I travelled to India for a total of 3 months in the spring of 2024, both alone and as a couple with my boyfriend. I have travelled to many Indian states from the south to the north of India and accumulated experience and tips on how to safely travel in India as a solo female traveller. Read my article below to answer the question of whether India is safe for solo female travellers, with tips and practical examples!
Is India safe for solo female travellers? Yes, but..
India is such a big place, where cultural differences are so wide, that it is impossible to have a single answer to the question of whether India is safe for solo female travellers. There are some parts of India that are totally safe for solo female travellers, others where with some extra care it is possible to move around safely, and others where it can be more risky.
In India I have had some of the most beautiful and rich experiences of my life, and I have met some absolutely fantastic people who will remain in my heart forever. However, India compared to other countries in the world is more complicated and stressful to navigate. One has to be prepared for what awaits us as women travelling through it (such as the intense stares of local men), and one has to have open eyes on all sides.
Amidst the countless pleasant adventures I had in India, I unfortunately also had a few unpleasant events that caused me stress. I have collected all my experiences in this article, dividing them into sub-chapters and giving concrete examples of what happened to me. I hope that by reading my experiences you will be adequately prepared to have a safe and authentic experience in this wonderful and complex country that is India.
An India safety map
All regions or cities in India that are very touristy, whether for international or local tourism, are safer than regions where this is not the case. Generally here, it will be easier to meet other, like minded travellers in hostels and visit attractions in groups instead of solo. Also, the northern mountain regions (Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh) and southern regions (Goa, Kerala) are quieter and a nice introduction to the chaos of India before venturing into the central regions.
In the map below, I have ranked the regions I visited according to their perceived safety level.
Green areas
Green areas are easier to visit than orange or red areas, and I deem them safe for solo female travellers in India. Particularly mountainous regions like Himachal Pradesh or Sikkim are very quiet and safe for women. In regions like Goa, you will feel more like being in a European beach town than India! In these areas, both alone and with my boyfriend, we also used hitchhiking as a safe means of travel! Check out our article on hitchhiking in India if you want to know more.
Yellow areas
The yellow areas are more touristy regions to visit because of the amount of people and the local culture. I visited Rajasthan after being in South India, and had quite a culture shock! I recommend more vigilance in these areas, especially in the big cities.
Red areas
The red areas are areas where I do not recommend staying for long or on your own. These areas of India are renowned for having safety issues for women, and apart from iconic tourist sites like the Taj Mahal and Varanasi, they have little to offer. In these areas, it is best to arrange safe transport to visit the tourist sites of interest and then change your destination.
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My tips for staying safe as a solo female traveller in India
Stay in a hostel
In all likelihood, you will arrive in India via New Delhi, Kochi or Mumbai. Cities are known to be more chaotic and disruptive than other places, and the first impact may not be the best. If you arrive during the evening, my advice is to get taken straight to the hostel, and the next day with daylight start moving around independently. It has happened to me several times to arrive during the night in Indian cities and be intimidated by them, only to discover during the morning of the next day that they were actually not so bad.
During your stay in India, I recommend going to hostels. It will be very easy to find other solo travellers, and it might be a good idea to join them to visit places or go for dinner. Even if there are groups already formed, do not be afraid to ask to join. Everyone in the hostel is eager to share time with other people and everyone is extremely friendly! During my entire stay in India, staying in hostels, I was never alone for a minute!
Don’t be out in the dark
This may seem like a trivial or obvious suggestion, but especially in India, it is really not recommended to walk around in the dark. Indian cities transform during the night: more people take to the streets, making the alleys very chaotic. It is not worth the risk of taking transport such as a bus or walking the streets alone in the dark. Rather, call an Uber or tuk tuk to take you to your hostel or hotel. The cost will only be a maximum of one euro!
Even if you are in seemingly safe places like Goa, and for some reason you have to or want to return early from your night out, call a taxi or join a group of other people who are returning and ask if you can walk with them.
Real example: Attending a club night in Goa
When I was in Goa after an evening at Hill Top, my friends’ group wanted to continue dancing and go to the after party, but I was so tired and wanted to go back to the hostel. My friends stayed with me until we found an English guy going back to the hotel, and he offered to accompany me so I wouldn’t have to walk alone. I was really grateful for that choice, as several cars honked or stared at us insistently. It would not have been a pleasant or safe walk alone!
Means of transport: Which ones are safest?
In India, means of transport are an adventure to experience. They are exhausting, chaotic, slow, and the drivers often drive like madmen, but you can’t say you’ve been to India without trying them!
Bus safety in India
In terms of safety, I have generally always had very good experiences with buses. I feel I can recommend them, with a few small tips.
Travelling within cities by bus
For small trips within the cities, you can easily take buses during the day. Again, during the evening, I recommend taking Uber or a taxi. Many buses within cities offer women-only services, free of charge, or offer pink seats inside where you can sit in total serenity away from men.
Travelling between cities by bus
For travel between cities, you can book buses of private companies with the 12Go.Asia app. These buses are usually comfortable, air-conditioned, and cost slightly more than state buses (but still a pittance!) and will have all the people travelling and other guys like you inside.
When booking train and bus tickets abroad, we always use 12go.asia. You can check timetables and prices online and it’s often cheaper than booking in person! Check our 12go.asia here.
If you travel at night, all night buses will have the option of letting you choose pink seats, i.e. having only women at your side for the duration of the journey.
Note: Most night buses will arrive in city centres very early, between 4 and 6 am. My advice is to book a hostel in advance, and once you get off the bus you can haggle the price with the tuk tuk to have them take you straight to the door (or even better, book an Uber which will probably cost less!).
Train safety in India
I have only once taken a train to Pushkar from Jaipur, and honestly I did not find the experience pleasant. The official government website where you can get tickets online is very confusing, and once you get to the station there is no guarantee that you will catch the train you have booked. I was with my boyfriend, and when we got to the station, we discovered that our train was delayed by almost a day (yes, a day!). At that point, we relied on locals who recommended another train.
Once we got on the train, it didn’t get any better. The amount of people was far greater than on the bus, and there is less control of what goes on in the carriages.
Real example: My train journey from Jaipur to Pushkar
When my boyfriend and I were sitting on the train, I had to change seats because a man was really staring at me insistently. He was getting closer and closer, until he was sitting behind me, but still leaning forward to stare at me. It definitely made me feel uncomfortable, and at that point I preferred to sit next to a group of women to be quieter. This could not happen in a bus!
My advice if you want to take the train, is to pay a bit more and go in the first or second class carriages, with your assigned seat, and not to be in third class where anyone can get on and where there is little control over what happens.
People asking for selfies
India is renowned for being full of people who, as soon as they see you, will want to take a selfie with you. At first glance, this may make you feel like a celebrity and you may even feel flattered. My advice is from the outset to carefully select the people who make this request of you.
My general rule is to agree to take photos with couples, or with women and girls, but categorically say no to single men or men in groups . No need to explain and don’t be afraid to be rude, just say you don’t want to. I was told that some men use pictures with western girls to brag to their friends, or even worse, to make their girlfriends jealous. Disgusting!
Also, once you agree to take a photo with one of them, they will all want a photo with you in turn, and it can be an unpleasant and lengthy process. Even worse, some of them take the opportunity to have their photo taken with you to stand a little too close to you, or stretch their hands on your hips, if not worse.
My real examples
- In Goa at the beach a guy had approached me to ask for a photo together, and I, having just arrived in India, agreed. Within 2 minutes, I had a group of at least 10 to 15 men around me and they all demanded to have their picture taken. Pretty stressful and intense!
- On another occasion, I was walking along, a man asked me to take a selfie and I said OK. Noticing that he had come far too close to me, I moved away. When I was about to move away, he forcefully grabbed my hand and tried to lick it.
- If you are with your boyfriend (or friends), and you decide to take a photo with a man in India, make sure your boyfriend is between you and the other men. I happened to notice on at least two occasions that when I was in the middle between the Indian guy and my boyfriend, my boyfriend was cut out of the photo, and the photo only showed me and the Indian guy. Any idea why?
- It can happen that some Indian men or boys film you or take pictures of you without your consent (it happened to me and some of my friends). Don’t be afraid to go and ask them to delete the photos and say that this behaviour is inappropriate.
Although I know that the intentions of some are harmless, the bad intentions of the few are in my opinion enough to categorically say no to all men who approach you to ask for selfies.
(Not) giving confidence
Tied to the point about selfies, comes the point about not giving confidence to any man in India. Unfortunately, even a yes for a selfie, or an extra word, can be mistaken for consent to being available or wanting to spend time with them. Also, Western girls are seen by some as open to adventure, and I have often been made absurd demands just for agreeing to have them help me on some occasions.
In everyday situations, my advice is to be polite but remain rather reserved. Don’t share too much personal information or where you are staying. Say that you are married (even if it is not true), absolutely do not touch anyone even if done in a friendly manner, and cut short whenever possible. Unfortunately, many Indians misunderstand behaviour easily!
My real examples
- On my arrival in India I needed a phone card and was walking alone to a shop to make one. A local boy stopped me and asked if I was looking for something, and when I told him where I was going, he said that a friend of his had a SIM card shop a few metres away. I agreed to follow him and we arrived at the shop together. During the whole process of installing the SIM, he didn’t stop for a moment from propositioning me to go this way or that way with him, to have fun together, and even when I told him that I wasn’t interested and that I had a boyfriend, he insisted that if I was there alone then it didn’t matter if I had a boyfriend at home. In general it was quite annoying.
Note: Organise yourself before you go out on where to go (if they see you stopping to look for information on your phone they will approach you immediately), and don’t take advice from people you meet on the street. Ask the workers in the hostel where to go, they will usually be able to help you with everything.
- In Goa I had to join a group of friends at a beach bar. Following Google maps I had ended up on the wrong street (classic Google maps!). Seeing me lost, an Indian guy stopped and asked me where I should go. Showing him the name of the bar, he gave me the correct directions. He offered to accompany me a piece, and while in Europe this would be completely OK, on this occasion I would simply have to say no. He took this small concession as a sign that I was interested, and without me noticing, he then followed me to the bar. My friends and I only realised afterwards that he stood outside the bar for about two hours waiting for me to leave!
Note: If you agree to let someone help you with directions, never show your true final destination where you are headed, and do not give anyone further confidence.
Big crowds and festivities
India is famous for having big religious celebrations, festivals and colourful fairs of all kinds. Attending some of these events can be a unique and unforgettable experience, and the perfect opportunity to savour a bit of real Indian culture. However, when there are large crowds, one has to be careful.
If the streets are too full of people, there can be a risk of petty theft or harassment. My advice in such cases is: always ask the locals what they think of the celebration in terms of security . They are the true connoisseurs of what goes on in the streets, and whether a celebration is safe or not. Ask them before you go to the celebrations, and if possible find a group of people to go with.
Real example: When I attended Holi in Pushkar
The Holi celebration, the famous Hindu festival of colours, was an example of a celebration we were excited to attend, but which unfortunately turned out not to be pleasant for foreigners, especially girls. The large number of people on the streets, mostly consisting of groups of young men, encouraged harassing behaviour towards me and many other girls, who were unfortunately touched inappropriately. Only in retrospect did many hoteliers and locals tell us that it is common during this holiday to encounter this kind of incident, and especially for foreigners, it is a holiday to be avoided.
If you want to know more about our personal experience during Holi, read our article here!
Clothing and how to dress
India can be quite conservative about dress, especially in some regions like Rajasthan. My advice to have the most peaceful experience possible is to always wear comfortable, loose and light clothes. The looks will already be intense on their own, there is no need to make them even more intense!
My outfit was almost always loose, comfortable trousers, a beautiful Indian coloured sari to protect my shoulders and short-sleeved shirts or tank tops that were not too low-cut. In places like the Himachal Pradesh mountains, Goa or Hampi, it was possible for me to wear shorts without feeling uncomfortable, given the presence of so many Indian tourists and so many other western guys. I would not have done the same in New Delhi, Rajasthan or the Kerala region. Always beaware of where you are, and where it can be seen with different eyes to wear shorts than opaque clothes. Better be safe!
Use common sense
As a final point, I recommend using common sense. Each of us has an inward little voice that tells us when a situation seems safe or when a situation could potentially be dangerous. In India, more than anywhere else in the world, this little voice must be listened to. It is not worth taking unnecessary risks.
One must have the ability to judge situations without ever underestimating them and always keep one’s eyes open. India is not like the western countries we are used to. It is big, chaotic, and you will immediately realise how much difference there is between polite people, and some of the people you will find on the streets. Judge conscientiously who to trust and who not to, and when it is appropriate to ask someone for a little help.
In fact, if you happen to find yourself in a situation where you do not feel comfortable, do not be afraid to ask the local people for help. Most of the people you meet will be kind and willing to help you out, and they will want you to have a good experience in their country and make you feel safe!
Conclusion
The writing of this article is not intended to discourage girls from going to India alone, quite the opposite! The aim is to give you a few more tips, which I would also have liked to have received before I left, in order to have the best possible experience. Although you can never eliminate risks 100%, by following these tips, you will certainly do your part to stay as safe as possible as a solo female traveller in India.
I won’t hide the fact that India was the country that challenged me the most. At times it made me nervous, and as women, it made me feel uncomfortable. Despite this, however, it was also the country that gave me some of the strongest emotions of my life. I have wonderful memories, I had some amazing experiences, and most of the people I met there (both Indian and international) are incredible, and are still in touch with me today.
India is a contradictory, chaotic, wonderful, and culturally rich country that has to be experienced in all its beautiful and spiritual sides, as well as in its darker sides of poverty and injustice.
After an experience in India, you will become stronger women. You will love it, hate it, and then eventually want to return.
Was this article on India and whether it’s safe for solo female travellers helpful to you? Leave us a comment below and let us know! Are you planning your trip to India and have any questions about it? Please feel free to leave us a comment and I will be happy to answer them!
For more India-specific articles, check out the rest of the blog.
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