Do you want to know how to plan a solo vacation? If your answer is yes then this blog provides you all information regarding this.
This piece was written just for you if you’re planning your first solo travel. Whatever your reasons for going alone, a solo vacation is one of the most enjoyable ways to travel, and you won’t be disappointed. Here’s a step-by-step guide to arranging your first solo trip, complete with tried-and-true ideas, methods, and useful information…
Make a decision about your destination.
Not all vacation spots are made equal, and not all vacation spots are as accessible as others. First and foremost, you must choose your destination. It also doesn’t have to be too far away. Instead, choose a location where you believe you will feel at ease.
Perhaps you know a little of the local language or have friends or family in a nearby city. If you want to step out of your comfort zone but are concerned about it, choose a destination that isn’t completely different from your daily routine.
At home, practice solo travel.
Before you book anything, rehearse at home once you’ve chosen your location. Try going out to dinner alone (here are some of my favorite recommendations for dining alone), attend a movie at your local theatre, or tour a museum by yourself. Basically, get used to traveling by yourself in your familiar surroundings. It may appear ridiculous, but it actually works!
In fact, it’s at this stage, before you’ve decided to go, that you might realize you don’t want to go it alone. While worries and feeling self-conscious about being alone are normal (I still get scared before trips! ), you may discover that traveling alone isn’t for you.
One of my closest friends despises traveling alone herself. It’s not that she is incapable of doing so. It’s just that she doesn’t care for it too much. Instead, she enjoys traveling because she can share it with the people she loves. That’s perfectly fine! It’s evident that solo travel isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine.
Make a few plans ahead of time.
While arriving in a new place with no plans can be intimidating, scary, and exciting, when it comes to your first vacation, you may want to plan a few things ahead of time from the comfort of your own home.
Plan to stay in a hotel or dorm room for at least the first night of your trip, and figure out how to get there. Having a plan in place for when you arrive can relieve a lot of the stress associated with the solo part of your trip.
Consider going on a group tour.
If you’re still unsure about going it alone, a group tour is a terrific option to go it alone while having all of the logistics taken care of. My first solo journey was to a place I’d wanted to see since I was a child (two weeks across many of the highlights of Italy).
However, when I was a teenager embarking on my first solo trip, I was terrified of going it alone (and this was before travel blogs/travel YouTubes were a thing).
Instead, I chose to join a group tour, where I’d have travel companions and a pre-planned agenda. Finally, I had a great time, met a lot of new people, and gained the confidence to organize my next solo trip totally on my own!
Pack as little as possible (ish)
You rarely utilize as much as you think you need when traveling. This is especially true if you’re traveling alone and won’t (necessarily) have anyone to assist you with your bags.
Make sure you pack light (maybe even only carry-on luggage) and that you can easily move your stuff about on your own. Take only what you need, and leave everything else behind at home.
Layering and packing a capsule wardrobe for your trip will drastically minimize the number of items you need to bring. Look up clothing recommendations online (Pinterest and search engines are wonderful places to start) so you can dress like a local and blend in as much as possible when it comes to packing.
Consider buying a phrasebook in the native language of the country you’ll be visiting, as well as printing out maps of the area you’ll be visiting in case your phone dies/ breaks/ etc. While we’re on the subject of travel gear, ensure sure all of your bags have zippers and well-hidden compartments where you can stash your valuables.
Always keep a variety of travel monies on hand.
On my recent solo trip to the south of France, I opted to only use one method of payment (my debit card), something I’ve done many times previously. I had a £5 note as well as €2.75 in change.
You can probably predict what occurred after that. The first machine in a train station where I used my debit card was damaged by the card! That was the first time I tried to use my card while on that vacation abroad.
I was too afraid to withdraw money from any ATM for the rest of the trip because ATMs are notorious for swallowing damaged cards. This meant that whenever I went to pay for something, all I could do was trust that my contactless (and now temperamental) chip and pin would continue to work properly.
Fortunately, it did! Anyway, my stupid/self-inflicted blunder highlights the importance of carrying at least two different cards (one debit, one credit) as well as some cash when traveling.
While you don’t want to have too much cash on you, having roughly $50 stashed away from your main bag and on your person (think in your shoe/bra) is always a smart idea in case of an emergency. I’ve learned my lesson!
Nerves, Exploration, and Confidence
It’s natural to be scared on your first solo journey. When you’re out walking, walk confidently and appear to know what you’re doing and where you’re going.
Fake it ’til you make it, as they say! If you need to check your phone/map to make sure you’re on the right track, walking inside a coffee shop and searching through your bag is probably your best bet.
While you’re away, stay in contact.
Keeping in touch with loved ones back home has never been easier, especially now that data is cheaper than ever and WiFi is available at coffee shops, pubs, hotels, and airports all over the world.
You may also utilize apps like Apple’s ‘Find My,’ which allows authorized individuals (in my case, my parents) to check the position of your phone/laptop at any given time.
Give your itinerary to a friend, family member, or partner before you depart, and plan to check in with them on a regular basis. If something happens and you don’t contact someone, your friend/family member/partner can notify the appropriate individuals.
As a result, don’t share your current location on social media. If you’re traveling alone, this is very vital. I always wait a couple of days after leaving a location to post about it on social media. That way, I’ll be long gone by the time I claim to have visited a location.
Multiple copies of critical information should be kept on hand.
In this beginner’s guide to solo travel, one of the most important pieces of travel advice I can provide you is to keep numerous backup copies of critical information such as family/friends’ phone numbers and local emergency numbers in a little booklet in case your phone is stolen.
I also recommend keeping a photocopy of your passport and travel insurance with you at all times to leave with someone back home in case you misplace or lose your possessions.
Plan ahead of time for your lodging.
Whether you’re living in a hostel or splurging on a premium hotel, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my years of solo travel, it’s that the lodging you’re expecting often doesn’t match the photographs! As a result, always read the reviews before making a reservation to prevent being disappointed.
Find out if a location has any frauds or dangers.
I don’t say this to discourage you from taking your first vacation, but it’s critical to plan ahead of time before visiting a site in order to acquire a sense of any potential dangers or frauds.
While it is quite secure to travel alone in Paris, this does not mean that there aren’t petty crimes and regular tourist frauds. In the same line, I usually advocate carrying a crossbody bag when traveling because it is more difficult to pickpocket.
Purchase travel insurance.
This may seem like an unusual approach to make the most of any journey, particularly your first solo travel, but it is most likely the most vital. ‘If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to go,’ I frequently hear.
And, to be honest, they’re most likely correct. Travel insurance provides peace of mind and can potentially save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Accidents can happen to even the healthiest people, and you never know when they will happen.
With travel insurance, you can keep traveling, taking photos, and meeting new people while knowing that if the worst happens, you’ll be protected. Because, let’s face it, no one wants to return home with a t-shirt from a tourist attraction, let alone $100,000 in unpaid hospital bills!
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