21 Useful Tips for Solo Travelers
Want to set off on a solo trip? Fantastic. In my opinion, traveling, and above all doing it alone, is the ultimate expression of freedom. You can do whatever you want, whenever and however you want: traveling solo means finding yourself again.
Especially if it’s your first solo trip, you may have plenty of fears. Is it safe to travel alone? Will I feel lonely? Am I brave enough to do it? These are just some of the questions that are probably running through your mind.
As with everything, experience helps, and after visiting 23 countries on 4 different continents, traveling alone most of the time, I think I’ve built up quite a bit of it. Below you’ll find all my best tips for setting off alone on a backpacking trip, but more generally for any kind of trip.
Before setting off on a solo trip
1. Save money
If you’re thinking of setting off on a solo trip, try to save as much as possible before leaving. It’s better to give up a few dinners out and have the money to treat yourself while traveling. Or simply to travel for longer, rather than finding yourself completely broke once you’re back or, even worse, running out of money while you’re on the road.
2. Set a budget
If the where and the how matter to you (which country, what travel style), then try to figure out how much money you need for that kind of trip. If, on the other hand, like me, traveling matters more than the where or the how, then plan your trip based solely on how much money you have available.
The best accounts for traveling.
3. Choose a destination
Some people have been dreaming of visiting a faraway country for a long time, while others simply want to travel to discover distant cultures and countries without a specific destination in mind. In any case, whatever your reason for traveling, try to choose a destination that fits your budget. Personally, I tend to hop on the first cheap flight I find.
4. Plan your trip
Plan your trip by gathering as much information as you can about places to visit and things to do, and putting together an itinerary. Having a rough itinerary will give you a sense of security, but avoid booking everything too far in advance: be spontaneous and try to be as flexible as possible.
5. Travel light
Anyone who has traveled for longer or shorter periods knows that traveling light is essential. This is by far the best advice I can give you for your first solo trip, but more generally for any trip.
I recommend reading my guide on how to travel light.
6. Bring a book
Many people are afraid of getting bored when traveling alone. Bring a good book, download an offline game on your smartphone or anything that keeps you entertained, to fill those moments of loneliness that will probably come sooner or later.
7. Get travel insurance
Skip it only for trips within the European Union, and only if you’re an EU citizen, as explained here. In that case, whatever European country you’re in, you enjoy the same rights as the citizens of that country.
For trips outside the European Union, I strongly recommend choosing travel insurance that covers at least medical expenses. To learn more about the topic and see which ones are the best right now, I recommend reading this article. For all the other aspects of travel safety, I recommend this article.
Once you arrive at your destination
8. Relax
Take some time to settle in, get to know the city and get over the jet lag if you’ve come a long way. Relax.
9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
If you’re not sure which way to go, which bus to take or anything else, don’t be afraid to ask a passerby. Not knowing what to do or where to go, besides being an awful feeling, can attract the attention of the wrong people.
Even though there may often be a language barrier, don’t be afraid: smile, be kind and you’ll see that somehow you’ll manage to communicate.
10. Smile
Always smile, no matter what. Smiling is the universal language par excellence. Smiling means being open to a conversation, being kind and friendly. A simple smile can open a thousand doors.
11. Learn a few words of the local language
“Thank you” and “hello” are often more than enough. People love seeing others make an effort to speak their language, and this means having someone more willing to interact with you, whatever the reason.
12. Choose the right accommodation
Choose accommodation suited to solo travelers. Hostels, homestays, small family-run hotels and bed and breakfasts are all places where it’s much easier to interact with other guests and feel less lonely.
Personally, I think hostels are by far the best solution for solo travelers. Cheap and created to be places of exchange and sharing, they’re a journey within the journey in their own right, and more and more often they offer private rooms to those who just aren’t willing to share their room. How do you choose a good hostel? Take a look here.
13. Join tours and group activities
Joining tours and organized activities is a great way to make friends and meet people you could spend the rest of the day with, or maybe the rest of your trip. Hostels often organize free activities to help their guests socialize: take part! Another very common initiative is free walking tours, which are essentially guided walking tours of a city. Finally, don’t underestimate the option of volunteering through platforms like Worldpackers ($10 off with the code “nicola10”) and Workaway. You certainly won’t be short of chances to make some new friends.
14. Be curious and explore
If you find yourself on the same bus as some other travelers heading somewhere off the tourist trail, or maybe you’re simply visiting a museum and you meet someone, the chances that you share the same interests are high, and sometimes just saying hello is enough to start a conversation.
15. Do it the Italian way
If, like me, you often end up cooking at the hostel to save money while traveling, then cook generous portions of your favorite pasta and offer it to others. There’s nothing better than socializing over a good plate of pasta. While I was in Perth, Australia, I met some Italian guys who lived at the hostel and made pizza for everyone almost every week: needless to say, everyone loved them!
16. Walk
Walking is free, it’s good for your health and it’s the best way to get to know a city and its culture. Sometimes a walk on your own is all you need. Soak up the city’s atmosphere, visit the local markets, people-watch, sit in the main square, look in the shop windows, get lost.
17. Going out to dinner alone
If you’re going out to eat and you’re staying in a hostel, consider asking your roommates, or simply someone in the common area, whether they want to join you. The chances that someone says yes are high, and at worst it will be a great way to start a conversation.
If the plan doesn’t work out and you end up going out alone, consider alternatives such as street food or takeout, or buy something at the supermarket to eat sitting in a park or a square; that way you won’t feel like the “loser” eating alone at a restaurant.
If, instead, you find yourself eating alone at a restaurant, keep yourself busy: plan the next day, sort through the photos you took during the day, write a travel journal or start writing the postcards to send home.
18. Use public transportation
Sometimes using public transportation isn’t the most practical solution, but it’s almost always the cheapest. Rides on the Mexico City metro or on a chicken bus in Central America are unforgettable experiences that will help you really understand the local culture.
In places with few tourists you might have some interesting “conversations” with the person sitting next to you, witness equally interesting scenes and, more generally, have a completely different experience from the one you’d have on a tourist bus.
19. Don’t be afraid of being alone
The idea of being on your own most of the time can be unsettling, but don’t overthink it: you might end up loving your own company, and if you feel the need to socialize, you can always sit at a table with someone else in the same situation.
Many people forget that, especially in hostels, most people are traveling alone. You may get the feeling that a certain group of people have known each other forever, but more likely they all met the day before! You’ll see that they’ll be more than happy to socialize with you too. And if you end up watching a movie alone on some evenings, that’s no problem at all. Even at home you wouldn’t go out every night, right?!
20. Don’t forget to take photos
Capture the moment, but don’t overdo it! Family and friends can’t wait to see your photos and hear your stories, but don’t get carried away and remember to live in the moment. One day, a few years from now, you’ll look back at those photos, the memories will come flooding back and you’ll be grateful you took them.
21. Let yourself go
Even if you feel lonely, discouraged or frustrated, don’t lose sight of all the positive things an experience like this brings. From changing your mind every 10 minutes without having to answer to anyone, to eating how, when and what you want, you’ll discover that the advantages of traveling solo are countless, and you’ll get a taste of the main one: pure freedom.
Traveling with family and friends is obviously enjoyable, but that doesn’t mean traveling solo isn’t just as much fun. Don’t let your fears and insecurities stop you from setting off on what could be one of the best experiences of your life. Thanks to technology, anything you might need and anyone you might miss is probably just a smartphone away!
Planning a trip? Check out these posts:
Which travel insurance to choose
Which travel backpack to choose
Since I no longer run ads, if you found this article helpful, please consider purchasing your travel insurance through one of the links on this site. Doing so supports my work at no additional cost to you. For EU and UK residents, I recommend True Traveller. For everyone else, I recommend HeyMondo, which offers a 5% discount. Thank you for your support!
For donations/pizzas and virtual beers 🙂
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