A British woman who travelled alone to Mumbai for the first time has said she found the city chaotic on arrival but did not feel "really unsafe" during her weeklong stay.
Em, who posts as @emsbudgettravel on Instagram, told viewers in a video that the trip was her first outside Europe without someone accompanying her and that she felt "anxious" beforehand after friends and acquaintances cautioned her about visiting India "especially as a girl." Despite the warnings she went ahead with the trip and described the experience as an "adventure" that was at times overwhelming.
Em said the most jarring moment came the instant she stepped out of the airport. "Nothing really prepares you for stepping out of the airport, into the chaos at the taxi rank," she said in the video. To meet other solo travellers she chose to stay in a hostel in Bandra, which she described as "a lot quieter than central Mumbai and it's also one of the safest areas of the city." She added that although she felt overwhelmed at times, she would not describe her overall experience as feeling "really unsafe."
The traveller recounted one episode that made her uncomfortable: a booked walking tour of street markets where the guide failed to meet her at the agreed meeting point outside a main station. She said the area was "super busy and crowded" and that she was unable to get an Uber for about 20 minutes. "It didn't feel like the safest spot," she said, but added that nothing happened beyond feeling uneasy. "I didn't have anyone come up to me and ask for photos which I've heard can happen to tourists," she said.
Em said she "didn't get stared at too much," contrary to her expectations, and stressed that her impressions related only to Mumbai. "It is worth noting that I only visited Mumbai, which is probably one of the safer cities in India," she said. She suggested that the city's traffic presented the most tangible danger, saying the primary concern was "probably the traffic and [the fear of] being hit by a car crossing a road."
The video, posted to her social channels, concluded with Em saying she was "so glad" she had visited India. She urged prospective travellers to plan carefully and to choose accommodation in neighbourhoods with other travellers if they want company and a sense of security.
Commentary from travellers and tourism experts often highlights that experiences can vary widely by city and neighbourhood, and that perceptions of safety are influenced by factors including time of day, transport options and whether visitors are travelling alone. Mumbai, India's largest city, presents a mix of dense urban crowds, busy transport hubs and quieter residential districts; local officials and tourism bodies frequently advise visitors to exercise normal travel caution, use reputable transport services and be aware of peak traffic hours.
Em's account joins a range of recent first-person travel reports that probe how solo travellers — particularly women — navigate unfamiliar cities. Those accounts often blend practical advice, such as choosing central, well-reviewed lodgings and having clear meeting arrangements for tours, with descriptions of the sensory and logistical challenges of large, busy cities.
Her video has drawn attention from other travellers on social media, some of whom compared their own experiences of Mumbai and other Indian cities. Em's story underscores the range of responses solo travellers may receive before and during a trip and reflects growing interest in firsthand accounts as a source of practical information for people considering independent travel to destinations outside Europe and North America.