The thought of travelling alone can be scary, confusing, overwhelming, exciting, amazing and daunting all at the same time, especially if you’ve never done it before. Many people find the idea of travelling alone pretty crazy, but I’ve done it plenty of times and have actually really enjoyed it.

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge and travelling alone then here’s my top tips on how to prepare yourself…

Book accommodation

If you’re travelling alone I absolutely recommend that you have your accommodation booked ahead of time so that when you arrive in a new place you know you’ve got a bed for the night. It also means you know exactly when you are heading to when you arrive in a new place and can plan exactly how to get there to avoid walking around disorientated looking for somewhere to stay.

Plan your route

This ties in with the above point and I think knowing how you’re going to get to your accommodation from the airport/train station/bus station is really important. I like to plan ahead and know whether I’m getting a taxi/bus/walking so that I don’t arrive in a place with no idea how to get from A to B as that’s something I find really intimidating.

I usually look the route up in advance and save it either in the Notes app or as screenshots on my iPhone so I can refer to it even if I don’t have internet access.

Books

If I’m travelling alone I like to download loads of books onto my Kindle so that I’ve always got something to do whilst on the plane or while having a meal alone.

I know eating alone can be pretty daunting for people and I totally get it, that’s why I like to be sure I have something to occupy myself with while waiting for my food to arrive.

Get tips

I like to ask people for tips and advice for when I’m in a destination if I’m travelling alone. If I know someone who’s been to the destination before I ask where the areas I should avoid are and ask for recommendations on great restaurants, cool sights and other fun things to discover whilst I’m there.

If I don’t know anyone who’s been to the destination before then I usually turn to the amazing resource that is the 

Travelettes Facebook group. It’s full of smart, independent women who have loads of tips and advice on destinations all over the world.

 

Book a tour

If it’s your first time travelling solo and you’re daunted at the prospect of sightseeing alone then ease yourself in gently by booking a tour for your first day. Tours offer a great introduction to new places and you’ll probably learn and see things you otherwise wouldn’t if you tried to see everything alone.

Tours can also be a great way to meet new people, which leads onto my next point…

Be friendly

When you’re travelling with other people i’s easy just to stick with the people you know and not really communicate with anyone that you don’t know. However, it’s surprisingly easy to meet new people when you’re travelling alone so be prepared to be friendly, chat to new people and put yourself out there a little even if you’re usually pretty shy.

Being in a completely new place where nobody knows you can be the perfect opportunity to throw yourself into new social situations and you might just find out you’re a heck of a lot more confident than you previously thought.

Don’t listen to other people… 

…who say ‘you’re going alone?!’ and look at you as if you have two heads and six eyes. If they think you’re weird for travelling alone then that says a heck of a lot more about them than it does about you.

Do you have any tips for people preparing to travel alone? Do you enjoy solo travel?

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Dalat canyon tour: https://vietchallenge.com/Tours/47/dalat-canyon-tour-half-option