9 Tips for Traveling Alone

Hey there fellow travelers and welcome to my post where we will outline my 9 tips for traveling alone this year. For many, travel is about discovering new things with a friend or a loved one. For others however, traveling by themselves is something to be savored.

Whether it be to step out of your comfort zone, or simply just get away from everything and everyone for a while, solo travel can definitely have its benefits.

There are however some inherent risks and challenges that come with traveling by yourself so in an effort to keep your trip fun and safe, let’s see when we can do to help you out below…

Tips for Traveling Alone

Ok, so in an effort to ensure you have the best time ever whilst traveling alone, let’s check out my 9 tips below:

1. Share your plans

For me, this is a very crucial step. Planning your family trip is one thing, however should something go wrong, or you fall off the grid for a while, it is always worthwhile making sure that at least somebody knows where you are at any given time and how to contact you.

I mean in most cases your lack of contact or online presence is simply due to the fact that you are having so such fun that time has got away from you but having a itinerary and commination options in place can at the very least provide some comfort for those at home.

Additionally, as you are doing your planning, also make sure that you let your bank know where you are as well – this way you can avoid ending up somewhere without any financial means due to your card being frozen.

2. Be aware of the dangers

As it is in your home city, there are dangers everywhere when you travel and this is especially true if you are working alone in high tourist areas or poorer countries. And whilst this is usually restricted to petty crimes such as theft and scams, there are some things you should do to ensure that you are safe at all times. This includes:

• Do your research – know the parts of town to stay out of
• Never walk alone in a strange area at night – we will discuss this below but it can assist greatly here if you can find others that you trust to walk home with
• Don’t look like a tourist – individuals don’t tend to stick out as much however scammers target tourists looking for cheap tours, transport and accommodation etc. as they know they don’t have the means to track them down afterwards.
• Use safes – if there is one in your room – use it – if only to keep your passport and cash safe
• Never leave gear unattended in a hostel – sadly theft is not restricted to the local population. Most theft I have seen in my travels has been from other travelers in hostels – and put a lock on your bag
• Use official transport only – Unlicensed taxi operators are well known to not only rip you off, but rob you on the way as well – especially if you are alone
• Don’t write yourself off – drunken tourists are often targeted outside of pubs and bars – have fun but be safe about it. The same goes for leaving drinks unattended.

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3. Don’t overdo the solo bit

Look, just because you choose to travel alone, doesn’t mean you need to be alone all of the time. By all means take that valuable ‘me’ time however as with anything in this world, some things are just more fun with a group of people. We will discuss single worthy accommodation next however don’t be afraid to make friends in hostels or bed and breakfast (BnB) joints that you can have some fun with.

Of course doing things as a group can mean added safety when it comes to moving around the city etc., but you are also exposing yourself to others with different experiences who can give you entertainment ideas that you would not have known about otherwise as well.

At the end of the day, be open to enjoying time with others when the mood takes you for some added fun and adventure.

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4. Stay in single worthy accommodation

Another factor that can greatly influence the enjoyment of your trip is choosing your accommodation. And when it comes to single travel, this is also where you can not inly save some cash, but also influence how much interaction you have with others. Here are your options

• Hotel – If you don’t really want to mix with others, then a hotel will be your obvious choice as you can lock your self in your room and leave the world behind. This is great for solitude but is the most expensive option for sure.
• Resort – Resorts can give you the best of both worlds where there are pools and bars where you can meet people and interact but with a hotel style room that you can retreat to. The price of these can vary greatly depending on facilities, location and time of year, but can be a very decent place for singles.
• BnB/Pension – These are similar to a resort in that there are shared areas to interact but with your own private room. These are generally a lot cheaper than hotels or resorts but you have a little less security and will usually need to share a bathroom as well. These are really good for budget travelers who want some interaction with a little privacy on the side.
• Hostel – Hostels are cheap and can be a lot of fun so if the travel part is the only thing you want to do alone, then this is for you. There is no privacy with dorm style rooms (unless you can get a private room) with shared bathrooms, eating areas and entertainment spots as well. Essentially they are noisy, not always the cleanest option and you will have people around you all-the-time but if you are into that, then you can have a lot of fun here.

5. Find others to share costs

Apart from the obvious safety aspects, another advantage of making some friends as you travel is the ability to share costs. This can be on anything from splitting meals, hotel rooms, cab fares, tours (especially if you are hiring a driver to take you there) and so on.

Additionally, many tour and transport operators offer discounts for multiple or group bookings as well.

6. Travel in the daytime

As you travel by yourself, the most common time that you are truly alone is where you are actually moving around from place to place in bus stations and airports etc. – not to mention the ride to get to these departure points in the first place.

So for increased safety, try and make sure you are doing your travel here in the daytime where there are more people around for safety in numbers. Trust me, as someone speaking from experience here, you do not want to be left sitting in a bus station in somewhere like New York at night because your bus was cancelled.

Oh, and another advantage of daytime travel is that shops and food joints are also open allowing you eat safely and cheaply as well.

7. Know your strengths

When it comes to travel, it is a given that things don’t always go to plan. Attractions can be closed down, it can rain or the cost of getting there can suddenly become so much more expensive. At these times, you may need to change plans, activities or even decide whether you go at all.

It is at these times that leaning on your strengths can be of great advantage. This can be the ability to find information online, talk to people or just sit and let the day take you where you didn’t know you wanted to go. In time of stress or change when you travel, it is when you try and do things that you are not the best at that things can go array.

8. Take a book

I have called this tip ‘take a book’ however essentially it could be named take some entertainment. Most commonly this is a book but it can be a hand held computer game, iPod, smart phone or puzzle book as well. The point to remember here is that you are traveling alone so if you find yourself by yourself, or need a break, then anything that relaxes you is key here.

The added advantage here is that if, as we discussed above, your plans are changed and you do end up alone or stuck in a transit lounge for a little while, then anything that can keep you interested is a great addition to your backpack.

9. Get travel insurance

And finally, one last disadvantage of traveling alone is that if you lose something or manage to be burnt by scammers or petty thieves, then you will not have anyone else to lean on to help you pay your way. Not to mention the costs of medical assistance in many countries if you happen to get sick or have an accident.

So to counteract this, make sure you have some good travel insurance that will assist you quickly with options such as emergency cash, accommodation, medical costs or coverage for canceled transportation as you get everything sorted out.

Conclusion

So there you have it, my 9 tips for solo travel this year. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below.

Do you have any other tips for traveling alone? If so, please comment below.

Until next time

Have fun

Paul

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