Solo travelling is one of my favourite ways to travel. It is very liberating to be able to do what you want without having to worry about if other people are having fun, what they want to do, or where they want to go. However, that first moment arriving somewhere new and far away from home it can get easy to feel lonely. Below are some tips that helped avoid loneliness while I was solo travelling.
1. Keep in touch with friends & family back home
This is probably what helps avoid loneliness the most, especially arriving in a new place for the first time. Everything is so new and overwhelming, and if you are traveling solo it can be easy to get lonely. The first thing I do when I arrive somewhere new is call my family back home. Whenever you feel a bit lonely during a trip, calling, face-timing, sending a text or a photo can help a lot.
2. Stay in hostels
Hostels are the BEST for meeting new people and a great way to avoid loneliness. It can be for any age, too. The hostel atmosphere, even for part of the trip, can give you more interaction with other people and avoid loneliness compared to staying in a hotel or AirBnB by yourself.
If you are more shy, it’s easier to meet people who are sharing the same room with you, compared to meeting someone in the common rooms. You can be as social or as non-social as you want by either having a conversation with someone, asking them out for dinner (or they might ask you!), or going out and sightseeing together.
Typically, you will always meet another solo traveller in a hostel. A lot of hostels host social events, walking tours and other activities that you can sign up for as well. Still unsure if a hostel is right for you? Read this to help make your decision.
If hostels aren’t appealing to you, consider staying in a private room in a hostel so that you can have your own privacy, but with the added bonus of potential friends in the common room.
I like to book and research hostels on hostelworld.com. Make sure you read the reviews before booking so that you can find a hostel that is more quiet at night or has a party-vibe (whichever you are looking for!)
3. Go on group tours
Instead of exploring a new city all by yourself, you can opt for doing it with a group instead. There are LOTS of options for how long you want to spend with other people: walking tours, half-day trips, full day trips or experiences with a tour company, or a multi-day group tour.
When I arrive somewhere new, one of the first things I do is go on a free walking tour. Having a booked activity (that’s preferably free if you miss it due to flight delays) gives you something to do and look forward to. It also provides a bit of social interaction. It also is a great way to get to know a new location and find your way around a bit more easily. Depending on where you are going, Sandemans have good walking tours!
4. Bring a journal
Bringing a journal can also help with loneliness, and it is a great way to record your travels. Each night I write about my day, and by the time I am done writing and re-living my day, I feel settled in. This can be helpful if you are staying in a hotel and don’t have hostel roommates to talk to.
Suggested Reading: Essential items to bring while staying a hostel
5. Bring home comforts
Bringing or doing something small to help make your accommodation feel more like home can help avoid loneliness. Download your favourite shows on Netflix to watch before bed, wear your favourite pair of pajamas or slippers around your room at night. If your room has a bath, bring (or buy) a bath bomb and have a nice relaxing bath.
If I am staying somewhere for a week or more, I like to buy flowers for my room from a nearby supermarket. Write in your journal, or spend the evening going through your photos and editing them. The options are endless and it is entirely up to you (and what your suitcase can hold!).
Make your night time routine so busy that you don’t have time to get lonely! Write in your journal, go though your photos, facetime back home, have a shower, and read or watch youtube videos.
6. Don’t worry about eating alone
With solo travel comes solo eating. I still sometimes find this overwhelming at dinner time, which tends to be a more social eating time. I don’t necessarily feel lonely when I am eating alone, but I feel very aware that I AM alone. However, remember that no one else cares if you are eating alone. If they do, they probably admire you for doing it (since some people don’t feel comfortable doing it themselves).
If you are really shy about eating alone, breakfast and lunch are the easiest. Typically a lot of other people are also eating alone during these times, and it is more casual. For supper, eating before or after the rush when the restaurant is less busy can help if you feel awkward. Or save some money and grab something from the grocery store or a market!
For supper, I try and scout out restaurants that have long single booths in front of windows. I feel the least awkward in that seating arrangement, and it is fun to watch the view or people outside. If you’re feeling awkward, a good ol’ cellphone can help with this. Browsing through the internet, reading a downloaded book, or texting a friend can help with the awkwardness feeling.
And if eating in a restaurant still seems too overwhelming, then order take out! You can get take out from a restaurant, or have it delivered with companies like Uber Eats, Door Dash, Wolt (there’s so many, depending on where you go!). Then get cozy and eat it in the comfort of your hotel room (or hostel common room).
7. Bring a tripod or selfie stick for solo photos
If the thought of not being able to get any pictures of yourself while you are traveling solo makes you feel lonely, I got you! If you bring a tripod (and a selfie stick), you can still get photos of yourself. It may take a bit longer to set up, but since you are by yourself you can take all of the time you need!
You can also ask others to take your photo! In a group tour, it’s much easier to get someone in the group to take your photo. And the tour leader is always happy to help too!
And in areas where there are lots of tourists, I often will see someone else who is alone and offer to take their picture first. They are usually always so grateful to have someone take their photo, and they usually offer to take your photo too! Sometimes it even leads to a friendship, which is always an added bonus!
8. Just do it!
The most important thing for solo travel is to not limit yourself and just go out and do it!! The feeling of loneliness will pass, eating in restaurants solo gets easier to do the more you do it, and the experiences and people you meet along the way make it SO worth it.
Have you travelled solo before? What are your top tips for avoiding loneliness? Let me know in the comments below!
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