I remember the first time I told my parents I was planning to go to Thailand, alone. I remember them rolling their eyes and saying you’re not doing that on your own. Always one to prove my parents wrong, I ended up adding an extra month to my trip and incorporating Vietnam and Cambodia aswell. It was this very trip that made me fall in love with the backpacking culture and it inspired me to want to visit everywhere possible. Since this very trip I’ve done multiple trips as a female solo traveller. Often with no set itinerary or pre booked onward travel. Don’t get me wrong, solo travelling isn’t always plain sailing and there are downsides. However, coming back from a solo trip, I’ve always felt so much more fulfilled than a trip I’ve done with friends.
I always tell people they need to solo travel at least once in their life as it teaches you so many lessons and pushes you outside of your comfort zone. It is completely different to doing a trip with family or friends. People always tell me that they’re not confident enough to travel on their own. Neither was I before my first trip and I still get anxious whenever I’m en route to my next destination. My biggest worry is always about whether I’ll meet anyone to hang out with but once I’m there, I always meet people and that worry fades. In fact, I often meet people in my first destination who I continue travelling with.
Just think to yourself, do I look lonely in any of the pictures here?
Is it safe?
People always ask me whether it is safe for women, especially young girls, to travel around foreign countries on their own. I’ve always replied with ‘is it completely safe for women to walk around Leeds or London on their own?’ When they reply with ‘no’ I say well that’s your answer.
There is always a risk when it comes to women being alone anywhere so of course it is not completely safe. Yes, there is always more risk involved when it comes to solo travel as more often than not you don’t know the place as well. Of course there have been times where I haven’t felt completely safe and even times where I’ve put myself in vunerable positions, mainly when I first started solo travelling and weren’t so aware of the dangers. However, over the years I’ve learnt more about how to keep myself safe whilst travelling alone.
Ways to keep yourself safe:
-Make sure you are aware of local scams, unlicensed taxis for example. Read articles and forums online, ask hostel staff and other travellers or locals.
-Make friends at your hostel to avoid walking around alone at night
-Keep valuables hidden or in your hostel locker (especially your passport)
-Don’t walk around with too much cash. Leave at least one card locked away in case of emergency.
-Keep to well lit, busy areas and avoid back alleys and subways
-Look confident like you know what you’re doing and that you know the area well. Try not to stare at Google Maps (although I am guilty of this)
-Dressing like a local can help draw less attention to you
-Research the dodgy areas of the place you are visiting and make sure to avoid these at all costs
-Strike up a conversation or go into a shop/restaurant if someone ever makes you feel uneasy
-Always follow your instinct, it’s better to be safe than sorry
-Download an app that allows people to track you, this is essential to ensure people back home know where you are at all times. I use the app Life360.
Will I make friends?
This is always my biggest worry whenever I go somewhere new which is why I spend longer researching the best hostels than if I’m travelling with somebody else. Every time I have solo travelled I have at least had conversations with people in the hostels and more often than not met people with who I can explore with. The people I have met are what’s made each of my solo trips so special and I’m still in touch with so many of them.
The best ways to meet people:
-Research destinations that are popular with backpackers and start there
-Join hostel activities (bar crawls, walking tours, quiz nights, hostel dinners)
-Join an excursion or day trip and strike up a conversation with the rest of the group. Ask if they want to go out for dinner after
-Stay in a hostel with a social area
-Read the reviews of hostels and try get a feel for the hostel with the best social atmosphere
-Strike up a conversation with people in your room or the social areas. Trust me, this is completely normal in hostels an no-one will think you’re weird
-Smile and look happy. Nobody is going to approach someone who doesn’t look like any fun
-Don’t sit with your headphones in or your head in a laptop. People will think you’re busy and don’t want to be disturbed
Will I enjoy it?
On the whole YES. Even if it’s something
you do once and decide it’s not for you, it will teach you things you cannot
learn at home. There may be times you’re sat in your dorm room alone or in a
restaurant wishing you had some company but honestly, it’s been those times I’ve
used to relax and recharge and just take in the culture around me. I honestly
do prefer to have a travel buddy but I have never not enjoyed a solo trip. It’s
a different kind of travelling that you can’t understand until you do it.
The best ways to enjoy solo
travel:
-If you’re doing a longer trip,
don’t pre-book all your onward travel, book it as you go as I guarantee once you
meet people your plans will change. You will either end up following their itinerary
or taking on board people’s recommendations you didn’t know existed. This will
save money in the long run.
-Have an itinerary in mind but don’t
be too set on it, take on board recommendations, invites for day trips and dinner
etc and go with the flow. These spontaneous plans always end up being the best
times.
-If someone in a hostel invites
you do something say YES (as long as it’s in budget and safe). This is how you
will make those hostel friends
-Take a camera to document your
travels. I usually travel with a GoPro and a drone to capture every moment. I
use my smartphone for pictures and often travel with a tri-pod.
– Travel light but wise. Take
enough clothes and underwear that you don’t have to be constantly washing
clothes. Pack outfits that you can mix and match for day trips and nights out.
Hostel nights out are way more chilled than any night out back home. I’ve been
on many nights out abroad with 0 make up on and in flip flops due to joining onto
plans last minute. Leave the heels at
home. Trust me, no one wears heels whilst backpacking. Sandals and trainers
will more than do for any occasion.
-BE CONFIDENT. Strike up conversations
with strangers, go to that restaurant alone and go see the places you’re dying
to see.
Book an organised tour
If travelling completely solo sounds a little too daunting, why not book onto an organised tour?
There are so many companies out there offering backpacking tours of all the most loved travel destinations. Yes, these can be more expensive than doing it yourself but if you can afford to splash out they can be great fun. It takes the stress out of you needing to book any accommodation, saves you worrying about how to get from A to B and best of all you’ve got a group of ready-made friends ready to explore with! Often, all you need to do is book your flights and sort your travel insurance and any visas. The rest is done for you!
As I always say “If the option is go it alone or not go at all, how could I miss out on seeing such beautiful places?"