Summer is the traditional time of vacations and travel.
If there is no company for a trip, that’s okay: traveling alone can be just as exciting and exciting.
Many fears and stereotypes are associated with such trips, but it is better to prepare thoroughly for the trip and go on an adventure instead of being afraid and sitting at home.
Share our tips and best practices for making solo vacations easier and safer.
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Take Care of Your Safety
A significant concern for those traveling alone is safety.
But traveling alone doesn’t necessarily involve a lot of risks – follow a few simple tips.
Before you leave, tell your friends or family what you are going to do and where you want to go, or better yet, make a detailed travel plan so that they know where you are likely to be and on what day.
And even if you want to take a break from everyone, it’s worth taking the time once a day to call or text friends and family to let them know you’re okay.
When choosing a place to stay, it’s worth reading reviews (we think you probably do it anyway) and learning more about the area in which your chosen hotel or hostel is located.
If you’re couch surfing, check out reviews of the host you want to stay with, or check their social media profiles.
Hostels and hotels do not skimp on renting a safe: it is safer and more secure to keep your money in a safe deposit box than hiding it in a secluded place.
If you’re worried about someone entering the room without your knowledge, you can take with you unique gadgets – a doorstop or a pendant alarm – that make a loud sound when someone from outside tries to open the door of your room.
When you leave a hotel or hostel, tell the staff where you’re going – they’re sure to be friendly and make sure you’re back.
If you need to see a map on walks, it is better not to stop in the middle of the street with it, but go to the nearest store or stall: pickpockets consider confused tourists an easy target.
For the same reason, it is better to try to dress not like a tourist (for example, do not wear T-shirts with the name of the city where you are now) and, if possible, less to break out of the crowd.
When walking, it is better to take a shoulder bag – it will be harder to rip – and not keep money and valuables in the back pockets of jeans or pants.
You should understand that you may encounter a dangerous situation on vacation and in your home town.
This is a reason not to panic every time you leave the house, but wisely assess the risks and estimate the problematic situations you can get into on vacation.
Know The Place You’re Going to
Any self-respecting tourist tries to take a closer look at the place they are going to.
But for a solo traveler it’s doubly important: it’s worth finding out in advance where you’re going to live, which parts of town to go alone is not safe, and where you can walk peacefully, which cab service to use, what the situation with public transportation, and whether a single tourist can safely walk around the city in the evening.
If you are going to the town for the first time you should study it thoroughly: use a map to see the places you want to visit and remember the way to your hotel.
The more confident and relaxed you feel on the streets, when you walk along familiar routes, the less you will look like a tourist and will not attract the attention of intruders.
Get Ready to Spend More
When traveling alone, you should be prepared that the trip might cost more than traveling with someone else: a hotel room for one person is usually more expensive than half the room for two.
You can not split the cost of food, cabs or car rent – you will have to pay for everything yourself.
The main issue in a solo trip is safety, so it is better not to spare money and choose a convenient daytime flight, so as not to find yourself alone in a foreign city in the middle of the night and not to save on a hotel or hostel, and live in a quiet, safe area.
It’s also worth budgeting for security contingencies: arrange hotel transfers instead of taking the bus (especially at night!), and be prepared to use a cab instead of walking through an unsafe neighborhood in the evening.
Students often buy hot trips.
But because of this, you have to deal with issues with the college.
That’s why many resort to writing help services so they can travel with peace of mind.
Don’t Keep All Your Money in One Place
Another tip that will come in handy not only for single tourists but is essential for them.
If you’re traveling alone, you can’t borrow money from a friend you came to vacation with in case of an emergency.
Don’t keep all money and valuables in one place – better split them up into several parts and keep them in different areas (or better yet, don’t skimp and use a safe!).
In addition, it’s worth having a small amount (50 dollars or euros) in reserve for emergencies: when you unload things, you can hide the bill in the suitcase, for example, putting it in a package with tampons or in a sock.
The same way you can store a spare credit card – so even in the worst case, you’ll have some money left over.
I do not need to explain why you should not walk around the city, putting all the money you took with you on the trip in your bag – it is better to estimate how much you need for the day and leave the rest in the room.
Also, don’t keep all of your money in one place because if someone steals your wallet, you may have at least some of it with you.
Take Fewer Belongings With You
Try not to take too much stuff, because, for example, a heavy suitcase or bag is too heavy to carry.
In addition, the fewer things you have, the faster you can move around the city – which is especially important in dangerous and uncomfortable situations.
For the same reason, it is worth preferring comfortable shoes and takes at least a pair of sneakers on the trip.
Meet New People, But Be Careful
The fact that you travel alone does not mean that you have to spend all the time alone.
If you want to, you can and should meet new people on your trip.
You can get acquainted in the traditional ways, or you can find interesting people in the city’s social networks where you are going on vacation, and get acquainted with them in absentia – and when you arrive at the place to arrange a personal meeting.
Do not forget about caution: very often, the most exciting and pleasant companions are crooks – so be careful and do not be in a hurry to trust strangers (e.g., do not ask them to look after your bag and valuables, when you go to the bathroom).
Also, it may be easier and safer to get to know a small group of friends who are vacationing together than one or two people.
Remember, it’s better to be careful with alcohol in a foreign company – try to keep your mind sober.
And trust your instincts: if in a situation you feel uncomfortable, don’t torture yourself and leave – it’s always better to reassure yourself.
Learn to Dine Alone
You’ll be your only companion when you travel, so it’s essential to learn how to spend time alone with yourself.
Lunches and dinners alone are the hardest for many travelers – but that’s no reason to neglect a little time off and a good meal.
There are some valuable tricks: for example, you will probably be more comfortable spending time alone in a small cafe than in a famous restaurant (although nothing prevents to go there if you want).
To avoid getting bored, take a book or a magazine with you, and if you don’t want to sit at a table for two, choose a place behind the bar.
If you’re going to socialize, don’t hesitate to talk to the staff or the neighboring table – provided, of course, that they don’t mind and have a friendly attitude.
And if the idea of dining alone is entirely unbearable, there are other options – you can take food to go or order room service.
