Is India safe for solo travellers: 5 travellers on what ‘safety’ really means to them | Destination-of-the-week News

Elsewhere, New Zealand–based creator Mols shared her ordeal of being harassed by a man while travelling in Sri Lanka. Yet, in the same breath, she cautioned against collapsing an entire country into one incident. “Sri Lanka is an incredible place, and I felt safe for my entire month on the road,” she said, stressing that one man’s behaviour should not define a culture—or solo female travel itself.

These stories underline a crucial truth: safety while travelling is rarely black and white. It is shaped by people, systems, preparation, and perception. To understand this complexity better, indianexpress.com spoke to five travellers—women and men, whose experiences across India and abroad offer a layered picture of what safety really means on the road.

‘It’s not the country, it’s the people’

Marketing professional Mithi Singh believes that labelling any country as entirely unsafe is misleading. Having travelled solo across India to places like Jibhi, Bir and Mussoorie, she recalls experiences that were warm and welcoming. “People were kind, helpful, and made me feel at home,” she says.

Yet, her journey through inner Rajasthan, particularly Jaisalmer and Bikaner, felt markedly different. “There was excessive staring, a sense of being judged, and even people jumping onto our car to sell hotels. It felt scary and intrusive,” she admits.

Her international experiences reinforced a key insight. While in Bangkok, two men on a scooter shouted a crude remark at her in Hindi—an incident that shook her. “That’s when I realised it’s not geography that makes you uncomfortable, it’s people,” she says. Thailand, she adds, largely felt safe, allowing her freedom of movement and dress. Ironically, some of the most uncomfortable moments came from fellow Indian tourists. “Staring, sitting too close, invading personal space—it made things uneasy.”

For Singh, safety is less about borders and more about civic sense and mindset. “Whether it’s India or abroad, safety depends on the people you encounter,” she says.

The system matters

Freelance travel writer Manjulika Pramod takes a more critical view of domestic travel. She prefers travelling abroad, citing safety and infrastructure as decisive factors. “If you’re staying in a five-star hotel or with a tour agent in India, it’s fine. But the moment you try to travel independently, it becomes difficult to even find safe conveyance in some places,” she explains.

For Pramod, logistics are a major deterrent. “We’re overly dependent on taxis. There’s a lack of proper guides, information and clean infrastructure. Solo travel here is far more challenging than it should be,” she says, adding that even cleanliness remains a persistent issue.

While she acknowledges India’s rich culture and heritage, she feels the country often fails to offer a smooth, inspiring travel experience—especially for solo travellers navigating on their own.

The mental burden of being alert

PR professional Divya Bhatia describes travelling in India as an exercise in constant calculation. “I wouldn’t say India is unsafe, but it demands a much higher level of caution—especially for women,” she says. From choosing the right hotel to planning transport and timings, every decision carries weight.

What stands out in her account is the emotional toll. “There’s an underlying sense of fear. Once you stand out, there’s unwanted attention. You’re constantly alert, running ‘what if’ scenarios in your head,” she explains.

In contrast, her experiences abroad felt lighter—not because incidents don’t occur there, but because systems inspire confidence. “Strict laws, visible enforcement, and the assurance that help will arrive if something goes wrong—that makes a huge difference,” she says. While she has faced uncomfortable moments abroad, too, the belief that authorities would act allowed her to manage situations more effectively.

Bhatia is careful to avoid absolutes. “No country is entirely safe or unsafe. India has regions that feel incredibly secure because of local culture and governance. It’s about context and preparedness.”

Gender changes everything

Travel content creator Prateek Singh is candid about the gendered reality of travel in India. “Travelling as a male isn’t that challenging, but the same cannot be said for women or foreigners,” he says. Despite India’s cultural pride, he argues that safety for female travellers remains a serious concern.

Singh points out a telling gap: “You’ll find many male creators travelling solo across India, but very few women doing the same.” For him, the solution lies in infrastructure and governance—from tourist police to better safety mechanisms.

At the same time, he resists sweeping generalisations. India is huge. One incident cannot define a country of 1.25 billion people,” he says, naming states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Mizoram and Kerala as relatively safe and sustainable destinations.

Change, he believes, will be slow but necessary. “Sensitisation around tourism and women’s safety won’t happen overnight, but we have to start somewhere.”

Hospitality still exists

Marketing professional Ankit Sharma offers a more balanced counterpoint, highlighting India’s enduring hospitality. “Safety is a mixed bag, but being aware and street-smart goes a long way,” he says, recalling moments when strangers welcomed him into their homes under the spirit of Atithi Devo Bhava.

His travels abroad echo the same theme. In Tokyo, when he got lost in the subway, a local not only guided him but also bought him coffee. “Hospitality knows no borders,” Sharma says.

He agrees that India is often stereotyped. “People focus on negatives and miss countless stories of kindness,” he notes, stressing that respect, cultural awareness, and openness often shape how travellers are treated.

Beyond stereotypes

Taken together, these voices reveal a shared understanding: safety is not a singular experience. It shifts with gender, geography, infrastructure and social behaviour. India is neither uniquely unsafe nor unfairly flawless. It is layered, contradictory and deeply human.

As Mols, the New Zealand–based creator, reminded her audience after her experience in Sri Lanka: “Women should be able to travel—anywhere—without fear. And we shouldn’t have to justify that.”

So, how safe is India for solo travellers?

Travel author Inder Raj Ahluwalia, who has been travelling solo for the past 46 years, believes travel safety cannot be viewed in extremes. “We can’t compare India with other countries directly. Our culture, population and social realities are very different,” Ahluwalia says.

However, when it comes to women’s safety, he agrees that India is not completely safe for women travellers. “Out of 10 people, nine may be good, but one person with the wrong intentions is enough to create fear. The way some people view women, it’s not entirely risk-free,” he says.

For male travellers, Ahluwalia says the challenges are different. Language barriers, communication gaps and the exhaustion of constantly moving from one place to another can make solo travel difficult, especially with age.

“Even in places like Thailand, I have struggled after missing flights because people either don’t understand the language or don’t want to help,” recalls the 72-year-old.

According to Ahluwalia, solo travellers should keep four things in mind:

• Security: “No matter where you travel in the world, safety is always a concern to some extent,” he says.
• Costing: Ahluwalia believes solo travel can quickly become expensive. “Sometimes less is more,” he adds, stressing the importance of planning realistically.
• Getting lost: “It’s very easy to lose your way because of communication gaps and language barriers,” he says.
• Emotional preparedness: Ahluwalia notes that while many people begin solo trips with excitement, emotions can shift midway. “People often start in a very positive mood, but later begin feeling lonely or homesick,” he says, adding that many travellers cut trips short because they struggle emotionally.