The Solo Traveler’s Guide To Food And Cuisine – Traveling alone in the comfort of home can seem daunting. What happens if things don’t go to plan? What if you get stuck? Is it safe to go out alone at night? All these questions and more (What do I do if my luggage goes AWOL? What if my car gets stuck in a pothole? Will I be attacked by bandits?) often plague travelers before their first solo trip. To overcome these fears, read on for our writers and editors’ top 15 tips for surviving solo travel. It will give you what you need to know before traveling anywhere on your own and lead you to learn many new things about the world – and yourself.
It goes without saying that pre-solo-travel anxiety depends on what you want out of your trip and what kind of person you are. Do you enjoy being outside your comfort zone, or does the thought fill you with dread rather than excitement? Are you a sociable person who likes to be in the middle of everything? If so, you’ll go crazy if you can’t communicate, so go to a place where you speak the language.
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Conversely, if you’re traveling solo and are more of an introvert, forget about the language barrier. Vibrant cities are perfect for people watching, especially if there’s a thriving cafe culture.
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Definitely one of our top tips for surviving solo travel. Take the time to think about what you want from your trip and where you’re likely to get it. For inspiration and to help you focus on what you want and how to get it, read our gallery guide to the 20 best places to travel solo.
Try a homestay or look to rent a room in an apartment – this gives you an automatic connection to locals when you’re traveling alone. As a solo traveler, you will have many options to choose from. Even if your host doesn’t take you out of town, you’ll at least pick up some local tips. Hostels are also geared towards solo travelers (here’s our pick of the best hostels in Europe), but remember you’ll likely spend more time with other tourists than locals.
This has come up time and time again as one of our writers’ top solo travel tips – being alone for long periods of time can be stressful, but just roll with it. You will learn to love your own company along the way.
Or, if you’re feeling social, you can always try to make new friends. For example, offer to take a photo of the family in a big scene, or sit next to the gossipy gang at the bar. This is truly one of our best tips for surviving solo travel.
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Sometimes, especially in more hospitable and foreign-attractive cultures, your focus can be a little intense when traveling alone. Learn how to say “no, thank you” in the local language, as well as “of course not” – as well as the local non-verbal gesture for “no”, which is often more effective than either.
Save local help numbers, such as tourist police, in your phone. You may never need them, but knowing you have them can give you the confidence to tackle awkward situations, whether you’re going on a South American solo trip, backpacking Australia, or road tripping Europe.
Making photography a mission, even if it’s capturing the odd little details you notice about a place, becomes the structure of your day. Your friends back home will appreciate your perspective and the stories behind the pictures. It’s a great way to reminisce after your solo travel adventure and remember what you’ve accomplished.
If you’re interested in upping your Insta game, you can inquire about Insta-oriented tours. You’ll find them in every corner of the world, like a photoshoot tour of Oahu, Hawaii or a Ho Chi Minh City Hidden Gems Instagram tour – and everywhere else besides.
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While the thought of visiting restaurants as a solo traveler may fill you with dread (and you may be tempted to subsist on fast food to avoid awkward situations), put those fears aside. Fancy establishments are fantastic places to dine alone. Waiters are happy to help solo diners who smile and say, “I made a special trip to eat here. What do you recommend?” Socialites may want to eat at the bar, but aren’t shy about getting a table for two.
If you’re into your food and fancy company at the same time, check out the local tasting experience. Some offer in-depth details on local delicacies, such as a Parisian introduction to cheese and wine-tasting, while others blend culture and cuisine, such as this immersive tour and home cooking experience in Bucharest. The world is your oyster on a tasting tour (oysters optional).
If the thought of bar-hopping alone makes you die a little inside, relive your day. Wake up early, enjoy a leisurely breakfast (when all the good stuff is available at the hotel buffet) and head out for parks, museums and other just-in-the-day activities. If you’ve filled your day enough, you’ll be ready to go to bed by 9pm.
Use Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch wherever you travel. Offer to take local friends out for dinner, and you’ll be surprised how many people take you up on it – everyone loves being a tour guide for the night. Also find your interests in your destination. Even if you’re traveling in solo style, you don’t have to be a hermit.
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For that, and wherever you are in the world, you can check-out tours that match your interests and the characteristics of your destinations – such as “when in Rome”. Speaking of which, for example, vultures can take an expert-guided tour of the ancient city in the company of other history buffs while in Rome. Or how about this LGBT walking tour of secret Roman history? Footy fans will usually have no problem finding fellow friends for the beautiful game – from touring the Maracana in Rio to exploring Barcelona’s Camp Nou (nb solo travelers can make the latter more social by touring the astadium with tapas).
You get the idea. Getting a slot on one of these excursion favorites – doing whatever floats your boat – means you’ll almost certainly be in the company of like-minded people. A win-win situation.
Even if you feel lonely, don’t overlook all the things you can do when traveling alone. Some of these perks are small – whether that means double dipping your chips in guacamole or changing your mind every hour without worrying about driving anyone crazy. But the real bonus of solo travel is huge: pure freedom. You can take the exact trip you want, and even if you’re not quite sure what it might be, you’ll have a great time exploring it.
Remember that it’s okay to spend the occasional night in your guest room watching TV. You won’t be home every night – that would be exhausting – so why try to do it for months abroad?
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A smartphone or tablet is now a must have free Wi-Fi almost everywhere. Using technology means you can check what you want to know before moving on to your next stop. This means, among many other things, that you can book your accommodation in advance and ensure safe pick-up at your destination. And, if you’re feeling lonely, you can call home, read the news and listen to podcasts – a guaranteed way to travel to your destination in the right and interesting company to pass the time on a long journey.
Long trips – perfect for planning, podcasting (and catching up on kip). Image: Devil’s Nose, Ecuador © Shutterstock
It’s easy to get nervous traveling alone, and flipping through the pages of a good novel can seem like a great way to escape curious stares in public transport or restaurants. But going solo means you have the chance to experience your surroundings, meeting locals and travelers along the way. Be content with yourself, but be confident enough to introduce yourself to people when you want to be sociable.
It’s definitely worth trying to learn a few words and phrases before you travel alone. Just knowing how to introduce yourself, start a basic conversation, order a beer and count from 1-10 makes all the difference. No matter how rusty you are, people like to know you’re trying. When thinking about how to travel anywhere and make new friends, using the language is a must. If travel opens the mind, learning the local language is a great way to open doors.
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It goes without saying that having the right travel documents and keeping them safe is essential. For solo travelers, it’s even more important – no one wants to be stranded alone and without a visa. So, make sure you save your passport and visa details in a safe place. For example, email yourself photos of your important documents.
It is also very important to make sure you are insured. Go here for check-out options offered by our World Nomads affiliate partner.
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