USEFUL INFO- WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Sub-equatorial Africa is probably one of the safest places in the world for women to travel solo, and Malawi poses few risks specific to female travellers who apply the same common sense they would at home. Unwanted flirtation and the odd direct sexual proposition are a possibility, especially if you mingle with Malawians in bars, but a firm ‘no’ should defuse any potentially unpleasant situation. Men in Malawi probably constitute less of a sexual hassle than men in Western countries, and for that matter than any other male travellers. Many Malawians have better things to worry about than how a female tourist choose to dress, especially in established resort areas with a strong Islamic presence, or in villages where tourists are still relatively unusual. Unlike during the Banda era, however, it is no longer illegal or even unusual for women to wear trousers as opposed to a skirt.
Any female (or, for that matter, male) readers concerned about travelling alone in Malawi, but unable to find a travel companion, might be reassured by the thought that there are plenty of places in Malawi where it will be easy to meet with kindred spirits, and there’s a lot to be said for hooking up with people along the way – better, by far, than making an advance commitment to travelling with somebody who you don’t know well enough to be sure they’ll be a suitable travel companion.
Briggs, P. (2010). Women Travellers. In: Briggs, P Malawi. 5th ed. Connecticut: Bradt. p51.
