Is Salvador Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Salvador can be a challenging destination for solo female travelers. While it offers beautiful sites and cultural richness, it's crucial to be aware of safety concerns. Crime rates are relatively high, including pickpocketing and occasional violent crimes. It's recommended to avoid less populated areas, particularly at night, and to always be cautious about your surroundings. The use of registered taxis or reputable ride-share apps is advised over public transportation. Although many females have traveled solo here without experiencing issues, it is important to remain vigilant at all times.

Safety rating

2.5 /5

Based on research and crime data

Safety overview

Safety at night:Unsafe

Salvador, particularly at night, poses some safety risks. Street crime like pickpocketing and theft are common, especially in areas near beaches, tourist destinations, and on public transportation. Walking alone at night is not recommended as it contributes to these risks. It's better to travel in groups and stay in well-lit heavily trafficked areas. Always be aware of your surroundings and belongings.

Public transportation: Moderate

Public transportation in Salvador, is fairly reliable with prominent bus services and a growing metro rail system. It is usually crowded and requires due diligence in terms of personal belongings' safety due to occasional pickpocketing issues. It is recommended to avoid public transportation late at night, especially in not-so-busy areas. Understanding some Portuguese is very beneficial as it is the commonly spoken language.

Street harassment: Moderate

Salvador, holds a mixed reputation when it comes to street harassment. The level of harassment you could encounter varies greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. In well-traversed areas and tourist hotspots, it is relatively moderate, and generally involves harmless catcalling or unsolicited comments. However, less secure parts of the city might experience a heightened level of harassment. As always, staying cautious, avoiding lonely streets especially at night, and keeping a low profile can help mitigate the risk.

Petty crimes:High

Salvador has a fairly high rate of petty crimes such as pickpocketing, theft, and bag snatching, especially in public transport and crowded tourist areas. It's recommended to always keep an eye on your belongings and not to carry valuable items or cash openly. Most locals are friendly and helpful, but it's always important to take precautions.

Tap water:Unsafe

Drinking tap water in Salvador can be a questionable choice. Various sources suggest that, while the water is treated, it can often contain bacteria and parasites that can lead to gastrointestinal issues. It's therefore advisable to drink bottled or purified water. If consuming tap water is unavoidable, it should be boiled prior.

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Meet locals in Salvador

Lamaria

Lamaria

Speaking

About Me

hey, I’m Lamaria. A solo travelgirl on my way from Mexico to Argentina. I want to learn portuguese:) Do you speak portuguese?

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇱 Albania, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan, 🇧🇩 Bangladesh, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇴 Bolivia, 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇧🇬 Bulgaria, 🇨🇴 Colombia, 🇨🇷 Costa Rica, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic, 🇪🇨 Ecuador, 🇪🇬 Egypt, 🇸🇻 El Salvador, 🇫🇷 France, 🇬🇪 Georgia, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇬🇹 Guatemala, 🇭🇳 Honduras, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇳 India, 🇮🇱 Israel, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein, 🇲🇽 Mexico, 🇲🇪 Montenegro, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇲🇲 Myanmar [Burma], 🇳🇵 Nepal, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇳🇮 Nicaragua, 🇲🇰 North Macedonia, 🇵🇸 Palestine, 🇵🇦 Panama, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇹🇳 Tunisia, 🇬🇮 Gibraltar

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Anna

Anna

Speaking

About Me

Brazilian social entrepreneur, Forbes Under 30, who works to democratize access to water and sanitation in the world through accessible technologies. She has already developed more than 5 technologies for sanitation, benefiting more than 15,000 people, and is recognized by the UN, UNESCO and MIT.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇸🇳 Senegal, 🇸🇪 Sweden, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

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Nãna

Nãna

Speaking

About Me

I'm an artsy introvert who loves live music, nice views, and a good cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇷 Brazil

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Stay with locals in Salvador

Nãna

Nãna

Speaking

You can stay for:

7 days

About me

I'm an artsy introvert who loves live music, nice views, and a good cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇷 Brazil

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Paula

Paula

Speaking

You can stay for:

3 days

About me

Hey, I'm Paula and I'm interested in culture, dancing, education, events & social, food & cuisine, languages, live music, nature, photography, solo travel, sightseeing, sunbathing, trekking, swimming, hiking, shopping and nightlife

Countries I’ve Visited

🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇵🇪 Peru, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇫🇷 France

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Elane

Elane

Speaking

You can stay for:

5 days

About me

Hey!, My name is Elane and I'm interested in animals, camping, business, culture, cinema, education, events & social, food & cuisine, games, languages, nature, photography, science, solo travel, swimming, surfing and technology

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇺🇸 United States, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇲🇦 Morocco, 🇵🇾 Paraguay

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Upcoming visitors to Salvador

echo

echo

Speaking

About Me

Hello, I'm Echo, and I'm currently on a gap year adventure, exploring destinations all around the world alongside my friend, Fannie. We made the bold decision to leave our jobs behind to embark on this incredible journey. What sets us apart is that we host one of the most well-loved podcasts within the Chinese community. We share stories, insights, and experiences that resonate deeply with our audience. Both Fannie and I are passionate feminists, committed to understanding and embracing diverse lifestyles while uncovering countless possibilities during our travels. We're on a quest to engage with the world, experiencing its beauty and complexity firsthand. Our goal is to capture the wonder of our global adventures and our interactions with local communities. Through our storytelling, we aim to inspire and empower our female listeners, encouraging them to explore their own dreams and passions.

Countries I’ve Visited

🇦🇹 Austria, 🇨🇳 China, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇯🇵 Japan, 🇰🇪 Kenya, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇹🇼 Taiwan, 🇹🇿 Tanzania, 🇻🇳 Vietnam

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Safety in Brazil