How to Travel as a Solo Female Traveller in Bangkok

Bangkok is like any other city in the country; it can pose threats to anyone, regardless of your gender. But, with a few safety tips and a whole lot of common sense, you will be able to navigate through Bangkok alone. Here are some things you should know when travelling solo in Bangkok, particularly as a woman!

Accommodation

Sure, it can be pretty tempting to cut back on your accommodation budget so that you can splurge on Bangkok's absolutely incredible shopping opportunities – but do yourself a favour, and refrain from stuffing yourself into a shabby lodge down in Khaosan Road. It's not even about your safety, in terms of breaking-in, but these places are probably infested with bed bugs, a usual travel nightmare in humid countries. If you research a bit, you may come across everything from clean and safe hostels to many a 5 star Bangkok hotel which includes properties such as Emporium Suites by Chatrium. However, if wild nights in Khaosan tops your Bangkok list, you can look for a guesthouse in Phra Athit that has all the necessities required for a good night's sleep. Pratunam and Phaya Thai are also ideal for accommodation for solo female travellers and they are conveniently located close to BTS Station and local food stalls.

Dress for the occasion

Although Thailand is identified as a Buddhist country, many travellers dress in short shorts, tank tops, or whatever they would feel like wearing for the day, which would be perfectly fine in the downtown areas in Bangkok. However, wearing revealing clothes is not prudent when you're travelling alone in the suburbs of the city. If what you want is to travel and explore in peace, then wolf whistles wouldn't be welcome, would they? But even if you wear decent clothes, unwanted looks and calls may come your way – if they do, the best thing would be to pretend that you haven't noticed anything and calmly keep walking. When visiting temples and other important places in Bangkok, make sure you're covered from shoulders to knees. Some temples wouldn't allow entry if you're dressed in a sleeveless blouse; therefore, make sure you have a colourful shawl in your backpack to use should the occasion arise.

Go exploring with a local

Once you arrive in Bangkok, it will be perfectly normal to feel a bit intimidated to go exploring by yourself like you initially planned. So why not spend a day with a local in the city to get all the tips and tricks on things such as where you can source the best street food, find the best deals in shopping, and several other insider details that would help you to familiarise yourself with the city. Nevertheless, if you don't feel comfortable about hanging out with a random person, you can always find someone from websites such as TakeMeTour, where you can find locals from the areas that you are visiting. This would be the wisest option as all these local experts have gone through background checkups to ensure your safety.

Other Tips

This would most likely be one of your general rules of thumb regardless whether you're a solo female traveller or not – do not leave your drinks unattended or accept ones from strangers. And yes, drugging does take place in Bangkok and you should always take precautions to make sure that you aren't a target. Also, pickpocketing is a common case you'll come across, especially at Chatuchak Weekend Market. Make sure that you're handbags are zipped close and your backpacks are in front of you to avoid unfortunate incidents.