cover image: Suhyeon Choi, Unsplash
Solo trips are not as scary as they seem! Every solo traveler tells you this because it is true. However, you have to experience it yourself to believe it. If you like traveling and want to see the world, you will have to rip off the bandaid one day and book your first solo trip. Here is some travel advice I find useful every time I go on a trip alone.
Loneliness, boredom
A common reason why people are afraid of solo traveling is because they think they would get bored or feel lonely. I was also wondering whether I would feel lonely before I went on my first solo trip. Turns out, solo traveling is not boring! Traveling with other people is fun, but when you travel alone, you get to decide what you want to do and where you want to go at all times. You do not have to make compromises and you are free to do anything.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: going on a solo trip does not mean you will be alone at all times. You can meet people while traveling: through Bumble BFF, by going on city/walking tours, staying in hostels, etc. I recommend staying in a hostel if you would like to socialize because they are made for solo travelers and extroverted people. Most hostels have common areas designed for people to get to know each other. Many of them also offer group outings, parties at night (there are party hostels specifically designed for that!), meals together, and other fun activities that range from group yoga in the morning to board game night in the evening.
Safety
Your safety is your top priority! Before booking an accommodation, look through its reviews carefully. Do not stay at a place that has bad reviews, few reviews or none at all. If an accommodation seems good according to reviews, Google its area and see what locals say about it. Do not forget to make sure there are stations near your accommodation and look up how to get there from the airport if you are traveling by plane. Arrive during the day, because trying to locate your place in an unfamiliar city when it is dark is not fun. Share your location with trusted people, be aware of your surroundings at all times (take off your noise-canceling headphones!), and trust your gut. This is optional, but my last advice is: do not go out at night alone (to party) – if you do, make sure to not get too drunk.
Planning
Create a custom map on Google Maps and add everything you want to see/do to that map – do not forget to add your accommodation either! This makes planning your route for the day really easy since you see where the attractions are located compared to each other. I am not a big planner myself and I prefer to go with the flow when traveling with friends. However, when I am on a trip alone, I have to plan a bit, since I do not want to just sit in my hostel doing nothing.
Emergency fund
Have an emergency fund! Do not travel with only a small amount of money in your bank account. I see a lot of TikTok videos saying things like ‘I just bought a plane ticket even though I only have $50 to my name.’ Traveling in an irresponsible way has become trendy and some people promote hitchhiking, wild camping instead of booking accommodation, and other things that can be unsafe. Although these things do make traveling cheap, unexpected things can happen and you will need money to fall back on. (This also does not mean that you should only travel if you are rich: traveling does not have to be expensive, but you still need to be prepared for emergencies.)
Screen time
Get off your phone! What’s the point of traveling to a different country, if you spend it refreshing others’ Instagram stories? I would advise you to keep a journal and bring a book with you to avoid falling into this trap. It is in our human nature to mindlessly scroll on our phones whenever we are bored for more than 10 seconds, so it is useful to have something with you that you can pass the time with instead of being on your phone.
Closing rapid-round of tips
Get Revolut; pack light, because you will not use half of the things you pack that you ‘can’t live without;’ learn a bit about the country’s norms and rules; practice your English (I know this is not something you can do overnight, but traveling abroad gets so much easier when you can speak and understand English); use SkyScanner; if your data does not work well, or if your phone needs charging, remember that fast food restaurants and malls usually have free Wi-Fi and charging ports; buy a power bank.
If you are feeling inspired I would also advise you to start small! If you have never traveled solo, do not start by booking a 3-month backpacking trip to Thailand. Plan a weekend trip and go somewhere that’s only a 1-2 hour flight away. If you don’t want to fly alone, I would recommend finding a train route without transfers or going with FlixBus.
As my closing thought, I would like to say that solo traveling only seems scary, because you have never tried it before. You live in the 21st century. Realistically, what is the worst thing that could happen when you have your phone and mobile data at all times? When you are traveling, basically every problem you have can be solved just by using your phone. Did you get lost? Just use Google Maps. You can’t understand the menu in a restaurant? Use Google Lens. Do you feel lonely? Call a friend while sightseeing. Are you scared of getting sick? Get travel insurance and always keep your EU health card with you (if you have one).
Stepping out of your comfort zone and traveling solo requires courage but it will boost your confidence tremendously, improve your problem-solving skills, and make you much more independent and resilient. I advise you to try it out one day!
