10 Things You Need to Know Before Traveling Solo

I’m so excited that you’re thinking about going on your first solo trip! I have found traveling solo to be such a unique experience that will allow you to learn about life, people, and mostly yourself. I would suggest traveling solo at least once in your life to anyone with at least an ounce of adventure in their being! You just have to be careful, once you do, you will likely get hooked! To help send you off, I’ve listed below ten things you should know before taking your first solo trip!

Research your destination 

Researching your destination is so important when it comes to getting the most out of your trip. Researching the country’s history rather than just how cool it looks in pictures will allow you to appreciate the culture more and have a more memorable experience overall. Knowing the country’s safety ranking and what to look out for is important especially for solo female travelers.

Make a realistic plan

I know one of the fun things about going on a solo trip is the feeling of just “going for it” and seeing where the adventure takes you. This idea is all great as long as it takes you in the right direction. When traveling alone it’s easy to take a wrong turn and end up having a bad experience if you don’t have a plan. Making a detailed plan of the “when, how, and how much” when trying to check off monuments or national parks will be extremely helpful. As much as I appreciate a well planned out trip, I still always leave a day or two with no plan other than to wander carelessly at local markets or a national park and relax.

Staying positive is KEY

Missed your train? Oops, lesson learned to be earlier. Took the wrong bus? Oh well, gotta hop on a different one. Lost? Ask for help, make a friend. One of the biggest things I’ve learned while traveling alone is the power of your own positive thoughts!  When traveling with others it is easy to be sucked in to others’ opinions and attitudes. I’m sure we can all think of a time where you and your family or friends planned something that didn’t work out the way you wanted or didn’t meet someone’s expectations. Along with this usually comes arguing whose fault it was followed by bad moods all around. When traveling alone, you are not influenced by anyone’s thoughts but your own. Well and mine, hopefully in the back of your head telling you to stay positive! I quickly learned the true sound of my own thoughts – what I like and what I don’t like despite anyone else’s opinion. This is freedom. 

Just say Hi

Making friends is as easy as that. Just take a look at kids on a playground who become best friends within five minutes. There are so many solo travelers out there looking for someone to “make the first move” to make friends. So, just say hi and I promise you, you will have plenty to talk about like where you are from and fun travel stories! 

Making your own decisions can be both freeing and frightening

At first I loved the idea of doing whatever I wanted – visiting what I wanted, eating what I wanted, and taking as long as I wanted. This was great for a while, but being the very indecisive person I am, I began to appreciate the opinions and decision making of others. Also, as freeing as it is to make your own decisions, you also know any mishaps are no one else’s fault but your own. However, that is where the wonderful power of staying positive comes in!

Leave those picky eating habits at home

Food is one of the easiest ways to get a real feel for a culture so stopping by a convenience store in china to grab hot Cheetos is not something I would recommend. I am a huge fan of trying everything at least once for the experience so I never missed out much when met with some unbelievable funky lookin foods. Of course I’ve had quite a few things that eating it once was more than enough (yeah I’m talking about you, Chinese chicken feet) but of course I am still glad I tried it! 

Always have a portable phone charger!

For full disclosure purposes I will let you know, I have gotten lost far more times than I wish to admit just because my phone has died. When traveling alone, your phone is really your only travel buddy, don’t let it die!

Skip the tourist shops & support local artists

When I first started traveling, I spent so much time in tourist shops going back and forth between which shot glasses and key chains I should get, all for them to end up in a box in the back of my closet. Looking back, I wish I spent a little extra money and bought the numerous hand made art or clothes that I walked right past throughout the trip. Buying items like these help support the locals, are more useful, and more meaningful. 

The world isn’t as scary as you may think

Most people you meet on your trip will be nice, helpful, and possibly even turn into a friend! You will learn that you are much stronger and smarter than you think when being faced with a challenge you have never come across before. Pro Tip: it is okay to ask for help, seriously no shame.

Be Present 

Okay I’ll admit it, I’ve struggled with this one quite a bit. Being fully present is probably one of my main goals when I am traveling. Although I try my best to stay present, I am only human and living in today’s world, I end up getting sucked in to finding the most instagramable spot or getting the perfect insta story rather than focusing on the actual stories of the country. I am obsessed with taking pictures of everything I see so sometimes I get caught up in that as well but my best and most memorable travel experiences have been when I don’t worry about the perfect snap story and focus more on the sounds, smells, interactions, and feel of the place I am in. Try to be mindful of where your head is at before you travel to make the most out of your trip and feel the true freedom of solo traveling!

Thanks for reading! I hope you found this helpful and rock your first solo travel trip! If you want to see more travel tips, guides, and inspiration follow me on Pinterest and Instagram! Happy travels!