20 Best Tips For Solo Travellers For a Successful Trip
What kind of traveler are you? Do you love hanging out with your friends by making significant and exciting plans or are you a ‘would like to keep it to myself’, person? Well if your answer is yes to the second one, then this is a perfect blog for you. While traveling is something that everyone wants to do, people have their preferences on how to travel. But no matter what, traveling solo at least once in life is essential.
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Why Should You Travel Solo?
Many people say traveling solo often takes them to some revelation. Traveling solo gives you freedom and will teach you how to be on your own. Many solo travelers claim that they find peace and individuality when they travel.
The best thing about solo traveling is that you are independent, and your plans depend on no one. This means you can travel anywhere and at any time or change your itinerary as you desire. If you are a person who loves to travel with the company, it is advisable to take at least one solo trip. On top, solo traveling is fun and is an excellent option to getaway.
But before you travel solo, there are a few things to consider. If you are already a solo traveler then kudos. Here are some basic and essential tips for solo travelers to make your trip worthwhile and memorable.
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20 Best Tips For Solo Travellers
1. Pack lite
A thumb rule to solo traveling is to pack and carry lite. It is essential because it will be only you and no one else to help you carry your bags. A better and efficient way to do this is to plan your trip beforehand. List down the places you are planning to go, check the days and the kind of activities you will be doing and pack accordingly. Pack only what is required but make sure you pack the essentials like a first aid box and an emergency kit.
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2. Stop only when necessary
Since you will be traveling solo, you have the liberty to stop only when necessary. Frequent pit stops can actually delay the whole itinerary. And to prevent this, take quick and short breaks when you are tired and keep going with your travel. But do not forget to make a stop in some of the beautiful places on the way that might have some extraordinary scenery.
3. Explore more and find your own path
Paper maps have almost become extinct. In today’s technology, with the help of a GPS, you can practically travel to any place with no help. To make your solo trip more adventurous depend on least on the technology and go old style with a map. Wear your explorer hat on and hop out there to make the best of your time!
4. Always have Plan B
Yes, while we all want things to happen right in the very first instance, we also should remember that sometimes it might go wrong. To save yourself from failed attempts, it is always advisable to have a plan B for your itinerary. Always have an answer to ‘what if’ so you don’t stand stranded in the middle of anywhere.
5. Have Enough Cash and Manage Your Budget Efficiently
Another great tip is to spend cautiously. While getting attracted to local stores is a prevalent thing while on travel, see if you really need to buy something off the store. Alternatively, you can set aside some budget to get back home some souvenirs. While digital cash is a thing in many places, others still prefer currency notes. So plan accordingly.
6. Interact with the locals, get to know the place
The best thing about solo travel is that you can spend as much time as you want in a place. Take advantage of this, and spend time with the locals. Understand their culture and try learning their language, maybe? Interacting with locals also helps you build knowledge and understanding of that place.
7. Stay in hostels/couch surfing
Who says you should only stay in fancy hotels? Did you know that couch surfing is one of the best and the most budget-friendly options? Alternatively, explore hostels as well.
8. Have an itinerary
Planning your trip well in advance will save you lots of time, energy and money. The drawback of not being prepared is that you spend more time planning while on the go and less time enjoying nature and travel.
9. Consider renting a bike/scooter for more exploration
Walking to closer distances is a great choice to make it go friendly on your pocket. Other better and cheaper options are to consider renting a bike or a scooter to travel locally.
10. Take plenty of pictures
The heart of solo traveling is in gathering memories. Click as many pictures as you want to your heart’s content. Take an instant camera if you wish to as well on the go. Along with capturing memories also do capture the essential places that you have visited.
11. Essentials
When you are traveling anywhere, it is essential to carry some essentials like the first aid kit, a necessary and minimal sewing kit, your essential documents, and ID proofs. Besides these, it is also good to have your passport or the country identification card like PAN for India.
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12. Fake purse
It is always good to have a different amount of money set aside somewhere like in your shoe sole or in some secret pouch in your backpack. Trust me, this will definitely come handy. The best thing is to let someone put it for you so you wouldn’t know right at the beginning itself that you have spare money.
13. Self-defense Tools
Basic self-defense comes very handily when on a solo trip. We all kiss our stars to have a safe and fun trip, but it is also good to keep yourself physically fit to be able to defend yourself in case of an emergency. For women, it is advisable to have a pepper spray handy, or for both men and women, a swiss knife or a safe knife is an awesome goodie to carry.
14. Keep Your Arriving Destinations in The Day Time
One primary advice is, plan your trip such that you reach your destination in the daylight. This will help you get rid of a lot of confusion and will let you explore the place well.
15. Observe More
To get the best of your solo trip, stop and observe. There are so many beautiful places around to look. Take deep breaths and enjoy it while it lasts.
16. Kindle Your Hobby
If you are a bookworm and love doing paintings, take your mini kit along with you while on travel. Find a quiet spot, sit down and do something that you love.
17. Make Friends
The best thing about travelling solo is talking to a lot of people and making new friends. Talk to local people and make some good memories.
18. Quick-Cooking and Dining Alone
If you are traveling solo, then be prepared with some ready-to-eat and quick bites to save you on the journey.
19. Shop Memories
Yes, spending unnecessarily is a big no-no while on solo travel but still, make sure you buy a piece of what is good about that place. This can be a handmade art piece or a cloth,
20. Stay in Touch
This is something that many fail to do. It is always good to keep our near and dear ones informed on your whereabouts.
Travelling gives solace and happiness. Enjoy while it lasts. Re-live once you are done with the trip. Go back in time by revisiting your photo gallery.
FAQs – Best Tips For Solo Travellers
– Which is the best place to travel alone?
The best place to travel alone would be somewhere you have always wanted to go. See whether you’re a beach person or a mountain person and plan according to your likes. Make sure that you go somewhere safe. You need to make a proper plan and carry adequate cash since you are traveling alone, and you are good to go.
– Are solo trips fun?
Yes, solo trips are absolutely fun because you have the freedom to move around and plan according to your schedule and needs. You can also have a little bit of ‘Me’ time in case you generally don’t have that in your personal life.
– Why solo travel is the best?
Solo travel is the best because you get to spend time with yourself and take time to do a self-introspection while looking at the scenic beauty. You can also do a little bit of soul searching when you travel alone. Oh, also you can make new friends in the new places you visit.
– Which is the safest place for solo traveling as a female?
Places that are generally good with population strength is safest for solo female travelers. Then again if you have self-defense under check, you are good to go. Check my blog for the best tips for solo travelers and make use of it if you are a solo female traveler.
– How can I travel alone cheaply?
Traveling alone generally costs less. To travel even cheaper try traveling at night so that you can cut off on buck spent on staying at the hotels. Also, try taking public transports to avoid diesel charges in terms of using your own vehicle. Eat at small authentic eateries rather than huge restaurants to cost less. These are few best tip for solo travellers for cost-cutting.
About The Author
Gulshan Bafna
Gulshan Bafna is one of the luxury travelers in India. He, along with his wife, has traveled to many exotic places that one could dream. With their travel journey, they bring us the best face of those places. He compiles all of his travel journeys to give the taste of traveling to his readers. In his writing, he jots down the best things to do in all those places that he has visited. Reading these would help one know better about the place. He is also a seeker who loves exploring and discovering new places and share his experiences with everyone.