10 Best Tips for Solo Travellers

Travelling on your own can be daunting and for many people it can be too scary to actually follow through with, but you should never let the nerves of the unknown get the better of you. Going on a solo adventure can be incredibly rewarding and teach you things about yourself that you never knew, so here are the 10 Best Tips For Solo Travellers.

1. Push Yourself To Ask For Upgrades

The old saying of ‘you don’t ask, you don’t get’ is a mantra that I like to live by, and this saying couldn’t be more true that in the case of asking for upgrades on anything from flights to hotel rooms.

The way to look at the situation is that if you ask for an upgrade and you get it, then you can enjoy extra legroom, a bigger bed or a higher quality meal on your flight, and if the answer is no then you’re just in the same position that you started in and you’re no worse off.

You’ll also find that asking the question will build up a resilience to rejection which can be a very useful trait to have when trying many different challenges like starting your own business or even making new friends, as you’re never going to be 100% successful from the off, so it’s good to be comfortable with adversity.

2. Make Sure That Your Insurance Is Perfect For You

Going on the trip of a lifetime with unsuitable insurance is like trying to run a marathon in clown shoes, you can certainly do it but it’s really not a great idea.

Each and every person that takes out travel insurance will have different needs and requirements that must be covered and for that reason insurance companies will be very specific about exactly what is covered under your personal policy.

If you’re the type of person who wants to go hiking up mountains or bungee jumping off of bridges then you’ll have to make sure that you specify exactly what you’re doing so that you know for a fact that you’re covered if something goes wrong and nightmare becomes reality.

Luckily in this day and age many companies have apps and websites that allow you to apply add-ons to your insurance, so should you suddenly feel brave enough to tick some extreme sports off the bucket list, then you don’t have to worry about said activities not being on your original policy.

Travel Insurance should be the most expensive purchase that you never have to or want to have to use. For more information on what to look for, click here

3. Always Carry Some US Dollars ($) In Cash

US Dollars are the most widely accepted currency in the world, and you would have to go very far to find somewhere where they don’t accept Greenbacks. Many countries for this reason will actually ask that in order to purchase a Visa On Arrival, that you pay in USD, and can refuse you entry to the country if you don’t have the correct amount of cash.

In places where the local currency is particularly weak and the denominations of notes are a lot higher, it’s often a custom to pay larger sums of money in Dollars.

For example in Vietnam 1 GBP at time of writing is worth 26,599 Dong, so imagine the amount of money you’d have to handle in order to buy something worth £1000 let alone far more.

As a good rule of thumb I would advise that carrying at the very least 10% of your money in US Dollars as you’re going to need them to get from country to country in most cases and should you come unstuck you can always trade them with locals in exchange for their own currency.

Revolut will allow you to hold money in your account in USD should you wish to take advantage of fluctuations in exchange rates, but make sure to draw cash out before arriving at a new country as you can’t ever be sure of how many dollars you’ll need and you don’t want to be without cash when they’re asking for paper and you’ve only got plastic.

4. Stay In Hostels, Even If You Choose A Private Room

Staying in budget accommodation usually consists of staying in a shared dorm, and this isn’t always for everyone.

However many hostels do also offer private rooms for a little bit more a night, and I think this is a far better option than trying to find a cheap hotel.

The reason I say this is because Hostels are in large part the hubs of social activity for travelers, so staying in a place where you can readily meet like minded people on similar journeys is a huge plus for those choosing to journey solo.

If you’re ok sharing a room with other people then your wallet will thank you, but should you feel the need for your own space, private rooms in hostels can sometimes prove just as nice as a hotel room but cost a fraction of the price.

5. Learn To Barter/Haggle

Leading on from point number 1, both bartering and haggling require you to step outside of your comfort zone in order to see about exchanging either another item or service (bartering) or a different amount of money (haggling) to what the shopkeepers wanted for that product/service.

In certain cultures such as Muslim culture in the Middle East & North Africa, you haggle over the price of almost everything. And becoming good at it as soon as possible is a great skill to have at your disposal.

If you can become better at haggling where you’re actually exchanging money (which people want!), then why stop there? As well as paying less for stuff that you want, you can use the persuasion skills learnt haggling elsewhere.

For example, bartering with hostel owners for instance. You can strike up a deal for free accommodation in exchange for the completion of some menial tasks that they need done such as cleaning.

Being a good negotiator means more money in your pockets, feeling more fulfilled and longer travels, plus a feeling of confidence talking to strangers that you’ll struggle to get from most other activities.

Salesman have the best social skills because they are ok with rejection and realise that both haggling and socialising are a numbers game, so keep trying and eventually something will happen.

6. Leave Some Days Open, And Don't Plan Every Little Activity

Planning every single activity may seem like a productive pre-trip exercise, but doing so will only end in disappointment through inflexibility, I’ll explain.

How many times have you planned a night out with your friends, or a lunch with your partner with all the details run through with a fine tooth comb, you’re so excited and you can’t wait for your plans to arrive, only for the evening to leave you underwhelmed as not everything went perfectly to plan.

The reason is that life is very obviously not perfect, and it’s impossible for every single small detail to go to plan.

Now I’m not saying don’t plan anything at all, that would be reckless and unwise but just have a rough idea of what you want to do, these being less rigid with the details.

The longer your travels go on the more you’ll realise that some of the best days on the road, are the most impromptu or chilled out days when you had nothing planned.

Because these days aren’t filled with expectations, so when you have a great time it’ll seem or the more special and often more memorable.

7. Stay Secure With Extra Copies of Documents & A VPN

Being on a solo journey can be a very anxious ordeal but it seldom needs to be. Making several photocopies of documents like your passport, visas, vaccination certificates and insurance policy can all prove to be useful down the line.

For example some places may require you to show ID in order to do things like rent a motorbike or car, but the last thing you want is for the company to hold onto your ID until you’ve returned the vehicle.

Instead make a paper copy that they can keep, pay the deposit and have no worries.

Also if you’re using any sorts of devices to access the internet, you’re going to want to ensure that your online activities are secure, as you’re going to no doubt be booking accommodation, excursions and more so you don’t want anyone getting hold of your bank details and stealing all your money.

Try to avoid using public computers where you can, and certainly don’t use public PC’s for anything that requires a password or card number.

Make use of 2 Factor Authentication methods when you can, and invest in a good VPN (Virtual Private Network).

This is a plug in for your computer, phone or tablet that will allow you to hide your IP address, and encrypt your data thereby making your data much harder for someone to acquire.

I personally use Surfshark as I’ve used them for years now, love their service and have no reason to change provider. However other top providers include NordVPN & Express VPN, so shop around and see which one is right for you.

8. Collect Travel Points & Free Stuff

You shop in any supermarket and you can very easily collect points on some form of loyalty card, which usually equate to vouchers for a discount on a future purchase.

But yet when you spend large amounts on flights or shop online with your favourite retailers for outfits to wear or gadgets to use, the general population generally neglects the abundance of opportunities to collect points towards flight upgrades or fancy hotel stays.

Simply by signing up for free apps and taking advantage of the fact that your favourite companies are actually willing to give you a greater incentive to purchase goods with them.

I discuss the use of the Avios Points system here so check that out for more information. But the point is, regardless of how long it may take to collect enough points to use to buy something you perceive to be of value is irrelevant.

You simply collect the points for purchases you were already going to make so you’re just collecting up what’s already yours by right.

9. Invite Other People To Partake In Activities

Travelling on your own, if meant literally would be a very lonely endeavour.

Going on a solo trip may 99% of the time end in a very different fashion to how it starts. no matter where you go in the world there are always like minded people that come in and out of your life. And this is especially true of people staying in hostels.

If you stay in a hostel you can be sure that most people also staying there are in the same boat as you, travelling either solo, in a couple or with a friend.

This means that if you put yourself out there and strike up conversations with people, you can meet a variety of new people who could end up being just passers by in the long run, or potential new friends.

The best way to form new friendships is to invite them to do activities that you were going to do anyway, as being on your own can be very uncomfortable or lonely at times, so someone showing an interest in you can really improve your mood and make you enjoy yourself more.

By broadening your social circle you now have someone to enjoy things with. Someone who may encourage you to try new things that you’ve always dreamed of doing or conquering your fears.

The good thing about the dynamic of meeting new people, is that you don’t ever have to mount to peer pressure or compromise for anyone. Because if you don’t want to do something that someone else is suggesting, then you can pack your bag and move on, which is a very liberating and independent feeling.

10. Do Your Best To Soak Up The Local Culture & Fit In

If you find yourself in a completely different environment to home, then the last thing you want to do is stick out like a sore thumb.

You must think about the fact of when tourists visit your home country or even city, how would you like if they were to be disrespectful to your place and culture?

Well the same goes for how you treat everything and everyone when you’re on your travels, so if it’s a cultural norm to dress a certain way, avoid doing certain things or enjoy a particular local delicacy, then indulge in the situation.

Eating with the locals and sampling their local cusine in my mind is the greatest way to begin understanding more about the world you’re submersed in.

If you’re not willing to partake in certain cultural norms because of ethics, religious views or dietary issues, that’s up to you. But if that’s the case that you don’t want to enjoy another culture, then it’s probably a good idea to question whether travelling to these places is really for you.

Like people always say ‘When in Rome, do as the Roman’s do’….. It’s usually a lot more fun anyway.

For more great travel tips click here