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|Updated on November,20,2024|

 

Now is the perfect time to start your solo adventure—a dream you’ve held close but never acted on. I remember how easily I started mine, with Miami as my first destination. Since then, I haven’t stopped exploring. At first, traveling alone felt daunting, but it quickly became the most empowering part of my life.

 

Solo travel gives you complete freedom to decide where to go, what to do, and how to make the most of your journey. It’s a chance to truly prioritize yourself. Grab your notebook and start planning your solo trip with these practical tips!

 

I’ve traveled solo to incredible places like Australia, Mexico, Asia, Costa Rica, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and Portugal, each bringing its own challenges like language barriers or navigating unfamiliar cultures. Along the way, I’ve learned how to make solo travel stress-free and unforgettable. With these tips, you’ll be ready to plan your dream solo trip step-by-step and make it an adventure you’ll never forget! Let’s get started!

How to Plan Your First Solo Travel: 13 Important Tips

1. Choosing the Perfect Solo-Friendly Destination

Picking a solo-friendly destination is the key to a happy solo vacation, especially for solo travelers, as you should feel comfortable and safe in a new place. On the other hand, the wrong destination can ruin the whole solo travel experience, which nobody wants, right?

 

If this is your first time traveling solo, choosing where to go can feel overwhelming. And that’s fine and expected.  To choose the right destination, search for other solo travelers’ stories and see their experiences or break down the most important things you need. Be it weather, food, language, distance, etc., and go from there. Breaking down such details will help you make a decision more easily.

 

To get detailed insights about your solo travel destination, you can connect with locals through platforms like Couchsurfing or join solo female travel groups on Facebook. These groups are a goldmine for advice, offering helpful tips and insider knowledge for a safe and unforgettable solo trip. Whether you’re curious about local traditions, the best places to visit, or safety tips, the supportive community has your back!

 

2. Research Your Destination

Once you’ve picked your solo travel destination, it’s crucial to research your destination thoroughly. Check for important details like solo travel safety, best travel times, and any cultural customs or rules you should follow—especially in more conservative destinations, such as many Muslim countries.

 

Research the local currency, language, food, and transportation options. Familiarize yourself with the navigation system, and know what to expect in terms of local food and solo activities. The more you learn, the better prepared you’ll be, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable adventure. Additionally, this research helps ensure that the destination is solo-friendly and suitable for independent travelers, as some places may not be as safe or accommodating for solo travelers.

3. Research All Travel Requirements

This is a crucial step in your solo trip planning, which can’t be missed. Before going anywhere, you always need to check the solo travel requirements, so you are fully aware and prepared. Plus, make sure you do it in advance. If you require a visa, for example, it will most likely take time to apply and get approved. That said, do not leave it until the end if you do not want to postpone or cancel your solo trip if your visa is not ready.

 

I didn’t do it for my recent trip to Turkey and had some trouble getting in with my US passport. Later, I realized that I could just show them my Russian passport and not buy a visa. But, it was postfactum. So, make sure you never miss this important solo travel planning step.

 

For some destinations, you will have to buy Travel insurance.  While travel insurance is not required for all destinations, it’s always a good idea to have it in case of emergencies like unexpected medical issues, trip cancellations, or lost baggage.

 

Most travel credit cards offer some level of insurance, though this may be limited, such as coverage for trip interruptions or car rentals. It’s essential to review the terms and conditions of your credit card’s coverage to make sure it meets your needs. If your credit card does not offer sufficient coverage, you may need to purchase additional travel insurance.

In any case, don’t wait until the last minute—check with your bank and compare options to ensure you’re well-prepared.

 

4. Plan Your Solo Travel Activities

Now is the perfect time to decide on your activities. This is the most enjoyable part of any trip planning. Do you prefer active or passive travel? Are you interested in some adventurous activities? Or more passive like lying on the beach? Think about what you would like to do. It’s better to be something new, so you will get out of your comfort zone and get a unique experience. That is what the whole solo travel is about. Get out of your comfort zone and learn more about yourself.

 

When I plan my solo travel activities, I like to use the Get Your Guide travel site. They offer plenty of significant activities for every interest and budget worldwide. You just need to enter the location to see all available options. It is also super easy and affordable and I love it.

5. Create Your Travel Itinerary

Creating an itinerary for solo travel can be optional if you’re more spontaneous, but honestly, I highly recommend it. You might ask why. Well, if you have all your solo travel activities planned, you can better manage your time, ensuring you don’t rush through your trip. You’ll also make sure you visit all the places and do all the activities on your list. But if you decide to go without an itinerary, you might end up frustrated and lost, as you won’t have a clear plan of action.

 

Having a well-organized solo travel itinerary can make your experience more enjoyable, ensuring that you make the most of your time while traveling alone.

 

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6. Choose Suitable Accommodation

Choosing suitable accommodation for your solo trip is another necessary part of your traveling alone journey. It is very important to pick accommodation close to the attractions you need and in a safe area. This will save you time and money.

 

As a solo traveler, I always try to stay in hostels as it is cheaper, and more fun, and most of the time they provide Free breakfast, which is obviously a big plus.

 

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7. Plan Your Solo Travel Budget

Planning a budget is an essential part of any solo trip, though it’s not always necessary to have a strict one. Personally, I prefer not to set a rigid budget, but I keep an idea of how much I want to avoid spending. However, I’ve learned that this approach often leads to unplanned expenses, and when you’re on vacation, it’s easy to overlook how much you’re spending.

 

The surprise comes when you check your bank statement after returning home! That’s why I recommend always planning your solo travel budget ahead of time. It helps ensure that you stay on track and avoid financial stress during your adventure.

 

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8. Decide On Transportation

Navigating the city alone by public transportation is very easy and convenient if you go to big cities with a great navigation system. On the other hand, renting a car by yourself can be costly and, in most cases, unnecessary. So, before going to the new place, make sure you decide on these types of things to avoid any problems on the spot.

 

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9. Book Your Tickets in Advance

This is another fun part of planning a future trip; your luck depends on how early you start looking for tickets. The earlier you start, the better deal you can find. This is the #1 rule. There are so many tips about the best approach to finding a great travel deal and cheap accommodation, which you can learn by reading the post above.

 

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|How to find cheap flights 

10. Plan What to Pack

Packing, packing, packing. How many times as a traveler you have been over-packed and overcharged because of the weight? Right, packing is the key to a great solo vacation. Let’s be honest with each other. When we travel solo, we do not need fancy clothes, heels, or other unnecessary attributes such as jewelry or something else we do not wear daily. The primary rule is always to pack light. Packing light is straightforward; trust me; it will change your total solo travel experience once you start doing it.

 

11. Make a Backup Plan

A backup plan is a great idea, especially when traveling alone as a woman. Why? The answer is so simple. Solo travel can be unpredictable despite you planning everything. Yes, you heard that right. As an example, airlines can cancel flights or tour agencies can cancel tours last minute. The accommodation might not meet your expectations, or the location can be off, etc. In any situation, having a backup strategy can help.

 

• Write down or save somewhere the address of your accommodation along with the phone. Then, if there is no internet, you will always have it handy, and in case you get lost, you can get to the hotel/hostel safely.
• Always have some emergency cash. Most likely, you will have to use it.
• Make copies of important documents before you head to your destination and keep them separate from the originals.

 

12. Consider Solo Exploration or Take Tours

When you travel solo, you always need to consider that some places are better to visit with a company, and you can easily explore some by yourself. If you decide to take a tour, it is highly suggested to book upfront, because of availability, etc. There is also a possibility of combining both. You can spend a half-day exploring on your own and a half-day by taking a tour. No matter what you prefer, I suggest planning it as early as possible to avoid hiccups.

 

I love taking tours. Most of them are very good and i make friends thisway as well.

13. Be Ready For an Adventure

On Day “X” have a good mood, hold your documents, and luggage, and get ready for your solo journey

 

5 Main Challenges You Can Face as a Solo Traveler and How to Overcome Them

Solo travel is a perfect way to explore places on your own and learn more about your personality, but of course, like with other types of travel, it has some disadvantages. Here is a list of 5 significant problems you can face on your solo travel and how to solve them.

1. Managing Travel Expenses

How to deal with it: Well, who said you always have to eat out? Right, nobody. Eating out is pretty expensive, especially solo, we all know that. So instead, why don’t you buy some groceries and make your food if you have a kitchen? Or just order delivery. It will be much cheaper. But if you still want to experience local food by trying it in the restaurants, look for more affordable non-touristy places and also for coupons that are widely available on the internet. A great site to look for such coupons is Groupon.

 

2. Securing Your Belongings

A common concern for solo travelers is how to keep their belongings safe, especially when engaging in activities like swimming. If you’re worried about theft while at the beach or pool, a simple solution is to use a waterproof bag to store your valuables and take it with you into the water.

 

Alternatively, you can swim closer to the shore where you can easily keep an eye on your things (that is what i usually do). It’s not the most convenient solution, but it’s better than leaving your belongings unattended. There are always ways to handle these safety concerns, so don’t let it stop you from enjoying your solo adventure!

 

3. Capturing Memories is Hard

Capturing great solo travel memories can seem tricky at first, but it doesn’t have to be. The truth is, you’re probably not going to love the photos that someone else takes of you, right? (always happen to me). So, why not take control of your own photos? With a tripod or selfie stick, you can snap perfect shots without feeling rushed. Plus, you won’t have to worry about anyone else or feel guilty for asking them to take multiple shots. Whether it’s stunning landscapes or unique moments, these tools help you capture your solo adventures effortlessly!

Learn the tricks on how to get great photos by yourself.

4. You Are Limited With Places to Visit as Some Are Better Visited With a Company

That’s true, but not critical. It is totally OK that you don’t feel comfortable visiting some places where you can feel awkward being alone there, but instead of thinking about that, concentrate on areas which you can visit. Spend your time planning your discovery tours and enjoy your solo time.

 

5. Dining Solo

This one is the most popular. Every solo traveler worries about that. Believe me, it can be weird the first time, but after, you will get used to it and stop paying attention to people who do you think are watching you or even bother asking why you are alone. Bring your favorite book or read some articles on your phone. So you will be busy with yourself and food, and there will be no time for worries about what others think. If you still want to have an interaction with somebody, sit by the bar. Bartenders will always be happy to talk to solo guests.

 

Final Thoughts

Thinking of your first solo trip can be very stressful, but planning a trip alone could never be more possible than now. Dreams should come true, and nothing should stop you from traveling (except for serious health problems). That being said, if you have always dreamed about traveling solo, now is your time. These planning tips for solo travel should ease your stress and make you feel more comfortable taking your first-ever solo trip. Happy travel, and thanks for reading.

 

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