30 Tips For Travelling Solo For An Unforgettable Experience In 2024

Travelling solo can be adventurous. From figuring out the budget to taking care of yourself, from making friends with the locals to doing fun activities, a solo trip is all about you. Sounds exciting, right? But it can also be scary and overwhelming to get started with, especially if you’re a student. The amount of responsibilities that come with travelling solo may not be very appealing, but once figured out, it can give you many opportunities to learn and grow. So, here are our top 30 tips for travelling alone: 

Top 15 Tips For Travelling Alone Before Your Trip

It takes pre planning to have any kind of successful trip. But when it's travelling solo, you may need some additional help. Before travelling solo, keep in mind - it’s not always a scary experience. Sometimes, it’s all you need! Here are some useful tips for travelling solo before you embark!: 

1. Prioritise Your Safety 

Safety is one of the most important solo travel tips since only you care for yourself. You might need to do lots of planning before your trip, especially if it’s your first-ever travelling solo experience. Since some places are more suitable for travelling solo than others, do your research and choose a destination for the starters. Ensure you research the local laws, rules, crime rates, and connectivity of the locations before finally deciding on your travel destination. 

2. Pre-book Your Stay 

Another one of the essential travelling solo tips includes pre-booking your stay before you’ve even started with the travelling. You can book your stays at Airbnb or hostels with the help of digital means. This will also help you find and compare all the options available to choose your best fit. In this stage, you can also look for shared stay options to fit your solo travel budget better. 

3. Opt For Airport Pick-Up Services

One of the most important solo travel tips is pre-booking your airport pick-up! Here’s another one of the greatest solo travel tips! The best choice is to book airport pick-up services to eradicate these hassles. Pick services can help you handle luggage and drop you at the right location as soon as possible without any hassles. 

4. Check For Student Discounts

Being a student solo traveller, it is inevitable that you have to travel on tight budgets. However, many services like airlines, BnBs, hotels, and even discounts on airport- pick-up services make travelling more accessible to students. So, if you, too, have a tight budget or want to travel with as little expense as possible, check for student discounts or how to get them on every site you use for your bookings. 

5. Learn The Basics Of The Local Language

Travelling to a country whose first language is not the same as yours? Try learning the basics of the local language of your destination. It is one of the best solo travel tips you can get. Being a solo traveller means you are responsible for taking care of everything. But it is humanly impossible to do so much alone, so it is obvious that you have to ask for help occasionally. 

6. Research Your Destination

One of the best tips for travelling solo is to research your destination in as much detail as you possibly can. Learn about the various customs, traditions, rules, and local laws of the place you’re visiting, so you don’t get into any unnecessary trouble! 

7. Create An Itinerary

After you do your research, the next step is to create an itinerary that can help you plan the trip better. This is one of the best tips for people who are travelling alone for the first time. With a well-planned itinerary, people can cover all the places they'd like to see, and also manage their time better. 

8. Check Visa And Entry Requirements

One of the top solo travel tips for those travelling alone for the first time is to research and check the various entry and visa requirements for their destination. Every country has their own rules and regulations and it’s best to know about them prior to travel, so you have all the required documents in place too. 

9. Vaccinations And Health Precautions

Visiting your local doctor and getting your vaccinations before your trip is also one of the best tips for travelling solo. A few countries require you to get certain vaccinations before visiting so you don’t contract any infectious diseases, making this one of the top travel tips. 

10. Make A List Of Emergency Contacts

We suggest creating a list of emergency contacts before travelling solo. This is one of the top travel tips that can get you out of any emergency and back to safety. We also recommend adding the local authorities to your list.  

11. Currency Exchange

Forex is one of the most important travelling tips for those travelling alone for the first time. Money is the most important factor while travelling and it’s extremely crucial to carry the local currency, and also enquire which other kind of currency is accepted in the country. 

12. Scan Important Documents

While travelling to another country, make sure you have all your documents ironed out. It is advised to have scanned copies of all your important documents, such as passport, identity proof, tickets, saved on your phone and other devices as well. 

13. Travel Accessories

This may be one of the most obvious tips for travelling alone. Most solo travellers advise gathering a bunch of items before their trips which are incredibly crucial, such as a durable backpack, power banks, universal chargers, medicine boxes, and so on! 

14. Create a Budget

Having a set budget in place is one of the most important tips for travelling alone. You must make sure you don’t spend too much and run the risk of falling short in case of emergencies. We suggest including travel, emergencies, food, accommodation, tickets, local attractions, and souvenirs costs! 

15. Re-check Your Bookings!

This one may seem obvious but is one of the most important travelling tips. Making sure your dates, timings, and destinations are accurate is very crucial. Believe it or not, there are possibilities of people landing up at the wrong places because they were in a rush and did not cross-check their bookings. So, to avoid a confusion that big, we suggest cross-checking all your details before your trip as one of the top travel tips.

Top 15 Tips For Travelling Alone During The Trip

Finally, done with the planning? Well, here are some solo travel tips to make the most out of your trip while also being responsible for yourself: 

1. Talk To The Locals 

Another extremely helpful tip for travelling solo is talking to locals. Every destination has two faces: one that tourists see and the other one that the locals see. No blog, article, or online resource can know about a place as thoroughly as the locals do. Thus, the perspectives and suggestions of the locals are the keys to having an unforgettable, intimate experience of a destination. 

2. Be Your Photographer 

As a solo traveller, clicking pictures may seem difficult. So, it is always better to be prepared beforehand and accept the role of your photographer on the trip. You can carry a small gimbal or a foldable tripod to click some amazing photos when travelling alone for the first time, so you don’t have to disturb others. 

3. Choose Your Way Of Enjoyment 

The definition of enjoyment is different for different people. Without you enjoying the activity, it will only be a waste of time and money. So, confidently cross off anything you don’t like and define your enjoyment. However, don’t forget to challenge yourself. Be courageous and try out things that are out of your comfort zone. This can help you experience it all and maximise your solo trip. 

4. Keep Your Essentials With You

Travelling alone for the first time means being able to take care of yourself during the trip. To make sure you do that effectively, pack everything you will need. Since no one else is accompanying you, the luggage is not divided in two; it’s all you. In case of any emergency, you will need your essentials. 

5. Trust Your Guts 

If you travel solo, trusting your intuition can be one of the biggest lifesaving solo travel tips. Do your research and know the area, culture, food, and people. But in any situation, if you feel uncomfortable or scared of getting into something, do not get into it. Help yourself and get yourself out of the situation as soon as possible. 

6. Stay Flexible

Adaptability while travelling alone is extremely essential. While travelling alone, there are a number of things that can change and you must remember to be open to impromptu changes. Don’t worry, it may just be the best part of your journey!

7. Pack Light

It is advised to pack as lightly as possible. Carrying a lot of baggage with you can be challenging, especially in a new environment where you don’t know anybody. And of course, there is always the threat of you losing your belongings in the process of handling your extra luggage! 

8. Stay Connected

Your loved ones would want to know about your whereabouts while you’re exploring a new land all by yourself. We suggest getting a local sim card or an international roaming plan before or even during your trip so that you’re connected with not only your family back home, but also locals and emergency services in case you need it. 

9. Money Management

It goes without saying that protecting your money while on a trip is extremely important. You must always keep your money, credit cards, and other valuables as carefully with you as possible as there is always a fear of theft that is possible. We also suggest keeping your emergency cash somewhere separate from the rest of your money. 

10. Stay Healthy

It is very important to make sure you’re hydrated and energised during your trip. Carrying extra water, electrolytes, energy drinks, and protein bars are some of the best ways to keep yourself hydrated and energised so that you can avoid unnecessary trips to the local doctors. 

11. Travel Insurance

A lot of people nowadays opt on getting travel insurance before they travel in order to be prepared for any emergencies. Most comprehensive travel insurance plans now cover almost everything, including theft, medical, and other emergencies.

12. Learn Public Transport

Another underrated tip for travelling alone for the first time is learning as much as you can about public transport. All the information you want can be easily accessible and this can also help you make sure you don’t get lost in a foreign land. Make sure you read the maps thoroughly!

13. Download Solo Travel Apps

Most frequent solo travellers recommend having various travelling solo apps downloaded on your devices which can be incredibly useful. Apps like currency conversion, translation, and maps can help make sure you have a hassle-free experience.

14. Learn Basic Self Defense

Learning the basics of self-defence may not be possible for everyone, but if given the chance - we suggest you definitely take it! In any emergency situation, knowing the basics of self-defence can be more useful than you think. It is very important that you learn how to protect yourself!

15. Share Your Journey

Lastly, we suggest recording every experience of your trip so you have something to look at after a few years. It is also a great way for your social circles to know where you are at all times, and can boost tourism in the area you are in as well. 

With the right kind of planning and some research, your solo trip can be an adventure of a lifetime. If you plan your first-ever solo adventure, these travelling tips can help you big time. So, be safe, pack everything you need and get ready to soak in some of the best experiences of your life!