Travel Alone: The 6 Most Useful Tips for your Vacation Alone

The fear of traveling alone for the first time is understandable. And don’t let anyone convince you that the first holiday was easy for you. I guarantee that everyone got cold feet, at least for a moment.

What if you don’t meet anyone and end up being alone?

What if unanticipated problems arise and you have no one to turn to? Have your backpack, valuables, or passport been stolen? What if you’re homesick and want to spend the rest of your vacation alone?

There are appropriate answers to all of these questions, and no one was born to travel alone, despite what you may read on the many travel blogs.

We all started small, and today I’ll show you how to find the most convenient way to travel alone.

Find a great destination for your vacation alone

Sure, you’re thinking, what else?

But I don’t just mean a beautiful location with breathtaking views. However, a travel destination that allows you to enjoy traveling alone.

Driving alone into the deepest bush on your first vacation, where there is no cell phone coverage and supermarkets only sell the bare necessities, may not be ideal for a first-time traveler.

You can always venture to more difficult destinations once you’ve cleared the hurdle of the first trip, tried solo travel once and returned with a sense of accomplishment.

Select a country where English is the main language

It’s difficult enough to have to give up your mother tongue for the first time.

It becomes exhausting when you have to adjust to an entirely new language. And that’s exactly how you didn’t expect your first trip to be: exhausting!

There are numerous English-speaking countries worth visiting where solo travel is simple and rewarding.
If even that proves difficult, vent in Switzerland or Austria. Both countries have beautiful landscapes and plenty to keep you busy for a long time.

If you speak English well, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United Kingdom are all lovely places to visit on your first solo trip.

Ideal for a first solo vacation: visit the Highlands of Scotland, the coast of Ireland, or visit London.

Plan the first few days of your first holiday on your own

I’m not saying you should plan every detail of your trip because you may be a natural traveler who prefers to be spontaneous and unbound after the first few days on the road.

However, it can be beneficial to not plan anything for the first few days and simply allow the country and its people to affect you. Traveling by yourself is difficult enough.

Make a reservation for a nice place to stay for the first few nights, figure out how to get there from the airport or train station, and then let yourself be carried away by what you will discover.

If you are unsure, book your lodging for the first week. You can always plan more on-site.

Ideal for first-time solo travel: why not start planning the other way around? Find a one-of-a-kind hostel or a tent in the trees (yes, they exist), and let that determine where you go!

Traveling alone in a big city

Where is it easier to get by than in a crowded city, and where will you find more to do?

When I first tried solo travel, I went on short city trips, such as to Amsterdam.

You can get a taste of traveling alone quickly and return home in a matter of days—ideal for testing the waters in the pool of possibilities.

Get a city guide and go exploring on your own.

Sign up for Couchsurfing if you’d rather learn how to travel alone and meet people along the way.

There are simply meetings of travelers in many cities who get together and plan activities without you having to stay with a stranger.

Even staying in a small holiday apartment, where the atmosphere is much more familiar, can help you avoid feeling lonely while traveling alone.

Ideal for first-time solo travel: Have you ever wanted to get to know the European capitals? Take a train by yourself to Rome, Paris, or Barcelona for a weekend or short break. (Many of these also have night train deals.

Travel alone to learn something new

Have you ever considered taking a vacation by yourself to learn something completely new? Of course, there is the option of just taking a language course, but how about surfing lessons, a climbing vacation, or a cooking class?

You can travel alone in so many countries and learn incredible things. And you’ll automatically meet other travelers!

Or pick up a new skill on the way! For example, how to properly understand your camera with a photography course and bring home the most beautiful souvenir photos.

Traveling to Portugal for a surf course or a language course is also ideal for first-time travelers!

Join a group tour on your first holiday alone

Still too shy to go on your first solo vacation?

So, what are the disadvantages of booking a vacation alone as part of a group trip?
This way, even if none of your friends have the time or inclination, you can at least improve your contact-making skills and finally tackle your desired goals.

A friend travels alone because her husband does not share her love of travel. She spent three weeks touring Japan with a group and returned ecstatic!

Ideal for first-time solo travelers: travel to Scandinavia with a group or take a city break through Europe.

There are numerous options for designing your first trip on your own.
However, I would advise you to keep them as simple as possible. Then you can fully concentrate on experiencing what it’s like to be able to travel alone and arrange everything to your liking.

Take a solo vacation with your camera. Then you can share the photos with your loved ones and have the opportunity to keep all of the beautiful new memories and show them to others later – infecting them with the desire to travel alone.