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- Solo Travel
- Travel Tips
written by Joanne Owen
updated 14.06.2021
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written by Joanne Owen
updated 14.06.2021
Travelling alone can seem daunting from the comfort of home. What happens if things don’t go to plan? What if you get stranded? Is it safe to go out at night solo? All these questions and more (what will I do if my luggage goes AWOL? What if my car gets stuck in a ditch? Will I get attacked by bandits?) often plague travellers before their first solo travel trip. To put those fears at bay, read on for our writers’ and editors’ top 15 tips for surviving solo travel. It’ll hopefully furnish you with what to know before traveling to anywhere on your own, and lead you to learn lots of new things about the world – and yourself.
The sunny delights of solo travel © Shutterstock
Conversely, if you're travelling solo and more of an introvert, forget the language barrier. Vibrant cities are perfect for people watching, especially if those with a thriving café culture.
Solo traveller embracing freedom © Shutterstock
Or, if you're feeling social, you can always try to make new friends. Offer to take a family's photo at a big sight, for instance, or sit near a chatty gang at a bar. This really is one of our top tips of surviving solo travel.
Either way, if it's adventure you're after, read our round-up of the world’s best adventure holidays.
Enjoying a pint with new-found pals © Shutterstock
Also have local help numbers, such as the tourist police, saved in your phone. You'll probably never need them, but just knowing you have them can give you the confidence to deal with awkward situations, whether you’re setting off on a South American solo trip, backpacking Australia, or road-tripping Europe.
Backpacking essentials © Shutterstock
If you fancy upping your Insta game, you could investigate taking an Insta-oriented tour. You'll find them in all corners of the globe, like this photo shoot tour of Oahu, Hawaii, or this Ho Chi Minh City Hidden Gems Instagram Tour - and pretty much everywhere else besides.
Snapping the perfect scenic shot © Shutterstock
If you’re really into your food and fancy company at the same time, look up local tasting experiences. Some deliver in-depth detail on local delicacies, like this Parisian introduction to cheese and wine-tasting, while others mix culture and cuisine, like this immersive sightseeing and home-cooking experience in Bucharest. The world is your oyster when it comes to tasting tours (oysters optional).
Asian street restaurant - a local, social spot to spark conversation © Shutterstock
To that end, and wherever you are in the world, you could check-out tours that tie-in with your interests, and your destinations' specialties - as the saying goes, “when in Rome”. Talking of which, as an example, when actually in Rome culture vultures could take an expert-guided tour of the ancient city in the company of other history buffs. Or how about this Secret Roman History LGBT Walking Tour? Footie fans will usually have no problem finding fellow aficionados of the beautiful game to hook up with - from touring the Maracana in Rio, to exploring Barcelona's Camp Nou (nb solo travellers could make the latter more social by taking a stadium tour with tapas).
You get the idea. Securing a slot on the likes of these trips - doing whatever floats your boat - means you’ll almost certainly be in the company of like-minded folk. A win-win situation.
Solo traveller capturing the moment and seizing the day - in her own time © Shutterstock
A smartphone or tablet is a must now there's free wi-fi almost everywhere. Having tech to hand means you can check what to know before traveling to your next stop. Among many other things it means you can book your accommodation ahead and ensure a safe pick-up at your destination. And, if you're feeling lonely, you can connect with home, read the news, and listen to podcasts - perfect for passing time on long journeys, and a guaranteed way to travel to your destination in interesting company.
Long journeys - perfect for planning, podcasts (and catching up on kip). Image: Devil's Nose, Ecuador © Shutterstock
Be sure to back-up your vital documents. Image © Shutterstock
It’s also pretty essential to make sure you’re insured. Head here to check-out options offered by our World Nomads affiliate partner. Having back-up and insurance is a sure-fire way to travel to your destination with fewer worries, As the saying goes it's always better to be safe than sorry. Talking of which…
While it's certainly challenging, the hardest thing about solo travel is making that initial leap to do it. After that, all you need is a bit of know-how, an eagerness to explore, and these tried and tested tips on how to travel solo. An incredibly rewarding experience awaits.
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At Rough Guides we’ve always taken pride in telling it like it is - whether we’re updating details in our guide books, or researching emerging destinations. With that in mind, we want you to know that when you click on links that lead to our affiliate partners’ sites, we can earn a small commission (at no cost to you). This is one of the ways we’re able to keep doing what we do best - provide you with travel advice and inspiration you can trust. Speaking of which, you can trust what we link to - our travel writer experts are exactly that (experts) and have highlighted them to share ideas that might make your trips all the more satisfying.
Scenic solo travel header image © Shutterstock
written by Joanne Owen
updated 14.06.2021
Joanne is a Pembrokeshire-born writer with a passion for the nature, cultures and histories of the Caribbean region, especially Dominica. Also passionate about inspiring a love of adventure in young people, she’s the author of several books for children and young adults, hosts international writing workshops, and has written articles on the Caribbean and inspirational community initiatives for Rough Guides. Follow her @JoanneOwen on Twitter and @joanneowenwrites on Instagram.
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