Eugene C. Johnson Can’t find a suitable travel partner or would you like to travel alone? With our tips for single travellers, your next trip will be an unforgettable adventure.
Don’t your friends or family have the time or desire to travel to your desired destination? Can’t find a suitable travel partner or just want to travel alone? With our tips for single travellers you are well prepared for your next holiday.
Travel tips for single travellers
Traveling alone, even as a woman, is becoming more and more popular. Some people shy away from it because they are afraid of being alone or because they feel insecure abroad.
The paradox is: especially as a single traveller you come into contact with other people much easier and faster. In most cases people even speak to you first.
First tip for single travellers: Research
Get detailed information about the destination in advance. The more unknown a country is to you, the more intensive your research should be. On the website of the Federal Foreign Office you can inform yourself in detail about entry regulations, vaccination recommendations, travel warnings, visa matters, etc. for the respective destinations.
In addition to general information, search for known tourist traps, cultural and religious backgrounds, proper clothing, laws, and local behavior. On the momondo blog you can get many travel tips and hints for countless countries in the world.
Positive attitude
Make it clear that the majority of people are totally fine. If you are already planning your trip and you have horror scenarios in mind, it is advisable to reconsider your destination and enter a country you can more easily befriend.
Your positive attitude is important and it won’t help if you get on the plane with a bad feeling. Choose your destinations carefully. As soon as you have more confidence, you can aim for longer long-haul destinations. Every trip is unique, whether you “just” travel to the neighboring country or change continents.
Contact
Contact your family and friends as soon as you land. Keep in touch about where you are and what you have planned for the next few days. Especially if you are travelling alone, it is important that at least one person knows where you are. This may sound a bit exaggerated for some, but depending on your destination or local activities, you should pay close attention to safety.
If you are planning a longer day trip and feel uncomfortable, you can also let the staff at your accommodation know which tour operator you are travelling with. The staff will be happy to advise you on any questions you may have and to help you avoid any uncertainties.
Buy a local SIM card so you can get in touch with your loved ones even more easily. The SIM cards aren’t expensive and you can always search for directions via Google Maps, which is another advantage. Keeping a stable Internet connection and contact with people in your home country gives you an incredible sense of security.
Insurance
After you have completed several solo journeys, you will most likely notice that you are only dependent on hand luggage. So think twice about whether you really need luggage insurance. Many travel insurances are unnecessary, but you should always take out an insurance policy – international health insurance. As soon as you stay outside Europe for a longer period of time, you should definitely take out international health insurance. There is nothing worse than being ill abroad alone and not receiving medical care or spending hundreds of euros uninsured on hospitalisation and medication.
Flight booking
If you travel alone to an unknown country, it is important to pay attention to the flight times.
Book your flights so that you land during the day. Nobody wants to arrive in a foreign country at night and lose orientation.
During the day you just feel more comfortable and can take your time to find your accommodation and do some errands, such as buying a SIM card, drinks or groceries.
The flight may be more expensive if you land during the day, but you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and hassle, which is priceless. If you have booked a direct transfer from the airport to the hotel in advance, night flying is a minor problem.
Accommodation
Store the address of your accommodation in your smartphone and save your booking confirmations in your email inbox for security. If you are travelling in exotic countries where little or no English is spoken, you should save the address of your accommodation in the local language and show it to the taxi driver. This will reduce misunderstandings and help him get you to your destination faster.
As soon as you arrive at your accommodation, you should definitely take the business card of the hotel, hostel, etc.. It can quickly happen that the battery of your smartphone is empty on the way and you have forgotten the address of your accommodation or the way there. With your business card in your hand, you can always ask the locals and taxi drivers for directions and quickly find your way back.
