Top Tips for Travelling Solo
As someone who has undertaken a significant amount of travel alone; backpacking Europe, Asia, and Australia for sometimes months at a time—my friends, friends of friends, and even strangers consistently ask for my advice on travelling alone. The one piece of advice I give absolutely everybody is this: when travelling alone, you are only ever as alone as you want to be. Meaning that if you’re a person who, like me, relishes in being alone, that’s great, you can spend your whole trip alone if that’s what you want. But if you aren’t a raging introvert and don’t want to spend the majority of your travelling days alone then do not worry. You will meet people and can choose how much of your time you want to spend by yourself.
I started travelling alone because, at age eighteen, it was difficult to find friends who were committed enough or had the money to make lengthy travel plans. I knew that if I waited for someone to come with me I was going to be waiting a long time. But solo trips can be daunting, and although travelling alone is easy (and incredibly enjoyable) for me now, it took me a little bit of time to get comfortable with it. Below are a few of the lessons I have learned that have made me a better solo traveller:
#1 Stay in hostels and diligently read the reviews
Hostels are the single best place to meet people as a traveller—they are full of travellers who, just like you, are looking to make friends. However, not all hostels are created equal in terms of fostering a social atmosphere. Try to avoid large hostels in favour of “Ma and Pa” style boutique hostels. Smaller hostels often have a friendlier atmosphere and make a direct effort to bring people together through events like dinners, cooking lessons, small pub crawls, and movie nights. You can often identify the large hostels by features such as a bar, multiple kitchens, and very commercial photos.
Hostel reviews also reveal a significant amount of information about their social atmosphere. If you notice that most of the reviews are coming from people outside your age group, people travelling in groups, or families, you should look at other options. Make sure to search for reviews written by solo travellers in order to discern what the experience at that hostel is like for travellers looking to make friends.
#2 The first day is always the hardest
Don’t be discouraged if, on the first day of a trip or in a new city, you aren’t on cloud-nine, but are instead thinking, “what the hell am I doing here?!” The first day can be rough- you are alone; you are trying to figure out how to get to your hostel, and you are more than likely “hangry”, tired, and possibly a little homesick. It does get better!
Crappy travel days are unavoidable. Over time you will recognize that these days happen and become better at dealing with them. To mitigate the crappy-ness of days like this I always ensure I have snacks with me when I travel and try to avoid arriving in a new city at night.
An easy activity to do on your first day is a free walking tour. Many cities, and even hostels, offer these. They are a great way to orient yourself and ease some of the stress of trying to figure everything out on day one.
#3 Truly embrace the solo travel experience
To get the most out of travelling alone you have to embrace it and approach it with a positive mindset. This means being present and reflective. Try to keep a journal to keep track of your experiences and emotions. In addition, try not to use social media and Skype as a crutch. It is easy to fall into the habit of constantly updating family, friends, or significant others on Snapchat or Instagram, and to treat Skype like a stand-in travel companion. This detracts from your travel experience and prevents you from truly engaging with the places and people that surround you.
The best part about travelling alone is the amount of personal growth you achieve. You are constantly challenging yourself and learning new things. It may seem scary at first, but embrace it and have fun, because it will truly be one of the best experiences of your life!
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