18 Ways to Enjoy Your Trip
You dream about traveling by yourself but even the idea of it sounds super scary? Then this guide on solo travel tips for introverts is for you!
As a fellow introvert who has traveled alone from a young age, I can assure you that it isn’t as hard as it seems! Over the years I’ve learned so many tips that I’ve included in this post, along with some other things which I learned from other introverts who travel alone!
Get ready to finally book that solo holiday that you’ve always wanted to take!
Quick Picks for Your Stay
Check out this short list of my top solo travel tips for introverts:
- Book a safe accommodation
- Do research & plan in advance
- Visit destinations that are safe for solo travelers
1. Book accommodation where you’ll feel safe
While traveling your accommodation becomes your temporary home, a place where you can rest and unwind!
That’s why I think it’s super important to find a place where you feel safe even if it may cost a bit more!
If this is your first time traveling alone and you’re not sure which place to pick, try to do an imaginative exercise and ask yourself: “How would I feel while staying in an apartment/hotel room/inn or even in a shared dormitory with other people?”
To help you out a bit, here is a list of pros and cons for some of those places
| PROS | Cons | |
| Apartment | – lots of privacy – more space – kitchen/kitchenette & washing machine |
– can be more expensive |
| Hotel Room | – security & safety – room service – reception |
– more expensive – may lack facilities like a kitchen/ washing machine |
| Hostel Room | – much cheaper – meeting new people |
– no privacy – sleeping in the same room with strangers – sharing a bathroom |
Everyone has their preferences but my recommendation is to weigh in all the pros and cons and find what will work for you!
2. Do a lot of research before your trip
Planning and researching in advance is always a good idea, especially when traveling alone as an introvert.
Knowing where you’ll go, what you’ll do, and what types of activities you can try in the specific place will put you at ease when you arrive, and help you not to feel super overwhelmed when you arrive there!
Here’s a short list a compiled of some things that you can do beforehand to prepare for your trip:
- Make a list of the attractions you want to visit
- Read travel blogs or check Reddit to learn about other people’s experiences from that destination
- Look for activities you can do on your own (like visiting museums, art galleries, or going on walking tours)
- If you want to meet new people look for places where you can do that, like yoga studios, meetup apps, flea markets, cooking classes or tours
Subscribe here to get up to 35% off your accommodation for your next trip!
3. Join a guided tour
Whether you want to meet some new people or just visit some attractions and places in the city with others rather than by yourself, then joining a tour could be a super fun experience!
Tours are also a great way to visit nearby towns and meet new people. You can take day-trip tours which are perfect for those of you who don’t want to travel alone to that destination. You can just sign up for a trip and have everything at your disposal from transportation to a guide who can tell you all about the place you’re visiting.
In lots of big cities you can also find free walking tours (check out the GuruWalk site to see if you can find one in your town). These tours are free of charge, although you still have to book your spot (from a website like the one I recommended above).
4. Carve time out to unwind & relax
I know you’ve probably included tons of things to do and places to see, which is great but definitely take some breaks to just relax and do nothing!
We can easily get agitated on holiday, especially when we visit busy cities or we’re around big crowds. I don’t know about you but I always tend to get a bit anxious when that happens, especially if I’m alone
If you feel the same then schedule in an hour a day where you can just chill! Be it in a cafe, your accommodation, a library, or somewhere out in nature.
5. Find ways to calm your nervous system
Lots of unpredictable things can happen during our trips! Someone doesn’t answer, we miss the train, delays and all that.
All these factors can trigger and dysregulate our nervous system, which will result in us feeling anxious, scared and lots of other overwhelming emotions.
That’s why I think it’s super important to find ways to regulate and calm our nervous system. I always have some tools that I use not only when traveling but also in my day-to-day life.
Here are some of my favorite ones that you can try out:
- Meditation
- Eating nourishing food
- Spending time in nature (and soaking up the sun)
- Not using social media too much
- Tapping
- Talking to friends
- Moving your body
- Make sure you get enough sleep
- Journaling
6. Practice yoga & meditation
I don’t know about you but while I’m on holiday I always need to ground back into my body, especially after a long flight or days of walking around.
The way I do it is by practicing some yoga postures and also meditation. If you’re not a fan of yoga then you can definitely try some stretching poses, especially before you go to bed or early in the day before heading out.
Traveling is hectic and when you’re alone you can easily get into your head and dissociate from your body (it has happened to me numerous times). So definitely have some tools like these ones where you focus on moving your body and breathing, it will change your whole experience!
7. Push your boundaries but stay safe
Traveling implies getting out of our comfort zone and facing the unknown, that’s for sure, but while doing that we also need to take care of our safety!
Exploring the world alone as an introvert can be a daunting thought but it’s also so much fun and it gives you a sense of independence and power that you’ll never get enough of!
However it’s important to always stay safe and don’t venture alone in places that don’t feel safe.
This could mean avoiding walking alone at night in dodgy places, visiting cities or countries that are not safe for solo-travelers and engaging in talks with people that don’t feel trustworthy.
8. Listen to calming music
I feel like traveling and music go hand in hand, right?
What better way to explore the world than accompanied by your favorite tunes and a good pair of noise canceling earphones (these are great as they sort of shut down any outside noise and you can feel as if it’s just you and your music)!
I find that whenever I’m traveling by myself, calming music tends to make me feel less anxious and panicky.
Of course, everyone has their own ideals of what calming music is, some feel that rock calms them down, others may say pop music really soothes them. It’s up to you!
But what I’d recommend is to find those tunes that feel calming to you and make a whole travel playlist! If you need some inspo, check out our post with the ultimate travel playlists made by each member of our team!
9. Bring books/kindle with you
Traveling alone is the best time to catch up on your reading or if you’re someone who reads a lot, to do that even more, since you’ve got the time!
Now, if you don’t like carrying books with you (they do occupy a lot of space if you have more than 2), then I’d recommend getting a kindle, which is super practical. You can also download books onto your phone.
No matter what I have planned for the day I’m going out, I always bring a book with me! You never know when you’ll have some time on your hands to just stop somewhere and read a bit. Or maybe you’ll find a nice cafe and want to sit there for a while and just read!
10. Visit places that are safe for solo travelers
It’s always good to do some research on your next destination especially when traveling alone to see if the country, city or wherever you’re going is a safe place for solo-travelers.
I’d also recommend reading blogs and going on forums to see what people are saying about that particular place.
Also, you can do a bit of research and see which countries are the best for solo-travelers! We have a whole post with the top ones in the world so make sure to check it out, as you’ll learn a lot!
11. Try journaling
Sometimes when we travel alone, we tend to over analyze and overthink everything. I’m sure I’m not the only one who creates hundreds of scenarios of things that could go wrong!
Usually what helps me with that is to write and just write until my head feels free from all the thoughts!
So definitely pack a small journal and a pen, and carry it around wherever you’re going (just like you would with the book). That way you can always have something to write either on the bus, while eating at a restaurant, in the park or on the beach.
Trust me, journaling helps a lot and it’s also a fun activity to do while traveling. Think of all the memories you’ll have written on paper of all the places you’ve visited!
13. Make an itinerary
I think this applies to most holidays, but it’s good to have a schedule in mind when traveling alone.
For me, knowing exactly where I’ll go, what I’ll do when traveling alone, creates a sense of peace. I think often we panic when we’re not sure where to go or what to do.
So try to create a simple itinerary for your trip. It doesn’t have to be stuck in stone and you can easily change things around. My advice is to do it by day and to consider the time that it’d take you to get from one place to the next.
You can save it in your notes app, on your phone so you can easily access it while you’re out!
14. Be kind to yourself
Probably one of the most important things!
Traveling alone usually means it’s only going to be you and, well, you, so being kind and forgiving yourself when making mistakes is always something that you should strive towards.
There were lots of times when I traveled alone and I made a lot of mistakes because I didn’t know better. I judged myself harshly especially if it was something that involved money or time, which are so important when traveling.
And to be honest sometimes we have to make those mistakes so we can learn, so don’t be afraid to get things wrong once in a while. Just think of all the experience you’ll gain in the aftermath!
15. Avoid traveling at peak times
If you don’t sit well with big crowds and hate getting into a bus that is filled with people that you can’t breathe then I’d recommend not traveling during peak times!
This means traveling during the off-seasons or shoulder-seasons and if you’re in a big city, try to avoid using public transport at peak times like 8AM to 10AM or 5PM to 6PM.
That’s when everyone gets off work and usually the streets are packed with people.
16. Visit places which can be experienced alone
We’re all about traveling in a smart way here at MissTourist, and a way to make the most out of your trip while solo-traveling is to have experiences that are even more fun when done alone!
There are so many cool spots where we can go just by ourselves when visiting a new place! Here are some of my favorite ones that I always make sure to check out when solo-traveling:
- Museums
- Art galleries
- Beaches & parks
- Restaurants & cafes (don’t be afraid to eat alone, consider it a date with yourself)
- Bookshops & other stores
17. Get an eSIM to stay connected
Since you’ll be using your phone a lot and your mobile data I’d recommend getting an eSIM so you can be sure that you’ll be connected at all times!
For anyone who doesn’t know, an eSIM is a digital version of the physical SIM card and has all the same features, including phone calls, SMS services, and data usage.
The main perk of getting an eSIM is that you’ll have much more data usage during your trip and you won’t have to buy a physical SIM and then replace the one you already have and go through all that trouble.
One of the first things that you have to do is check if your phone is eSIM compatible and then pick a provider (like airalo). We cover all that and give you a list of the best providers in this post with the best eSIM for international travel.
18. Pay for a travel insurance policy
I already mentioned that when you travel, a lot of things can go wrong, as it happens in our everyday lives, right?
The secret is to know how to overcome these things. Something that we do here at MissTourist to make sure we’re covered in case of any trouble with a travel insurance policy.
Since you’ll be traveling by yourself I’d recommend getting one, not only for your peace of mind but also to know for sure that in case you get sick or injured abroad or you’re in an accident, you’re covered.
For many years, our team has used SafetyWing travel insurance and we’re super happy with them. We have a whole post with a review of this travel insurance, where we tell you in detail all the perks and what you should know about it. Make sure to check it out.
FAQs about solo travel tips for introverts
🤔 How do I gain confidence to travel alone?
Some ways to gain confidence while solo-traveling is to visit places that are safe, to plan everything in advance and to maintain contact with a friend or family member throughout your trip!
🧳 Can introverts travel solo?
Yes! The secret is to find ways that you can feel safe while traveling and to come up with fun things to do by yourself like going on tours or visiting museums.
Final thoughts on solo travel tips for introverts
So many golden nuggets in this guide on solo travel tips for introverts!
I hope that this post has brought you some peace of mind and that now you feel much more confident to go out there and conquer the world by yourself!
Although it can be scary, traveling alone is so much fun and after a while I’m sure you’ll start loving it so much that it’ll be hard not to travel just by yourself.
I’ve included lots of tips but feel free to share any other piece of advice on solo-traveling that has worked for you in the comment section below and I’ll make sure to answer as soon as I can.
Happy exploring,
Victoria
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