Welcome to another inspiring solo female travel story! Through this series, I aim to highlight that women traveling alone come from diverse countries and backgrounds, not just the same white American perspective all the time.
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce See, a solo adventurer from Malaysia who, much like me, enjoys hitchhiking!
Before I ever stuck out my thumb, I assumed hitchhiking was dangerous and frightening. But when I finally gave it a shot in China, I discovered it was thrilling, offered incredible cultural insights, and taught me a great deal about human kindness. However, that’s only my viewpoint, so I’ve asked See to share her own story.
Here’s See in her own words:
Tales of Solo Female Travel
Who are you?
See, a daring hitchhiker originally from Malaysia
I go by See Yin. Most people call me See, except my grandmother—in her Chinese dialect, that name sounds like the word for death! I was raised in Malaysia, a Southeast Asian nation rich in ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. As a result, I speak five languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay (the official language of Malaysia), plus two other Chinese dialects used in various parts of China. Language is an incredible tool I carry when traveling solo, and sometimes it reminds me of my own identity.
Unlike many who leave corporate jobs to backpack the globe, I was lucky enough to begin my modest solo backpacking journey before entering the working world. After moving to Turkey for a student exchange, I hitchhiked and couchsurfed across seven countries over seven months.
With a group of fellow Couchsurfers in Sibiu, Romania
Why did you first decide to travel alone?
I can’t tell my travel story without mentioning my instant fascination with a mosque-like church (or church-like mosque) I discovered in an architecture book years ago. It was Hagia Sophia in Istanbul—originally an Orthodox church, later converted to a mosque during Ottoman rule, and now a museum. It’s a rare monument where two world influences coexist peacefully. When I learned Turkey was part of my college’s exchange program, I signed up immediately, working multiple part-time jobs because my parents couldn’t cover my expenses. Despite mixed reactions from friends and family—especially concerns about my safety—I knew this was the opportunity I had to seize, no matter what. I remember my young heart pounding so intensely it hurt, yet I was eager to see the world.
I was 19. Seeing Hagia Sophia with my own eyes left me trembling, awestruck, emotional, and I fell in love again with the countless ways I could engage with the world. After finishing my studies in Istanbul, I booked a one-way flight to the UK. I started by crashing with friends, then tried Couchsurfing to travel cheaply. Couchsurfing turned out to be an amazing support system when I explored new cities and countries alone—some hosts gave me tours, cooked local meals, made me feel at home, and we swapped stories about our worlds. This motivated me to keep traveling, meet more fascinating people, and collect their narratives. I ended up couchsurfing from the UK all the way back to Turkey, staying on more than ten couches across Hungary, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece over half a year.
With her Couchsurfing host in Salasu de Sus, Romania
What are your favorite Couchsurfing and hitchhiking memories?
One of my best road encounters was with a Canadian traveler who had been journeying for years—she taught me how to hitchhike. “The secret for a solo female hitchhiker is to be fearlessly confident—people can sense when you’re fearless and brave,” she said. I followed her advice and managed to avoid all transport costs by hitchhiking, crossing borders in huge trucks, fancy sports cars, and even a chocolate candy van (where I was showered with free chocolates!).
Another favorite memory is my Couchsurfing experience in western Romania, in a mountainous village called Salasu de Sus. My host had built his own house right next to a river. The house had no running water, electricity, or indoor toilet. The toilet, as small as a phone booth, was built outside in the woods, with four wooden walls and a hole dug a few feet deep as the “toilet bowl.” Using it was amusing, odd, and far from pleasant—I remember being constipated during my stay at that beautiful countryside house (aside from the toilet!). Brushing my teeth by the river in freezing winter was another unforgettable experience.
What misconceptions did you have about hitchhiking as a solo female traveler that turned out to be false?
Growing up in a typical Asian family, I was taught never to trust strangers. Sleeping on someone else’s couch? That’s crazy. Getting into a stranger’s car? Absolutely not. I was skeptical about what the Canadian traveler told me, and I was genuinely scared the first few times I tried hitchhiking in foreign lands. I carried a traveler’s knife for emergencies while hitchhiking, but fortunately, I never had to use it! Every driver who stopped was an amazing person, genuinely happy to give me a ride, and some even bought me lunch during stops. I think solo travel would be tough without trusting strangers. My hitchhiking and Couchsurfing experiences were all beautiful because of the small leap of faith I learned to invest in every stranger I met along the way.
Hiking in Santorini, Greece
What advice do you have for solo female travelers who want to try hitchhiking?
I won’t claim that getting into a stranger’s car is completely safe, and I recognize my experience is subjective and partly due to good luck—after all, there are unfortunate hitchhiking stories you should consider before trying it. I’ll pass on the advice the Canadian traveler (her name is Alissa, by the way!) gave me: be fearless—you know how predators can sense fear and feed on it. Second, stick to heavily trafficked routes and avoid shortcuts or off-the-beaten paths. Third, bring a map and know where you’re going—I relied heavily on my phone’s GPS to stay on track. There are plenty of tips on hitchwiki.org (yes, there’s a Wikipedia for hitchhiking!).
What are some unexpected benefits of traveling alone?
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I realize that the more I travel, the less I know. I never expected travel to teach me so much about humility, and I’ve never felt so small! Among many lessons, solo travel taught me a lot about tenacity. There were moments of hesitation, fear, and loneliness on the road, but they also fueled my journey. They kept me moving and pushing boundaries, allowing me to discover not just the world but my true self—someone I wouldn’t have confronted in everyday life or if I traveled within my comfort zone (with someone I know).
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Thank you, See, for sharing your hitchhiking adventures with us! If you’d like to read more stories, check out Wangechi from Kenya, Archana from India, Julie, a not-so-young woman abroad, Thia from Indonesia, and Becky, a traveling single mom.
Related posts
- Solo Female Travel Stories: Wangechi from Kenya
- Solo Female Travel Stories: Ruth from Florida
- Solo Female Travel Stories: Roberta from Italy
