous struggle in hospital, she died 13 days later of massive internal injuries.
The horror of this assault, and the young woman’s brave fight for life, gripped the nation – and the world – and dominated the media for many weeks. It was horrible and exciting to be in India during this period. This terrible incident broke open a pandora’s box in India – and suddenly everyone was FINALLY talking about the issue of “eve teasing,” sexual assault, and the safety of women. There were massive protests, especially in Delhi, and the government was put under intense pressure to make changes. The brutal death of a young woman was an awful price to pay to get all of these issues out in the open.
Since then, there’s been a (much needed) spotlight on the status and safety of women in India. And since then, many people started wondering if India is safe for female travellers.
Is it safe to travel in India? Is India safe to visit?
While foreign travellers in India are often uncomfortable, and usually suffer from Delhi-belly and overpaying for souvenirs and autorickshaw rides, etc., I don’t think they are more at risk for theft, violence, and/or rape than many other countries. I have never seen any statistics that demonstrate India is more dangerous, or less safe, for women travellers than many other countries.
Having said that, I also strongly encourage using caution, common sense, and practising “safe travel strategies.” Below is a list of my top tips for women travelling in India, and no doubt there are other good safety tips too.
Is India safe for female travelers and tourists?
India is often singled out for the treatment of women. While India certainly has its share of social problems and gender inequality, I think it’s important to understand the difference between growing up in India as a woman, and visiting as a female tourist. |