Yes, traveling in Israel as a woman alone is realistic.
And yes, it’s easy.
A woman traveling alone and not apologizing for it, like you and me, needs more info than those generic, cliché “Tips for women traveling alone”. Although it’s of utmost importance, avoiding danger is not enough. We want to have fun as well. We want to know where and how, at a specific destination, we’ll not only be safe but also blend in naturally, feel we belong and therefore have a happy, joyous time.
So read it from a woman who has journeyed solo for many years, both here in Israel and abroad, scratched her brain, tried ideas out, failed, tried something else instead and finally found the gems.
Here we go, then, busting myths, confirming rumors and exposing well-kept secrets:
Places in Israel to unwind in alone. And not less important, settings best avoided.
Foreword on safety:
- I do not recommend hitchhiking in Israel or any other form of surrendering control of your safety to strangers.
- In regard to religious sites, traditional villages of all faiths and the Old City of Jerusalem, your formula is simple: the more you stick to modest attire, the more at ease you’ll be. Modest = no tight fitting or transparent clothes, sleeves covering arms up to the elbow, covered chest and shoulders and skirt past the knee-that’s all.
- If you can afford it, a cell phone makes a sweet traveling companion.
- The best Hebrew expression to call attention if you sense danger is: “HA’TZEELOO!” (S.O.S.)
- And may I add the famous last words: Exercise caution at all times and use your own best judgment. You, and not I, are ultimately responsible for your experience.
Foreword on ease:
- Israeli women (Jewish religious included) are generally expected to be independent, assertive and very fashionably dressed (Western fashion) in public. They speak up when they feel it’s needed, also when not accompanied.
- Obviously, the more cosmopolitan and secular the place, the easier it is for a WTA to blend in. Tel Aviv and its surrounding area are, therefore, your best bets for unstructured fun alone.
How far can I go?
Far. Street crime is very low in Israel. That said, each form of traveling has its own limitations, whether you travel with kids, a low budget, health concerns, etc. So let’s face it, mourn it, accept it, and get over it: two things a WTA in Israel and concerned with her ease will likely not become a connoisseur in are 1. The beautiful, unpopulated, out-country landscapes; 2. The exciting shows and discotheques that start late at night.
The good news is: you get to enjoy most everything else!
Emergency Kit
Suddenly with time on your hands when you thought your trip would be filled with business meetings from dawn to dusk? Unexpectedly free of your hosts? Hubby will be stuck in business meetings all day? Feeling like a solo break but with nothing planned? A few hours to kill at day? At night?
For a stimulating impromptu night out:
There are very few places in Israel where a woman alone will be in imminent danger at night. However, feeling like a fish in the water is a different story altogether. And our subject at hand.
One of a WTA’s best friends is collective transport. Make the good old bus your ally. Ask around you about a bus in your area that has an interesting circuit (Israelis have a singular adoration for giving directions and helping tourists, especially in English!) and sit in for some luxuriously air-conditioned, practically free, sightseeing.
Or grab a bus that rides to the main city in your area and stroll its main streets. In a country that’s almost always warm enough and rain-free, dine under the stars in the company of an exotic crowd.
Indeed, this land is famous for the great abundance and variety of foods “to walk with”, a favorite Israeli pastime that is taboo in some other areas of the world. Pick, ask questions and choose from the stands of native falafel, shwarma, shishlik, pita and burekas, or international pizza slices, choose-your-own-combination sandwiches, hot dogs, big variety of freshly squeezed juices, hot drinks and shakes to go, pastries, pancakes, ice cream cones, burgers, fries, all kinds of Middle Eastern nuts, candy and what not. An exhilarating, educational, gastronomic experience… much cheaper and more cheerful than a restaurant table with an empty chair in front.
Time to pose those buttocks? Choose a bench or low wall at the entrance of some main attraction, a theater, interesting restaurant or central public square. People-watch to your heart’s content and make notes on eccentricities to write home about. In such a blend of cultures as this, you’ll fill that page in minutes!
Feel like striking up a conversation? Simply ask someone a question. Israelis love to talk, especially in English. Moreover, the mentality is still largely that from the old pioneer days: nobody is a stranger, we’re all family. Be prepared to answer some relatively personal questions, though. Privacy boundaries are different in Israel than abroad. What you do for a living, your marital status and where you live are considered essential info of public property. As a tourist, of course, you always have the privilege of inventing yourself a persona.
Other places to check out on the spur of the moment at night:
- Most indoor malls are open until 10 pm. (except Fridays, of course). Count on a very lively atmosphere, tons of stores, delicious air-conditioning and a huge variety of interesting food stands.
- Big bookstores and music stores in main cities are open till 10 pm.
Don’t forget: Before you go out, memorize the shortest well-lit route from the bus stop back to your place of stay. Check with the bus driver when the last bus returns and plan to take the one before it. If you’re staying out of the way, plan to return no later than 8 pm, to be on the safe side. Be aware of your bus stop to return before you move away from the area where you got off.
A couple precautions and you’re ready to go, carefree.
For an impromptu outing by day:
Same as for night, only you have the additional options of:
- Testing the Mediterranean waters on one of the central beaches.
- Taking the circular line double-decker in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv that stops at each major tourist site, which you can visit at your own pace and then hop on the next bus.
- Concentrating on one major, centrally located tourist site easily accessible by bus.
Remember: visiting more out of the way sites is best done after some thorough research and planning. For spontaneous trips, automatically head to central areas.
Planning a night out:
If you intend to stay out later than the last bus runs, for maximum safety note down the telephone number of the taxi stop nearest to your base. Book a taxi from them in advance or call when you’re ready to go back. You’ll be charged from where they pick you up.
Even though the best idea for a WTA is to have early nights and start the day very early (Israel is bustling at 7 am), you don’t necessarily need to stay in every night. Book a ticket to a night function at the cinema or some special event or head for one of the hypermarkets that are open all night long or as late as 11 pm (inquire in your area). It’s an excellent opportunity to shop for the next day’s picnic or even souvenirs (most hypermarkets have a sector with all kinds of goods other than food, some have coffee shops inside).
Traveling around
Israel is tiny, with lots to see concentrated in small areas. No need for out of the way lodging, or to schlep that suitcase from hotel to hotel. Most main sites are manageable on day tours from: Jerusalem (the center of the country and the Dead Sea), Tel Aviv (the Mediterranean coast), Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee, the north) and Beersheva (the south). For the northern coast: Haifa. And since you’ll be staying at a big city, you’ll enjoy the night outing too. Eilat and the Golan Heights will require overnight stays.
Though driving yourself is a valid possibility, I myself prefer to book one-day bus tours and let them deal with how to get me from place to place, which roads are better left alone, etc.
Taking a common Egged intercity bus at the nearest central bus station is no less advisable. Though you’ll cover less in a day than the service is modern and professional. Just find out in advance the timetables of returning buses.
A winner’s secret: the Dead Sea
You can spend a dream-like, unforgettable day at the Dead Sea, for little money. It’s surprisingly easy. Just ride the Egged intercity bus early morning from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem or connect from other cities in the center or south of Israel, get off at Ein Gedi, pamper yourself with baths and mineral muds at their amazing spa, float on the sea at their private beach, soak up their healing sun, picnic at the waterfront promenade of the big hotels and shop for those lavish (local and therefore inexpensive) Dead Sea products in the malls. You can wander at perfect ease from one place to the other along the breathtaking landscape on the promenade. Take into account: the concierges at the big hotels lining the shore will be happy to provide answers and advice even if you’re not their guest. They’ll also book you on a free tour of one of the local diamond or beauty product factories if you desire a free ride in their air-conditioned limousines.
For a safe, easy, relaxed lazy day in the sun:
The Tel Aviv, Natania, Eilat, Tiberias central beaches and their colorful seafronts and nearby souvenir shops. Brunch at a Yotvata restaurant branch, a typical Israeli dairy experience – very lively and informal, fresh kibutz produce, to-die-for fruit shakes.
The Shabbat
Depending on where you’re based, the Shabbat will pose more or less limitations on your touring goals. Except for the Haifa area, buses do not run from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. Expect the Shabbat to be a quieter day. Tel Aviv is alive and kicking strong on Friday night, as are some other major towns, but very few businesses are open on Saturday. Stores are closed during Shabbat, with the exception of some out of town mall complex areas, which can be very fun. Do consult people in your area; they are up to date on what’s open around and what isn’t.
Still, a quiet walk, even in a mostly closed-down town, can be soothing, unexpected bliss. A chance to discover the architecture and greenery hidden behind the weekday traffic jams.
If possible, schedule Friday overnight at a major town or resort that doesn’t slow down much on Shabbat and where you can wander a lot on foot. The Dead Sea, Eilat, Tel Aviv are key Friday overnight choices. Or book a guided tour in advance.
The checklist
Places where a woman alone is a common part of the landscape (in decreasing order):
- Shopping centers and malls, store areas in general
- University campuses
- Markets
- Buses, trains, taxis (also at night)
- Streets (also at night)
- The cinema
- Popular beaches
- Museums, art galleries
- Tourist sites
- Coffee-shops
- Big hotel lobbies, spas, etc.
- Movie theaters at daytime
May raise one eyebrow:
- Formal restaurants
- Small, popular Nature Reserve trails
- Public gardens
- The Old City of Jerusalem (best to book a group walking tour in your language or English, most are for free)
May raise both eyebrows and/or get you some unwanted attention:
- Bars, pubs
- Promenades
- Evening shows and movies, discotheques
- Non-central beaches
I wouldn’t try it myself:
- Any place deserted (beach at night, woods, the desert, open country, dark alleys, etc.)
- Jerusalem Old City at night
And finally, to those myths going around on the Middle Eastern male’s behavior towards female tourists:
- If you look like you mean business and business only, you’ll most likely be perceived as such and left alone. A smile is an invitation for increased interaction. Use it with discernment.
- I personally favor comfortable, baggy clothes when traveling alone, and clothes I can carelessly sit on a sidewalk in if need be. However, this is a very hot country (except for a couple winter months) and the dress code is very informal, relaxed. Yes, shorts and tank tops are OK too.
- When visiting or passing by religious neighborhoods and villages of any faith, you’ll prevent possible hostility (an occasional stare down, frown, scornful remark, cuss word or spit can cause a lingering bad feeling) if you observe the modest dress code. This goes also for the whole of Jerusalem, especially Eastern. We’re not there to test their flexibility, are we? When I’m not sure what destinations the day may bring, I take along a light long-sleeved shirt tucked in my bag just in case. It also comes in handy in places that keep the air-conditioning at full blast, which are many.
- Unless you’re into the thrill of unforeseen developments, I strongly advise not going along with suggestions - such as to check the merchandise that’s inside the store in the markets (all merchandise you need to look at is displayed outside or near the door). Invitations may be particularly insistent. Just utter a firm “I can’t, my husband’s waiting for me. I must rush.’ and leave without looking back however long they keep calling. Rather than rude, this is the expected behavior if you’re not interested. This sometimes happens while bargaining (a typical Middle Eastern activity). Bargain away, by all means, there’s no reason to deprive yourself of the pleasure. Just be in control of its end as expressed here.
- For young, pretty WTAs: Israeli men are no exception to the rule – they like young, pretty women, especially in a foreign language version with no subtitles. Don’t resent them for it. If you’re not interested, just don’t make eye contact, don’t smile, look boring. Don’t give out mixed clues.
- Men of all faiths here tend to share a common faith in the rewards of persistence. Don’t panic, it doesn’t automatically spell danger. Say a curt “I’m not interested” without smiling. It may look like they never will, but they eventually get the message and leave. A funny idiosyncrasy: Young Israelis call it “the stamp technique”. They stick for a while to get you used to their presence; then suddenly they leave, in hopes that you’ll miss them and call them back. Even funnier: it often works!
- Last, a word of caution to WTAs of all ages: if you have a sweet smile and/or are a natural blonde, bring along plenty of tissues to wipe off nice men’s drool from your shoes. You’re at high risk of losing your WTA status for your next trip abroad!
Now, if you’ve read this far, you’re probably planning your trip here already, so feel free to contact us with any questions or points you’d like to see covered here!
Have a fun trip!
