Travelling alone sounds amazing right up until you’re stuck in a train station at 10 p.m. with 2% battery and no clue where your room is. There's no partner to figure out the map and no friend to watch your bag.
It's total freedom, sure, but every minor mistake falls entirely on you. Therefore, if you´re looking for some practical travel insights, we’ve gathered some advice on how to keep you out of trouble. Keep reading for how to have a safe and amazing trip.
1. Share Your Real Itinerary with One Person Back Home
Don't spam your friends with updates, but somebody back home needs to know where you're sleeping and overall where you move. Stick hotel addresses, flight numbers, and a quick outline of your dates into a shared Google Doc. If something odd happens, this person will know you might be in trouble and will be able to inform the authorities. You can also save your itinerary on Google Maps and share it with them.
Send a two-word text before bed: "Back safe." If your phone gets yanked or you go missing, at least one person knows where to start looking.
2. Trust Your Gut Even If That´s Rude
Dark alley looks off? Turn around. Cab driver making weird comments? Get out at the next red light. The worst thing that can happen is to spend a couple of dollars more. This is much better than risking your life.
Your brain spots trouble before you logically figure it out. Forget about being polite or avoiding an awkward scene, being rude or blunt is fine. Being unsafe can cost you much more than bad manners.
3. Split Up Your Cash and Cards Immediately
Carrying all your money in one wallet is asking for a disaster. Drop that wallet on a bus and your entire trip turns into a miserable day at the embassy. Let alone you would lose your documents, which can turn into a nightmare.
Leave one credit card and $50 in cash in your pocket for daily stuff. Lock the rest, passport, main debit card, backup cash, inside your room safe. Keep digital photos of your passport in your email drafts, too. That way, you minimise the chances of serious losses.
4. Never Land in a New City After Dark
Nobody wants to drag a loud suitcase down an empty street at midnight. You’re lost, your phone’s dying, and you look completely out of place. In a busy city, looking lost can make you more noticeable and less aware of what's happening around you.
It’s worth paying a bit more for a flight that lands while the sun’s still up. Getting in around noon just gives you some breathing room, you can find your keys, stock up on water, and get settled before dark without rushing into a weird situation. If you cannot choose the time, make sure you go by taxi to your hotel and not by public transportation, no matter how much cheaper it is.
5. Walk Like You Know Exactly Where You're Going
We’ve all done that thing where we freeze on a sidewalk corner, totally glued to a map. It's a hard habit to break, but it basically advertises that you don't know the area. And rest assured that in big and crowded cities, there’s always someone lurking with the intention to pickpocket you.
Just step into a random store or a café for a minute to figure things out. Getting your bearings inside takes the heat off. Pull up the route, put your phone away, and head back out like you've walked that block a dozen times. Also, don’t be too relaxed in a taxi or any transportation. Don’t hold your phone out to take dozens of photos. In crowded areas, keep your phone and other valuables secure and avoid displaying them unnecessarily.
6. Build Unscheduled Hours into Every Single Day
It’s surprisingly easy to walk for hours straight when no one’s there to suggest taking a breather. You keep going because there's always one more thing to see, until your feet burn and you're completely miserable by day two.
Building in zero-plan time actually saves the trip. There’s plenty of time to explore everything. Grab a drink, sit in a park or a coffee shop, chill at the beach if there is one or read about lifestyle and leisure. You can do a Duolingo lesson and learn a couple of new words in a local language. Or just do nothing; taking a break isn't wasting a day, it just keeps you from burning out halfway through.
7. Sit at the Bar for Dinner
Sitting at a big table by yourself is just uncomfortable; you end up glued to your phone just to have something to do with your hands.
Asking for a seat at the bar makes a huge difference. People eat solo there constantly anyway, and it takes the pressure off taking up a whole table. You just get your food, chat with the bartender if you feel like it, and move on. If there’s another solo traveller around, you might even meet them and exchange contacts.
8. Sort Your Phone Data Before You Leave the Airport
Relying on spotty café Wi-Fi to figure out the public transport map is just miserable.
Get an eSIM before you fly, or grab a local SIM card right at the airport. Having working data the second you land takes the pressure off. You can have access to Google Maps, e-wallet, or Google Lens. You can actually pull up directions or translate a sign without getting stuck on a curb waiting for a connection to load. This makes the trip so much more stress-free.
There you go; when you figure out some of the tips provided in this article, you get to know that travelling alone doesn’t have to be terrifying. You just have to bear in mind some important things, like personal safety, to keep your documents and money safe, to trust your instincts and to have a travel plan. Don’t make it too inflexible though, the plan is to have fun after all. Always keep in mind that something might not be the way you expected it. If the museum you wanted to visit is closed, or the train you wanted to take is cancelled, think of it as a part of spontaneity and not something that will ruin your trip. So, if you’re considering embarking on a solo journey, it’s about time to check those plane tickets and choose the best place.
