Are you tossing and turning at night because you can’t decide whether a solo trip will be right for you? Traveling alone can be a rewarding journey if you know how to make the most of it. Still, we understand you might hesitate.
Because it won’t always be easy. The secret is, that it isn’t actually supposed to be easy. When did we last learn something new from having it easy? Right! We’ll tell you the secrets of traveling alone for the first time. By the end, we expect you to be ready to pack your bags.
1. Make an itinerary that suits your experience with traveling
The first step to plan a solo trip is to check in with yourself and ask what kind of traveler you want to be: The adventurous traveler? The luxurious traveler? The ‘Instagram’ traveler? The ‘stay local’ traveler? Or the eco-conscious traveler? Everyone is different and everyone has their personal preferences. Luckily, you are about to go on a solo trip, which means you don’t have to consider other people’s interests. This is a big advantage of solo-traveling.
You might also want to ask yourself what kind of travel you’d feel comfortable with. Backpacking around India without an itinerary will likely feel overwhelming if you don’t have a lot of travel experience. Instead, it could be good to enroll with a program at first. There are plenty of different programs to choose from. It could be a surf camp, yoga retreat, volunteering as an English teacher or doing marine conservation!
Enrolling with a program will help to get your travel kick-started in the best way. They’ll understand how overwhelming traveling can be and they can guide you through the initial experience. They will help you with the logistics of arriving at a new place and provide you with the feeling of safety, while you are still acclimatizing.
2. Be brave and meet new people
Having shaky legs over meeting new people? We understand how you feel. Walking up to a stranger to start a conversation can be very overwhelming. But there’s no other way around it. The secret is to keep telling yourself that everyone feels the same way. And remember, that the person you are approaching is probably relieved that you initiated the conversation. So, good job – you just improved your social skills, which is priceless. Traveling alone will make you a people’s person, which is something you can benefit from long after you’ve returned home.
Keep these few things in mind, if you want to have an easier time making new friends:
- Don’t travel to very remote places
- Stay in a hostel
- Be a YES person who never misses out on social events
- Engage in activities, where there likely will be people with similar interests to you
3. Yes, your safety is important!
Safety should always be a concern while traveling alone, especially if you are a girl. There are a few things not to underestimate; be careful when going out alone at night and going with strangers!
It’s important, besides this, to remember that every place you go will be different. Which is why it is a good idea to speak to the local and expat residents when you first arrive in a place. They will be the best people to know the exact safety do’s and don’ts of that place.
And most importantly, we’d advise you to listen to one other thing: your gut! When deciding if a situation is safe, use your intuition and a good sense of judgment. If what you are about to throw yourself into gives you a gnawing sensation in the gut – then you probably shouldn’t do it. So, act responsible and trust your instincts – it will get you a long way.
4. It’s FINE to feel low
Even though we’d like our Instagram followers to think that traveling is a pain-free game, this, unfortunately, is not always the truth. So instead of feeling guilty, try to accept the times of sadness and loneliness. You might be surrounded by new friends, but still, traveling by yourself can get lonely.
So, if this happens, take some time off to speak to your friends and family at home. And don’t be afraid to share your feelings with other travelers. Everyone is in the same boat!
We’ll rewind and remind you that traveling is a learning experience. It might sound harsh, but the times we feel low are often the best opportunities for a little bit of self-exploring. So, let go, feel how you feel and then ask the question – why do I feel this way and what can I do to make myself feel better?
5. Again – why is traveling alone so good?
We’ll repeat – the reason why solo-traveling is such a rewarding experience is that it’s not always easy. Life will test you and at times you might question if it’s actually worth it. But believe us, it is! Solo-traveling brings adventure, new friends and lots of self-exploring. When you pack your bags and return home, you will be a new person. A person who is independent, self-reflected, takes initiatives and has social skills.
Ready to leap into it? We’ve got you covered. When you become a Shark Warrior, you become part of our family. And that means we’ll care about you like a real family member. We will help you with all your logistics and make sure that your stay is comfortable, challenging and fun! Spending at least a few weeks in our paradise-home is a perfect way to gain confidence to continue your solo-travel. And you can do meaningful conservation at the same time! When will we see you in paradise?
