Girl Power: Top 3 Safety Tips for Traveling to Cuba Solo
Cuba is generally considered a safe place for solo female travelers. Of course, you should be careful no matter where you go, especially when traveling alone. Observing all the basic precautions of a solo traveler is a must and you should always have a list of important contacts on you. Studying your government’s travel guidelines for Cuba is also wise. However, those tend to be quite dramatic, as you can see by the documents from the USA, the UK, and Canada. You also should seek advice from other solo female travelers to Cuba whom you can find online, for example, on the TripAdvisor Forum.
Top 3 Safety Tips for a Female Solo Traveler to Cuba
1. Dress to blend in
Maxi and midi dresses made from light breathable fabrics will be your friends on a trip to Cuba. Shorts and capris will also be a good choice, as will cotton T-shirts. No matter where you go, it’s usually the safest option for a tourist to stand out as little as possible. Therefore, you should look up what the majority of women wear and take your cues from them. Today you can easily find dozens of videos of Cuban everyday life online. People there seem to prefer casual clothing.
Be sure to pack accessories for the heat. This means a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Wear comfy sneakers or sandals as you’ll be walking a lot. Cuba is too beautiful not to explore, so consider packing hiking shoes to keep your feet safe from tree roots and holes that spring at you more unexpectedly than muggers in a big city.
2. Use trusted tourist services only
Be it accommodation, tours, rides, or any special activities, if you are looking for a service marketed toward tourists, only get it from a reputed source. Scams are common no matter where you go, so a solo female traveler to Cuba should look out for such things. The best way to avoid them is to not deal with any potential scammers.
You should book accommodation in advance from reputed hospitality providers or use Airbnb. If you choose the latter, pick the options with a variety of positive reviews. To make your time on the island more fun, you can enjoy many activities from scuba diving with crocodiles to tours in Havana. While the former might be too extreme for any sane person, the latter is definitely something you should do. Havana is a beautiful city with interesting history and amazing architecture. You definitely should explore it during your stay. But only do this with a help of a trustworthy guide.
3. Be doubly-careful at night
Nightlife in Cuba is generally safe and you might even consider going back to your accommodation by yourself. Note that catching a taxi might not be possible, research this in advance.
However, drunks are a universal hazard, so be aware of your surroundings and carry some personal safety aid on you. You should also find out the contact number and procedures of the nearest police station and hospital. Hopefully, you will never need to use that info. However, it’s always best to be prepared for anything.
