India has been on the bucket list of a lot of travellers. And rightly so. With its rich culture, diverse landscapes and vibrant cities, India makes up for an adventure travellers’ paradise. But how safe is it for solo women travellers? A recent video by Emma, a foreign backpacker exploring Asia, has reignited this debate.
In the video, Emma has offered a candid perspective of Indian cities and rated them on the basis of how safe they are.
Emma posted a video on Instagram, which has over 10 million views now, where she rated eight destinations across the county based on her personal experiences. Her post, captioned “No sugar-coating, just my honest experience after weeks across 8 cities”, detailed the ratings and the reason behind it.
Off to bad start
Her journey began in Delhi, which she described as the toughest stop, giving it a score of (negative) -1/10. The city’s relentless noise, chaos and stares left her uneasy. “I wouldn’t want to be alone there,” she admitted. Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, fared slightly better at 3/10. “Yes, the Taj Mahal is beautiful. But beyond that, the horns and scams make it hard to relax. Locals are used to tourists, but it still felt like everyone wanted something from me,” her caption read.
Jaipur offered a bit of respite, scoring 5/10. Emma appreciated its forts and historical charm but found evenings challenging for solo exploration. Pushkar earned 6.5/10. “Locals were chilled out and respectful,” she said, though minor scams persisted.
Respite in Udaipur
Udaipur impressed her most in North India, scoring 8/10, thanks to serene lakes, polite locals and cleaner surroundings. “It’s the first place in North India where I actually felt comfortable walking around alone in the daytime. If every city felt like Udaipur, India would be a dream to travel,” she wrote.
Mumbai earned 6.5/10. Emma found the city busy and unpredictable but noted that people largely minded their own business. Goa, with its open-minded culture, scored 8/10. She warned against walking alone on beaches at night but called daytime exploration “absolute paradise”.
Top rated state
Kerala emerged as her top choice, scoring 9/10. Calm, clean and culturally rich, the state’s polite locals and safe transport made it the ideal destination for solo women travellers.
“India is intense, beautiful, frustrating and heart-warming all at once. You can have the best day and the worst day in the same hour. But with awareness, respect for local culture, and a bit of humour – you’ll be fine,” Emma wrote in her caption.
