How to Meet People Safely While Traveling Alone (2024 Updated)

Without a doubt, meeting new people while traveling is an amazing way of exploring a new destination with the help of the locals.

It feels a bit awkward for most people to talk to random strangers, so dating or having a romantic fling may seem like an exception.

In reality, it does not have to be that difficult, and you can pull that off even if you are not a social butterfly.

Once you realize that the people you meet on your way are what make traveling a rewarding experience, you will bump into people you would never otherwise encounter back home and begin to take an open-minded attitude towards local meetups while traveling.

Remember, traveling alone is a liberating experience if you give off positive vibes to people, and you never know when you might meet your soul mate while exploring a new country.

Safe Ways to Meet the Locals

To make friends and enjoy chatting and flirting in new places, you can try several options:

Try Social Media: With features like Facebook Events, you can find where to meet people in real life. Having a social media presence also makes you look more authentic. Be on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tumblr to meet real people. And also check geo-tags to find like-minded people who have chosen the same direction for their trip.
Use Dating Sites: Something that works even better than social media is online dating sites where you can find locals seeking partners from all parts of the world. Sign up, and you will find matches, not just for casual hookups but for serious relationships too. Travelers usually prefer a site where it is possible to pick a country they are traveling to and meet a local online dating partner or find one after they land.
Stay in a Hostel: The social aspect of staying at a hostel while traveling solo makes it exciting. There may be hostel bars that often serve as the heart of the social action.
Try a Homestay: Stay with a host family to learn about the local customs and share their daily routine to have a more authentic experience. You may even get to know where to pick girls in that area for dating and flirting.
Attend Local Events: You can learn about local events and gatherings on Social media, as well as many event-organization platforms. Attending events is a low-pressure way to interact with locals, and as everything takes place in public spaces, you are likely to feel a lot safer.
Volunteer: It works great when you are planning to stay for longer. Many initiatives allow you to chip in and help local communities. It is a great way to establish more meaningful contact with like-minded people.
Visit popular local public places: You can make friends while exploring local attractions, eating at a restaurant, or drinking at a pub. Taking classes may also help you learn something new and make new friends too.

Choose Safe Travel Destinations

Solo travelers are likely to meet a lot more people than those who prefer traveling in groups.

But, it also means they let go of the security they usually get in group settings.

Therefore, to keep you safe when traveling abroad, do your homework and pick a safe travel destination from the start.

Always plan your travel after considering the crime rate, medical exposure, and other most common risks in different parts of the world.

At least, you should know where to go if your date does not seem to end well.

For instance, if you are traveling to Southeast Asia, the biggest concerns include food poisoning, petty theft, traffic accidents, and language barrier to medical care.

In Europe, medical care is relatively expensive, and petty theft is common too.

Traveling to the Middle East means you might have to face high temperatures and sandstorms.

When you know you are in a safe place where people are generally known to be friendly and helpful, you will feel more comfortable making new friends.

Should You Make Friends and Relationships While Traveling or Just Casual Encounters?

It depends on what type of person you are.

If you believe in long-distance relationships, which can be challenging to maintain, you can make relationships while traveling.

Casual encounters usually do not come with as much responsibility, so you can meet someone, arrange date nights, have fun, and forget about everything when you are ready to return home.

No one feels bad or anything.

Ideally, you should learn to have an open mind and do not think much when you meet someone on your journey.

Just go with the flow and see how it plays out.

Some friendships you make will always be temporary, but eventually, you will make unusual friends, some of which will be with you for a lifetime.

But, in case you want a partner to make your trip even better and are not looking for anything more than a short romantic fling, dating sites would surely help.

Just be sure to show your true intentions and let other members know what sort of dating or friendship you like.