Solo Travel Tips You Need and Ones You Might Ignore

If you ask, AI will serve you up solo travel tips in a flash. But are they the right tips for you?

After years of traveling solo, I know which tips are needed for a newbie and which are so ingrained in an experienced solo traveler that they are as natural as breathing.

Your experience as a solo traveler, your proclivities as a person, what you need from your trip and the destination may dictate tips to be ignored or those to hold as a rule.

Mandatory Tips for Everyone

I don't like to over plan when I travel but I do consider the following solo travel tips necessary.

1. Book your first nights' accommodation in advance. Know where you're going to lay your head, at least for the first night or two. It's not fun to look for a place to stay when you're tired from a day of travel. Here's more about booking accommodation.
2. Arrive well before dark. This is important as everything looks better in the light and, should you not be happy with your accommodation, you have time to make a change before nightfall. I learned this the hard way in Havana. Trust me. When you're going someplace new, daylight will help.
3. Carry the essentials when you go out. Carry the business card of your hotel so you have the name of the place you’re staying in the local language. Have copies of your emergency contacts, insurance, and passport on you.
4. Be proactive. If you’re unsure of yourself, ask for help. Standing around looking dazed will not get you where you want to go and it may get you noticed by the wrong people. It would be a strange occurrence for you to choose to ask the wrong person for information, so, go ahead, smile and ask for help.
5. Don't flash wealth. Don't flash jewelry or expensive phones or electronics. Be discreet to avoid unwanted attention. Phones are now a very popular target of pickpockets.
6. Keep emergency cash hidden. You can carry it on your body and have some tucked away in your suitcase or backpack.
7. Stay alert. Sleep well. Stay sober. While it's wonderful to sink into a destination, luxuriating in its culture, it's also important to stay safe. Being well rested and sober is key to being alert and exercising good judgment, both of which are key to your safety.
8. Have a way to stay in touch with home. This is essential should something go wrong, such as losing your wallet, phone, or passport. All are essential for travelers. Having backup at home for such a crisis or simply to chat on occasion is important.

Important (but possibly optional) Solo Travel Tips

1. Buy travel insurance. For all travel outside of Canada I buy travel insurance. Here's what I look for. Not doing so is a non-starter for me. Ignore this tip if you are older and find general travel insurance too expensive. In this case, you might want to self-insure the cost of your trip but get medical insurance that includes evacuation to your home hospital and doctor.
2. Plan for some social time. Whether it's taking a class or a day tour, plan for some social time. You will likely meet people alone one way or another but if social time is something you need, plan for it to make sure. Ignore this tip if what you need is quiet time to recover, reflect, and renew. Read these posts for social time eating out and for ways to meet people.
3. Be patient. It can be difficult arriving in a new city alone. Take your time. Take a day to relax, watch the city function, and settle in. Ignore this tip if you are an experienced traveler. Dive in and enjoy.
4. Pack light. A single carry-on is enough for most trips. I only own a carry-on suitcase and have not found the need for more. Ignore this tip if it's in your nature to go high-end shopping, to Michelin Star restaurants, or out on the town. Have and enjoy the clothes that are important to you.
5. Choose a destination that fits your budget. Staying within your budget, choosing destinations that are affordable, means you get to travel more often and you don't go into debt for travel. Ignore this tip if there is a special reason why the trip must be “there” and “now”. If that's the case, put the word “affordable” into the search bar above and you'll find tips on how to make your special trip affordable and still wonderful.
6. Manage jet lag. Be aware if you are jet lagged. You may be more clumsy and indecisive because of it. Take your time. Ignore this tip if you are experienced with the destination. You likely have the knowledge you need built in. See Worst Jet Lag Ever for symptoms, prevention, and remedies.
7. Yes, go out at night. Some think that they have to stay in at night as they travel solo but there are many things you can do at night as a solo traveler. My preference is music, the universal language, when traveling in a foreign land. Ignore this tip if you are prone to anxiety or simply need the quiet after a busy day exploring. There's no rule that you have to fill every moment away.