by India has earned itself an unfavorable reputation when it comes to safety for female travelers, which prompted me to frequently get asked: is India safe for female travellers?
As your travel guide to India as a woman, this will cover everything that’s necessary. I have traveled there seven times myself with groups, solo and with my husband; therefore I understand exactly what you can expect during this experience. Additionally, having lived for two years across its entirety I believe that my understanding of Indian culture and way of life makes this guide helpful in its entirety.
Is India Safe for Female Travellers?
The Bad Rap
There have been disturbing cases involving groups of Indian males assaulting female tourists with shocking violence in rural areas and local communities over recent years; while tourists themselves tend to avoid such assaults.
After an incident that took place on a bus in Delhi and subsequent outrage in 2012, India has striven hard to improve its image, particularly among female tourists who visit. Female police guarding crowds have also been deployed alongside gender segregated train carriages with female police patrolling at night to keep women feeling secure and at ease when traveling alone.
Let me assure you that India is safe for female travelers and takes appropriate security precautions. While I never felt unsafe within India itself, some frightening situations do exist here and elsewhere around the globe – not just India – so sadly all locations around the globe cannot guarantee women safety.
What Should I Wear as a Female Tourist in India?
Another question I am often posed.
Traditional clothing in India generally covers legs, upper cleavage and shoulders while showing your midriff is never an issue. Today however, in larger Indian cities modern Indian ladies frequently don crop tops and shorts while at beaches like Kerala or Goa even wear bikinis without worry or hesitation!
Villages or pilgrimage locations (where pilgrims travel from) where shorts are being worn will likely attract stares from all nearby. Men might take notice and come over, taking down, staring and looking down their nose at what could potentially become sexual harassment – you might not have ever seen female legs other than your own mother before and could well experience sexual porn in real time!
At Hampi I experienced this firsthand. To me it felt cumbersome and awkward wearing shorts; therefore when not on the beach I prefer long skirts with combat jackets instead; though vest tops or T-shirts don’t garner too much interest!
No advice should ever be offered as to what women should wear; but in an emergency situation most men will ask: “What was she wearing?” How sickening!
So if you prefer not being stared upon, follow fashion by wearing shorts that go beyond your knees and loose-fitting tops.
However, this weapon can also have unintended ramifications. I genuinely believe that males behave sexually because they’ve not had to experience sexuality like pupils at private schools in Britain have to experience. By contrast, Indian males working hostels have long since grown accustomed to Western visitors, no longer scrutinising an untidy leg because it has already been exposed. Therefore surely being exposed to less revealing clothing implies less sexual tension for males in future years?
Who wants to lead this revolution is up to them! Ultimately it is your choice!
Safety precautions to be aware of when you are a female traveler in India
As you tour India or beyond, one of the most essential steps that should be taken before traveling abroad is finding adequate coverage for your journeys with an insurance provider that you trust. As for my adventures, I rely on The Safety Wing as well, choosing their rolling plan of four weeks as it provides cost-effective coverage of nearly all countries. After traveling for over 10 years, I have gained plenty of insight into travel insurance (sometimes not using it at all!). Nowadays I use Safety Wing exclusively. Safety Wing is one of my go-to providers when I travel overseas – offering two strong plans, Essential and Complete that start as low as $2 daily for coverage. Once again, depending on your style of travel and length of stay abroad, Safety Wing travel insurance plans offer tailored solutions that suit you perfectly. Claim processes are straightforward, payout is fast (tried and verified), and I have never regretted switching over! Since beginning using Safety Wing for my travel protection I’ve never looked back!
Travel insurance and how you dress are two steps that could reduce risk when being female traveller; here are three others you should take for women travel:
Avoid going out late after dark alone unless accompanied by at least 3 people, since women don’t consume alcohol and shouldn’t get drunk (except in wealthy and urban areas of main cities ). Being late will increase your likelihood of meeting drinking men – should this occur, go to bars only after 8 PM where men tend to dominate and drink responsibly (unless in wealthy or urban areas in main cities where this practice may differ ). For a quick drink on India streets I like visiting my hotel room or having drinks with local friends then ask them for assistance in organizing my return journey home (I usually arrange this beforehand with them as soon as I arrive back).
Concerning this initial point, let me assure you that I have taken evening trains and night buses throughout India without incident; taking part-way seats alone was perfectly safe – both police on trains as well as conductors and female passengers were watching out for me.
Rule-wise, in Indian culture it is expected that men won’t interact with women they don’t already know (unless extremely friendly ). So should an unfamiliar male try to put his arm around your neck or shake your hand for pictures or simply say hi and shake his or her hand to say hello or Namaste instead as this would be more polite way of greeting someone as touching is considered inappropriate and abnormal behaviour.
When in areas that are overcrowded, when walking with elbows pointing inward can help stop people from accidentally touching you without your knowledge – something I experienced first-hand at Mysore shopping mall where an individual kept hitting me in the side every few turns, to get a feel of me body and then getting close enough that at one point when checking back I saw they were doing loops close up until finally at one of these instances I shouted out “I know what you’re f*cking doing!” and they quickly left.
Similarly, if something or someone makes you uneasy, make their presence known immediately and without delay. Don’t hesitate in calling their attention immediately as this will result in tremendous shame for both parties involved and they should vanish swiftly thereafter.
Do not take selfies! As taller or blonde individuals you will likely be asked by strangers frequently if not more frequently to pose for photographs with them, especially children. While it is normal to say no when dealing with children; once when given in Mumbai we gave in and ended up having thirty men waiting outside waiting to take our photographs! That does not imply all Indian men are bad. Usually it tends to be those with less education who misinterpret your signals to them and take advantage of you.
Make sure to plan for menstruation cycles carefully when traveling through India as there is nowhere selling tampons; pads used for sanitary use are hidden at most shops (aside from pharmacies). I prefer an incontinence cup instead to avoid this hassle but be wary as some toilets lack flushes, sinks or bins; here is an exhaustive guide of everything to take into consideration when hiking on menstrual cycle here.
Other Advice & Essentials for Travelling India
As part of your planning to travel in India, here are a few key things you should keep in mind before departing on any journeys there. For more comprehensive tips, check out my article entitled, A pre-departure checklist to travel India.
Internet-users tend to be very curious people. Strangers might approach you and inquire about your level of education or why there are no children living at your residence due to being too old for parenthood – make sure this conversation remains constructive! Keep a positive vibe going throughout!
Do not give money to children who beg. Beggarmasters frequently exploit children for money and offering cash is just compounding this issue. Even offering something like an aapnea could prompt the beggar to sell it back at half price in order to earn extra income from you.
I have tried street food throughout India without experiencing an Delhi stomach, and you shouldn’t be intimidated to discover Indian cuisine! Don’t hesitate to try new flavors!
Find Your Sanctuary. When I first arrived in India and Mumbai in 2013, the experience was unbearable – from haze, car horns and general tension that I found overwhelming to Starbucks as my saving grace – air conditioning, access to Wi-Fi, door security and soundproofing provided the ideal conditions to escape everyday life and soothe my anxieties – now, however I no longer require its services as such; although at that moment in time they certainly proved useful!
Do not be alarmed! People will soon pick up on your inexperience at rodeos- and they can take advantage of that to their own gain (don’t see yourself as the victim- it is just part of living in a country with billions struggling for survival!). Don’t make mistakes that annoy or humiliate others!
Rule of thumb suggests that when arriving in an unknown environment and someone offers help without being asked first, this could be an elaborate scam. To secure assistance more efficiently and to reduce fraudulence risks more successfully, women or those dressed in uniform would likely provide better assistance than strangers who offer help without asking first. If assistance is required quickly try seeking female staff or people in uniform first as these could provide genuine help.
Is India for Me?
India may not be suitable for everyone.
People truly captivated by India journeys are drawn in by its vibrant color, chaotic energy and welcoming people – an impressive sight indeed! India truly holds my fascination as one of its many breathtaking countries around the globe.
However, that wasn’t necessarily my experience! Your mindset determines whether India will resonate with you or not – if loud car horns and cow poop on the roads make you queasy then maybe this country isn’t right for you.
India will offer you an unforgettable journey! I have provided all of the information required in my post An Itinerary for Pre-departure Travel to India to plan your journey there.
My Bad Experiences as a Female Traveller in India
As I endeavor to be completely transparent in all that I write here, I will detail any incidents which occurred while travelling throughout India.
At Fort Kochi, my first incident happened shortly after dusk as I was walking along an alleyway back towards my hotel after dusk when an aggressive boy grabbed at my breast from behind and pulled me along by its hair. When this occurred I informed the owner of my hostel who promptly installed CCTV camera footage into that street area.
On a night bus journey with two other male friends from Mumbai, a third, male passenger managed to gain entrance and sit beside me with hopes of seducing me with chocolate biscuits! We exchanged numbers so we could meet later for coffee together after our return journey back into town.
This man misinterpreted it as a signal for me to pursue sexual intimacy immediately and even boarded night buses I was on in hopes that we’d engage. Unfortunately for both him and me, we weren’t interested – which meant he disappeared into darkness eventually without my ever realising his intention despite me being young and attractive at that point in my life. It would have been preferable had I told him off immediately! Unfortunately I should have known better and been quicker about getting rid of him right then as that situation might have resulted in him not leaving my youth or my attractiveness more quickly; they would likely never had stopped them coming on night buses!
After I shared my news with my buddies later, all the passengers became furious with the driver for allowing such an unknown individual into their bus. In response, this driver was identified (by my Indian friend ) and publicly shamed before their imam.
No experience was pleasant for me here in UK; however, I can say with assurance that much worse has occurred here in this country. UK
Yes, India is safe for female travelers as long as you heed some basic safety precautions.
