Travelling alone needn't be as intimidating as it seems. Keep these tips in mind and you'll be ready to rock it solo.

Camouflage yourself. Dress to suit the place you're in. You don't want to enter a tropical forest preserve in a nine-yard sari. Ensure your clothes are comfortable and practical, and try and blend in with the locals.

Don't pull large amounts of cash out of your wallet in a public place. Don't even carry large amounts of cash on you. Keep all your extra money in the hotel room safe, and carry what you need.



Carry photocopies of your passport at all times, but leave your actual passport in a safe at the hotel.

Travelling alone can get lonely and you might be tempted to take up a stranger's offer to go get a drink or go on a fantastic sightseeing spree. DON'T. Chances are the person might be totally harmless and might actually mean well, but why take the risk?

Carry a local newspaper. Besides providing reading matter, it doubles as tissues or toilet-paper, can be used to line unhygienic-looking seats, can be used to keep you dry if it starts to rain and when you've forgotten your jacket.

Tourist groups attract attention. But you, on your own, carrying a map and stopping to look at monuments could attract the wrong kind of attention.

So hire a local guide or chalk your route out before leaving the hotel so that you have an idea of where you're going and look confident.

Stick to the main road and avoid going into dimly-lit or lonely areas. Likewise, avoid crowded places where you could lose your bearings.