15 Tips for Travelling the World Solo- Ngtraveller
Stay fairly central and in a good location
Staying in a central location helps you see a lot when you travel, and in most destinations, you'll find plenty of accommodation options, from hotels, Airbnb, and hostels. Something I really like about the hostels is that many of them are in good central locations and yet are reasonably priced.
Being in a central location when traveling alone makes it safer as you can easily get to and from your accommodation. If you decide to stay away from the main attractions and points of interest, you may have a long trip, you may get lost, or you may have to pay a lot for transportation.
Research your airport transfers in advance
When arriving by plane, always research how to get from the airport to your accommodation. The last thing you want after a long trip is to spend years figuring out how to get to your hotel or home. Some of the options include:
- Browse the airport website to find public transport links.
- Using a taxi or Uber.
- Search forums such as tripadvisor.com for transportation tips.
- Fix something with your home.
Let your friends and family know your itinerary
One of the most important things to do when traveling alone is to inform your friends and family about your itinerary. Like the city, the hotel and the route it takes. This means that if they ever need to hold on to you or lose touch, they will have a good place to start.
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I recommend Google Sheets for this, and then all you have to do is update the file online and share it with your friends and family. Then if you make any updates, it will be automatically visible to those with whom you have shared it.
If you don't want to use Google Sheets, consider forwarding any backup emails to your friends and family.
Research the safety of the destination
Always check online for the latest safety tips before visiting. I use gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to verify official information before traveling. You can also Google the safety of a destination, but only trust sites that appear legitimate.
Stay in hostels to make friends
When you travel alone, a great way to make friends and have a more social environment is to stay in a hostel. In doing so, you are likely to be with many other solo travelers who will be more than happy to hang out and explore with you, too.
Join social events
If you want to have fun and have fun when you travel, join the social events. Hostels are good for this and may have pub crawls, tours, and other things. You can also find other general events like excursions and tours.
Don’t get super drunk
If you go to bars and celebrate alone, or even with groups from a hostel, never get drunk and make sure you are always in full control. Just thinking that if you get really drunk and something bad happens, you could ruin your whole trip.
Be extra vigilant at night and when alone
It goes without saying, but be very vigilant at night and avoid walking the quiet streets and venturing into unfamiliar neighborhoods. I recommend that you stay close to places where you can see other tourists, and if you are a little out of the way, call a taxi to get around.
Make sure you have local taxi numbers/Uber
Before arriving at your destination, write down the numbers for local taxis or make sure you have an Uber and an internet connection. This will allow you to find a much easier means of transport. Uber does not operate in all destinations, but it does operate in many major cities around the world.
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Be extra careful with valuables
When traveling anywhere in the world you should be careful with your valuables, but this is even more important when you are alone. Make sure you keep your passport, visa, and any other important documents in a safe place, such as a locker with a good sturdy padlock, in a suitable safe, or even on a decent money belt under your pants.
Be wary of over-friendly people
If you are traveling with expensive equipment, like a DSLR, you may seem more like a target for street crime. You should be more cautious around people who come up to you and want to be your friends, or say they will show you some great photo spots.
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Also, if someone offers to take your photo, don't give them the camera unless you're sure they won't get away with it. When I travel and want to take a photo, I usually ask other tourists, couples or families.
Download offline maps
My favorite travel app is Google Maps. With this app, you can now download (on flagship phones) offline maps that don't need a connection. This means that you can find addresses and also locate your accommodation and other travel points of interest. This makes getting around the destination much easier and safer, which is even more important when traveling alone.
Night trains and buses
If you are traveling in Asia or even Europe, you can sometimes sleep on night trains and buses. If this is something that you are going to do on your trip, always make sure to store valuables such as passport, wallet, camera, laptop, etc. and even secure your seat so no one can get in.
Budget
It is especially important when traveling on budget alone, as things tend to be more expensive. For example, when traveling with friends, you can share a room, split the cost of taxis, etc., but when you have to pay for everything yourself.
To get a quote, you need to keep track of how much money you have and how long it will last. You should also try to save money whenever you can, for example by cooking your own food, not always eating at restaurants, and avoiding other big expenses. In case you run out of money, you need to make sure there is another way to get some money, like keeping money in reserve with your friends and family so they can transfer you. Or even an alternative credit card.
Take extra bank cards
Finally, when you travel alone, you always have several ways to earn money in case something goes wrong.
Example for me when I was in Vietnam and lost my wallet while taking pictures. It contained cash and bank cards. I was going to have a little problem, however I had spare bank cards on the property which saved me a lot of stress.
Summary
Traveling the world alone is something that everyone should do at least once in their life. But you should always be prepared and do your research by reading posts like these, as well as reading official advice about your destination.
Also Read: Planning Your First Solo Trip? Here Are Some Useful Tips- Ngtraveller
