8 Tips For Traveling Alone

Interested in going on a solo adventure? Good! There’s a lot to be said for it. While it can be nice to travel with friends and family, you’ll have a whole different experience when you go exploring by yourself, one that can have a profoundly positive impact on your confidence and self-esteem. 

Of course, traveling alone does present its own challenges. It takes more preparation, a different mindset, and it’s unlikely that it’ll be fun every single second. But in the end, it’ll be worth it. 

We’ve put together a host of tips that’ll make your individual adventure as smooth and fun as possible.

You can travel anywhere by yourself, but some destinations are better than others. Also, some are safer than others. There are some places that make sense for first-time travelers. For example, Bali is widely touted as a great place to start. You’ll meet a lot of fellow solo travelers, which means you should have no trouble making friends. New Zealand, Thailand, and Portugal also come recommended. 

South Africa, Russia, and Brazil are best avoided if you’re traveling by yourself.

Most people avoid solo traveling because they wonder what they’ll do when they have no friends by their side. The solution? Make some! People who travel are generally pretty friendly, which means you should have no problem finding people to explore your chosen destination with, provided you can find them. So, where do you find them? They’re everywhere, but the easiest place to look is hostels, which is a magnet for individual explorers.

Don’t worry if you can’t face the prospect of sleeping in a dorm with a bunch of other travelers. Most hostels also offer private rooms. Hotels might be nicer, but you’ll just be sitting there by yourself. Book a hostel, and meet some like-minded people!

It’s more fun seeing attractions when you’re with other people. Alas, when you’re traveling by yourself, you won’t have a selection of other people on deck to explore with. Instead, look at joining tours of sights you wish to see. You’ll find a host of experiences/tours you can join on websites like AirBnb. Plus, not only will this bring you into contact with other people, but you’ll also get the benefit of seeing all those great attractions in the company of an expert guide, who will give you much greater insight into the local sights that you would get by yourself.

We promise that you’ll be happy that you went on a solo adventure once you’re back home, but part of the satisfaction will come from knowing that you dug deep and carried on even when things were a little tough. Depending on where you’re traveling to and what you want to see, there’ll likely be a fair few evenings when you feel alone, or you wonder what you’re doing so far from home all by yourself, or just don’t have the energy to go into the day with positivity.

All of those feelings are absolutely normal, and absolutely fine. The following day will be fine. Plus, there’s much pride to be gained from knowing that you’ve pushed yourself through uncomfortable feelings. 

Even if you can meet loads of fellow travelers when you’re far from home, sometimes it’s nice to do your own thing. One of the real benefits of traveling by yourself is that you’re able to look outward into the world, as opposed to looking to your left or right at your traveling companion. So, what do you see? Packing a vintage camera and a journal will give you everything you need to capture and record your impressions. We tend to think that traveling is all about running from one great attraction to the next, but sometimes, it’s the simple act of sitting down and observing the world that gives us the best experience.

Anyone who travels for an extended period will face layovers, delays, long train journeys, and other scenarios that take up a fair chunk of time. If you’re traveling with friends or family, then you’ll have someone next to you to ride out those boring periods. When you’re by yourself, you’ll have to find ways to keep yourself occupied. Having some games handy will ensure you can ride out any delays without losing your patience and/or mind. If you’ve got an internet-connected, charged device, then you’ll have access to a whole host of games, including minesweeper, blackjack, and chess. A good book or a Kindle is also recommended.

You don’t need us to tell you that you’re at greater risk when you’re traveling by yourself. You’re more likely to be a victim of a crime if you’re by yourself regardless of where you are, and that rule applies overseas too. As such, you’ll need to be slightly more cautious than you would be if you were traveling with a group. However, it’s also not recommended to be overly cautious. If you’re visiting a generally safe place, then it’s unlikely that anything will happen anyway, so it’s not as if you need to hide away in your hotel room. 

If you’re going into unfamiliar terrain (say, a rural area) then it’s recommended to share your location with a friend, just so someone knows where you are. 

Finally, if you’re going to travel by yourself, then enjoy it! There are advantages to traveling with friends and family, but there are downsides, too. For instance, you’ll have to do what other people want to do from time to time. When you’re exploring by yourself, you can do absolutely anything you want. Want to visit your favorite taco spot three times a day? You can. Want to spend an entire day at an art gallery? There’s no one to tell you that you can’t.

So throw yourself into it all. We’re sure you’ll have a great time, and, in fact, that traveling by yourself becomes a preferred option!