India, Dec. 27 -- Solo travel is one of those things that people are either intimidated by or wholeheartedly embrace. Even though I fall into the latter category-I do it multiple times every month-I still find traveling alone as a woman requires research, thorough preparation, and a constant sense of awareness. Some pretrip nonnegotiables for me include downloading maps to use offline, carrying a fully charged portable power bank, and sharing my location with my friends and family.

"Be sure that someone at home has a copy of your travel itinerary, including contact information for the hotels you'll be staying at and any other contacts on the trip that can help get a hold of you," adds Maeve Hartney, chief program officer at Road Scholar....