5 ways to meet people when travelling alone
The fear of being along on the road keeps a lot of people from enjoying the liberating experience of solo travel. Which is a shame, because solo travel is actually a great way to meet people! We’ve put together five tips and tricks for meeting people when you’re travelling by yourself.
Group tours
Group tours are probably your best bet. By their very nature more than anything else, you’ll meet a new group of people as you take in an experience together. See if the place you’re visiting offers a free walking tour and if you meet someone you like invite them to lunch or dinner after.
Couchsurfing
Contrary to popular belief, Couchsurfing isn’t just about free accommodation. This online community brings together members passionate about travel, and often they’re keen as mustard to meet up with a new solo traveller. Just make sure you weed out the good ones from the crazies.
Take a course or class
This one’s a really good idea, particularly if you’re planning on staying somewhere for a longer period of time. These classes are full of people looking to bond with other people and join in some interesting travel experiences. Plus you may pick up a new skill in the process.
Talk to the locals
This one can be a little intimidating (particularly if you don’t know the local language), but if you’re feeling brave try striking up conversations with the people you interact with over your day. This can be anyone from hostel employees, bartenders to people just sitting in a café.
Find another travel mate
There is a range of websites available now where people can chart their travel plans and find people with similar ideas to join them for a section or more of their trip. But, as with Couchsurfing, make sure you spend enough time weeding out the crazies before you send them your passport details.
Embrace the solitude
Sometimes it’s nice to just be alone. This sort of thing can give you time to reflect on your trip and how it’s taking shape, the amazing sight you’re witnessing. Some of the most profound moments of solo travel are those that you experience by yourself, in your own company.
So there you have it, five ways to meet people as a solo traveller. In the end of the day, it comes down to you. And while it might seem intimidating striking up a conversation with a stranger, remember that there are a lot of good people in this world. You owe it to yourself to meet as many of them as possible.
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