From mountain trekking in India to a silent retreat in Bali, I have been fortunate to travel solo multiple times prior to now decade.
Over time, I’ve found that mixing tours with independent travel helps me get essentially the most out of my trips.
Meeting people is high on my priority list, as is feeling protected once I travel. Listed here are some tricks to do each.
Cover your calves in India
Within the southern state of Kerala, India, I stayed at Soul and Surf, a guesthouse within the town of Varkala that makes a speciality of yoga classes and browsing lessons. While on the resort’s grounds on a grassy clifftop, I lazed in a bikini amongst mainly western tourists. But in the middle of the small town, I wore long dresses or pants and made sure to cover my legs and shoulders.
I reveled in waking up solo and with the ability to select exactly what I desired to do every day.
Local people dress modestly, and it was necessary for me to respect that: I also felt that I could be less more likely to attract unwanted attention.
Kerala has a repute for being more relaxed than other parts of India but I still covered up. Following local customs is a great solution to slot in to any destination.
Join a tour — but do your personal thing too
When traveling by myself, I aim for a mixture of organized tours and solo explorations. On a visit to Vietnam, I joined a sightseeing tour of the Mekong Delta, a network of rivers and islands within the southern tip of the country.
While the tour was undeniably touristy, I got the prospect to speak with others and listen to their stories. We had evenings to ourselves, and I enjoyed swimming alone on the hotel’s pool and eating street food for dinner by myself.
The creator on a tour of an island within the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.
Lucy Handley
After the tour, I enjoyed doing my very own thing on Phu Quoc, an island within the Gulf of Thailand. I reveled in waking up solo and with the ability to select exactly what I desired to do every day.
I mixed tours with solo travel on my trip to Kerala too. After just a few days by the beach, I joined an organized trek of the Western Ghats from the hill town of Munnar, mountain climbing through tea plantations, cardamom fields and rainforests, where we needed to get off the beaten path in order to not disturb the realm’s wild elephants.
Yoga can take you all over the place
I even have attended yoga classes alone in Las Vegas, the Spanish island of Mallorca, and the tourist-friendly state of Goa, India.
A retreat at Villa De Zoysa, a family-owned estate in southern Sri Lanka, kickstarted my love of yoga, and it has helped me find community once I travel alone. For many who aren’t fans, language and dance classes could work too.
While cat-sitting in Mallorca, I joined classes at Bini Balance, run by yoga instructor Cristina Moragues. She invited me to hitch a retreat within the nearby Serra de Tramuntana mountain range that runs through the middle of the island.
In Goa, I approached tourists who were walking on Patnem Beach, carrying yoga mats. They invited me to hitch a category, and we became vacation buddies, occurring a ship trip to neighboring beaches and spending the evening at a silent disco together.
Sit on the bar when eating out
Dining alone can feel exposing, so I often search for restaurants where there are seats on the bar.
On a solo trip to Recent Orleans to see Beyonce perform during her 2023 Renaissance tour, I had brunch at Willa Jean in the town’s central business district. I sat on the bar, having fun with avocado toast and a paloma cocktail, while chatting to a non-public jet company operator and an LVMH executive, who were each on the town for business.
Sitting on the counter or bar at a restaurant may be a great solution to meet other travelers when vacationing alone.
Westend61 | Getty Images
At Bearcat, also within the CBD, there is a large menu with breakfast classics alongside Southern crab and lobster specials, and I discovered sitting on the bar a great solution to soak up the buzzy atmosphere.
Get off your phone
Call me old fashioned, but I really like a correct travel guidebook.
I find trawling infinite online reviews for hotel or restaurant recommendations tedious and as a substitute depend on “Lonely Planet” or “Rough Guide” books. It also feels safer — I’m less more likely to have my phone in my hand scrolling on an unfamiliar street. Plus, it means I look up more and may soak up more of my surroundings.
Guided walking tours are also an incredible solution to explore a city without your nose in your phone. I took a walking tour of Ho Chi Minh City with GuruWalk, which runs on a pay-what-you-can basis.
Stay in a hotel with group activities
Hotels that provide activities could make for a simple solo trip. Red Mountain Resort in Utah offers packages that include group guided hikes, classes equivalent to Pilates, core fitness and meditation. While there, I discovered these activities made it easy to fulfill other travelers.
Guests can go on a kayak or paddleboard “safari” to an adjoining bay at Neilson’s Beach Club in Sardinia.
Source: Neilson
Meanwhile, British holiday company Neilson includes activities like cycling, tennis classes, paddle boarding and sailing in its vacations, and its social dining table is usually a friendly place for solo travelers. Traveling during school terms increases your possibilities of meeting others who’re vacationing alone — and it’s cheaper, too.
Certain activities attract solo travelers too. In Indonesia, I stayed at Bali Silent Retreat, where most guests were traveling solo. Not speaking for just a few days felt liberating. Nevertheless, if the silence is simply too much, the retreat offers short trips to a close-by hot spring, where talking is allowed.
Safety suggestions for solo travel
Traveling by yourself can feel hugely freeing. That said, I do take just a few safety precautions.
Before I am going away, I leave an in depth itinerary with my family, including the phone numbers of tour guides and taxi firms I’m using, together with my travel insurance information.
In the event you’re a U.S. citizen, you’ll be able to register trips abroad with the federal government’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so you’ll be able to be contacted if there may be an emergency. There isn’t a similar system within the U.K., but the federal government publishes a listing of English-speaking doctors worldwide.
I book most of my transfers, accommodations and tours ahead, though I try to go away some flexibility so I may be spontaneous too.
Once I’m out and about, I wear a cross-body purse and avoid keeping valuables in my pockets. I all the time pack a spare bank card and further money, which l leave within the hotel’s protected. When traveling by train, or rickshaw in India, I wore a money belt under my pants. Locals advised me to not walk alone late at night in Recent Orleans, and I made sure to book and wait for taxis indoors slightly than on the road.
A cross-body purse is beneficial for valuables while traveling.
Mayur Kakade | E+ | Getty Images
Once I told friends I used to be traveling by myself to India, some said they were concerned for my safety. But I discovered that when people approached me they typically just desired to practice their English.
In Bali, meanwhile, traveling across the island is straightforward via the ride-hailing apps Gojek and Grab.
In the case of accommodations, I avoid ground-floor rooms. I also utilize all locks on the doors, so that somebody with a key cannot enter the room while I’m asleep.
And, I seek advice from local people, in addition to other tourists, on areas to avoid or tour operators they recommend.
Finally, my best advice: trust your intuition. If an individual, situation or place feels unsafe, leave or seek help.
