My 8 Tips On How To Travel Solo For The First Time

Traveling on your own can be really scary but also very exciting. I have traveled the world for many years on my own and have also lived abroad myself. Sure it was scary, absolutely but at the same time I wanted to discover the world and if no one else wants to do it with me I do it myself and so it has been many times 🙂

I have previously written many tips on traveling solo which are good to think about based on my own experiences that I share with you and which you will find here. I have made mistakes, missed buses and flights, ended up in situations I never thought would happen but I have also met friends all over the world that I still have contact with today. I have become richer in experiences and learned a lot about myself and therefore I have only positive things to say about traveling solo!

Here I share my best tips for those of you who are traveling Solo for the first time:

1. Book a proper accommodation before departure

I always book hotels when I travel solo, partly because I want it to be comfortable but also to be able to eat at the hotel restaurant if I feel like it and don’t want to go out in the evening outside the hotel when it is dark. I think it feels safe with hotels and would recommend a good and fresh hotel if you are traveling solo for the first time. Don’t choose a cheap hotel just to save money, it’s worth having a good hotel your first solo trip!

2. Travel insurance

Before you leave (whether you are traveling solo or not) you should have proper travel insurance. Most often it is included in your credit card, but I would recommend looking over exactly what it means and maybe sign up for a separate travel insurance if it is not included in your home insurance, something that is worth checking out before departure! You never know what can happen and because you are alone you have no one who can help you remember things.

3. Dare to meet other travelers

The best thing about traveling solo is that you decide when and if you want to talk and integrate with other people you meet. I’m a introverted person and enjoy being by myself, walking around a city by myself and discovering things at my pace but at the same time it can be fun to hear other people tell their stories, where they come from and why they travel solo or in groups.

I have met so many interesting people when I traveled solo and sometimes I’ve felt the courage to open up myself and get to know completely new people. Most often, others have come to me when they see that I’m alone and they have invited me into their company, it has really happened so many times so don’t be afraid to talk to new people, you never know what it can lead to: )

4. Bring a book or computer

If you find it difficult to travel solo but still want to do it, bring a book or two or why not your computer if it feels better. You can always carry a book with you in the bag and sit on a bench, in a cafe or in a park to read for a while and look at people around you while enjoying the fact that you are actually on your own and doing what you want! 🙂

5. Dare to walk the wrong way

It has happened to me very often that I haven’t found or read wrong on the map, which has made me lost and in the end I let the roads lead me instead. I have been lost, but it has led me to discover small gems and places that aren’t included in guidebooks, for example. It has been a wonderful experience and a little cozy as well.

6. Ask locals for tips

The best thing you can do if you want to discover a new city or want to find some odd places that are not included in the guidebooks is to talk to or ask locals in town what they would recommend. It could be a cafe, a restaurant or a museum that they think is worth seeing or going to. Dare to trust them even if you don’t know them 🙂

7. Choose your destination wisely

We all know that there are cities that are safer than others so choose your first destination wisely and choose a city that feels safe. I have written which countries and cities I have traveled solo to which you will find here and which I can recommend you to also go to if you don’t know where you want 🙂

8. Embrace your freedom as a solo traveler

Sure it can be stressful to travel solo for the first time but try to enjoy it. You have finally left so embrace what you see around you, take your time and do what you want when you want and let no one else control you. I often get asked how I dare to travel alone and where I get the courage from, but it’s because I like to discover things and I manage myself. You need to be attentive when traveling solo and I have learned over the years that it is not as dangerous as you think. Traveling solo means you learn a lot more about yourself, how you work, what you like and you become a true version of yourself 🙂