TOP 10 TIPS FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS
1. Mix It Up: A great way to travel solo is to mix things up. If you were heading to say Australia you could go and stay in a spa for a few days (a great way to meet people), head to Sydney on your own and stay at a boutique hotel and use Tinder or join a meet-up group. You could then hook up with an organised tour with a company like Encounter Travels and travel with them for a while - and then have some time solo again.
2. Solo in September: September is a great time to travel solo. Be careful of all organised tours/cruises etc. during any school holiday time and particularly over the summer as you may end up surrounded by families. However, in September school has returned and there are often a lot of deals on for solo travellers.
3. Don’t leave home without your Kindle: And load it up with books for all moods! Grab some Cheryl Strayd for when you feel lonely, some Caitlin Moran to make you laugh, a good Liane Moriarty to make the time fly by – you’re never alone when you have multiple good e-books!
4. Do Something Organised: One of the best ways to do a solo trip is to do it with others. This doesn’t need to be other solos – it can be learning to scuba dive, a cooking trip or a photographic trip. Organised trips that start on a set day are the best option. It means your first day will be the first day for other people – and this is one of the easiest ways to meet people.
5. Head to a Retreat: Seek out a spa, fitness or yoga retreat. Again, it is ideal to arrive at one of these locations for a programme retreat/course. Many will have weeks that kick off on a certain day. However, many do not. For those that do not have set weeks again, I would advise attending as many classes/walks/activities as you can manage. It continues to be the easiest way to meet other people in a natural way.
6. Load up with Podcasts: I love a good podcast and there are SO many! However, podcasts are particularly great for the solo traveller for a few key reasons. Firstly, I always find having someone in my ear makes me feel less alone. Secondly, you can download them on your phone and then play them anywhere – even without reception. Third, if you sit in a café or bar with your head in a book or a laptop it is unlikely that anyone will approach you. However, it is harder to see something in your ear so you can sitting whilst looking entertained and approachable!
7. Create a Blog: This does not need to be a big full on blog. You can set up a free blog on Word Press easily and for no cost (for those of you that don’t know it is essentially an online diary). The great thing about doing a blog is that it gives you a sense of purpose when you are travelling on your own – you are doing research for great things to do/places to eat in order to write it up for your blog. Not because you are someone who has no one to go on holidays with – you are almost like a glamourous journalist!
8. Head to the US: America is very friendly – and I assume if you are reading this you speak English so it will be easy to communicate! Americans are much more likely to chat away to someone on their own and much more likely to keep a conversation going. This also holds for meeting Americans in other locations around the world. This is particularly true in bars – and if you are a single female traveller!
9. Look-up for a Roof Terrace: Kicking back with a glass of wine after a day exploring is a great time to meet people – especially if you have a full bottle and snacks that you can share. Also, even if you don’t meet anyone it is nice to have somewhere to sit other than your room when you are travelling alone. I generally find the more exotic the location the more likely there will be chat.
10. Seek-out ‘Peak-Breakfast’: Find out when the peak breakfast time is and plonk yourself down!Breakfast is another great easy time to meet other people and chat – it’s much easier than asking how their day was later on the roof terrace!
1. Don’t stay or eat somewhere too upmarket: Inevitably an upmarket location will be filled with couples and/or families. It is likely that there will be few solo travellers for you to meet and it can all feel a bit depressing. Boutique is the way to go! The same applies to restaurants. If you want to try a high-end restaurant head there for a lunch deal. It is much easier to go somewhere casual solo in the evening.
2. Avoid hotels that don’t have restaurant options: I find that travelling solo means I do a lot more activities than if I was with others – and I am often exhausted come the evening! The last thing I feel like doing is heading out with a map and being safety conscious etc. It is bliss to either order room service or just pop downstairs.
3. Don’t feel you have to be Friends: It is easy to feel relieved if you meet other solo travellers or couples/families/groups who are keen to include you in their trip – and that you must spend time with them. Would you spend time with these people at home? Hanging out with slightly annoying people can ruin a holiday. Remember you are brave and glamourous - and sometimes staying solo will allow you to meet people who are genuinely interesting to you!
4. Minimise your risks: Travelling solo is not the time to explore the edgy neighbourhood independently. But don’t miss out – go on a tour instead. Take the earlier bus back from a day trip so you don’t get stuck. Always put your passport and valuables in the safe. It is harder to cope when things go wrong when you’re on your own so minimise the chances of it happening.
5. Watch out on flights – and be ready to complain! One of my biggest irritants as a solo traveller is getting bumped by airlines! At least 3 times a year I get told that a flight that I have booked and paid for considerably in advance is now no longer available to me. British Airways once told me that men travelling on their own are lowest priority and then women. I have also had this happen when travelling business class. My advice here is that the person who complains the loudest is often the one first silenced! Bring on the tears, carry on, get on social media and tag their account – and get ready to get angry!
