Is China Safe for Solo Female Travellers? My Honest Experience
When I found myself in the situation of having to fly all the way from Europe to New Zealand just to sort out some visa bureaucracy, my mind started wandering. What if I visited another country along the way?
So, naturally, I opened Skyscanner and started playing around with the “Explore Everywhere” option. And one country kept popping up with some seriously tempting flight deals: China.
Honestly, China had never really been on my radar. I always knew I’d visit someday, considering my dream is to travel to every single country in the world. But it wasn’t exactly a destination I was itching to visit just yet.
But being the budget traveller that I am, those ridiculously good flight deals started to win me over. And before I knew it, I was warming up to the idea of finally exploring China. But that’s when the usual solo travel questions started popping into my head like popcorn. “Is China safe for solo female travellers? Is it a good destination for women travelling alone? Will I be able to get around without speaking Chinese?”
The more I researched, the more questions I had. But strangely enough, the more I learned about China, the more intrigued I became.
So, what the heck. I booked the flights. And that’s how I ended up travelling to China!
If you’re having the same doubts, wondering whether China is a good destination for solo female travellers, or simply trying to figure out what to expect before taking the plunge, you’re in the right place.
Here’s my honest, completely unfiltered experience travelling solo in a country that’s both absolutely gigantic and ridiculously fascinating.
So, Is China Safe for Solo Female Travellers?
After so many solo trips, I’ve realised that the region of the world where I’ve consistently felt the safest is Asia. I just love how peaceful, respectful and welcoming so many of the cultures I’ve experienced there are. I always feel at home in Asia.
Planning your own trip to Asia? Get my best Asia travel tips here! 🐉
But would I feel the same in China?
When I started planning my trip, I honestly had no idea. China felt different. It was mysterious, unfamiliar, and somehow a country I had never really considered visiting until those flight deals came along.
Is that just me?
Somehow, in my mind, China was this distant place that produced ridiculously affordable products and gave the World COVID-19. No offence, China, but everything just felt so foreign to me. I knew surprisingly little about the country, its culture or what travelling there would actually be like.
And when a place feels that unfamiliar, it’s easy to assume that it must be dangerous. Our brains aren’t exactly fans of the unknown, are they?
So let me get this out of the way: right up until the moment I actually landed in China, I was so nervous. All those unfamiliar apps, the language barrier, the thought of navigating such a huge country where everything worked differently from what I was used to… Would I really feel safe there on my own?
I was so nervous before going to China
Long story short: yes. And not just safe. I felt INCREDIBLY safe.
In fact, after visiting 60 countries, China is the country where I’ve felt the safest travelling solo. And I’m not even exaggerating.
I absolutely loved how safe I felt in Japan, so I wasn’t expecting China to leave an even stronger impression on me. But somehow, it did.
Of course, this is my personal experience, and feeling safe doesn’t mean that a destination is completely free of risks. But I can honestly say that the fear I had before arriving was nothing like the reality I experienced.
Here are some of the things that made me feel so incredibly safe while travelling solo in China 👇
📹 Cameras Everywhere
I know this is a pretty controversial subject. Some people would feel on edge, or downright uncomfortable, knowing they were surrounded by cameras everywhere they went. But I’ve got to admit, for me, it was strangely comforting to know that everything happening around me was being filmed.
If you look closely enough, there are cameras everywhere
Maybe it’s sad that women have to think this way, but honestly, there’s something reassuring about knowing that if someone tried to hurt me, there would be footage of what happened. In a perfect world, this wouldn’t be necessary. But let’s face it, our world is far from perfect.
I’d never experienced anything quite like it before. Walking around China sometimes felt like being in a movie. There seemed to be cameras everywhere, and I kept having the same thought: Great! If someone tries to hurt me, they’ll be caught straight away by the police.
Of course, cameras can’t prevent every crime, and footage doesn’t guarantee that someone will be caught. But honestly, I genuinely felt that it wasn’t just about having cameras everywhere. The whole system seemed incredibly efficient, which made me feel that if someone did try to hurt me, there was a very good chance they’d be identified. As a woman travelling alone, that was an incredibly reassuring feeling.
🚨 SOS Phones and Access to the Police
While walking around China, especially in Shenzhen, I noticed something that I think should exist everywhere in the world: emergency SOS phones.
I’d never really seen anything like this before. They were scattered around in all sorts of places, from street corners to parks and other public areas. It felt like, if something happened, you were never too far away from one of them. And I don’t know about you, but as a woman travelling alone, I found that incredibly reassuring!
Why doesn’t this exist everywhere in the World??
I’ll be honest, I have no idea how using one of these emergency phones would work in practice, or whether a tourist who doesn’t speak Chinese would be able to get help easily. Thankfully, I never had to find out. But just seeing them there gave me the feeling that people’s safety is actually being considered, rather than leaving people to figure things out for themselves if something went wrong.
And it got me thinking: why don’t we see this kind of thing everywhere else in the world? Imagine how reassuring it would be to have emergency phones like these in public spaces wherever you travel.
🚶♀️ Feeling comfortable walking alone at night
I can’t really explain why, but throughout my time in China, I had this feeling that I could walk around on my own, pretty much anywhere and at any time, without feeling in danger.
Was it the cameras? The heavy police presence? The emergency SOS phones that impressed me so much? Honestly, I don’t know.
All I know is that I felt completely at ease in China, to a level I’d never experienced before in any other country. The country that came closest was Japan, where I also felt incredibly safe travelling solo.
Are you planning a trip to Japan? It’s also an amazing destination for solo female travelers! Check my free travel guides for all my best tips:
But I’ve got to say, China somehow managed to make me feel even safer.
There was one experience in particular that really confirmed this feeling.
I came across a viewpoint in a park that I really wanted to see, but I was so busy during the day that I never managed to visit before sunset. When night came, I wondered: should I just leave it for another day, or should I go anyway?
Then I thought to myself: Well, I’m in China. Let’s go and put this feeling of safety to the ultimate test. Can I really walk around a park alone at night and feel completely comfortable?
The park was absolutely massive, and honestly, not particularly well-lit in some areas. It wasn’t a shady place by any means, but it was a huge natural area, with stretches of darkness that I know would have made me feel uneasy in plenty of other countries.
But surprise, surprise… I felt safe.
I could barely believe it. I just kept walking, taking in my surroundings and noticing all the people out enjoying their evening. There were women jogging, mums walking with their children, older people strolling around with their dogs… Everyone was just going about their lives, seemingly without a care in the world.
Eventually, I reached an open area and stumbled upon one of those adorable outdoor exercise classes you see in China, with people gathering together to dance and exercise.
And I remember thinking: Here I am, a solo female traveller, walking through a massive park at night without feeling afraid. Meanwhile, in so many parts of the world, we’re constantly being told to be careful, to stay alert, to avoid certain places after dark. And in China, people are gathering in parks at night to exercise together.
Honestly, it was such an eye-opening experience. I know one evening in one park can’t tell you everything about a country, but it made me realise just how much our surroundings influence our sense of safety — and how easily fear can become part of the way we navigate the world.
🚕 Feeling Safe Taking Taxis Alone at Night
Another thing I usually avoid at all costs when travelling solo is taking taxis alone at night. And if you’re a woman, I’m sure you understand why. Unfortunately, there are real risks that come with getting into a car with a stranger, especially when you’re alone and it’s dark outside.
That’s why, whenever I travel solo, I usually make sure I’m back at the hostel before dark. And if I really want to go out in the evening, I plan things within walking distance or somewhere I can get to using safe and reliable public transport.
Well, China was another story entirely.
During my 11-day trip, I never once worried about taking a taxi alone. China has its own version of Uber called DiDi, and from what I understood, the cars are equipped with cameras that record rides. Just knowing that there were extra safety measures in place made me feel so much more comfortable getting around on my own.
I took DiDi rides everywhere, at all sorts of times, without giving it a second thought. And get this: one evening, I even took a 70-kilometre ride alone. In the evening! I genuinely can’t imagine doing that so casually in other countries.
Honestly, my 11 days in China made me question so many things about the rest of the world. Why does getting around alone have to feel so stressful for women? Why are we constantly having to plan our lives around the things that could go wrong, when it can apparently feel so different somewhere else?
I’m not saying that taking a taxi in China comes with zero risks, of course. But the level of comfort I felt getting into a car alone, even for a long ride at night, was something I’d never experienced before. And that’s something I’ll remember about China for a long time.
🤖 The Most Technologically Advanced Country in the World?
Something else that really surprised me about China was how modern and technologically advanced the country is. And I’m not just talking about the big cities or the impressive buildings. I mean, EVERYTHING!
From paying for everything with your phone to facial recognition technology, cameras everywhere and apps that make getting around ridiculously easy, I honestly felt like I travelled to the future.
And you know what? I think that played a big part in how safe I felt there. Everything seemed so organised and efficient, and I was constantly coming across things that made me think, why don’t we have this everywhere else?
Of course, being technologically advanced doesn’t automatically make a country safer. But as a solo female traveller, I couldn’t help noticing how much these things contributed to my overall feeling of safety.
Honestly, I arrived in China expecting to feel completely out of my comfort zone. Instead, I found myself wondering why I’d been so nervous in the first place. Talk about a plot twist!
The Pros and Cons of Solo Travel in China
After everything I’ve said about how safe I felt in China, you might be wondering whether travelling there alone is all sunshine and rainbows. Well, not quite!
As much as I absolutely loved my experience, China definitely comes with a few challenges, especially if you’re travelling solo and don’t speak Chinese. Some things were much easier than I expected, while others took a bit more planning than I’m used to.
So, let’s break it down!
✅ The Pros
- Feeling incredibly safe: This was, without a doubt, one of the biggest highlights of travelling solo in China. I felt comfortable exploring on my own, even at night, in a way I hadn’t experienced anywhere else.
- Affordable transport: Getting around can be surprisingly budget-friendly. Between high-speed trains and DiDi rides, I found it much easier to explore than I’d expected.
- A fascinating culture: China is so different from anywhere I’d travelled before. From the food and traditions to the futuristic cities, there’s always something new to discover.
- Convenient technology: Once you get the hang of the apps, everyday things like paying for meals, booking transport and navigating cities can become surprisingly straightforward.
- Plenty of incredible places to explore: Whether you’re into buzzing megacities, ancient landmarks, mountain scenery or local culture, China has an enormous amount to offer.
❌ The Cons
- The language barrier: If you don’t speak Chinese, communication can be tricky. Even simple things can take more effort than you’d expect, but having a good translation app solves the problem.
- The apps take some getting used to: China relies heavily on its own digital ecosystem. Setting up payments, transport apps and navigation before you arrive can feel overwhelming at first.
- Planning takes extra effort: You can’t always rely on the apps and websites you normally use when travelling. Researching routes, booking tickets and figuring out logistics can take more time.
- The size of the country: China is absolutely massive! You’ll need to be realistic about how much you can fit into one trip.
Overall, I’d say the biggest challenge of travelling solo in China isn’t personal safety — at least, that wasn’t the case in my experience. It’s figuring out how everything works in a country where so much is different from what you’re used to.
And honestly? Once you get past that initial learning curve, the experience becomes a whole lot easier.
What Surprised Me Most About Travelling Solo in China
Honestly, one of the things that surprised me most on my solo trip to China was how friendly the people were.
And I’m going to be completely honest here, even if I risk getting cancelled for saying this. Before visiting China, I had some pretty strong preconceptions about Chinese people, and they weren’t exactly positive. Over the years, I’d met quite a few Chinese people while travelling around the world, and some of those interactions had left me with a certain impression. Fair or not, that impression was one of the reasons I felt a little nervous about visiting China in the first place.
But actually travelling through the country turned out to be a completely different experience.
From the massive cities to the countryside, I was genuinely surprised by how friendly and helpful people were. I constantly had this feeling that if I needed help with something, someone would try to help me.
And the thing that really stood out to me was how much effort people made despite the language barrier. Even when we couldn’t understand each other, people would pull out their translation apps and do their best to communicate with me. Nobody needs to speak perfect English to make me feel welcome.
As a solo female traveller, that’s exactly the kind of feeling you want when visiting a new country. Knowing that you can ask for help, that people are willing to make an effort, and that you’re not completely on your own if something goes wrong makes such a difference.
I arrived in China with my doubts, but I left with a much more positive impression of the people I’d met. And if there’s one thing this experience reminded me of, it’s that you can’t judge an entire population based on a handful of interactions with individuals. Sometimes, you have to show up, experience a place for yourself and be willing to admit when your assumptions were wrong.
Would I Recommend China for First-Time Solo Female Travellers?
YES! Absolutely, 100% yes!
In fact, after visiting this amazing country, I was so impressed that I even added China to my list of 7 Best Countries For First-Time Solo Female Travelers 🧳 Wanna find other great destinations for your first solo trip? Read the full article for my best tips! 🔗
I genuinely think China is such a hidden gem for women who want to take their first steps into solo travel. If you’re worried about your safety when travelling alone, my experience might surprise you just as much as China surprised me.
But remember: China works differently from what you’re used to. From the apps you’ll need to download to the way you pay for things, get around and communicate with people, there’s quite a bit to figure out before you go.
And honestly, it’s no wonder that planning a trip to China can feel overwhelming and intimidating at first. I felt exactly the same way!
But here’s the thing: once you understand how everything works, I promise it’s not nearly as complicated as it might seem. A little preparation goes a long way, and you don’t need to speak Chinese or be an experienced solo traveller to have an amazing time in China.
So, if China has been on your mind but you’ve been putting it off because you’re nervous about travelling there alone, take this as your sign to give it a chance. You might just end up falling in love with it, too!
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