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Happy, Safe and Solo: Travelling in India by Yourself

When I told my dad that I was going to India by myself, his face fell. No matter that my cousin had travelled for a year through the country on her own; no matter, too, that I’d been travelling solo on various trips for the last six years.

No: in his opinion, India was something else entirely. The reputation the country holds for being unsafe – particularly for local and foreign women alike – is normally enough to ring all those internal alarm bells, and prompts a concerned parental discussion that solo travellers often face:

“Are you sure you want to go there alone?”

Flora at the Taj Mahal

Solo travel for women has, for a long time, been a topic of intense discussion, and it’s flared up again recently due to the tragic murder of Sarai Sierra, an American women travelling through Turkey by herself. The responses on public forums range from saddened to incensed, and comments like, “I would never let my beautiful wife out the door to travel to any country alone” are flooding the internet.

Violence against women is sadly something that occurs the world over. Whether in the cityscapes of a country you’ve never thought to visit, or on the street you grew up on, there will always be tragic incidences like this. But, as women, it’s up to us to face these situations head on, and accept that while there is danger and fear from outside, there is also strength and confidence from within.

Shying away is not an option when it conflicts with doing what you love.

As a woman, should you travel solo?

This time last year I set off for Asia by myself, to spend six months in Nepal, India and Thailand. And today I fly to Ecuador, to spend five months teaching English, followed by a further, unknown amount of time travelling around South America. While my teaching program is with a volunteer company I am, effectively, going by myself – like so many solo female travellers out there, all of whom have faced prejudice and difficulty while abroad.

I don’t yet know what Ecuador holds for me, but from past experience, research and wonderful advice from friends and bloggers, I feel averagely prepared to explore this unfamiliar part of the world. And I’m damned excited about doing it, too.

But I’m not going to sugar coat the reality of solo female travel. Spending four months in India taught me that travelling alone can often, quite simply, suck. It can be difficult, and embarrassing, and sometimes downright scary. And since last December’s horrific gang rape and eventual death of an Indian woman in Delhi (whose name has not been released), there’s been an accompanying backlash, with the prevailing attitude that it is simply not safe for women to travel around India alone.

In my opinion though, India is an incredible country. Despite its many dangers, it’s also one of the most fascinating, diverse and colourful places I’ve ever been to, and I feel strongly that travelling in India is a very personal experience. Sure, you’ll have a wonderful time if you go there with friends, with partners, with family; but if you travel in India by yourself, the benefits are huge.

So here is my Western woman’s guide to solo India travel, based on personal experience and my own opinions. And some of the things I wish I’d done a bit more of.

Flora in a sari

Dressing the part

In a society as conservative as India’s, the first and most important step to minimising your Western-ness is to wear respectable clothes.

Despite the photo, I don’t actually mean dressing up in Indian outfits- plus that sari I’m wearing is way too fancy for everyday wear!. While many travellers do choose to buy dupattis and salwar kameez (the basic Indian woman’s clothing), and find it to be a good move, I wouldn’t recommend it for your first explorations of India.

The only salwar suit I bought in India, which looked lovely in the store, was actually rather inappropriate to wear wandering around Delhi. The crowning moment came when I pulled it out to wear at my friend’s wedding, only to have the bride make a face and hand me my much more hippy silk skirt and tee shirt to wear…

Instead, I’d suggest having your shoulders, knees and various curvy parts being appropriately covered up, at all times. If you’re on the top-heavy side, then draping a scarf across your chest is a great way to deflect attention.

Depending on the time of year you go to India, you’ll also have to factor in the weather. From March until monsoon season in mid-June, the country heats up steadily, and there’s no escape from spending all your time drenched in sweat. As a result, it’s really sensible to wear loose clothes that dry easily and are breathable – and make sure they don’t get see through when damp! You’ll be stared at enough as it is..

The fast track to celebrity

As a Westerner in India, you are automatically a celebrity. Your skin colour, your clothes, your hair (particularly if you’re blonde): all this Western strangeness is absolutely fascinating to a majority of Indians, especially those who live in areas which don’t have a huge influx of tourism. I’m quite a self conscious person, and the incessant staring that every Western visitor faces in India often got the better of me.

So you’ll have to get used to having your photo taken, whether you’ve given consent or not. Accept that many women will look at you and laugh; try to be gracious about it and remember that all those photos you take of stunning sari-clad ladies without asking permission need some karmic return!

Actively posing for these photos, along with the various family members of the photographer, is also a great way to make momentary friendships: I have a vast collection of photos with my arms encircling smiling Indian women and with various wailing babies on my lap.

Indian family and Westerners

The general rule of thumb, though, is to only give the go ahead if there are women or children involved. When a gang of teenage boys ask for a photo and want to put their arms around you, it’s normally time to back off. And if they’re too insistent, and the atmosphere shifts from jokey to a bit threatening, don’t hesitate to make your feelings apparent.

Don’t be scared to show some attitude!

It was really interesting working in Punjab, amongst Indians, as a woman traveling by myself. Because I was Western, I commanded a certain amount of respect; but then I was a woman, so conversely was left out of conversations and situations deemed inappropriate for me. Because I’d decided to go travelling, people were impressed and slightly in awe of my daring; but then I was equally someone to be pitied, because the idea that I was by myself meant I was somehow lacking.

It was a really strange mix of opinions to get my head around. In fact, my whole travelling ethos in general was so interesting to a lot of the local people that I ended up being interviewed about it for the local newspaper!

Flora Baker, The Tribune, Pg 1, May 12, 2012 (Part-1)

But the one thing I felt overwhelmingly was that nobody was going to treat me with the respect I felt I deserved – unless I was vocal about it. While I wanted to respect and prescribe to the culture I was living in, there’s a limit; and being Western meant I felt a certain obligation to challenge the stereotype many Indians have about Westerners. 

So when men stared at me too much or too blatantly, I stared back unblinkingly. I trained myself to stop being so smily at strangers, and semi-perfected my “shame on you” face for those whose stares looked a bit too pervy for their own good.

It’s difficult to say if these actions were successful (or even if they were advisable!) but I never felt in danger as a result. While there’s still a large amount of sexism in India, I ultimately felt like I was outside of it because I was only a visitor.

You won’t be alone for long

One of the best things about travelling solo in India is how untrue that phrase really is. I don’t think I ever really felt alone in India; whether with fellow Western travellers, Indian work colleagues, impromptu acquaintances on trains and buses, or other tourists at India’s famed landmarks, there was always an opportunity for interaction.

If you’re worried about not meeting anyone, you can search online before arriving in a city – check out a few guesthouse reviews and look for somewhere with a good community vibe, as the places you stay are perfect for meeting people, and can often lead to new travelling buddies. Most of the Indian cities that travellers pass through have various activities and classes happening, like yoga classes or jewellery making. Or you can try joining a tour group for a few weeks to make the culture shock a bit less of a big deal, like I did.

There are also plenty of places in the country that are touristy enough to make you feel comfortable in your Western skin again. If you’re feeling overly white, blind from camera flashes and need a bit of a break, holing up in McLeod Ganj for a week or two with your fellow hippies is often enough to recharge.

On first arrival into India though, the constant streams of people can certainly be overwhelming – which is when you quietly head up to a rooftop cafe and look out over the busy streets below with a cup of chai, and give yourself a chance to breathe.

Safety and intuition: trust your gut! 

From my experience, most Indians are a very friendly bunch. And while this can be really lovely – particularly when you’re travelling on your own – you still need to exercise the same amount of caution that you would if you were back home. And because you’ll often be in unfamiliar locations with total strangers, keeping your wits about you is of the utmost importance.

IMG_1228

This means keeping a close eye on your possessions, not flashing your cash, informing someone where you’re going, researching the safety of surrounding areas and generally ensuring that you’ve got a back up plan in any given situation. 

India is a very intuitive country and I often found myself able to second guess the direction of situations and conversations. If you don’t feel comfortable, it’s up to you to extract yourself from what’s happening. Don’t just go along with someone’s plans because you’re too polite to say no. 

Be really careful about who you trust yourself to be alone with, and if you’re worried, search out a family with children or a group of women and explain that you’d like to stand near them or with them. Anyone I did this with were more than happy to accommodate – particularly on trains, at stations and at night. Even scoping out the people who look trustworthy is a sensible move, just to feel a bit safer. And speaking of your gut…

Get ready to get sick

The hygiene in India is simply not good. The streets are dirty and home to piles of litter, the sanitation in bathrooms is mediocre at best, and you often don’t see your food being prepared.

Basically, getting diarrhoea in India is a rite of passage that pretty much every traveller goes through. And I’m not going to lie: it’s dehabilitating, it’s miserable, it makes you hate everything, and it can start your brain thinking that it might just be easier to go home. But don’t give in!! There’s light at the end of the tunnel. And while it might be the most painful form of weight loss you’ve ever experienced, it’s also an education like no other.

Once you’ve had your first bout of Delhi Belly (which can and will be contracted everywhere else in the country, as well as Delhi), you start to appreciate the value in a little bottle of hand sanitiser and a requisite thought process before you ingest absolutely anything, which goes along the lines of, “just how sick could this make me?”

Flora eating chili on Chennai beach

  • Rules of the water: never eat ice. It’ll be frozen from tap water. Never drink from the tap, brush your teeth with tap water, or even open your mouth in the shower; stick to drinking only bottled or filtered water. Many people say you shouldn’t eat the ice cream in India, either, as the melting and refreezing causes tons of bacteria to breed.
  • Rules of the food: if it’s from a street stall, make sure it’s either sizzling hot or you see the stall holder cooking it. If you need to, ask them to quickly throw it back on the heat for a few minutes. In a restaurant, it’s probably best to keep cold fruits and vegetables off limits, as they’ve normally been washed in tap water. Same goes for those limp bits of lettuce that pass for salad. And, like anywhere else in the world, if it tastes strange, don’t keep eating it!
  • Rules of the street: wear closed shoes when you’re walking anywhere that looks particularly unhygienic  If you have an open cut literally anywhere on your body, keep it covered and by every means necessary do NOT let it get in contact with any liquid you don’t know the origin of.
  • Rules of the animals: most street dogs have tics, so it’s sensible not to get too cosy. The mosquitos vary according to region, but it’s usually a good idea to wear repellent just in case. There’s also a number of other bugs and insects flitting around, so it could help out with them too. Otherwise you could end up with my mysterious leg bites (I’m not going to share that photo now, but it can be found over here for those who care to look…)
  • Rules of the people: while you might be sanitizing your hands all the live-long day, but the same can’t be expected of every Indian you interact with. When you’re taking your change from a street seller, those exceedingly thin ten rupee notes are also exceedingly filthy. Keep it in mind when you’re scratching your nose or rubbing lip salve on, please!

A rubbish collector in India

The most important thing to remember is that you’ll never know what makes you sick. There’s no point in avoiding all meat, ice cubes and street food just to gargle absentmindedly in the shower and spend the next three weeks on the loo.

Be sensible, but equally don’t be silly. If you’ve had a case of diarrhoea for more than three days, with or without a fever, call in a doctor for some heavy-duty antibiotics. There’s no reason to put up with “the sickness” any longer than you have to!

Keep an open mind

After more than four months working, volunteering, living and travelling in India, I still don’t have a handle on the place. It has the capacity to make me infuriated and enraptured, happy and helpless, crazy and calm – and I love it, hate it, can’t believe it, and already want to go back for more.

Sign for foreigners, Pushkar

It’s with deep regret that I’ve talked to people who’ve been to India, struggled with any number of the above situations, and decided the country is a write off. I’m not saying they’re wrong, but I don’t think they’ve understood the wonderful uniqueness of India.

It carries you along in a tide of noise, colour, spice, sweat and heat, and the only thing you can really do is let it. Because the craziness is what makes India truly India. The times I felt the most helpless and freaked out were often followed by the most wonderful and memorable experiences of my whole trip.

And the learning curve I went through as a result of travelling through India by myself has changed me, irrefutably. It’s something that I’ll always be thankful for.

Flora at Mysore market

What have you learned from travelling solo? Do you have any other tips for women who plan to travel alone?

NB: There is a great deal of attention focused on the issues regarding solo female travel at the moment, due to the tragic events surrounding Sarai Sierra, an American woman who was killed while travelling in Turkey by herself. While events like this cannot always be prevented, the solo female blogging community is keen to help out those who still want to travel solo. Follow #WeGoSolo on Twitter for more. 

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Safe Solo Travel to India as a Woman

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225 Comments

  • Reply
    Charlotte
    February 7, 2013 at 11:55 am

    Really really great post. I went to India for just a week by myself in January. SO many people asked me why I did that. It was just something I felt I needed to do. I got sick, had a massage from a guy that I think didn’t go so well, but I still loved it. It was an experience, and now I’ve had the taster, I’ll go back for sure. I’ve had so many flight attendants, bloggers and other experts tell me much better places to go as a solo woman so I want to check them all out.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:30 pm

      That’s wonderful to hear, Charlotte – I’ve often found that people who travel to India for a short period of time end up not really ‘getting’ it, and they don’t want to go back!

      • Reply
        travel lady
        February 9, 2013 at 9:21 am

        Hi Flora! I really enjoyed your travel in India the pictures and the stories that you’ve shared it’s just so good to read again and again. I have never been to India but now, I’m having second thoughts, any suitable place to go specially if I bring with me my nieces and nephews?

        • Reply
          Flora
          February 9, 2013 at 1:48 pm

          Glad you enjoyed it! It depends on their ages really but I saw a lot of travellers with young children in tow, all of whom were having a wonderful time 🙂

  • Reply
    Olivia - young on the road
    February 7, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    This gave me some great advice. I am not going to India (actually, who knows) but am headed for Se-Asia on my 6 month solo trip as a 19yr old female.

    However, is the tap water in Se-Asia as bad as the water in India? I have heard that having ice in Thailand etc is OK?

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:25 pm

      When I arrived in Thailand, after four months in India, I was so used to avoiding tap water that I kept up the habit – but I remember that many people were drinking from the taps with no problem 🙂 Ice should be fine too, as it’s normally made from purified water and is mentioned in restaurant menus etc. Safe travels!

  • Reply
    RV
    February 7, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    Hey, nice to read your impressions about India. Yes, it’s indeed a country with a lot of diversity; one shall appreciate the cultural nuances better and get used to certain peculiarities as one stays longer and travels across the different states of India. Hope you get a chance to go there again! 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 9, 2013 at 1:48 pm

      I hope I get to go back too! There’s so much left to explore 🙂

      • Reply
        Lynne
        April 29, 2014 at 1:01 am

        Hi

        Excellent advice

        I have been to India 8 times ( 4 on my own) and am going again in November.
        All that you say in your blog is true. Most people who visit are not informed enough re health, behavior etc- and hence they do not enjoy their stay.

        I am lucky- I have not once had a bad experience, or even Delhi Belly. I take a tablet which is available in Australia called TRAVALAN- one taken with each meal. This gives 100% protection against any food bugs. Works like a charm.

        I have made so many good friends in India, and go back to visit them. My favourite places are Udaipur and Delhi, although I have been everywhere except Southern India. I also found Kolkata to be really fascinating

        Thanks for blog- I enjoyed it

        • Reply
          Flora
          April 30, 2014 at 11:58 pm

          Congrats on never succumbing to Delhi Belly during 8 trips to India, Lynne – you must have an iron gut! I’ll keep an eye out for Travalan if/when I head back to India :p

          • Lynne
            May 1, 2014 at 5:20 am

            Hi

            Travalan is (I believe) only available in Australia. It works like a charm……..and is available online.

            Let me know if you want link to buy

            regards

          • Flora
            May 18, 2014 at 10:11 pm

            Thanks Lynne, I’ll look into it.

  • Reply
    Jessica Wray
    February 7, 2013 at 3:39 pm

    I’ll be heading to India in less than two weeks, and I’ll be there for about six! Yay! This was one of the best posts I read about women traveling to India so far. Though I won’t be alone, (I’ll be with my boyfriend) this was still really helpful on all levels.

    As for the clothes, I was planning on buying some more appropriate things upon arrival. Besides the Indian wear you mentioned above, is it easy to find cheap clothes that are light weight and appropriate? I’m not too sure if I’ll be wanting to buy a bunch of dupattas 🙂

    • Reply
      RV
      February 7, 2013 at 3:47 pm

      Enjoy your stay in India. Let me know if you need any more tips…:)

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:37 pm

      Ahh that’s wonderful Jessica! Glad it’s given you some inspiration, as that’s exactly why I wrote it 🙂

      Clothing wise, it does depend what parts of the country you’re in but there’ll always be opportunity to buy yourself some clothes. The main difference will be whether its hippy wear or more Indian!

  • Reply
    Adventurous Kate
    February 7, 2013 at 4:39 pm

    Flora, this is the best post I’ve ever seen about solo female travel in India. Will be sharing it like mad. Thanks!!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:38 pm

      Thanks so much, Kate!

  • Reply
    Coti
    February 7, 2013 at 4:54 pm

    This is such a great post! I went to India for 16 days last year and fell in love with it. I (surprisingly) never got Delhi belly but only ventured out for street food once or twice. We traveled around A LOT and it seemed we stopped every day at some random gas station or street stall for a chai tea. I guess the hot water kept these daily treats from making me sick.

    I love your perspective though. I went to India with five other people and can’t imagine going alone. You bring up a lot of really great points though. I felt uncomfortable a few times in India but I’ve felt that here in America, too. Thanks for the reminder that smart choices make all the difference!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:39 pm

      I am insanely jealous right now – there’s only a handful of people I’ve spoken to who didn’t get sick! You must have a seriously hardcore stomach 🙂

      • Reply
        Coti Howell
        February 8, 2013 at 12:41 am

        I think living in Bangkok for two years prior was my stomach training. I was very lucky! I was the only one in our six person group who didn’t get sick.

  • Reply
    Mariellen Ward
    February 7, 2013 at 5:18 pm

    Awesome post, Flora, and generally agree with you — though I do wear salwar kameez (suits) in India. Thanks for writing it and sharing it on #WeGoSolo. Cheers.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:41 pm

      I think the next time I go to India I’ll invest in some good salwar kameez from a tailor – I was more about channelling the traveller outfits this time! Thanks for the positive feedback, Mariellen 🙂

  • Reply
    Aleah | SolitaryWanderer.com
    February 7, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    Excellent tips, and timely too. I’m going to India for 3 weeks in March and I can’t wait. Yeah, #WeGoSolo and we’ll tell the world about it!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:43 pm

      Wonderful stuff Aleah! If you’re there in March you should be around for Holi – make sure you find yourself a good city/town to enjoy it in!

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Lisa
    February 7, 2013 at 7:52 pm

    Very nicely put; I recently travelled in India by myself and can’t wait to go back. In fact, I am planning a post about how gentle the people can be; I was treated like a princess. Obviously that doesn’t mean that we should close our ears and be oblivious to the potential dangers, as in all countries, as you have so rightly stated.

    Very nice read, thank you. It’s nice to see the Indians given some good press for a change 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:45 pm

      Thanks for this, Lisa: it’s something I hadn’t really put my finger on until I read your comment. You’re right – India gets such bad press sometimes but I met so many incredible, kind and generous people there.

      Let me know when your post goes live, I’d love to read your experiences in more detail 🙂

  • Reply
    Caroline Eubanks
    February 7, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    Love it! Great work. Agreed with Kate, will be sharing all over the place.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 7, 2013 at 11:43 pm

      Woohoo!! I’m loving all this sharing love 🙂

  • Reply
    Adam Pervez
    February 8, 2013 at 3:16 am

    Great post! I’m here in India now. I’d say most of this applies to guys as well, though I am sure I am not stared at as much!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 9, 2013 at 1:53 pm

      Great to hear, Adam! Hopefully a lot of this info is also applicable to guys too – but I wouldn’t recommend wearing a sari :p

  • Reply
    TammyOnTheMove
    February 8, 2013 at 8:18 am

    That’s a great post Flora. I will be going to India next month and although I won’t be traveling solo I really appreciate your tips about clothes. I read from two bloggers that they were groped while in India and they had male company. Like you said I think as long as you respect local customs and don’t show too much flesh you should be allright traveling any country solo though.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 9, 2013 at 2:09 pm

      Sadly, I met quite a few girls who’d had unwanted hands in various places. A friend of mine was grabbed on a night train outside the bathroom, and was understandably really upset – and she was using the same tactics as me. But it’s still entirely sensible to respect the customs of the country regardless.

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Krista
    February 8, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    Do volunteer at the Sri Aurobindo ashram in Delhi. They have other ashrams in the hills around Nainital. You can help with the computer work, give English conversation lessons, peel potatoes, etc. That is what I enjoy doing almost every year now.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 16, 2013 at 5:41 am

      Thanks for the suggestion Krista, I’d love to head over to Sri Aurobindo when I next visit India.

    • Reply
      Tracy
      September 23, 2015 at 2:15 pm

      Hi, I just read your post. I am traveling alone to India in October/November. Do you have to set up the volunteering in advance? Also I am worried from what I read that It will not be safe to do some of the things I want to do like trekking. Also I will need to hire a driver from Dharmasala to New Delhi. Any suggestions?

      Thanks so much,
      Tracy

      • Reply
        Flora
        October 5, 2015 at 10:38 pm

        Hi Tracy! It depends on what volunteering you plan to do – there are many organisations that prefer to set up a program before you arrive in the country, but just as many who arrange things on the ground. Generally I prefer the latter as it means I get a sense of what the organisation is like before committing my time to them, but it’s not always an option.

  • Reply
    Satu
    February 9, 2013 at 7:36 am

    Great tips, and I hope they encourage women to travel to India AND stay safe. One thing I disagree with (probably the one and only thing) is the idea of staring back at men who stare at you: staring CAN be seen as a come-on, and it is not something Indian women generally do. I recommend ignoring stares; I know it’s hard, but it’s easier if you wear sunglasses!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 16, 2013 at 5:43 am

      Yep, I totally agree – I think the main moments I was pointedly staring back were when I was simply too sweaty and angry at all the attention to really think about the consequences! But sunglasses is a very good method as you can do all the staring back you like behind the cover 🙂

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  • Reply
    Patricia GW
    February 12, 2013 at 1:25 am

    Hi Flo, these are great down-to-earth tips. I’ve bookmarked them for when I visit India. I happened on your blog the other day and was SO EXCITED to find another female-solo-traveler vagabonding around the world. I’ll be hitting the road myself in a few months, and can’t wait to join the ranks 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 16, 2013 at 5:45 am

      I’m glad you’ve found the article so useful – and there’s a fair few of us female traveller types around the place! Safe travels on your next big trip Patricia 🙂

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Petite Adventures
    February 13, 2013 at 8:20 pm

    Really great tips and insights – thanks for sharing!

    Kate xo

  • Reply
    Britany
    February 14, 2013 at 11:05 pm

    Thank you for putting it out there that solo travel does indeed, sometimes suck. But it wouldn’t be the fulfilling challenge that it is if we didn’t overcome hard days along the way. Great post!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 16, 2013 at 5:46 am

      I think it’s an important part of travelling to acknowledge that things definitely can, and do, go wrong – and sometimes you’re really not happy with your situation. But in the end it always turns out alright, and the fulfilment value is more than worth it!

  • Reply
    Alen
    February 15, 2013 at 3:48 pm

    Being an Indian, it was a different experience to read this post. It gave insights into what a lone foreigner woman who has travelled to India feels about my country. When I continue to live here as I did for the past 25 years, most of the things you mentioned feel like part of routine – crowd, dust, animals! Stuff we feel are part of being an Indian, regular, common stuff. Only when someone alien to all these come visit and write about it, we get to think, ‘so this is how it is’ 🙂
    I hope even though there were dust, dirt, diarrhea, and a whole lot of more problems, you liked your time here.

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 19, 2013 at 3:12 am

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Alen – it’s certainly an insight to hear that your familiarities when living in India are what others perceive as differences and challenges. But then isn’t that the way with a majority of travel – comparing and contrasting different familiarities between cultures?

      I absolutely loved my time in India – dust, dirt, diarrhoea and all! Ok, maybe not the latter quite so much 🙂

  • Reply
    Shalu Sharma
    February 16, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Good advice and information. Its possible to go to India alone if you are a women, you just have to be extra cautious.

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 19, 2013 at 3:08 am

      Thanks Shalu, I’m glad you agree that India is perfectly accessible for women, as long as they keep their wits about them!

  • Reply
    Susan @ Travel Junkette
    February 17, 2013 at 5:10 pm

    Great post, Flora! I think the advice you share can be applied to pretty much anywhere. Solo female travel forevsssss!

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 22, 2013 at 3:32 pm

      Hopefully it’s pretty worldwide advice 🙂 Cheers Susan, safe travels!

  • Reply
    Neil Playdon
    February 22, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    What a great article. India is a place I would love to visit one day and you’ve provided some really comprehensive and practical advice. Loved your comment about Diarrhoea being a ‘rite of passage’ – how true. A case of ‘suck it up’! Loved the photos that you posted with this as well. Thanks.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 22, 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Thanks Neil – sucking it up is definitely a good attitude to take when facing the dreaded Delhi Belly!

    • Reply
      jyoti ranjan pattanaik
      December 6, 2014 at 5:01 am

      hi neil ,
      I am working as an executive in a tour and travel services in india named as ” teamwork management services private limited ” There are a lot of beautiful things to see all over the india specially in villages of india . If u really want to visit india then its a very wonderful idea . I must suggest you atleast once everyone should visit india . If in future you make any plan to visit india then let me know . I will glad to give a better and joyful services .
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  • Reply
    Kieu ~ GQ trippin
    February 25, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    Flora, this is one of my new fave post read. Really enjoyed it. I went to India with my bf and I still experience all the same things you mentioned as a solo traveler. I really had to “show some attitude” like you mention. Dressing the part, trying my best to not be so smily and starring back all help to blend us in as much as possible. I got groped during Holi and food poisoning from street food. It’s a country that will test your limits but when I look back, I still say it’s one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. I have a love/ hate, mostly love for this beautiful, unforgiving country. I look forward to your future reads.. =)

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 28, 2013 at 4:34 am

      Thanks so much, Kieu! I can imagine that India is different yet again if you’re travelling with a boyfriend – not being addressed by locals in favour of him etc. And sorry that you had similar limit testers! India really does seem to dole them out sometimes 🙂

  • Reply
    Suzie
    February 28, 2013 at 2:58 am

    Flore I have travelled many times in India and you make some very good points in your article. The most important thing I found was fitting in ( I just love wearing punjabi’s) so as not to offend anyone or bring undue attention to my appearance, and also taking time to understand the culture. As with all different places there are certain things you should and should not do…learning what is correct when traveling can make the experience that much sweeter!

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 1, 2013 at 12:04 am

      I wish I’d worn the local clothes more often actually – I wonder if it would have changed my experiences significantly or not. I’m sure I’ll head back to India at some point to test it out though!

  • Reply
    anup073
    March 14, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    Hey, i happen to read your blog after a lot of time.And boy havent you travelled during that little time.You,ma’am, just dont sit idle.And i feel like going through all of your blogs at once ,although not possible.Look i will be honest being from india i dont find anything you wrote to be alarming or a shock.I know everything you wrote above is absolutely true.I never used to let my sister travel alone after her work.So i cant even imagine how much difficult it can be for an outsider like you who is alone and travelling in trains etc.But i remember you wrote once that if you look very confused and asking everybody on road for directions ,you come across as vulnerable so what i always admired about your visit was that you seemed to have a plan and come across as a confident woman,atleast thats how you seem to me.Anyways im going to read your other travel experiences soon. If you ever make any plans to visit chandigarh or panjab,me and my family would love to help you out in any way possible.Beacuse i wudnt mind being part of those amazing travel pics and stories you got going on here.lol

  • Reply
    anup073
    March 14, 2013 at 4:19 pm

    And one thing i would like to suggest to anyone who is travelling alone is that dont travel in second class or passenger class in trains no matter what they are not safe for foreigners as simple as that.And as much as possible take volvo buses.

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 19, 2013 at 3:15 am

      Lovely to hear from you, Anup – and I appreciate your honest opinion about the safety and wellbeing of women in India. Hopefully things will change soon – even if the catalyst for change has to be something as terrible as the most recent collection of cases regarding violence against women.

  • Reply
    Veronica
    March 19, 2013 at 5:54 pm

    This is such a great post with really important points you made as a female solo traveller. I wrote a post on making friends going solo, as I’ve travelled a lot on my own now. I absolutely love it and think there’s no better way to make the most of a new country and gain new experiences this way. It’s lovely to read there are so many other solo female travellers out there 🙂 Happy travelling!

    • Reply
      Christine
      March 23, 2013 at 3:01 am

      I am so absolutely delighted to have found your blog!!!!! 😀 I am headed to India next week for the whole month of April… and am traveling by myself. And as my departure date gets closer, I’ve really been searching for information on safety… specifically for a single female. The kind of attention India has been getting recently here in the US has gotten me a little worried. 🙁 I am doing some volunteer work… and though normally I feel fine on my own, I am really hoping to find a friend in India that would like to do some sight-seeing stuff (the general tourist stuff) for the last week of April. 🙂 Reading your blog definitely makes me feel a bit more at ease. 🙂

      Thank you for all of the advice. 🙂 I am excited about shopping for some salwar kameez outfits. 🙂 Besides the clothes I wear when I fly, I’m just packing my trekking shoes, an extra pair of pants, and a couple extra shirts.

      One question though: Know anything about the night buses that go from Majnu Ka Tilla to Dharamsala?

      I have bookmarked you and ‘Liked’ on FB…. I will be keeping up with you now. 😉 I wish you a lifetime of safe travels, Flora! 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 28, 2013 at 1:22 pm

      Thanks Veronica, I’m glad the points I made resonated with you. I think it’s so important for fellow female travellers to garner support from each other that what we’re choosing to do is the right decision for us – no one should be able to say otherwise!

  • Reply
    leisure arts leaflets for sale
    April 10, 2013 at 4:13 am

    Hello! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on.
    You have done a wonderful job!

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 10, 2013 at 2:22 pm

      Great to hear it, thanks!

  • Reply
    Citizens of the World: A Manifesto
    April 12, 2013 at 5:08 am

    […] been a bit of a self conscious traveller. It often means I’m more observant when it comes to noticing possible danger, but unfortunately it’s also the precursor to being acutely aware of every sidelong glance, […]

  • Reply
    Deepak Sharma
    April 17, 2013 at 6:56 am

    Hi Flora and others

    Good to see your posts about India, always love to see posts related to our Great Country INDIA

    Thanx for sharing your experience with others..i am from India only…Anyone who want any information related to india can mail me @ ep.deepaksharma@gmail.com.

    Always happy to help and we indian treat guests like god.

    Thank you all

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 25, 2013 at 2:40 am

      Hi Deepak, glad you enjoyed what you read!

  • Reply
    Cecilia Haynes
    April 17, 2013 at 8:01 pm

    Hey Flora,

    Really loved this post! I actually grew up in India (Calcutta, New Delhi and Chennai for a combined 8 years) and loved every second of it. It is an intense place and you will feel the highest highs and the lowest lows, sometimes even within the same minute.

    Just one tip for food safety: Make sure the rice is hot. It can be sitting out all day and breed a lot of bacteria.

    Also, traveling alone in India is a great excuse to keep a doorstop with you just in case!

    I look forward to exploring your site a bit more.

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 25, 2013 at 2:39 am

      I definitely agree with the doorstop sentiment! So glad you enjoyed the post, Cecilia – and I hope you enjoy the rest of the site with as much enthusiasm!

  • Reply
    Riazmajid
    May 20, 2013 at 2:50 pm

    Your Infos about India was so good, I am an Indian , but I don’t think , I can explain about India so pretty well like you, every lines of urs had its punch , I really don’t know you have travelled the whole India or not , if you are visiting India again try to be in the south part of India which has more green especially a state called Kerala

    • Reply
      Flora
      May 22, 2013 at 3:03 am

      Thanks Riazmajid, I’m so glad you enjoyed my article! I spent almost five months travelling around India and went through most of the well known areas of the country – I loved the south, and Kerala in particular!

  • Reply
    tyanajones
    June 11, 2013 at 11:58 am

    i really like your blog

  • Reply
    Yatra Nepal
    July 3, 2013 at 9:26 am

    All the above articles are very informative and helpful to plan india tour.

    • Reply
      Flora
      July 4, 2013 at 1:21 am

      Thank you! I’m glad the article helped you out 🙂

  • Reply
    Girls That Go! An Interview with Flora the Explorer
    July 13, 2013 at 2:37 pm

    […] You have a great article on your blog about traveling solo in India. Did you have any reservations to traveling solo? Can you share with us your top three tips to […]

  • Reply
    Uniek Kaswarganti
    July 29, 2013 at 2:12 am

    Wow, nice article Flora. when get into this “Get ready to sick” it makes me laugh. I compare this situation with the condition in my country, Indonesia. So many foreigners said the same about it when they came to our country 😀
    But I can understand their reason. Just because I’m Indonesian, never sick even when dealed with these matters (food, water, etc), I can’t deny their feeling of worry 😉

  • Reply
    An Opportune Moment is Going to India! | An Opportune Moment
    September 11, 2013 at 12:03 am

    […] want to tackle this subcontinent solo — at least not on my first visit. You certainly can travel solo in India but I take pride in knowing my limits and being in touch with my personal needs as a traveler. I […]

  • Reply
    Amy
    September 11, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    Excellent tips in this post, not just for India, but for traveling anywhere as a solo female.

    I do have to point out the unfortunate placement of the “Indian family with tourists photo” right after your “Dressing the Part” commentary. The young blonde woman in the photo clearly missed that bit of advice!

  • Reply
    Jessica
    October 30, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    Really nice article Flora, enjoyed reading about your adventures. I’d like to travel alone in the future and your experiences half scare me and half inspire me! It’s one of those things you’ve got to take some of the bad and take risks to have the time of your life!

    • Reply
      Flora
      November 8, 2013 at 10:22 pm

      I can definitely say I wouldn’t have ended up with half of my travel experiences if I hadn’t accepted the bad parts too! Glad you’re in agreement Jess 🙂

  • Reply
    India Tourism Office
    November 15, 2013 at 8:27 am

    Hello Flora,

    I am a tour operator from India. I am so glad that I found this post and to know that you have had good and bad moments in India. I have included bad moments here, as opposite things come together like heads comes with tails. There’s a lot of debate already on if one should travel solo to India or not? I think, this applies to any country in the world. It’s totally safe to travel alone anywhere around the globe if you have done your homework right. Going through some local travel sites and blog and interacting with people who had been there before can really help you know a place better. India is a land where of rich culture and heritage and comes under best travel destinations in the world. In India, we have a Sanskrit verse ” Athiti Devo Bhava” which means The Guest is God. And we truly we believe in that. Since now you have been to India, you must have experienced how friendly and helpful people are. Kindness is everywhere. Because it keeps the world afloat. Keep Travelling. Keep coming back. Be safe.
    And you look lovely in that saree. 🙂

  • Reply
    Ladakh Tour India
    November 30, 2013 at 9:05 am

    Glad you enjoyed it! It depends on their ages really but I saw a lot of travelers with young children in tow, all of whom were having a wonderful time 🙂

  • Reply
    Tangent inc
    December 16, 2013 at 11:21 am

    Tangentinc has vast experience in organizing luxury tours in India, Wildlife tours in India and travel in India.
    http://www.tangentinc.in/

  • Reply
    Best Chinese Restaurants in Chennai
    January 3, 2014 at 7:14 am

    I may come back once again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be

    rich and continue to guide other people.

  • Reply
    Emily Austin
    January 7, 2014 at 11:17 am

    Don’t want to be cheesy but the last pic of this blog is Epic. The roadside women won’t be able to leave her state in her lifetime, but how amazingly she personally met a women thousands of miles away. Travelling is awesome man !!

    • Reply
      Flora
      January 18, 2014 at 11:50 pm

      I totally agree with you Emily – travelling is incredible!!

  • Reply
    Yash Sharma
    January 10, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    Nice blog Thanks for sharing
    we also provide same services Rajasthan Tours and Travels

  • Reply
    discoverydreams
    January 13, 2014 at 8:40 am

    its really a amazing story of your tour to india. solo travel of a woman has been safe journey in now days. indian gov is more aware now for safety of woman traveler. some of nice tour operator also providing great and safe tour in india.

  • Reply
    Alexender VanKan
    January 30, 2014 at 7:36 am

    thanks for the giving us special information. if some one is looking for flights to India then DesiCheapTicket is one of the best travel agency in India which provides best flights from us to India.

  • Reply
    Travelaroundindia
    January 31, 2014 at 10:27 am

    Such a nice page flora about your exotic trip to india. it is such a worth to read.
    explore more @ http://www.travelaroundindia.com/

  • Reply
    sonya
    February 19, 2014 at 7:29 am

    women travelers to India have a viable and safe option: a women’s venture (trailblzr59@hotmail.com) that provides safe and comfortable home stay in Delhi/Gurgaon , assistance of all kinds including airport pick-up and drop-off. It also organizes safe, fascinating, economical journeys into the northern and western parts of India for small groups of women, offering them authentic, informative experiences of a wide variety of Indian flavours: spirituality, culture, history, adventure, festivals, rural life, cuisine, handicrafts, people, business etc.

    • Reply
      Flora
      February 22, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      Thanks for the information Sonya. I would prefer it however if you didn’t spam the comments section with multiple comments and links to your home stay program, as it doesn’t make the best impression.

      • Reply
        sonya
        February 25, 2014 at 10:27 am

        I do apologize for the multiple comments, flora: it was unintended since I was visiting several sites at the time while googling and my comments did not appear when I hit on your site. I will not repeat the faux pas. Happy traveling.
        With best wishes,
        sonya

  • Reply
    David
    February 28, 2014 at 3:03 am

    Flora it is nice to be here and know about your experience of India Tour . I love to visit that kind of places with multi-culture and diversity . Very soon i will have this plan .. Snaps are good .

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 20, 2014 at 12:54 am

      Thanks David!

  • Reply
    sandytower
    February 28, 2014 at 10:00 am

    Hello Friends,

    As we know “Atithi Devo Bhaba”, so we always need to try how we will provide good facilities to the tourist, by that way we can earn also.

    Thank You,
    Bhubaneswar Hotels

  • Reply
    Suchit Mangal
    April 7, 2014 at 5:07 am

    Thanks for sharing information about Tour and Travels blog. I love tourist places in India. So I am searches Tour operator in India then I got indiatourismoffice.com is leading of Tour and Travels Operator in India. India tourism office offers affordable price for travels in any ware in India.

  • Reply
    shashi singh
    April 17, 2014 at 10:32 am

    Interesting topic, I would like suggest another site for India tours packages i.e
    http://www.balajitourtravel.com and also provides various other important information regarding other tour packages.
    India tours packages

  • Reply
    Learning Time Management in Medellin (and Why I'm Having a Slight Meltdown)
    April 24, 2014 at 12:12 am

    […] at the local primary school; followed by four months in India, first with an Intrepid tour and then by myself; and finally a month in Thailand, where I was totoally overwhelmed by the amount of tourists and […]

  • Reply
    T Shirt No Pants
    April 25, 2014 at 4:02 am

    I am really impressed along with your writing skills
    and also with the layout for your blog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you modify it yourself?
    Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a
    great blog like this one today..

  • Reply
    Harsh S
    April 25, 2014 at 8:15 am

    hey Flora

    it is really heartening to see the positivity about India, with the clear message about its drawbacks. As an Indian and a avid traveler around India, carrying a camera around and looking like a tourist even draws me enough attention so can imagine your plight. this is something that i came accross which is also a interesting read http://www.indiasomeday.com/solo-female-travel-in-india.aspx.
    Thanks again for a great article. Cheers

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 25, 2014 at 6:50 pm

      Thanks for your comment, Harsh – I tried to make the article as fair as I could, so I’m glad to hear that comes across. I’ll check out the article you’ve suggested too 🙂

  • Reply
    Anchit Khanna
    April 28, 2014 at 11:08 am

    Nice Post…Keep up work you area doing….

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 30, 2014 at 11:52 pm

      Thanks Anchit!

  • Reply
    Usha D
    April 28, 2014 at 11:34 am

    Glad that you liked India. Well, yes it is true that India is a diverse country with a lot of cultures, classes, backgrounds mingling with each other and accommodating themselves in the same land.

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 30, 2014 at 11:53 pm

      Thanks Usha, I can definitely agree with your opinion about India 🙂

  • Reply
    Ajit Roy
    April 29, 2014 at 11:24 am

    Interesting topic Admin, I would like suggest another site for India Tours Packages and also provides various other important information regarding other tour packages.

  • Reply
    cheryl
    May 22, 2014 at 11:14 am

    Thank you so much. A fantastic beautifully written guide.

    • Reply
      Flora
      June 2, 2014 at 4:33 pm

      You’re more than welcome, Cheryl 🙂 Glad it could be of some help!

  • Reply
    Dussel_Brad!
    June 4, 2014 at 5:19 am

    I second that! India is indeed an incredible country with amazing people. This feeling, it happens with a country like India where people are full of repressed feelings. In a country where sex is a stigma and considered sacred only after marriage. I am sure you will understand what I am trying to say. I have always believed that the number of decent and cultured people in India is far greater than some impostors and cheats. They are the one who bring bad name for a country. Well, Glad that you had an awesome vacation 🙂

  • Reply
    Jaidene
    June 25, 2014 at 2:40 am

    Hi Flora, My name is Jaidene and I am currently completing year 12 in Australia. As a part of the completion of year12 we have to conduct a research project on a topic of interest to us. For my topic I have chosen to research ‘What safety considerations need to be made for young woman travelling alone in foreign countries’? I found your article while surfing the web and found it very helpful, in-depth an extremely interesting. I was wondering if I could interview you on some questions that I have and use you as a primary resource for my project. Through e-mail would be fine and you can remain anonymous if you wish. I think your views and opinions are great and would love to know some more. Thankyou

    • Reply
      Rajarshi Das
      June 25, 2014 at 5:50 pm

      Please volunteer with gyanacharitra and your airport pick-drop, food, accommodation, mobile sim, internet, conveyance will be take care by the company. You will also get a stipend of 3200 Rs every month.

    • Reply
      Flora
      July 10, 2014 at 5:49 pm

      Hi Jaidene, I’ve replied to your email about this 🙂

  • Reply
    vijay
    June 30, 2014 at 4:31 am

    Thanks Flora for the sharing your Travel experience about India, hope you would enjoyed a lot

    • Reply
      Flora
      July 11, 2014 at 1:37 am

      Thanks Vijay!

  • Reply
    Kinnaur Packages
    June 30, 2014 at 7:29 am

    India is a very vast country.There are many places where one can travel.People from all around the world come to visit the amazing beauty of the country.This blog is much helpful to the travelers and pilgrims from other countries.

  • Reply
    Sherry Cheriton
    July 4, 2014 at 8:17 am

    Im very inspired by your blog and I am planning to go to india in the fall. Was it easy to get around from city to city? Were there a lot of locals that knew some english or did you hire a guide at all?

    • Reply
      Flora
      July 11, 2014 at 1:43 am

      I did a combination of things in India – when I first got there, I was with a tour group so the guide sorted out our transport for us. It can be a bit of a struggle but eventually you get there! And buses were slightly easier to sort than trains, if only because I often found it hard to discover where my train actually was in the station… But a lot of people speak English and want to help you out so I’m sure you’ll be ok 🙂

  • Reply
    winston lee
    July 23, 2014 at 11:15 am

    India is really nice place to travel. The Pictures and the stories that you shared is just so Good and want to read again and again. I am planing to visit India again after reading your blog.

    • Reply
      Flora
      July 25, 2014 at 10:10 pm

      Hope you have a great time Winston!

  • Reply
    Sichuan Tours
    July 24, 2014 at 10:02 am

    I was attracted by this article. I’m considering put India in my Asia holiday next year.

  • Reply
    Angel
    July 29, 2014 at 4:05 pm

    Hi flora.. Being an indian we are quite used to dirt and dust etc. But our tourism department is working on these loop holes. Hope on your next visit you will be surprised by the cleanliness in delhi. I am also planning a tour..Really enjoyed reading your experience.

    • Reply
      Flora
      August 4, 2014 at 6:31 pm

      Thanks Angel! I don’t think the dirt made a huge impact on my time in India overall 🙂

  • Reply
    matrix9666
    July 30, 2014 at 7:18 am

    Hey that is a very good place and i also want to visit there and the pictures you have posted is very nice and beautiful.

  • Reply
    vanessa
    August 24, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    My sisters and I will be going to india for three weeks,in my country we are all in the police I was abit worried with all the sexual crimes happening in india.but your blog has just been such an enlightenment thank you..I think my fears can rest abit.well definitely enjoy my holiday.

    • Reply
      Flora
      September 26, 2014 at 11:20 am

      That’s so lovely to hear Vanessa 🙂 I really hope you and your sisters have a fantastic time in India together – best of luck!

  • Reply
    wilson
    September 9, 2014 at 8:30 am

    Experience the beauty, history and culture, of india with us we have affordable all india tour and packages for you and your family too.visit a site http://www.en.myvoyagestoindia.com.

  • Reply
    Travel Is Like An Investment In Yourself | Bitcoin Success
    October 6, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    […] Happy, Safe and Solo: Travelling in India by Yourself by … – When I told my dad that I was going to India by myself, his face fell. No matter that my cousin had travelled for a year through the country on her own; no matter …… […]

  • Reply
    Bus Tickets
    October 8, 2014 at 4:01 pm

    Thanks for sharing information about india. Its very halpful.

    http://www.travelyaari.com/

  • Reply
    kristina
    November 11, 2014 at 9:06 am

    Well, it’s good to know that you liked and enjoyed your tour to India. Also, it’s true that India is a big country with a lot of cultures, historical places, natural beauty, religions and backgrounds mingling with each other and accommodating themselves in the same land. I would say that it’s better to go for some travel company to book a tour to India to avoid any hassle and make your trip memorable for long.

  • Reply
    Manish
    November 11, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    Awesome list ! I have been looking a great travel blog list and you have one. I could spend hours going through these blogs! thank you!

  • Reply
    Budget Travels India
    November 12, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    Agra is the best historical places in india.I am also from agra .Always welcome in agra .Thanks for sharing your tour moments

  • Reply
    Aditya
    November 15, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    I am sure you had a lot of fun traveling India all by yourself. Loved all the pictures and yes we and our Government is working on the issues(dirt etc) you mentioned and you should hopefully a much better experience next time you are here.

  • Reply
    Maya
    November 27, 2014 at 11:36 am

    Taj mahal is the most beautiful place on earth…

  • Reply
    nouhad
    December 24, 2014 at 7:33 am

    Dear,
    I am planning to travel to india. solo female for the first time. i am planning to visit the golden triangle. what travel agency u advice me to contact? is it true that 4 strs hotels means three stars in west?

    • Reply
      Flora
      January 6, 2015 at 3:46 pm

      I’m afraid I don’t know any specific travel agents to recommend, Nouhad – have you looked into some group tour companies like G Adventures or Intrepid Travel?

    • Reply
      aditya roy
      February 13, 2015 at 6:52 am

      Hi Nouhad,i can suggest you dont go for any travel agency..make the whole plan by yourself..solo plannig will help you to cover more places instead of those travel agencies..i am from Delhi..if u need any more details you can contact in my email ID i.e sandiphotboy@hotmail.com

  • Reply
    alroy
    January 7, 2015 at 9:08 am

    Hi Flora,

    I am really delighted to read your post. I am working in a hotel as a manager and Just recently back from India. To me, travel is about meeting other people along the way. in India I found a vision of spirituality that makes more sense to me than anything else.

    • Reply
      Flora
      January 14, 2015 at 1:52 pm

      Great, Alroy – thanks so much for reading!

  • Reply
    Himachal tour
    January 28, 2015 at 8:24 am

    Hi flora,

    Enjoy your trip in india,you felt about athithi devo bhav definitely in india.Feel free in india when you will next time come to india.

  • Reply
    TRAVEL: Solo Female Travel to India
    February 4, 2015 at 7:39 pm

    […] to India as a solo female traveler. I’ve also been reading Young Adventuress, Y Travel Blog, Flora The Explorer (her post on India is one of my fav’s! So honest and helpful), and […]

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    whitepcock
    March 23, 2015 at 7:24 pm

    Hey Flora, nice post!
    Re food sickness in India, I’d say “Avoid street food altogether” as the best food is always home cooked from Indian households…this is where a friend’s recommendation comes in handy. There’s also an epidemic counterfeit spice trade in India, with all sorts of crap being added to make up volume. The oil or butter that is used most times is scraped together over weeks…seen this Delhi street food stalls.
    Travelling alone male or female is risky, but as the religious saying goes in India…everything happens for a reason. So with that & common sense in mind, anyone can/should have a safe trip.
    Thnx

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 10, 2015 at 3:37 pm

      I don’t think avoiding it altogether is that much fun, though..! As long as you can see the food being cooked to boiling/hot in front of you, and there are lots of locals also eating there then you’re usually ok. And honestly, I’d say suffering a bit of Delhi Belly is an intrinsic part of the experience of travelling in India!

  • Reply
    ivy kriste
    April 6, 2015 at 12:27 pm

    After Reading your article. You are the one who njoyed alot in India. Loved all the pictures Specially in Red Saree one. I love that pic very much. Looking cute.

  • Reply
    Voyager seule: Le guide de l'aventurière - Hôtels Privés
    April 8, 2015 at 8:03 am

    […] – Voyager seule – Voyager seule, la meilleure décision de ma vie – Solo travel mistakes to avoid – Happy, safe and solo: travelling in India by yourself – Voyager au féminin – Le voyage au féminin en […]

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    Saurabh
    June 6, 2015 at 6:07 am

    India is safe for female solo traveler. Enjoy the lovely country without worry. India tour gives you the experience of culture, history, wildlife, adventure.

    Saurabh

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    Red Rock
    June 27, 2015 at 11:38 am

    India is a place full of fun, leisure, adventure, delicious food, mesmerizing views and many more. Please visit India, don’t get scary or worry about India. just visit India and make your moments memorable.

  • Reply
    Amber
    July 28, 2015 at 9:11 pm

    I am just beginning to contemplate going to India and I found your post hugely informative and insightful. Thank you!

    • Reply
      Flora
      August 1, 2015 at 8:11 pm

      Wonderful news Amber! Do let me know if I can help with anything else prior to your India trip. I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time 🙂

      • Reply
        Natali Phuong
        September 19, 2015 at 6:53 pm

        I plan travel solo to India on this Oct, but dont know how reach from New Delhi to Rajasthan Jaipur, I want make tour around Rajasthan , pls advise or pm me on fb

        • Reply
          Flora
          October 5, 2015 at 10:40 pm

          Hi Natali! If you’ve got specific questions about travelling in India, feel free to get in touch via the contact page of this site. I’m afraid I can’t help you with arranging tours in Rajasthan though – you’d be better off speaking to a tour operator for that.

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    Saying Goodbye on the Road
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    Sometimes I'm Scared to Travel - But That Doesn't Stop Me
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    How to Cope with Getting Sick when Travelling
    August 31, 2015 at 10:53 am

    […] it depends what part of the world you’re in – I took more excessive precautions with food poisoning in India than I have in the whole of South America – but it still pays to be cautious. And if […]

  • Reply
    Max C
    November 4, 2015 at 10:24 am

    Great article! some really sound advice in here for women AND guys as well

    • Reply
      Flora
      November 9, 2015 at 12:11 am

      A very good point, Max! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

  • Reply
    Faiz Alam
    November 25, 2015 at 8:57 am

    Flora you are a cute traveler, Really this post inspired me to travel solo… one more flora how you got the spirit to travel solo ??

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    Pawan Sharma
    December 25, 2015 at 12:18 pm

    A Great Open mind about India. whenever you come back to India, you Can book Tea Resorts in India to See the beauty of West Bengal.

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    Sexism and Machismo: the Attitude to Women in Latin America
    February 2, 2016 at 11:00 am

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    So You Want to Volunteer in South America?
    February 11, 2016 at 9:05 am

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    vinodgupta111000
    February 29, 2016 at 8:10 am

    This blog is really cool ! Please post another like this, pics are awesome and attractive. l.I enjoyed reading your Blog. Thanks for sharing such a great information. To book
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  • Reply
    Sneha
    March 3, 2016 at 9:40 am

    Hello Flora, firstly thanks for share with us.. very helpfull Blog … but you can also visit this for any more tips and advices .. seriously amazing guide and tips for Solo Travellers In India this is a very helpfull http://travel-blog.waytoindia.com/tips-for-solo-travellers-in-india/

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    Namotaxi
    March 29, 2016 at 5:20 am

    A Great information regarding Namo Taxi offered Travel Packages for in & around South India for Pick and Drop. namotaxi.incars in tirupati.

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    India Tour
    April 26, 2016 at 12:50 pm

    Truly Awesome post ! It is really very interesting and informative. Thanks for posting this. 🙂 I felt glad when i read it. This is my blog All Indai Tour Packages Please do make a visit. Thanx in advance.

  • Reply
    Amelia Pollock
    May 10, 2016 at 10:10 am

    Nice information, you should also visit Amritsar which is famous for Golden Temple. I usually go there on my every trip of India. It is a very peaceful place. I thank to http://omsairamtravels.in/ who took me to all famous places in amritsar.

  • Reply
    Hotel in Dhaka
    May 10, 2016 at 12:43 pm

    Happy, Safe Travelling in India is great topic about travel.

  • Reply
    Sangeetha
    June 14, 2016 at 11:50 am

    Behavior is the most important thing while traveling solo don’t be a too guts and too afraid.

  • Reply
    Best Travel Agency in Jammu
    June 20, 2016 at 9:51 am

    very beautiful pics and article too
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  • Reply
    nomadicfoot
    June 20, 2016 at 12:43 pm

    such a great post…thanks for writing about India…

  • Reply
    Suraj Soni
    June 28, 2016 at 10:31 am

    Hi Flora,

    good to see you were enjoying in india, next time when you visit explore Uttrakhand state it is full of mountains and greenery.

  • Reply
    Paul Berg
    June 30, 2016 at 6:45 am

    traveling in india is a charm, you see such a beautiful places and different culture at every 200 miles which is difficult to find in any other country.

  • Reply
    Gajanand Joshi
    July 14, 2016 at 5:38 am

    Hi..thanks for adorable post

  • Reply
    Gist Emrys
    July 27, 2016 at 5:28 pm

    If you want to travel to India and you wish to get the best hotel reservation, ultimate tour with no tour hangout with the help of experienced guides and driver, have your nice moment at the five star Indian Cuisine Restaurants, 24 -hour dedicated support with Just a call away, ALL AT CHEAP AND AFFORDABLE RATE, then you got no option than to make use of vacation India. Get more info about them by visiting http://www.vacationindia.com

  • Reply
    Prakash
    August 4, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    Loved the article.. it really takes something for a Westerner to understand the country and I am glad you did.

  • Reply
    shan
    September 29, 2016 at 9:14 am

    Hi….Flora, i really hope you enjoyed very well at india. and really thanks for this post about india. and always we welcome you south india. Thank you

  • Reply
    orlov
    November 2, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    Very nice blog. I love travelling and also developing some websites to help people through our website.
    http://www.touristgurus.com/indiatouristdestination
    Stay connected.

    • Reply
      Flora
      November 27, 2016 at 9:18 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it, Orlov!

  • Reply
    Vaibhav Singh
    November 15, 2016 at 9:49 am

    Hello, Thanks for sharing such a fantastic blog.I really appreciate your blog to share information about India.Looking at these photos remind me why India was so special.…Visiting in India is amazing experience. This is amazing place with historical monuments and rich traditional culture. Specially dressing style culture, festivals celebration of india attract every tourist.

    • Reply
      Flora
      November 27, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      Great to hear it, Vaibhav! I’m so glad you’ve found some of my photos interesting 🙂

  • Reply
    Taj Mahal
    January 10, 2017 at 5:50 pm

    You are absolutely right at some points, India can a difficult place to handle for solo women traveler but at the same time it is one of the most vivid and colorful countries. If you are confident and take proper care of yourself you will enjoy every bit of India.

    Roadside food is definitely unhygienic at most of the place thus its better avoid it and always carry a bottle of mineral water to avoid water borne diseases.

  • Reply
    Agness of Tuktuk
    February 16, 2017 at 7:02 am

    This was a blast to read. It’s always best to research before travelling, to better prepare yourself and to make sure you act accordingly to where you are. Great points taken here, keep it up!

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 9, 2017 at 12:35 pm

      Thanks Agness, glad you enjoyed it!

  • Reply
    Ankita
    March 7, 2017 at 7:20 am

    Hello, Thanks for sharing such an amazing blog.I really appreciate your blog to share information about India. Enjoyed it a lot 🙂

    • Reply
      Flora
      March 9, 2017 at 12:12 pm

      Thanks so much Ankita!

  • Reply
    Prakash
    March 21, 2017 at 10:04 am

    Such a lovely post! India is indeed an amazing country.

    • Reply
      Flora
      April 2, 2017 at 10:41 am

      It really is, Prakash! Glad you agree 🙂

  • Reply
    Therie
    April 16, 2017 at 5:38 am

    Thank you for putting this guide together. You’re such an inspiration! Bookmarking this for future use.

    • Reply
      Neeraj
      April 25, 2017 at 9:43 am

      Hi Flora,
      Nicely written article about India with useful information for every traveler.Hope you will come back again and explore everything which was left.
      For any query please visit http://www.regencytours.in/

  • Reply
    Anabel Ruiz (@AnnabelleRuizca)
    May 6, 2017 at 1:55 am

    Dear Flora,

    Thanks a lot for your advices, they are very helpful.

    I’ll be visiting India next August on my first solo travel in Asia and I am really excited (and scared at the same time).

    As you mention it’s a good idea to join a tour group for a few days / weeks to overcome the first cultural shock.
    I am planing to do that during my stay in Delhi and Golden Triangle Visit.
    Could you recommend me a tour operator good for solo travels? (Some of them are sold as tour guides but they are privates and nor for a mixed group of people)

    Thank you!!! 🙂

  • Reply
    Alinnea Smith
    August 1, 2017 at 1:19 pm

    no matter how a trip is, it will always provide you a great experience.. I had been in India last year, have a solo trip, visited Agra, Delhi, Varanasi & Rajasthan only, though faces such kind of concerns but travelling to India is always great exposure to me !! (special thanks to make me remind my memories)

  • Reply
    diyagupta
    August 17, 2017 at 1:25 pm

    Women can visit alone in India but you have to keep in mind some necessary things like dress conservatively and pre book your taxi ,auto to avoid scams. some Your tips is very beneficial for women.

  • Reply
    IndiaGoldenTriangleTrips
    August 31, 2017 at 9:55 am

    Your blog is surely amazing and useful.
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  • Reply
    nishajain
    September 5, 2017 at 9:25 am

    Hello !!
    India is such a nice place to travel. Thanks for sharing this article. I liked this article very much.

  • Reply
    rahul5111
    November 9, 2017 at 5:21 am

    I see these destination of India for solo traveling,looks very different ,foreigners also likes these type of destination.

  • Reply
    Jaxson Aurora
    November 9, 2017 at 11:07 am

    You have written a great blog. Nice to read your blog and your blog got a lot of useful information about Solo Traveling in India. Your information is beneficial for the solo traveler. Thanks for sharing the great information. Good Luck!

  • Reply
    Md Abul Kashem
    November 13, 2017 at 11:48 am

    Nice blog for travel.
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    Munu Nepal
    December 31, 2017 at 9:40 am

    Nice travel guide, I really love to read your post. If you are planning to have Everest base camp trek, visit us: http://snowyoda.com/everest-base-camp-trek-bangalore

  • Reply
    James
    January 24, 2018 at 4:26 pm

    Great artical, i found the locals so plesant and easy going!

    Here is a travel video of my experience traveling the west coast

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV0Pv72d9TA

    Hope you enjoy

  • Reply
    Northern India, Crazy and Peaceful All in One – Around Macau in 660 Days
    February 9, 2018 at 5:52 am

    […] through several blogs like Flora the Explorer and Legal Nomads helped a lot and once I found a link describing exactly how to book and ride […]

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    suresh sapkota
    February 23, 2018 at 2:01 am

    Good post. Looking for best Everest base camp trekking packages from Mumbai, we offer budget packages. http://snowyoda.com/everest-base-camp-trek-mumbai

  • Reply
    Divyansh
    March 8, 2018 at 11:04 am

    Thank you for showing it to the world how beautiful India is, how we as Indians are, yeah, some of it is a harsh reality, and I suggest you to check the valley of flowers in Uttrakhand as well, as it’s a nice place to give a visit once.

  • Reply
    AmanGaur
    March 9, 2018 at 8:43 am

    Nice blog. Well-written!

  • Reply
    Perpetuallife
    April 27, 2018 at 10:01 am

    Hi flora..actually I came here to posts some back links for promoting our Playwise Quiz app, but I just went through your experiences in India, had a second thought whether I should post it or not because your blog made me feel though.

  • Reply
    Frank Martin
    April 30, 2018 at 8:14 am

    It is a great blog which describes the beauty of the city and narrates the issue and the best part of solo traveler. I was concern about travelling alone in India as a solo female traveler but after reading this blog I felt confident about travelling alone. This blog has each and every detail regarding the safety and other issues faced during the journey.

  • Reply
    Joseph Hannah
    May 14, 2018 at 12:51 pm

    Solo traveling is the better option for yourself traveling. India is the good destination for solo traveling. While solo traveling takes care of all things. When traveling, we should get information about that destination where we going. you share the right information on solo travelling. Thanks for such post and please keep it up.

  • Reply
    tole
    July 17, 2018 at 11:52 am

    interesting articles and this is my first first reading.!

  • Reply
    Bangladesh Tours
    November 27, 2018 at 3:20 am

    Excellent articles. Thanks admin for sharing us such a good blog.

    • Reply
      Flora
      November 27, 2018 at 12:24 pm

      Thanks so much – I’m glad you enjoyed it!

  • Reply
    Best Tour Operator in Bangladesh
    April 26, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    Such an Informative article. Thanks admin

  • Reply
    James Michael
    May 28, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    India is really great and beautiful country. Various culture in this country. One of the world miracles is in India. Solo traveling is difficult anywhere but gets the right information about the destination is very easy for solo travel. You shared the information about India solo traveling is very nice and helpful for travelers. Great blog.

  • Reply
    nickywearmouth
    November 17, 2019 at 5:07 pm

    Glad I stumbled across this, lovely read. I travelled solo in India as an 18 year old in 1988 with no mobile, no social media and very little sense!! I arrived green as can be and left a lot wiser. I think a return trip is in order!

  • Reply
    Stella Wilson
    September 1, 2020 at 3:59 am

    Hi Flora, Wonderful blog. I have been to Taj Mahal 2 times while i was in India. it’s one of the best places to visit in India. Thanks for sharing these beautiful photographsan and this informative article with us.

  • Reply
    iPhone Charger, 5Packs(3ft 3ft 6ft 6ft 10ft)Charging Cable
    August 22, 2022 at 6:34 am

    You have written a great blog. Nice to read your blog and your blog got a lot of useful information about Solo Traveling

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    iphone charger cable
    August 30, 2022 at 7:52 pm

    Definitely it’s an informative blog. Thank you Flora.

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