Is South Africa safe for solo female travelers?
Safety rating
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How safe is South Africa for female travelers?
Travel safety index
based on 58 experiences from female travelers
Lihle
South Africa
East London, Family travel
I didn't really feel safe because some coloured guy tried mugging us, but luckily nobody was hurt and the guy was caught as we acted fast. As I'm from gauteng the food is no different from ours, we stayed at my brother's place during our stay. And used Indrive to get from place to place.
Posted: July 29, 2025Experienced: May, 2024Cape Town, Solo travel
The most memorable for me was actually the food in Cape Town, every cuisine here is just so good and literally every food I ever had was just delicious. The people are all very open and friendly, but of course you got to stay a bit conscious about your surroundings since there are a lot of people in the street trying hard to sell anything to you. I still felt safe even walking around alone sometimes and you can take an Uber everywhere because it’s really cheap and safe. Most of the activities are outside so I would recommend coming in spring or summer but there are also a lot of very nice museums, shops and cafes in Cape Town!
Posted: July 7, 2025
Maia
South Africa
Plettenberg Bay, Couple travel
Honestly it really depends what area your in but the majority of pletternburg bay is GORGEOUS, i really recommend going to the Tsala Lodge resort in the peninsula it is absolutely gorgeous they take such good care of you and the food is amazing🤞🏻
Posted: May 7, 2025Experienced: March, 2025Cape Town, Family travel
I felt sooo safe as in even after it got dark and well past my normal "get into the house now or else your in danger" time We budgeted around 10k+ including travel n lodging expenses plus food n activites and for transport we used Uber everywhere(extremely expensive) id reccomend renting a car instead since it'll be cheaper in the long run else the traffic is controlled and neat We stayed at ocean vibes inn it was an amazing place and the owners were extremely nice but i wouldn't recommend as its far from most of the activies which are literally in the centre or near VA waterfront which was far from us
Posted: April 26, 2025Experienced: December, 2024Western Cape, Group travel
We did the Garden Route, the place is clean and safe for travellers. The weather changes often but it’s still manageable, we went in summer and stayed in George very beautiful area with lots of scenic views. Highly recommended.
Posted: February 4, 2025Experienced: November, 2024How safe is South Africa for women?
Local safety index
Based on 60 local experiences
Local crime index
Based on 60 local experiences
Misokuhle
Newcastle
Newcastle, like most of South Africa is not really safe but it’s still way better than all of the big cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Walking alone at night is a bad habit idea and cat calling is normalised
Posted: August 12, 2025Lihle
Lynnwood Glen
Lynnwood glen is a safe place, but there used to be crime mostly because I'm a student that is walking distance to campus, so they would target the school kids, but now it has stopped and there are securities patrolling the whole area on a daily.
Posted: July 29, 2025
Tamsin
Cape Town
Everyone always asks about the safety of Cape Town, South Africa. It's probably one of the most asked questions when travelling there! I have grown up in CT, but have never had a bad experience there. However, I have unfortunately heard of many incidents there. As a proud South African, who loves her country and would HIGHLY recommend traveling there, I think it is relatively safe as long as you keep your wits about you. For example, do some research. Try not to walk alone in an isolated street, research which areas are better than others - and don't wander into the more 'dangerous' ones. Always be aware of your personal belongings - don't leave your phone on a table and expect it to still be there an hour later. On the whole, Cape Town and South Africa is a must visit Country in general, don't let too many negative stories deter you, but, at the same time don't be another 'silly, unaware tourist'. Cape Town is relatively safer than other parts of South Africa.
Posted: July 8, 2025Cape Town
There are certain areas which are not safe (like everywhere in the world) but overall the busy streets are safe. Just don’t walk around with your phone in your hand. Always ask a local to check if there is anywhere you should avoid!
Posted: June 6, 2025
Saskia
Cape Town
Cape Town has its safety issues but if you know the do’s and don’t it’s really fine. - don’t walk by night especially in CBD - don’t hike alone (go with a group) - If someone wants to mugg you - just give them your phone - don’t be on your phone on the streets so obvious - be aware of your surroundings - always lock your car - better be safe than sorry
Posted: June 4, 2025Safety in South Africa
