• Tour Groups
  Maybe you want to splash and ricochet your way down the Amazon, but would rather not have to pry the paddle from the hands of your male rafting companions? Consider taking a woman’s tour. In the past decade, there has been a boon in the number of women’s tour groups, and most major outdoor adventure and travel companies now offer women-only trips.

  Some companies focus on physically challenging trips. Get active with worldwide women over 30 with AdventureWomen (http://www.adventurewomen.com).

  Other tour operators place more emphasis on cultural exchange: Delhi-based IBEX Expeditions runs soft adventure tours in the India that are geared to connect women travelers with urban and rural Indian women in a range of professions (ibex@nde.vsnl.net.in).

• Women’s Homestays
  One of the best ways to get to know a culture is by immersing yourself in local life--specifically local home life. Hospitality groups and homestay programs offer an ideal opportunity to do just that. These programs give you a chance to stay with local families or individuals for anywhere from two nights to several months, swap ideas, build new friendships and gain insight into each other’s worlds.

  Groups like Women Welcome Women (http://www.womenwelcomewomen.org.uk),a non-profit, U.K.-based hospitality group, encourage and enable women from around the world to visit each other and, in the process, foster international friendships. Members of these groups are diverse, ranging in age from 18 to 90 and come from a variety of social and professional backgrounds: you might meet a doctor, farmer, teacher, peace advocate or airline pilot

• Ladies Only
  Keep an eye out for women-only train compartments (e.g. India), guesthouses (sprinkled throughout the world) and hotels (YWCAs, but YMCAs often have women’s-only floors available). These offer safe environments and a chance to meet other female travelers. Some train stations (also in India) have ladies-only waiting rooms, so you can bond with fellow female travelers, without being under the ever-present male gaze.

• Nunneries
  If you’d rather try something a little different, get thee to a nunnery the next time you take to the road. Hong Kong’s Chi Lin Nunnery offers fascinating architecture and history--Tang-era buildings made with dowels and brackets, and Buddhist halls--in a peaceful setting.

  A great resource is the aptly named "Overnight or Short Stays at Religious Houses Around the World," which lists more than 2,000 religious guesthouses, run by more than two dozen different denominations, in 65 countries. (Available in the GoNOMAD MARKET or from Hugen Press, P.O. Box 2286; Bloomfield, NJ 07003, for $19.95 postage paid).

• Women’s Centers
  When you arrive in a city, search out women’s organizations and groups through information centers, bookstores or library message boards, and find out about local women’s-related events, sights and issues. Many women’s centers have co-ops, crafts centers, cafés and clubs, and can point you to women-only bathhouses and spas, found across Europe, the Middle East and Japan.

• Special Interest Opportunities
  Finally, if you have hobbies or special interests-- photography, cooking, crafts, volunteering-- seek out locals who share the same interests or consider taking a class when you travel. In many destinations, you can find volunteer opportunities or interesting and inexpensive learning vacations ranging from learning Spanish in Guatemala, to batik-making in Indonesia to photographing Patagonia.

  These alternative travel options are a good, safe way to meet locals and other travelers who share your interest. Check out GoNOMAD’s LISTINGS of alternative learning and volunteer programs around the globe.

• Connect With Other Women Travelers
  Get in touch with your university or high school and find out if there are any grads living in the country(s) you plan to visit. If so, see if you can get an address or phone number and look her up. You will already have something in common: your alma mater.

  You might also ask around your city or town for women who come from the country(s) you plan to visit. Try to make a time to talk with them before you go. They may be willing to put you in touch with family, friends or offer tips and advice regarding women’s travel in the areas.

• Women’s Travel Groups
  Women’s travel clubs and groups are popping up all over, and are another good resource for advice and travel partners. Try the Women’s Travel Club (http://www.womenstravelclub.com) if you are interested in traveling with other women to places around the world.

• Internet Resources
  There are a few good women’s travel sites on the Net and they can be a good option for finding travel partners, woman-friendly hospitality, tips and advice. Try Journeywoman at (http://www.journeywoman.com) for tips on packing, dining alone in female-friendly restaurants and travel partners.

• Other Resources
  Women’s magazines and books on women’s travel are good for inspiration and practical advice. For inspiring stories by women travelers, check out Travel Lady at www.travellady.com, For good books on traveling as a woman, try the books section of the GoNOMAD MARKET.

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