6 Realistic tips for solo travel if it’s your first time

A first solo trip can be a roller coaster of emotions and these 6 realistic tips will help you to keep calm and enjoy your first solo trip easily. Read to know how

Remember the movie "Eat, Pray and Love" where Julia Roberts decides to travel alone to Bali, Rome and India after her divorce? This movie has beautifully shown how a woman is willing to travel miles away from her home, to be able to find a balance within her. The movie showcases the adventures one can have in new cities, the joy of indulging in different cultures, and the life lessons we can embrace from different people we meet on our solo travels. But, what this movie or any movie on traveling misses are the things that one should do before heading out for this lifetime adventure for the first time. 

A solo trip is a beautiful venture that every human should experience at least once in their lifetime. It allows an individual to discover new things about themselves that can help them in living a more fulfilling life. But solo traveling also comes with a set of rules that should not be neglected; there are a few things that every newbie must know when they are about to kickstart their first-ever solo trip. 

We have enlisted 6 tips for solo travel below that would give you a real picture of how solo traveling must be done. These tips will help you in planning your solo trip while ensuring that you are safe on your new adventure. 

So without wasting much time, let's begin with some realistic tips for first-time solo travelers-

• Choose a destination wisely 

Traveling to new destinations is indeed fun but sometimes it can be quite challenging if you are heading to a new place where the culture and language are completely alien to you. As a beginner, it is always wise to kickstart your solo journey by going to destinations, where you can be sure that there won’t be a complete language barrier. For starters, you would want to choose a place that isn’t very remote, conversing with the locals wouldn’t be a problem and most importantly, it is a place where you wouldn’t find yourself completely out of your comfort zone. Yes, we know that traveling is about experiencing new things about life that would be completely out of the box, but we would advise you to take baby steps when it comes to solo traveling. You wouldn’t want to push your limits to the extremes so that you feel so uncomfortable, that you never again would want to travel alone again in life.  
 

The best places to kickstart your first solo trip can be – 

• Thailand

A tourist-friendly place that offers cheap accommodations with essential amenities, Thailand is certainly an enjoyable and comfortable option. Most of the locals can speak English (not fluently but manageable) and the landscape of the place is ideal for you to retreat and enjoy your alone time. Beautiful beaches looking over the crystal blue water, lush jungle treks, and entertaining city life, makes Thailand an ideal place for first-time solo travelers. 
 

• Italy

Want to experience true love? Then head to Italy to fall in love with yourself- the truest love you can ever find. Italy is a place where amidst delicious food and great architecture, you’ll discover things about yourself that you had not known. The city offers a blend of history, art, and modernism, which often are helpful in the self-exploration process. The charm of walking on the streets of the beautiful city of Florence, the intriguing architecture of Rome, and the magnificent views of the Mediterranean sea from the hills of Taormina are some of the experiences you must indulge in while traveling solo to Italy. 

• Japan

If you were thinking that Japan is only about technology, then you are highly mistaken. Japan has garnered quite a reputation amongst travelers because of its iconic history and breathtaking landscapes. For solo traveling, choose to go beyond Tokyo. You can visit Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya for tourist fun while finding peaceful retreats in cities like Kichijoji and Shimokitazawa.  

Yes, there are more places that you can visit to experience your first-time solo travel but we wouldn't be able to enlist about all these places in detail in this blog. Therefore, to compensate a bit, we are highlighting some other popular destinations for first-time solo traveling that you must check out-

• 1. Australia
• 2. The Netherlands
• 3. Scotland 
• 4. England
• 5. Spain

• Leave the baggage

Be it the emotional baggage or the extra baggage, you must ensure that when you travel solo for the first time, you are packed with only essentials- a clear mind and light baggage with essential items. Before packing your luggage, check the weather and cultural norms of the country you are planning to visit. It is wise to pack according to the weather because it makes no sense to spend money on shopping for things that you would already have at home while checking the cultural norms would be necessary because many times, certain cultures are conservative about the clothes you wear on the streets of their city or while visiting some tourist attraction points, especially the ones which have a religious connotation. Therefore, if you are traveling to a place, where you would be visiting popular religious sites or in general, the place is conservative, then it would be wise to keep those revealing clothes at home and pack something more appropriate for the country you are visiting. Remember, you are a guest in their city and not vice versa, so try not to offend the locals because of certain things you are not accustomed to. A solo journey is all about being flexible and open to learning new things about the world and life which wouldn't happen if you would be disturbing the local setup with your rigidity. 


 

• Pre-bookings are a priority

One of the most important rules you should remember before heading out for your first solo trip is to do all your booking beforehand. Be it travel bookings or reservations for accommodations, you must ensure that you do not leave these two at the last minute. This not only helps in sorting your travel itinerary but also saves you a lot of money as pre-booking of traveling and accommodations are a lot cheaper than the price you’ll be charged on last-minute travel tickets or check-ins at the accommodations.  
 

• Learn the basic language

While traveling to a place where you know that there can be a possibility of language barriers, it is always wise to know the basics of their language. Words like “hello”, “help”, “thank you” and “sorry” and maybe a line or two like “Where is XYZ” should be learned in the language of the place you are visiting. By this, it will be a little easier for you to communicate with the locals of the place if they aren’t very fluent in English and also show your respect towards the local community. 


 

• Communicate your itinerary with someone at home

Yes, you are a grown-up and you can take good care of yourself, but when traveling to a new destination all by yourself you must be a little more cautious about your safety. When you land in a new place, firstly it is always wise to take a local number of the network that works the best in that place, secondly, keep constant communication with at least one member of your family or a friend so that they know about your whereabouts. This rule is important solely for your safety purpose, as let’s be practical, mishaps do not come with a warning, and therefore, informing someone about your location back at home can always come in handy while you are traveling solo. 
 

• Be prepared to expect the unexpected 

Like every journey, solo trips also come with a set of their challenges, and sometimes they can be frustrating because you would have to face them all alone. Therefore, before you head onto your first solo trip ever, prepare yourself mentally to be ready to face anything that comes your way. You must remind yourself that this trip is important for you to grow as a person and that would only happen if you are willing to move beyond your comfort zones. Once you have made your mind accustomed to this thought, it would be a lot easier for you to handle the new and very different things such as the lifestyle, food, languages and customs of the places you are visiting. 



Well, now that you have gone through some of the realistic solo trip tips, we are hoping that you would be feeling a little more confident about this adventure. Also, it is perfectly ok to feel nervous before going on your first ever solo trip, as this can act as a sign of good things to come. All you have to do is to remember the above mentioned tips and have a flexible approach for the solo trip because believe us, life's first solo trips are always an experience that you shall never forget. You'll discover things about your mind, body and soul that are still hidden from you. 

So just pack up your bags, remember our realistic 6 tips for solo travel and venture out to create newer horizons for yourself. 

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