Travelling alone for the first time can feel intimidating — but it's also one of the most rewarding ways to travel. No compromises on itinerary, complete flexibility, and a level of immersion in a place that's harder to achieve in a group. Here's how to approach it.
Choosing Your First Solo Destination
Not every destination is equally suited to a first solo trip. For your first time, look for:
- Good English proficiency (or a language you speak), which reduces friction in everyday situations
- Well-developed tourist infrastructure — easy transport, common solo-traveler routes, established hostels with social common areas
- Low perceived risk — somewhere you feel comfortable, which builds confidence for future trips
Popular first solo destinations include Portugal, Vietnam (specifically the well-trodden backpacker route), Japan (extremely safe and easy to navigate), and most of Western Europe.
Accommodation: Hostels Aren't Just for Budget
Hostels have evolved significantly. Many now offer private rooms with shared facilities, combining affordability with privacy, plus communal spaces that make meeting people easy without obligation.
For solo travellers specifically:
- Look for hostels with organized social activities (welcome drinks, group dinners, walking tours) if you want to meet people
- Read recent reviews specifically mentioning "solo travellers" or "atmosphere" — this varies hugely between properties
- A private room in a social hostel often gives the best of both worlds: your own space, but easy access to socialising
Safety Considerations
Solo travel safety is mostly about the same common-sense precautions that apply to travel generally, with slightly higher stakes because there's no one else to notice if something's wrong:
- Share your itinerary with someone at home — even loosely (which city, roughly which dates)
- Check in periodically — a simple daily message to a friend or family member
- Research neighbourhoods before booking accommodation — areas that are fine during the day may be different at night
- Trust your instincts — if a situation feels wrong, leave. You don't need a concrete reason.
- Keep digital copies of important documents (passport, insurance) accessible even if your phone is lost
Eating Alone
For many first-time solo travellers, eating alone in restaurants feels more awkward than it actually is. A few approaches:
- Bring a book or journal — gives you something to do and signals you're comfortable being there
- Eat at the bar rather than a table — often more natural for solo diners and a good way to chat with staff or other solo diners
- Street food and markets — naturally more solo-friendly settings, often the best food anyway
- Embrace it — people-watching while eating alone is genuinely one of travel's quiet pleasures once you get used to it
Meeting People
Solo doesn't mean alone the whole trip unless you want it to be:
- Hostels with common areas are the most reliable way to meet other travellers
- Free walking tours (tip-based, available in most major cities via apps like GuruWalk) are a low-commitment way to meet people while learning about a place
- Group activities and day tours — even if you're staying in a hotel, booking a group tour for one activity gives a social dimension to part of your trip
- Apps designed for travellers (various meetup-style apps exist specifically for connecting with other travellers in the same city)
Managing Loneliness
Even people who love solo travel have moments of loneliness — usually in the evenings, or after a few days without meaningful conversation. This is normal and doesn't mean you've made a mistake. Having a flexible itinerary helps: if you're not enjoying a place, you can move on; if you've made friends somewhere, you can stay longer.
Budgeting for Solo Travel
Solo travel can be more expensive per day than travelling with others — no splitting accommodation or taxi costs. Factor this into your budget realistically rather than assuming costs will mirror group trips you've taken before.
The Confidence Curve
Most people find the first 24–48 hours of a solo trip the hardest — navigating a new place alone, figuring out basic logistics, feeling slightly out of your depth. This passes quickly. By day three or four, most solo travellers report feeling significantly more comfortable, and many describe the independence as genuinely addictive.
Solo trips often work best with flexible dates — and that's exactly where the best deals are. AirHuntr tracks flash sales across routes worldwide.
