So, you’ve decided to try your hand as a solo traveler! Let me say, Congratulations! This will be a life changing experience!
Having time alone while you travel is a very liberating and indulging experience. It is an opportunity to truly embrace your new surroundings without too much distraction or judgment. You are free to make mistakes and create opportunities alone. And yes, things may not always work out the way you would like but at the same time, this sole responsibility for the path ahead can be hugely exciting. Everything is on you, including whatever goes wrong but at the same time; it is the freedom to make these choices alone which makes all the difference.
With that being said, while traveling alone has many advantages, being prepared can also save you money and help you push through difficult circumstances when they arise. Here are my 11 tips to put you at ease while you travel alone and help you get the most out of your next big solo adventure:
1) Do Your Own Research
Remember this simple piece of advice; the difference between a good first trip and a truly amazing experience is often right at the tip of your fingertips. Sure, you can show up in a new and exciting destination without any knowledge or plans but honestly, this usually leads to anxiety when taking a trip alone, not to mention a large amount of time wasted. Knowing where and when you are going somewhere is a good thing, so take the opportunity before your trip to get excited and research each destination.
However, keep in mind that official websites for tourism are often biased when it comes to descriptions and recommendations. Instead, get all the latest information and advice from forums, travel blogs and review based websites which offer the best insights with the least predispositions. These will be your best sources to capture in-depth information from fellow tourists and locals regarding their culture, and even the safety of a particular area. Furthermore, these usually provide answers to your questions and an opportunity to ask some more should you have them.
2) Stay safe and stay connected
The most important concern of a solo traveler is usually personal safety. Yes, the decision to travel without a companion to watch your back will feel vulnerable and it will likely make you more paranoid about scam artists, or health worries. But traveling solo is not as bad as many people or the media make it out and soon the experience will teach you this first hand. In fact, being a solo traveler, one can blend more easily into the crowd, without drawing attention and there’s a certain peace of mind when this happens. However, here are a few solo travel tips to ensure more security:
- Carry a copy of your passport with you
- Stay clear of quiet or badly lit streets, especially during the night
- Walk with confidence and act like a local; as though you know where are going
- Trust your gut! If in doubt, don’t do it
- Avoid looking like a tourist i.e. do not walk around carrying a guidebook
- Let your friends or family members know where you are going and stay in touch with them
3) Pack light, pack smart
When you are traveling by yourself, make sure you carry all the essentials in your day pack in case you get lost. Day packs are easier to carry than your full size backpack but they also attract less attention. Wear decent walking shoes, and take medication, identification card and other important technology devices with you. Another smart move is to divide your cash, credit cards, and other valuables into different parts of your bag and body so in case you lose one, you will still have another. Also, another separate stash of money in the case of emergency.
4) Make dining solo a delightful experience
It is not so bad to eat alone but some travelers suffer solomangarephobia which is defined as the terror of having a table for one. You can overcome this fear or at least make your meal more pleasurable with the following hacks:
- Chat with the service people, including waiters and waitresses. They are usually one of the best locals you can find and they get paid to be friendly!
- Choose a counter seat or seat located at the bar where it is more social
- Have some reading materials with you, in case nobody is around and you get bored.
- Remember it’s perfectly fine and normal to eat alone. You are a brave soul and you will survive to dine another day!
For more information on everything food, visit Jennifer The SoFullTraveler!
5) Practice being a Good Samaritan
Wherever in this world you go, a helping hand is always needed. It can be as simple as opening doors, helping elderly, taking a photo for someone, volunteering, walking dogs from a local shelter or even participating in a beach-clean or tree planting project. It should not be a surprise that even the smallest kindness are much appreciated and often welcome you to a new world of friendships. No matter where you go, always remember to look around and see where you can help. Why? Good deeds are always noticed and returned, this experience will make you friends at the very least. My friend and fellow blogger, Justin, is creating a volunteer placement organization, which you can find at GOAT Volunteers.
6) Learn from the professionals
Another great hack is to get to know the local service people in a destination including security guards, taxi drivers, servers, and hotel staffs. They can be of great help to discover the secret spots and even better when it comes to finding out the “correct” price of a taxi to the local market. It’s also a good idea to tip when somebody does in fact help you out, for instance, bartenders usually have great suggestions on things to do and when you have none else to enjoy a meal or an evening drink with, they are always there to talk to you – which is surely deserving of a tip. For some more really great travel hacking tips visit Kamelia on her site, The Hackerette. She is my go to for amazing travel hacks.
7) Make an effort to meet new people
Traveling alone is a great way to do your own thing without any restrictions. But eventually, loneliness can creep into the travelers’ mindset. This is a good time to search out experiences which will allow you to meet new people. Take a city tour or move into a sociable hostel, go on a pub crawl or even just head to the local gym. Remember; there is nothing wrong with feeling lonely and there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking out people with whom you can spend some time getting to know. This is a very important tip that is very central to what travel means for me.
8) Open up to a life of adventures
Traveling alone is an ideal time to really push you out of the comfort zone and this is one of the best solo travel tips. Keep in mind you signed up for this solo adventure and now you have to make the most out of it. This does not mean you have to do extreme things like sky diving or go shark diving, but maybe a local cooking lesson or a volunteer weekend in your destination. You never know, you may even surprise yourself by how capable you and maybe even find a new interest.
9) Keep Your Phone Secured
One of the most vulnerable targets of identity theft while on a travel is cellular phones. Since they are always turned on, with apps that gives easy access to personal information, and you probably just leave them lying around for some time, thus, increasing the risk of them being lost or stolen. When I’m abroad, I keep my phone and wallet in my front pockets. I also keep my hands in my pockets when around large crowds as an extra measure of protection. To protect your information better, make sure that you set a strong password, so no one can easily crack it. Going a step further, consider deleting any saved credentials to sensitive applications such as bank apps and social media. And as much as possible, be very careful when connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots.
10)Embrace the act of shooting photographs
Whether you like taking them or not, having snapshots of your adventure will prove priceless as time goes on. Keep them, post them on social media, or just share them with your closest friends. If you are not comfortable with taking selfies you can always ask someone to take a photo of you. This might seem like an obvious mention for solo travel tips but it is also the one complaint you will hear when travelers finish their journey.
11) Stay safe but be seen and have no regrets
Lastly, your safety and health should always be the priority but remember there is no blueprint to life or traveling alone and there is rarely a reward for not taking any risks. So be safe but be seen and have no regrets, no fear and no worries for what the future holds because traveling alone will be one of the best experiences you will ever have in this lifetime.
I hope you found these tips helpful for your upcoming solo travel adventure. I wholeheartedly feel that everyone should undertake a trip alone at least once in their lives, for it is then that you will truly discover a great deal about yourself. Click here to find out What Travel Means to Me.
Best of luck and safe travels.
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