Solo travel is heaps of fun. You are free to roam around as much as you like, follow your own schedule and see the sights you are genuinely interested in. Sometimes, it’s not easy to embark on a solo travel journey, especially if it’s the first one. But once you make the first step, the doors of adventure are wide open.
The world is full of solo travellers, and in today’s connected world, it can be easy to reach out and meet like-minded adventurers.
As much as the solo adventure is exciting, there are times when we would like to meet other people and have a chat with over coffee, share a laugh over a meal or go on a hiking adventure together. Sometimes, we would feel safer going out in a group rather than on our own.
So where to find these people?
Choose hostels over hotels
Not all hostels are the same. Some are party focused and attract travellers in their 20s, while others shift towards a hotel comfort with a hostel vibe, attracting visitors in their 30s and older.
In either case, the relaxing and friendly feel in hostels makes it easier to have a spontaneous chat over breakfast or in other shared spaces. Maybe you will even share a room with someone cool. Hostel bars usually offer great prices on drinks and food and could be your best starting point. Over a drink you can find out if someone is planning to visit the same city you would love to see as well or just head together to that famous club downtown.
Check out Meet Up groups
Meet Up groups are a great resource to find out what is happening in the city you are in. From casual meet-ups to groups based around various topics, you can easily find a group that matches your interests.
In just a few clicks, you can join both the travellers and the locals alike and explore the best city restaurants, go on a photo tour, join a yoga class, go hiking, listen to poetry and heaps of other cool stuff. Some of these activities require a small fee to join, while others are free.
What is happening on Facebook and Instagram
In today’s hyper connected world, social media has become the main source of information. Check out FB groups in the city you are in and see what the people are doing and what’s going on. Are there any cool events you would love to attend? Use hashtags on IG to help you find the best places for coffee, brunch, dinner that won’t break the bank or cool bars in your area.
Jump on Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is the best resource to find other travellers and exchange tips, stories and ideas. Based around the core idea of offering a couch to strangers and allowing them to get a taste of true local life, Couchsurfing has become an in-depth resource of local information, practical tips and guides. You can post what you’d like to do and see the comments and suggestions just flying into your Inbox. Locals are friendly and happy to show around their city and there’s a huge chance travellers will be joining you too. If you are worried about safety, try to meet people during the day in public spaces, use common sense and quickly get out of any conversation which feels uncomfortable.
Now you just need to figure out where your next adventure will be.
