Solo Travel: Best Tips for Traveling Alone
Solo Travel: Best Tips for Traveling Alone
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Travelling alone can be a rewarding and enriching experience, but it also can prove daunting when it is your first time. If you are currently reviewing the best solo vacations on offer, our team at Inspiration Outdoors have compiled eleven tips for solo travel to help make your journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible!
1. Perform Ample Research in Advance
When travelling alone, especially for the first time, you may find yourself quickly overwhelmed by all the logistical and planning responsibilities to make the trip successful. As such, perhaps the most important of our tips for travelling alone is to ensure you do your research well in advance. Read up on all the destinations you’re visiting, including their culture and customs, laws you must abide by, and the best routes and modes of transport as you make your way.
It also helps to research the of solo trip you would like to tailor for yourself. For example, are you looking for a relaxing beach vacation or an action-packed adventure? Knowing what you want will help you narrow your options and ensure you can enjoy yourself without added stress.
2. Ensure You Pack the Essentials
Let’s remember that, when on your own, you do not have the luxury of borrowing much-needed items like phone chargers, adapters, and even certain toiletries. Unfortunately, packing can be challenging when travelling alone, as you have to be mindful of everything you need and how much space it will take up. To make things easier, create a packing list in advance and include all the essentials, such as a valid passport, travel insurance, medications, and the plethora of charging cables to make all your technology work.
3. Hold a Back Up of Important Documents
If you are investing in solo travel packages, you want to be able to roll into your itinerary and enjoy yourself without any interruptions. As you travel across a myriad of countries, however, you will need certain documents and protections to do so, such as your passport and travel insurance. In case you lose your luggage or are a victim of theft, hold physical and digital backups of these items, so you have a copy for reference. Always store these documents in a safe place, too, such as a hotel safe or locked suitcase.
4. Save Money by Embracing Twin Sharing
Regardless of whether you’re venturing overseas or keeping it local, it always helps to find ways to keep your expenses in check so you can get more out of your trip. One great way to save money when travelling solo is to take advantage of twin sharing rates at hotels, motels and hostels. Many of these lodgings will offer lucrative discounts for guests willing to share a room with another traveller. Not only is this a great way to save, but you can also meet new people and get insider tips on your destination.
5. Book Homestays or Local Apartments
Another great way to save money when travelling solo is to book homestays or local apartments instead of traditional (and overpriced) hotels. While these accommodations are often much cheaper, they also offer a more authentic experience for those travelling alone who want to immerse themselves in their destinations. Be sure to research your options in advance and read reviews from other travellers before booking.
6. Know Where You Can Find Wi-Fi
Again, you won’t always have someone on hand with a roaming connection to look up information for you. Whether it is the hotel you’re staying at, the restaurants you frequent or even some of the tourist attractions you visit, when travelling solo, it’s important to know where you can find a reliable Wi-Fi connection. This can keep you connected with friends and family, help you to navigate foreign streets, make bookings with new travel packages, or simply read some news from the outside world!
7. Pick Up a Few Phrases to Help You Get By
If you’re travelling to a destination where English is not the primary language, it’s helpful to learn a few simple phrases to help you communicate common points to the locals. For example, knowing how to say ‘hello’, ‘excuse me’ and ‘thank you’ will make communication more polite. To get by, it also helps to know phrases and words like:
- Yes
- No
- Sorry
- Do you speak English?
- Can you please help me?
- Where is [location]?
- Bus, taxi, train, airport, etc.
This will not only help you in a bind, but also offer you more engagement with those around you whilst travelling alone, especially for the first time.
8. Don’t Be Afraid of Connecting with Locals & Other Travellers
One of the best parts of travelling solo is meeting new people. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with other travellers and the locals – now that you know some of their language, they will appreciate you making an effort and be happy to point you in the right direction for a memorable trip! You never know whom you’ll meet or where those relationships will lead!
9. Be Mindful & Take Precautions for Your Safety
When travelling solo, it’s essential to be mindful of your safety at all times. Be sure to research the crime rates for the area you’re visiting and take precautions accordingly. For example, avoid walking alone at night, keep your valuables close to you, and don’t accept rides from strangers.
The Australian government provides a resource on the dangers present in certain destinations across the world known as Smart Traveller, which you should check before you depart and at various intervals throughout your trip.
10. Capture as Many Photos as Possible
Finally, be sure to capture as many photos as possible when you’re travelling solo! You won’t have your usual travel companions to reminisce with down the road, so these memories will be all you have to cherish for a lifetime. If you can, bring along a good quality camera and extra memory cards, so you don’t miss a thing!
11. Embrace Tours & Solo Travel Packages to See the Sites
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the thought of planning a solo trip, consider booking a tour or solo travel package. For example, the walking sightseeing and cycling tours available from Inspiration Outdoors can help you discover some of Australia’s most spectacular sites in a matter of days or weeks, while saving you a lot of time and hassle, as well as offering the opportunity to meet others travelling alone!
Contact us today for more information by calling 1300 544 882 today!
