1. Give yourself a budget…
Budgets are important whether you’re traveling alone or in a party of 10. But at least with more than one person there’s someone else to fall back on. When you’re traveling alone make sure you always have enough money to do what you need to do and plan accordingly. Simply put: if you can’t afford a 5 star hotel, don’t book one.
2. …and stick to your budget
If you’re scared of overspending, it’s important to stick to the budget from the off. Sign up to Skyscanner price alerts to find a cheap flight at a price you can afford, or use the Everywhere search to see everywhere you can go within your budget. You might want to explore Brazil but there’s no point overspending before you even take off, so maybe choose somewhere closer to home.
3. Don’t rush things
It’s often helpful to give yourself a full day to acclimatize to each new place you travel to. It’s better to start a holiday feeling relaxed and comfortable.
4. Consider a different sort of accommodation
While hotels are great for lots of people and vacations, if you’re traveling alone you should consider a hostel, B&B or guest house. For the latter, you might find the home comforts and friendly face very welcoming when you come “home” after a day exploring; for the former, lots of faces means lots of conversation and new people to meet.
Read more: 8 cheap hotels and hostels in London
5. Keep it simple
If you’re new to traveling alone, keep your itinerary simple. Book a return week in Lisbon or Barcelona rather than a European adventure from one to the other. Or if you do want to visit more than one place, use the Skyscanner multi-city search to book your flights in advance so you know exactly where you’re going to be and when.
6. Consider an all-inclusive
If you desire a solo trip but don’t feel brave enough yet for the whole experience, why not try an all-inclusive first? It means you won’t have to find a different restaurant every night or battle a foreign-language public transport schedule alone. Instead you can get comfortable in your own skin and being alone – we promise, no-one will judge if you don’t leave the poolside!
7. Be happy eating alone
There’s no harm in having a good book as company at a dinner table, just choose your establishment carefully. And remember, with your nose in a book you’re not likely to attract anyone looking to make new friends, which could be a blessing or a curse.
8. Tell the front desk where you’re going
It’s better to be safe than sorry when traveling alone. Before you go out at night, leave a note at the front desk saying where you’re going and what time you expect to be back. You could also add who you’re meeting if you think it’s necessary.
9. Don’t overindulge
It’s important not to get overtired or drink to excess when you’re traveling alone; having your wits about you is rule number one of solo travel. So if you’re not feeling 100%, why not just head back to the hotel and relax?
Read more: 21 signs that you’re ready to travel solo
10. Listen to the locals
If a local tells you not to go somewhere at night or even during the day, then don’t go there. Chances are they know what they’re talking about and it’s not worth putting yourself at risk. This tip for traveling alone works both ways though: if someone you trust recommends a particular cafe or a specific market because they serve amazing food, for example, then do it! Locals are free and friendly experts helping you to explore a new destination.
11. Listen to the non-locals
Skyscanner’s Pamela Baker recommends seeking advice and tips from other travelers you know, especially one’s with recent trips under their belts. She says: “After a year in Australia I had exhausted the country and funds were low. However, so many of my ‘new-travelly-Facebook-chums’ I’d met along the way were posting from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and most inspiring for me, Bali. South East Asia hadn’t been on my radar at all, but after a bit of Skyscanner app searching (and remaining fund calculating) I booked a flight from Darwin to Denpasar Bali. I reached out on Facebook for recommendations of hotels, hostels, must-sees and avoids. Also, help on what to do when arriving by myself, in a new country at 4am. I tagged all those I had seen recently visiting and got a huge response from all, which completely shaped my trip, much to the delight of my mum who was completely against me doing it alone. Ended up the best month of my year of traveling!”.
12. Keep your most important items secure
Whether you’re basing yourself in one hotel room or traveling from place to place, keep your important items such as your passport, credit cards, phone etc in a safe place and always check they’re where they should be. If there’s a safe in your room, consider using it.
Read more: Top 8 anti-theft travel gadgets to keep you and your valuables safe
13. Take and share copies
It’s a good idea take copies of and share your itinerary and other documents (such as health insurance details) with someone at home before you travel. Hopefully they wouldn’t need to get involved in your trip but in case of an emergency it’s better they have the details. Also, take copies with you and keep them separate from the originals in a safe place.
14. Buy a ‘burner’ phone
Ok, we don’t actually mean a burner phone in the traditional sense, but consider buying a cheap unlocked phone with a long battery life. If you’re going to different countries you should be able to pick up pay-as-you-go SIM cards in your destination which will save you money. Also, save a few emergency contacts in there (list them as emergency) in case someone needs to contact them on your behalf. If the phone has internet, load Skype onto it so you can speak to friends and family for free when you’re WiFi connected.
15. Download Google Translate
Being able to speak a couple of phrases such as “how do I get to…?” can be very handy when you’re traveling alone. If you have a phone and data plan, download Google Translate or iTranslate. If you don’t have a reasonable data plan go old school and take a guide book with some simple phrases in it.
16. Do some homework
The Skyscanner travel news site is packed with articles on everything from tips to surviving a long-haul flight and keeping children happy on a plane, to baggage allowance for lots of airlines operating out of the Middle East, as well as articles on how to pack like a pro. Check out our travel section for the best tips on the next destination you’re exploring.
Looking for more more advice and travel tips? Check these out:
Top tips for surviving a long-haul flight
Follow our long-haul flight survival tips to stay relaxed, refreshed and rearing to go when you land…
New Baggage Rules at Dubai International Airport
If you’re flying through Dubai International Airport then you’ll need to be up-to-speed with their new baggage rules, which came into effect on March 8 2017…
6 secrets to find the best cheap flights out there
We reveal some of our savviest secrets — tried and tested by travel experts — to help you find the best cheap flights…
Skyscanner is the world’s travel search engine, helping your money go further on flights, hotels and car rental.
*Published June 2018. Prices correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change and/or availability.
