WOMEN TRAVELERS

Here some tips for women travelers...

Bulukumba is generally perfectly safe for women travelers, even for those who are traveling alone. Common sense prevails of course, and young travelers should be cautious about lingering in isolated and lonely places at night. If you want to avoid it then pay attention to the local norms of dressing and behavior.

1. Women are expected to dress modestly, covering their legs and shoulders.
2. Most the local people in Local Indonesian may not approve of women wearing shorts and short skirts.
3. Dressing decently and staying well groomed will improve the impression you make on local people.
4. It will help reduce sexual harassment as well :).
5. Don’t wear expensive jewellery
6. Wear a wedding ring (even if you don’t normally) to help avoid harassment
7. In general you will find that there is respect and great concern for your safety and welfare.
8. Act confidently
9. People even go out of their way to assist you.
10. Be wary of new ‘friends’, even if they are fellow holidaymakers.
11. If you’re travelling alone you may attract unwelcome attention and you may receive unwelcome propositions or remarks – it is usually best to ignore them.
12. Be cautious of people who ignore your personal space, do not listen to you, make you feel guilty if you resist their advances or appear drunk
13. Plan your daily itinerary - know where you’re going, what you’re doing and how to get back.
14. Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return
15. Travelling alone or with a couple of female friends can be a great experience. Unfortunately women travelers can be targeted by criminals. Know how to avoid trouble.
16. If you ever feel uncomfortable or in danger, don’t be afraid to draw attention to yourself by shouting and making a fuss.

Stay safe in your hotel or hostel

1. Only use your first initial and no title (‘Miss’, ‘Ms’ or ‘Mrs’) when checking in
2. Never leave your key where someone can note your room number
3. Don’t leave your window open, especially if your room is on the ground floor or has a balcony
4. Remember to lock your room door even when you are inside the room
5. Use a door wedge on the inside of your hotel room door for extra security
6. If the door has a spy-hole or chain, use these before opening the door to unexpected visitors.

Menstruation when you travel

1. This isn't much fun but it's a fact of life, so take a look at these travel personal hygiene tips that are specific to that time of the month:
2. Carry two months' supply of tampons or pads, particularly if you are going to a rural area where they might not be available easily. And make sure you keep them dry! Or you might end up with a bagful of cottony balloons...
3. When menstruating, change your pad or tampon every six hours.
4. Bring along your painkillers if you suffer from cramps. If they're prescription drugs, make sure you bring your prescription as well.
5. Always have something to clean yourself: a roll of toilet paper, some paper towels, a small packet of wet hygienic towellettes. If you've run out and you're stuck in nature, use twigs, moss, smooth stones or leaves - but make sure they're not prickly.
6. Carry a small bottle (plastic) of antibacterial liquid. If there's really no clean water anywhere, at least you'll be able to use it to wash your hands.
7. If you'll only have your period once while you're away, ask your doctor about using the contraceptive pill and skipping a period while you're away.
8. Don't worry about douches while you're on the road - just keep your external labia clean by either bathing or using towellettes.

Travel Underwear:

1. Travel underwear is a key purchase - so important it can make or break your trip.
2. If your top or pants are uncomfortable, you can stop and change. It's a bit harder with what you're wearing under your clothes - known as your base layer in the more technical shops.
3. The best underclothes dry quickly, don't chafe and are lightweight, often made of fibers that breathe (although some women, including myself, prefer cotton - but it's a matter of personal choice).
4. Some panties have anti-microbial properties, useful when you can't change as often as you'd like.
5. Wicking properties are important to keep sweat at bay. And the elastic should last at least as long as your trip.
6. I usually carry one camisole (if I'm heading to the cold) and 2-3 pairs of underwear: two if I plan to wash a pair every night, three if I'm being a bit lazy. If I'm washing a pair each night, you can see how important it is that they dry quickly!

Travel Bras

1. Travel bras have to be so comfortable you can't feel them when you wear them.
2. You'll have to wear this bra when it's sweaty, dirty, hot and clammy.
3. You may not be able to wash your bra each day because they take longer to dry, so you may have to wear one for several days.
4. Sturdiness and strength - you'll be wearing it a lot and it needs to make the grade
5. Appropriate cup size - however large or small you are, you need something that will fit you properly rather than a one size fits all
6. Good support to keep you from bouncing - remember you'll be walking a lot, sometimes quickly
7. Wide and comfortable straps, nothing too thin that bites into your shoulder or collarbone
8. Enough strong hooks - you want it to stay put once it's on
9. Suitable for travel, like anti-microbial properties
10. If it's made of wicking materials it will keep you dry longer - meaning you have to wash it less often
11. Whatever bra you've been wearing at home may have to stay at home. Of course you won't really know until you have a massive try-on session but in my opinion, there's only one kind of bra you can wear on the road and that's a sports bra.