Top Tips for Solo Travel

Exploring the world alone can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it can also be daunting if you haven’t been through the process before. We have gathered our favourite tips on how to make the most of your first solo trip.

But first, a note on safety:

While we want you to feel excited and confident about travelling solo, we know that it can be a bit daunting. There are a few things you can do to make sure everything goes smoothly and nothing goes wrong.

– Don’t advertise that you are on your own. Hint that you are meeting someone or that you are travelling with other people.

– Talk to people back home. Let them know your itinerary and check in with them whenever possible.

– Avoid bringing valuables like jewellery and expensive gadgets with you.

– Make backup copies of your passport and other important documents you absolutely need. Keep them safely and separately from the originals, next to some emergency funds.

Remember, even when you are by yourself, you are never alone. There are always other solo travellers or friendly locals who are happy to lend a helping hand.

And now, the fun part, our best tips on how to make your first solo trip memorable:

Have fun with it  

The best thing about travelling alone is the absolute freedom you can experience. When planning a solo trip, you can organise everything exactly to your taste, without compromising with anybody else. Want to sleep in every day? No problem. Breakfast for every single meal? No one is batting an eye. Going solo is your opportunity to have as much fun as you want, exactly how you prefer it.

Plan everything yourself if you can – from where you are staying to what restaurants you will be visiting. No one but you matters on this trip.

Go outside of peak seasons

Shoulder season, that magical time between high season and off season, is the best time to travel! If you have travelled with kids before, you know how difficult it is to secure a holiday during school breaks, at a reasonable price, close to amenities and sights to see. Well, that’s all in the past once you go solo! Planning a holiday outside of popular holidays is the best way to save money and see a different side of otherwise heaving cities. This is your chance to avoid the stress and crowds of the high-season, but still enjoy the good weather that sticks around.

Not needing to travel in high season can open up completely new destinations as well; take advantage of off-season deals, visit more exotic locations all during seasons which might not line up with yours.

Plan things for the evening

When travelling with other people we get used to planning activities during the day, with the knowledge that the evening will be occupied mostly by dinner. But when you first venture out alone, the prospect of a lonely dinner can feel less exciting, or even daunting. Organised activities that you can look forward to other than a meal will make the night fly by.

This can be as elaborate as going to the theatre or as simple as reaching out to some local groups and meeting them for a chat. When you are occupied, time just flies and you will go to bed tired and full of experiences, not just food!

Create with intention  

While you are travelling solo, you probably still have some friends or family back home who would like to see parts of your trip. Whilst you are probably going to take some pictures and videos, think about what else you can do: writing, painting or drawing can bring your experiences to life. See what inspires you and try to mix it up a bit!

Share your creations during or after your trip – we guarantee people will appreciate your unique view of the trip. And who knows, maybe after a few trips you can open your own exhibition!

Make use of local groups 

Just because you are exploring solo doesn’t mean you have to spend every single minute by yourself. Meeting up with locals or fellow travellers is a great way to meet some wonderful people from all around the world and maybe even find your next travelling partner.

You can explore local Meetup groups, join small walking groups or meet fellow curious people through the Freebird Club!

Take classes  

We all know and love the typical holiday activities, like visiting museums, going on tours or admiring monuments. But doing something more involved, like taking a class, can not just fill your days but immerse you in the local culture.

Cooking classes are a great way to discover your next favourite dish, crafting could introduce you to a new hobby and there is no better place to meet new people than a dance class. Some places we would recommend discovering these classes are local Facebook groups, Airbnb Experiences and Eventbrite.

If you are still unsure about solo travelling, don’t worry. Find people who have done it, talk to fellow adventurers and read blogs! Soon you will realise it’s not as scary as it feels like and the experiences you gain through travelling by yourself are definitely worth it.