Queen of the Road – The Essential Guide for Women Travelers

Our CNBC World business travel series Going Global has some great advice for women who want to travel like a pro.

Traveling as a woman, especially solo, can be an intimidating undertaking. But it’s an oh-so-rewarding experience if done correctly. Sure, it can be dangerous, it can be scary, it can be dirty, sticky and smelly. But it can also be liberating, educating and thrilling. And there are a few tips you can use to make sure the scales tip in the desirable direction.

So whether your corporate expense account has you staying at the Ritz or the Pitts it doesn’t matter because we believe travel should be a full contact sport. And to help our community master the art of solo travel we’re reached out to Kaila Krayewski. She’s an expert on going it alone and makes her living helping women better prepare and enjoy their travels. We’ve asked her to pen a few guest columns designed to make travel more healthy and enjoyable.

Here are her first 5 Insider’s Tips for Women Travelers:

Grab a Chair

Don’t be afraid of going to a bar on your own – this is a great way to meet people. Be sure to sit at the bar and speak to the bartender. He or she can often give you great insights on the regulars, and if a guy is harassing you, they’ll usually tell him to leave you alone.

Come (Slightly) Armed

Carry a swiss army knife with you – no, not so that you can defend yourself in a knife fight (we don’t recommend pulling a knife on anyone in any situation!), but guys carry swiss army knives (or their knock-off equivalents) around with them for a reason! They’re so handy for those times when you need to cut up a block of cheese, cut a loose thread off your dress, or even tweeze a stray hair!

It’s Never the Sarong Thing to Wear

Sarongs are your best friend – heck, they’re like the swiss army knives of the wardrobe world! Sarongs are thin, pretty, and can act as anything from a towel, to a yoga mat, to a beach bag, to a scarf, to a skirt, to a dress. They’re also great for when you go to a temple or religious site and need to cover your shoulders. Pack three!

Rolling with the Bumps

Roll your clothes – this is the most efficient way to pack. You’ll not only compress your clothes (you have to roll firm and tight) as small as you can get them, but if you roll them properly, when you unroll them at your destination, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find them wrinkle-free!

Get Steamy

If, for some reason your clothes arrive wrinkled when you unroll them, try this tip that men who are too lazy to iron have been using for ages: hang them up in the shower and let the steam gentle take away the wrinkles. If you have some really deep creases, fill a spray bottle with water and spray them lightly and slowly smooth out the garment with your hands. We promise you that the creases will be gone before you know it!

So what about you?  what are your fav tips, tactics and tools when traveling alone?  Our community would love to hear from you.