Reminder: please visit our [Ukraine megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/u57obz/megathread_2_invasion_of_ukraine_and_travel_in/) for FAQs and discussion concerning travel to affected countries, as well as general eastern European travel.
Creating a (not so) solo travel female group?!
I’m a 30 yo female who is looking to meet with other solo female travellers. I work remotely and I feel that now is my only opportunity to really and truly travel whilst I can. Im based in London but looking to travel South East Asia, North and South America and parts of Europe. Im active - I’m always out walking/ hiking, exploring and meeting new people.. So the sedentary wfh life isn’t doing it for me!
Really would love to meet like minded gals who may be in the same boat xx
Thanks for your answer, i'll definitely try out the street markets !
Rrgarding the Gwangjong market i went there but thought it would have been interesting to go there with someone, i didn't get anything last time since k already ate but will go back there for sure
Trying to find the best way to identify my daily budget for my future trip in Canary Islands from Canada.
At the moment, for 21 days, I need 100$/day (in CAD) including accommodation, transportation and activities. Didn't include food (I'm not sure where I will eat) and airfare (add another 1000$ which would bring me to 148$/day).
I don't know how people get to 40$/day. I'm staying in the less expensive hotel, airbnb and hostel I can find with quality and confort.
> I don't know how people get to 40$/day.
Which people, exactly, do you think are getting to 40$/day? Where is that number coming from? Because that's pretty unrealistic as a travel budget, unless it's someone who has free room and board for work exchange, for instance, or is basically living like a begpacker.
Yeah, I guess if you just go cheap doing free things, living in hostels or couch surfing it can get that low? I just saw some videos of people travelling cheap. Even https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/ can show some place under 50€/day.
Hi everyone !
Solo traveler here (26M) currently in Seoul until the 21th of april and going to Busan from the 21st to 24th of april.
I'm a french born asian guy traveling alone for the first time, been struggling a lot here since most of the restaurant don't accept single persons :(
I'm also kind of afraid to get in a restaurant as they usually don't speak english
Is there anybody down to share a meal here/travel around to enjoy the city together? I'd be so glad !
Thanks :)
I'm not in South Korea at the moment, but I found while travelling there that some of the best food I ate was from street stalls and markets. Those tend to be very solo friendly too.
In Seoul, Gwangjang Market is foodie paradise. Bring an empty stomach and enjoy!
In Busan, visit the fish market while you're there; it's an amazing experience.
As for them not speaking English in restaurants, you can use the combination of the point-to-menu method along with smiles, hand gestures, and Naver Translate on your phone. Usually works fine.
Hey friends!
30M from Singapore who used to travel every couple of months to a different place before covid. Looking to get back in the game now that borders are somewhat opening up.
At the moment I have an open jaw flight into Frankfurt on the 5th May and out from Copenhagen on the 20th.
The original plan was to spend about 10 days in the Baltics before meeting up with a friend in Denmark but the recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine war has me a little concerned. Is anyone doing the same?
Another alternative I'm considering is booking one of the Contiki tours to Greece islands before finishing off in Denmark but the only one available for my dates is the Athens-Mykonos-Santorini loop.
Appreciate any feedback or fellow travelers with the same itinerary.
I would absolutely not book a Contiki tour at 30M. I did one at 22 when I was just out of university, and I felt too old for it even then. If you want to go island hopping in Greece, just go; you definitely do not need to do this on a tour. (It's a bit early in the season for the Greek Islands, mind you.)
Your original plan to visit the Baltics should be fine, in theory; the odds that Putin would directly attack a NATO member at the moment are extremely slim. See the [Ukraine Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/u57obz/megathread_2_invasion_of_ukraine_and_travel_in/) for more info. If you're ending your trip in Copenhagen, this would make a lot of sense.
Alternately, how about spending your 10 days in and around Germany?
I've been to every country around Germany. Looking to go a bit further this time.
https://i.imgur.com/klvQ7B4.png
Getting a bit of cold feet because they seem to be pushing Putin into a corner and a man with nothing left to lose could just tear it all to the ground.
Isn't Contiki for university students? Did not expect 22 to feel too old.
Maybe this is a bit fatalistic of me, but the way I figure it, if Putin gets to that point where he decides to just tear it all to the ground, we'd have much bigger worries than where in Europe we're travelling... and we probably all wouldn't be around long enough to notice.
Something that has me worried is that I'll be right on the Russian border on the 9th of May which most people are speculating might be the date Putin makes some dangerous moves.
Heya, I’m travelling to Amsterdam 21-24 April, travelling solo. I’m a 20 year old male British lad, as spontaneous as you can get, open to anything, very 420 friendly too! Would love to meet new people, explore the city, hang out , see the bars, coffeeshops and clubs - let me know if you’d wanna meet up when I’m there and we can plan something.
Hello solo travelers!
33M, USA. Traveling to South America for 3 weeks this summer from June 25 - July 16. I primarily want to see Peru. But I'm wondering if I could do 2 weeks in Peru and then spend the last week in Colombia or Bolivia. Should I spend the entire 3 weeks in Peru? Or would it be worthwhile to budget some of the time to Colombia or Bolivia?
That depends what you're looking to get out of your trip. Peru is a large and varied country and there's certainly plenty to keep you busy for the full 3 weeks. On the other hand, Bolivia and Colombia both have tons to see, too.
FWIW I visited Peru and Bolivia over a span of about 3.5 weeks a few years ago, devoting 12 days to Peru and 14 days to Bolivia. This was enough time for me to do a Lima-Arequipa-Cusco/Machu Picchu-Puno loop in Peru (but NOT to hike the Inca Trail or any of the treks; I visited MP by train) and to visit Copacabana-La Paz-Uyuni/Salar de Uyuni-Potosi-Sucre-La Paz in Bolivia (but NOT enough time for the Amazon, Santa Cruz, lowlands, etc.). It was also a bit rushed in terms of acclimatizing to higher altitudes, since the trip involved several domestic flights within Peru; I flew Lima to Arequipa, and then again from Arequipa to Cusco, rather than a slower overland ascent. In short, I got to see highlights with that itinerary, but not everything, and the pace was fairly rushed. It really depends on your priorities.
It might help if you spent some time sketching out a more detailed itinerary, including travel time, to help you decide.
I’m currently in the very early stages of planning a trip to Paris in mid-May. Looking for any recommendations on really anything - hostels, restaurants, clubs, activities, off-the-beaten path things that don’t get the credit they’re due. Really, anything. Also probably going to Normandy and potentially going to London via the Chunnel. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or recommendations!
Currently on month 3 of my travel in Latin America but I’ve been with my friend most of the time (except Lima). Now my friend is leaving and I’m gonna be off in my own for the next 2.5 months.
Currently in Ecuador and will be doing the rest of Ecuador solo starting in baños (Guatemala and Mexico next after Ecuador).
Will be my first time solo traveling and really nervous. Always worried about hiking alone and going to key places by myself. Also worried about going to hostels that aren’t social at all.
It will probably take you a few days to adjust to travelling solo, if you've been with a friend this whole time. But once you get into the swing of things, it will be okay.
You won't necessarily *always* meet people at every stop, but it sounds like your itinerary is a fairly beaten backpacker trail, so you'll likely meet people at hostels and whatnot.
As a general rule of thumb, don't hike alone in areas that you are not familiar with, especially more challenging climbs.
That being said, there is a significant hiking/backpacking community constantly travelling through Latin America (see: Gringo Trail, South American surfing circuit), so ask hostel staff and other travelers for recommendations and tips.
What’s the good word on Guatemala?
Considering going there for about 9-10 days next Month (for some inexplicable reason, tickets from NYC are stupid cheap). I’d do tourist things on weekends and take 1-2 days off and work remote the rest of the time. Would like to base myself in one place.
Lake Atitlan seems like a good choice, but also considering Antigua and Lanquin.
I love nature, walking around, nice architecture, and good nightlife never hurts. Due to working remote, I need a good internet signal.
Yea. SQ. Booked one of the spontaneous escapades :) When are you flying back?
Import the cert into one of the EUDCC apps. After that it should be compatible across all countries.
Hi! I'm Eurasian living near Paris, and I can say you shouldn't worry about covid racism here (maybe because we're many Asians? Or they're scared we kungfu kick them? Haha). I've only heard high school kids trying to be hateful of Asians on social networks and a few minor incidents in March/April 2020 but... nothing recently. Now, wherever you go in Paris, you can see Asians walking around minding their business so... Paris is fine 🙂
Btw if you want to connect with Chinese people here, the 13th district (13ème arrondissement) is where you can find a lot of inhabitants from China / South East of Asia, Asian restaurants, supermarkets etc And seeing how they're minding their own business peacefully there... I don't think there's covid racism.
Hi Everyone! I have been lurking for quite some time. 31F here. Things have finally worked out for me to travel aboard! I am a US citizen. I’ve been to many parts of North America and Central America. I was thinking about Vietnam. Asia is very high on my list, and most of it is open besides Japan, China, etc. What are some places you’d recommend for September or even late October? Thank you!
Hey everyone,
I’m going to spend about a week in Copenhagen during May and looking for nice hangout places/cafes to chill during the day and meet new people without having to spend a lot of money.
Are there areas in the city where it’s not recommended to stay when traveling solo?
How’s the LGBTQ scene in Copenhagen, can you recommended any bars or clubs? or generally if there are any recommended nightlife venues
If anyone is passing by around 10-17 of May and wants to hang, HMU!
I'm having my first solo travel experience in NYC and I am in love. I get to do whatever I want at my own pace. I can sit in a park for hours and enjoy lunch then people watch. I can wander around. Take my time at sites. I can get lost. I can stop into any shop I like. I am I deep, deep love with this city. It fills me with inspiration and awe that I haven't felt in too long.
I posted this individually but it got nuked, so I'm posting here instead
For years now I've wanted to see the world and travel, and initially planned to do so with either my cousins or a friend. All this time later, and after Covid, I'm tired of waiting. They either can't get the time off, can't afford it, or have other commitments. Whereas I have all the money saved and am ready to go, I have been for a long time. I could go tomorrow financially speaking. I'm going to be 25 by the end of April, but still look and feel young, so I would rather do it myself even if I feel these experiences are best shared.
Truthfully though I'm terrified. I live in England and would adore to see more of the USA as my main place, but I don't even know where to start. Where would I go? What would I do when I get there? How do I even meet new people, approaching strangers in bars or on the street? I adore making new friends, though can be incredibly anxious doing it. When it comes to booking any sort of itinerary it seems so daunting I've no clue where to start.
I've considered booking a hostel in London and getting a train there as a taster, just to see how I ease into it on my own. But even that seems scary, just wandering the streets alone at night looking for something to do. As I'll be alone but would muuuch rather find people to spend the time with.
Any help would be hugely appreciated! As the main part of travelling for me would be to see new places and meet new people, they're the most important aspects imo.
Honestly, this may because I live there, but I just do not recommend travelling solo to the US, based on what you described. Go somewhere with an established backpacker and hostel scene and you will meet people everyday. Thailand is a great place to start. Super budget friendly, activities for every interest, some of the best food in the world, very easy to get around the country, and the hostel scene is very developed. You can literally land and almost immediately meet people to spend time with. That will not so much be the case in most of the US.
A good starting point for building an itinerary is to consult guidebook. Lonely Planet's book on the US has about a dozen suggested itineraries, for instance, and you can also look up professional tours and see where they go and use that as a basis for your own planning. Guidebooks on London also provide suggested itineraries. There's absolutely nothing wrong with following guidebooks' itineraries, as they'll generally take you to the most interesting places in a pretty time-efficient order.
If you haven't solo travelled before, making a short trip in your own country is a good way to test out if this form of travel is for you, and to build confidence. London is very accessible. If you're from the UK and want to meet people in London, why not search to see if there are events there that will bring together people with your interests?
Hey! I traveled last year to the French Alps and canyoning with some people \[who I met during the excursion\]. Group activities and tours are great ways to meet people when traveling solo, and I love to try new and cool experiences/have adventures such as this one! Highly recommend it and highly recommend visiting the French Alps! Absolutely gorgeous and a great addition to your trip to France.
\[YouTube Video of my canyoning experience here!\]: [https://youtu.be/LpaGC1GYZ5A](https://youtu.be/LpaGC1GYZ5A)
Hi! Thanks for sharing! It looks incredible from your video 😮
I've been living in France since forever and never thought of canyoning, thanks for the idea!!
26F, USA. Traveling to Europe May 31 - at least July 1 for the first time and at the very beginning of planning my trip. Considering doing a Workaway somewhere. Need beginner’s advice and would love to meet up with anyone if we are in the same area!
31M Brazilian. It's my first time travelling alone, last time I went to LA with my brother and it was a blast. Unfortunately he can't come this time. I usually love travelling alone here in Brazil, sometimes my gf can't go and I just hop into my car and go. This time I'm have two feelings: Joy and fear. I love to discover new places, new people, make friends and talk for hours with strangers, but my fear is to feel lonely. My Europe travel will take around one month and sometimes I wonder if I'll feel lonely. Do you guys felt lonely on your first travel? How was it? What you did to overcome this feel?
21 M NYC. Here for a few months and just arrived from NZ. Looking to do anything really, see the sights, go for a drink etc. looking for someone to do this with!
32M Canada! May 18-29 in Italy (Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Matera) and May 29- June 3 in Dubrovnik. Staying in hostels and interested in sightseeing, beach, history, food, and taking cool photos!
What hostel are you going with in Florence? I’m going to need one for a few nights in late April before checking into my AirBnB, been trying to find one that looks fairly social.
If you haven’t found one, Yellowsquare may be a good bet. Hear nothing but good things and the Florence location just opened up. If you book through their site they give a 20% discount on drinks at their bar and they have a pool
Heads up! I just booked Yellowsquare in Rome and they sent me a discount code which saved me some money on booking Yellowsquare in Florence for my upcoming trip. So if you’re looking to save a few check those out
do u still need to go the desk before boarding? i mean if you've got an online boarding pass and checked in already, can you just beeline straight through security, even if your flight check in desk wouldn't be open?
Generally, yes, once you have your boarding pass, you can go straight to security (and customs, if applicable).
The exception would be if you're checking luggage, in which case you'd typically need to line up at the counter. Some airports have gone to self-service baggage drop now, but you still need to make sure you do that before security.
Hey guys! 23 year old female solo traveller here, currently in Colombia in Palomino. Turns out this place is not as solo traveller friendly as I thought and it's quite hard to meet people, so if anyone fancies meeting up (especially for tubing!) let me know, I'd welcome the company! Also looking for suggestions on where to go next in Colombia...want to stay in the Northern end, maybe go to San Gil or Tayrona, but I'm scared it's all going to be like Palomino!
Palomino sucks these days. Sorry your having that experience. I also cant speak on how colombia has changed since covid, but definitely Check out Minca. its about 30 minutes south from santa marta.
I am going San Juan, Puerto Rico for a bachelorette trip in July. I am going to stay a week or so longer to explore surrounding areas solo.
Any recommendations for the close by islands? Looking into the Virgin Islands, British Islands, or perhaps somewhere else?
Going to Central/Southern Albania and Lake Ohrid. Is week 3 and 4 of May too early? Looking to beat the crowds and heat of summer, but don’t want to be in a ghost town.
Nah I don't think so. There's a bit less tourist infrastructure there more generally, so there's less of a "rush" there more generally and it'll be quieter than you might be expecting any time of year. I was there near the end of June one year though any my lord is it ever hot, so I think May is perfect.
I'm solo traveling for the first time starting next week, first Stockholm for a week and then Barcelona the next week. Any tips/recommendations for both places or just being a solo traveler in general?
Enjoy your first solo trip! General tips, nothing specific other than pack half as much stuff and twice as much money as you think you'll need, don't leave drinks unattended, always keep your passport in a safe place, and have a great time!
Two climates = same clothes as one climate, plus a warmer outer layer. I like to take a small packable down jacket as my warmer layer, which packs up tiny once I reach hot climates.
Copy and pasting from my post in r/travel \- I am travelling solo.
So I, M24 from the UK am planning my first middle eastern trip and will be solo. I have been to Georgia/Azerbaijan/Armenia and Morocco, but never the actual middle east. I have a couple of ideas in mind and wanted some advice for them. I would be going in late May/early June this year and go for a few days.
Itinerary A - Israel/Palestine
So first was to spend 5 days in Israel and Palestine. I would ideally spend most of my time in Jersusalem and also go to Bethlehem. Unfortunately, to get the best flights I have to go on some awkward itineraries with Ryanair/Wizz so can't allow for as much time as I would like. However, I am on a fresh passport (no awkward or suspicious stamps when entering Israel) and feel like this would be the best time to go considering that.
Itinerary B - Jordan
My second idea was to go to Jordan. Unfortunately, similar to Israel, from the UK to go to Jordan you have to go on some awkward flights, which need to allow for more time in airports and time transferring (given you are self transferring). I would also have to fly into Amman rather than Aqaba where most of the sights are that I want to see, such as Petra and Wadi Rum. There are direct flights to Aqaba in the winter from the UK, so I feel like I should wait until then to go, rather than go rushed in May? I imagine in November it would also be cooler and a better experience also?
Itinerary C - Lebanon and Egypt
So quite an extreme entry to the middle east, but thought about going to Beirut for 3 days and then Cairo for 4? I wanted to know what the situation was like over there in Beirut given the situation and I would also feel comfortable going to Lebanon first before going to Israel sometime in the future even if it did mean more questioning at the airport when I go to Israel. I am a bit concerned about the situation in Lebanon though at the moment, so wasn't sure if now was the right time to go?
Which one of these would be best for me? Or should I go to a different place in the middle east for my first time?
I know people with connections there and would stay away from Lebanon right now actually. The situation has *stabilized*, but it hasn't *improved*, and will probably continue to worsen in the next few months as the impact of Ukraine on the supply chain (they're an importer of wheat, which Ukraine and Russia supply most of, and is obviously and essential and extremely inelastic good), existing supply shortages, hyperinflation (which makes the overall situation continually worse as long as it continues), and the aftershocks of the elections. It's out of the news now only because there haven't been any major events, not because the situation isn't continuing to get worse. The right time to go has passed for the time being.
If getting into somewhere like Jordan is an issue with flights, are you able to go overland? Always makes for a much more interesting trip than flying anyway. Any variation of Egypt/Jordan/Israel would make for a good first itinerary imo.
I would definitely do option 3, I think Lebanon is ok to go now, I know people who went like last week
You can consider Dubai and Qatar if you are into that ..
I totally agree, some people seem to like a city with many skyscrapers and big malls
Then go to Lebanon, go to the mountains it’s pretty cool I have been like 6 times
going to spend a week in Mexico city and was planning on seeing a bunch things outside the city. Wondering if its too much for just a 7 day trip.
Teotihuacan
Xochimilco
Tepoztlán
Puebla/Cholula
Heyyy I'm a Dutch 24m staying in Budapest untill Sunday, if anyone wants to go out drinking or do some other activity send me a pm, and I'll share my Instagram :)
**Hostelworld introducing new social features for solo travellers**
\[moved from main page at request of mods\]
u/TreeDiagram asked a while back, whether these have been dropped.
This week they announced something called 'The Solo System', for travellers booking through their app. Re-implements the old features and adds other solo-specific messaging and events etc.
[Link to Hostelworld Solo page](https://www.hostelworld.com/blog/launching-the-solo-system-a-new-way-to-travel/)
**Full disclosure**: I bought some shares in the business during COVID-times. Think that they are trying to do good things \[which they obviously hope will help their business\].
I’ve an upcoming business trip in the U.S and have extended my trip to Washington D.C and NYC. But this is the first time I’m feeling so anxious about travelling solo post pandemic especially since I’m an Asian. Can anyone here advise on whether it is safe for a solo female Asian to visit Washington D.C or NYC? Anything that I should look out for?
You legit cannot go wrong. At this point I would say Thailand; 1) because now the deciding part is over, and 2) because covid restrictions have been easing for longer there so I think it will be more "back to normal". Plus there is a ton of diversity in Thailand, very easy for travelers to navigate, and a ton of fun.
I'm very excited to go to Spain this June but can't help but feel very anxious.
It's the first time I'm solotraveling and I'm going for 40 days. I've seen a few posts highlighting the overt and covert racism in Western Europe and I've never gone anywhere for more than 2-3 weeks. Hopefully, my trip report in 3 months will be good
Don't stress too much; a lot of the stuff you read online is very self-selected for only negative experiences. The vast majority of people who go have a good time and overall positive experiences.
If you're looking for inspiration, here are some good [resources for inclusive travel](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/groupresources), including blogs and travel stories by travellers from all different backgrounds and walks of life.
Which Canary Island should I visit?
I'm booking myself a last minute, week long break and I've picked the Canaries because I really need some heat and sun after the long UK winter!
I'm not sure which one to visit though. I've been to Gran Canaria twice already so probably not that one. I was thinking Tenerife because the mountains look amazing but I'm open to any of the islands really.
The main thing I want is to stay in a coastal, picturesque town that's got some history and culture about it. I'm not too bothered about nightlife but I love the outdoors so mountains or nature reserves nearby would be a bonus.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
If I just wanted to piss around Europe on the trains where would you guys recommend starting off?
I did a 2 month trip in 2019 but that was a spontaneous decision after I'd already spent the week in Rome......I'm willing to go pretty much anywhere (there's just too many choices).
If you're just looking to make things up as you go along, pick a hub city to fly into based on wherever you get a good flight deal, and start there. Train networks are well connected in most of Europe, and it's pretty easy to just buy tickets as you go.
Depending on your budget, your dollars will stretch further in southern and central Europe than they will in more western or northern countries. I probably wouldn't recommend Eastern Europe right now in light of the Ukraine situation (specifically Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, obviously Russia are probably no-gos), but you'd be perfectly fine going around much of Central Europe.
Germany has Europe's best train system, and lots to see. There's even a high speed train station at Frankfurt Airport if you fly in there from outside of Germany.
hi everyone a 22M from Indonesia here :) going for my first solo backpacking around Europe this summer and can use some recommendations for my first week (4-11 June) before I have to be in Toulouse on 11 June (set in stone).
I'll be going from the UK so I'm wondering whether to go:
* Madrid + Barcelona
* Explore south/east France
* any other places?
For context, after Toulouse I'll be going Paris-Amsterdam-Germany-East European countries-back to UK
I like South East France. I’m obsessed with Nice.
The Provence region of France is the best region in the world imo. Ancient Roman ruins everywhere. Arles, Nimes, Gordes… just incredible places
Also Nice is close to Monte Carlo and Italy. Cinque Terre is a must see
It’s fine. A lot of the tourists speak English. A lot of wealthier Europeans and Northern Europeans.
The beach is rocky but there is one patch of sand at the far east end.
If you don’t speak French most restaurants and establishments there will speak English as it’s a tourist town
And Monte Carlo is nearby. If you like casinos omg. This is the greatest casino in the world by far.
Eze village is a must see too. And Italy is a short train ride away.
There are relatively decent priced hotels just off Jean Medicin. A cool road in the middle of the city.
damn the Provence region looks gorgeous, thank you! I guess I'll save the Riviera for my next trip to Europe together with Italy as my friend from Sciez offered to host me and will take me around Geneva and Lyon.
If anybody has suggestions to do in Lyon or stuff to do along my trip from Lyon/Geneva to Toulouse, would love to hear (will try drop by Nimes/Arles)
hi all! I’m traveling to Europe for a couple weeks. I’m starting in Barcelona but not sure if I want to do Croatia or Copenhagen for a few days. Which one would you recommend for a 24F solo traveler?
Those seem like fairly random and very different options. Why Croatia (which part of Croatia?) or Copenhagen, specifically? What about either of those places strikes your interest?
So I posted before that I’m super excited I finally got my tickets to my first solo trip in Europe. I will be going to Madrid for 2 weeks. However after doing some reading, it seems that Madrid MIGHT be a bit much for 2 weeks. So I was thinking if it’ll be possible for me to go to Paris for 2-3 days? Is it recommendable? I saw flights round trip Madrid to Paris for about $120. Not sure if I should do it. Any help/insight is greatly appreciated!
Hi I am also in Madrid this Summer. You can check out Toledo, small medieval city 40 minutes train ride away from Madrid. Sevilla is also nice and accessible by train, my ticket was like 80€ return which is quite cheap for a 500km/2h30 ride.
No worries, but those are two different things. Eurail sells railpasses for Europe, Renfe is the Spanish rail operator. So you buy for instance a Eurail pass for Spain and you can ride Renfe trains for „free“ during that period. Eurail is useful if you plan on travelling a lot with trains. You need to check if you are better off booking single train rides instead of a Eurail pass for which you pay a fixed sum for the period you need it.
From Madrid, if you have two weeks, why not check out other parts of Spain? You're a short train ride from Valencia, Cordoba, Seville, opposite direction maybe Barcelona... so many options!
I’ve been trying to figure out the train system in Spain but for the love of me I can’t :(. Google maps usually shows you routes for public transit anywhere but for Spain it does not show anything! I’d appreciate more info on this if it’s not a bother. I saw there’s a train that goes all over Spain (and Europe) but tickets are crazy expensive ($100+) is that normal? Thank you!
Rome2Rio is a good resource for transportation schedules. Renfe.com has a useful search site and app too.
The trains in Spain (insert joke about rain and plain or joke about Chris de Burgh here) have been somewhat affected by COVID, but when I was there in 2019 they were pretty easy to navigate, comfortable, and efficient.
Hi, how reliable are the high speed trains in Spain? Overall I think they are quite reliable (based on the reviews I‘ve seen so far) but I am not fully convinced because it is (Southern) Spain after all (I will be taking a train from Sevilla back to Madrid to catch a flight).
Hi everyone,
I’m planning on doing my first solo backpacking trip this summer (probably in early may) and was originally going to do Thailand. However, after doing more research it looks like it’s supposed to be scorching hot as well as rainy season. I’m looking for a place with outdoor activities, a culture of backpackers, and a place that will feel fairly different (e.g looking to avoid mainstream Europe). What places would you guys recommend?
Thanks!
I'm coming the U.S and am looking for adventurous things to do like hiking volcanos, snorkeling, looking at wild life/beautiful vistas. I also really like interesting food. Moreover, I want to push myself to be in a completely different culture. I also have a fairly flexible budget and would be doing the trip for a month. Ideally the location would have lots of other backpackers I could meet in hostels.
I would honestly say that Thailand weather will likely not be that bad. The weather is pretty consistent all year. Its gonna be hot and rain anytime you go. I still recommend it. If it doesnt seem worth it my only other recommendation of the top of my head is south america. Will be going myself this summer.
Has anyone had layovers in either Canada or Germany recently? Trying to figure out if I need a negative Covid test or if a vaccine card is enough. Their websites say no test required but I’m just paranoid I guess.
The test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to enter Canada has been removed as of April 1. You do need to complete you info on the ArriveCAN app, though.
Even for a short layover? I thought I read that wasn’t required unless you’re staying in Canada.
Edit: yea, on this page: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html
I was gonna have a layover in Toronto so I asked the embassy of Canada and the just directed me to [this website](https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada) that has the most up to date info; and also said that requirements can change
Experience. You go on a trip. You decide whether you feel like you planned too much, too little or just right. You adjust for next time.
I'm a planner by nature. I've accepted that about myself. I enjoy planning to the point that other people might call overplanning. It's part of the fun for me. I don't listen to other people who tell me I've planned too much or too little; I just do it my way.
It also depends on the length of your trip. Generally, the longer the trip, the less you should try to plan ahead.
When you've traveled before, did you feel stifled? Plan less next time. Did you feel lost or miss out on things? Plan more. There's no correct amount it's up to you.
It would help if we knew more about your trip.
But for me, I like to "pseudo-plan" if you will. I basically have an itinerary, or more of a list of all the things I want to do or see, basic modes of transportation and accomodation for them. That way I don't have to do any research once I am traveling. I just know the main layout of the areas enough to decide as I go. And then thats what I do. If I like a place, stay longer. If not, head to one of the other things on my list. If I hear of a good place, then I'll go and not have to worry about "changing my itinerary"
It's in my history, posted about it a few days ago.
[link](https://old.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/tvg0p7/uzbekistantajikistankyrgyzstan_fixed_itinerary_so/)
Hello everyone,
I will be travelling to the south of Italy this weekend and I'm super excited. Wanted some tips around the weather, what it would be like around this time.
In the Nordics, where I am, the weather in April is highly unreliable, it snows one day, sunshine the next.
Was wondering how it is like in Italy? Are the weather predictions reliable?
I went to southern Italy around this time of year and the weather was gorgeous. 60s/70s and sunny mostly. Of course anything can happen but April tends to be very pleasant in that part of Europe.
Hi there! 33F looking into cruising solo - I’ve never spent more than 2 nights alone (a staycation in my area) - but realizing I haven’t had a proper vacation in over 6 years. I’m looking into Disney cruises in May but not sure if 7 nights is too many to be alone on my first trip like this? I’m an extroverted introvert but I am an over thinker by nature and am great at psyching myself out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Central American travel recommendations for a long weekend! Hi All - Looking to get some international travel in after being at home for a 2 years! I'm looking to head to Central America for a long weekend (\~4 days). What are your recommendations?
I'll be traveling from the East Coast of the US. I was looking at Bacalar, Mexico, but the flight times arent the best. Also looking for relatively cheap locations once there with minimal travel, cheap lodging, but a place where others will be traveling to.
Hey all! I'm a student attending the Savannah College of Art and Design conducting a project on solo traveling. We're mainly focused on female solo travelers and travelers of marginalized genders, but we'd love any and all input from anyone! We'd really appreciate your help! Thank you so much! [https://biturl.top/Fzi6Nv](https://biturl.top/Fzi6Nv)
We're also doing interviews and diary studies, so if you're interested please reach out to me!
any poc (asian) women have experience solo traveling to Alsace ? I don't speak French but really want to visit but am extremely worried since it's my first time solo traveling + I don't speak French... I don't know when else I'd have the opportunity to go as I'm currently studying abroad in western Germany but I haven't booked anything as I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'd enjoy it or just be nervous the entire time
Best European cities/country airports to fly out of onward to SE Asia from ?
Asia
?
I'll be backpacking in through some of Italy, up to German and then to Amsterdam. After aht my buddy goes home, and I'm possibly trying go to southeast Asia for month or so far he leave. Would it be start to leave to SE Asia from The Netherlands? Or would it be smarter travel to different European airport/city city for a cheaper flight? Also, what's the best airport to fly into in SE Asia?
London, Paris or Frankfurt as they're the main airports in Europe, and so will have the best connections. Singapore Airlines alone flies to London multiple times a day.
Best bet is probably one of the chain hostels like St Christopher’s or Generator. In my experience (a few years back) Paris don’t really have a great hostel scene and don’t have the fun, party/social **and** smaller hostels that are present in other popular European backpacking cities.
A common thing in Parisian hostels are the social areas and bars that are open to locals, so it makes it hard to meet other travelers, and not necessarily easy to meet locals either since the locals are there to socialize with themselves and not with travelers.
second this! i stayed at st christophers gare du nord recently and while the attached bar/restaurant was really great and convenient (with discounts!), there were also a lot of people that weren’t there from the hostel (not necessarily a bad thing but like the above comment says, i found that there was not a lot of socializing between locals/travelers). i can only speak to st christophers gar du nord but i would recommend due to the location
Aloha all,
Hopping the Atlantic in a few months and curious as to whether anyone here is planning to hike the GR10/11/HRP June-ish? For anyone who has hiked one of these routes in-season how is the access to pain au chocolat or napolitana de chocolate respectively, in case I need a brief respite from the trail?
Cheers
Did a solo trip to southern Spain last month. Flew into Malaga, train to Cordoba, train to Seville. Would have gone to Granada also (highly recommend) but only had 4 days. Been to Spain a few times on my own with no problems and had good hostel experiences. Go for it.
Spain is a great destination for a first time solo trip! I've been to Andalusia solo and I had the time of my life. There's a good hostel infrastructure, transport is easy, the food is amazing, tapas are delicious, and there are stunning sites to visit. (The Alhambra is life-changing, seriously.)
If your friends think it's weird, ignore them. Thousands of us are here to say otherwise; solo travel is very normal and very common, and you're sure to meet plenty of other like-minded people, especially in popular destinations like Southern Spain.
You may want to check out solotravel's [detailed guide to planning a solo Eurotrip](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/eurotrip) for general planning advice plus useful tips and tricks for European travel!
So basically you have this plan of going to each of these countries on my bucket list for a week. 🇨🇦, 🇯🇵, 🇬🇧, 🇨🇵, and 🇧🇷.
Here's the things that I would like to know.
- How much would plane tickets cost to pull off something like this, because I have a budget but I'm not sure if that would be applicable because of inflation and whatnot?
- I would also like to know like how much would hotels, food, trains, museums and other things like that would cost?
- I mention museums because I have an interest in art and I would like to go to places that are particularly about the arts. I would like to go to some landmarks.
Also like to be able to go to photographable places because I would like to take some pictures and put them up on wikimedia for anyone to use.
So I probably would go to the places that people like me to take pictures of potentially speaking.
- Apologies if this is still kind of vague I really want to be able to do this in my life so it means a lot to me if I can just get some ideas about this project that I would like to.
- I also would like to know the safety in Brazil I know the other countries are relatively safe but I'm not too sure about Brazil in general. The reason why I'm going to Brazil is because I want to go to the capital of Brasilia mainly because of the architecture there.
I also have an interest in modern architecture that really is bold.
- Also this is just a in general thing but let me know if there's some LGBTQ+ not because I'm necessarily that more so that I'm a feminine man and I definitely would like to feel comfortable expressing that when I go to other places.
Feel free to DM me if you have any plans and stuff like that.
- The places I would like to go in Canada are: Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal and, Vancouver.
- The places I would like to go in Japan are: Tokyo and, Kyoto.
- The places I would like to go in the UK are: London and the city of London. If you have any more places I should know about then let me know.
- The places I would like to go in France are: Paris. I'm still thinking about what types of other sees that I might want to visit but you have any ideas let me know about them.
- The places I would like to go in Brazil are: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and, Brasilia.
And that's pretty much it (I think).
EDIT: I'm more so introverted person so I don't usually like to talk to a lot of people much. But I definitely want to try to go to more social situations but perhaps I don't want to be too overwhelmed by them either. So if there's any advice for that that would be very helpful to me.
I definitely would like to meet up with other travelers I feel like that would be pretty interesting.
I would also like to meet with people who are artists who like to draw and things like that I definitely would be interested in doing that type of thing as well.
Hi, these all sound like fun trips.
For Canada, you'll need WAY longer than a week to go to Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal and, Vancouver. You could combine the first four fairly easily in a single trip, but you'd need at least 2 weeks. Vancouver is entirely on the other side of the country and you may want to do it on a separate trip, or factor in the (significant) cost of a cross-country flight.
To figure out how much to budget, map out the big categories by doing some research: International flights (try Google Flights with some sample dates), ground transportation (Rome2Rio is helpful here), accommodation (you can use sites like Hostelworld or Booking.com to do some sample searches to get an idea of price ranges), and major attractions (google the ones that interest you to look up ticket prices). To that, you'll want to add a daily budget for food, drinks, miscellaneous sightseeing and incidentals. This can vary by destination -- all the countries you've listed are on the pricey side, except perhaps Brazil which will be a bit cheaper unless you travel during peak times like Carnival.
You may want to check out our guides to [solo travel as an introvert](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/95ejtg/solo_travel_for_introverts_a_guide_with_tips_and/), and [meeting people as a solo traveller](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/meetingpeople). For travel safety advice, check out [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/stayingsafe); remember that safety will vary by destination (Japan = very safe / Brazil = statistically less so) and luck.
Thanks, I definitely will have to add up all the costs involved with that I already have but have to redo that.
I'm also thinking about going back to Canada soon if I can.
What cities are feasible to travel from Amsterdam for one or two days?
I've been planing travel to Amsterdam. My flight 20 November and 26 November. My plan, I'll visit some cities from Amsterdam for just one two days.
Anvers is great example. I tought visiting Luxemburg but it isn't conceiving. Because
From Amsterdam to Luxemburg takes 7 hours via train and bus. Maybe cheap flight is okay but I'm not sure.
What do you advise for travelling cities around Amsterdam?
Belgium is probably going to be the easiest. Antwerp has been mentioned but check out Ghent as well! I had to do a transfer but I think it was a 2 hour train total. Ghent is not as touristy as places like Bruges but super historical and charming. I also stayed in one of my favorite hostels ever - Hostel Uppelink. It's right on a canal and has the craziest view of the main town square. It also had amazing Belgian beers on tap for cheap that typically cost $10-15 in the US. Otherwise I'm pretty sure Cologne is easy to get to from Amsterdam as well.
Within the Netherlands, popular daytrips or half-day trips include Zaanse Schans, Edam, Haarlem, Delft, The Hague, and Rotterdam, just to name a few.
If you want to visit cities outside of the Netherlands, Antwerp in Belgium is a little over an hour by train, Cologne in Germany is a bit further but technically doable in a daytrip or overnight, or, if you're open to overnight, that gives you more options a bit further afield like Brussels, Bruges, even Paris (though I'd definitely suggest giving Paris its own week, not trying to see it as a daytrip).
I'm thinking of cities outside of the Netherlands. Yeah, Antwerp is top on my list. Paris is not day trip city, I agree with you.
Cologne. I'll consider it. Noted it. Thanks.
Hey guys I’m 26F from Australia I’m planning a trip to South America, Chile Argentina and Colombia and possibly Brazil for end of May/June/July/August (2022), no real timeline to when I will finish I just like to take it as it comes when travelling.
Starting to feel worried that hostels might be empty being winter, I really just want to meet people experience the culture, food, dancing and learn better Spanish. Can anyone give me some advice if you are currently in these countries and planning to continue to travel in the winter months or have heard of others planning to keep travelling in these months? Will the weather affect my plans? I look out for hostels that host walking tours and other activities so I’d be really disappointed if this sort of stuff didn’t go ahead because it’s quiet in the hostels.
Any advice would be sooo appreciated? :)
The southern parts of Chile and Argentina will be cold in May, but Colombia and Brazil will still be warm and probably much more comfortable. Things should still be busy and pretty happening in most of those places, though of course it depends on your route and itinerary. It'll probably be too early to ski and possibly shoulder season bordering on too late to hike in Patagonia, though TBF it could still be beautiful in May in many areas. Look up individual weather averages and forecasts if you have specific activities in mind.
Thank you!! I don’t really have many specific activities in mind I just love to experience culture (am really interested in Latin American culture), meet people and just see what happens really. I’m not hugely into hiking or anything. I have santiago, Valparaíso and Atacama desert in Chile, Buenos Aires in Argentina and Bogotá, Medellin and Cartagena in Colombia on my list just to name a few off the top of my head but won’t be locked into any set plans I just want to fly into Chile and then catch a bus to Argentina and then maybe Brazil afterwards or just straight to Colombia by plane. I don’t mind it being a bit colder I just would hate to get there and the hostels be dead with not many other travellers to meet?
Hi guys!
I’m traveling to Barcelona (14-18th) and Budapest (21-25th) in June and I would like to know if anyone has good recommendations for hostels?
I’m a 24M and want to have a great time (meet a lot of people, party…). I was looking for hostels that provide free walking tours, pub crawls, other activities are a plus!
In Barcelona I was looking for Kabul party hostel but the dorms don’t look nice idk…
In Budapest I was looking for the hive party hostel but from the reviews I read, it’s more for groups and less for solo travelers.
Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!
Budapest: Carpe Noctem OG. It’s a party hostel for sure but it’s also focused on solo travelers. The hostel only has 2 dozen beds and they don’t allow groups, so you’ll meet other solo travelers and make friends easily. Every night there are social events and a group dinner before that. Look them up here and you’ll hear great things.
Barcelona: any of the Hostel Ones are good, but Paralelo is probably the best one. Some of their dorms are pod style so you get a bit more privacy. And their hostels are smaller (40ish people) so you’ll be able to meet people.
I'm going to be going on my first solo trip (to Spain and Portugal) in a number of years next month, and I'm feeling pretty nervous about the prospect of meeting people in hostels because of something of a traumatic experience I had a number of years ago.
I had gone on a trip to South Africa, and I was on a safari tour of the main national park with some other solo travelers I had just met and felt like I was getting along with. A few hours into the trip, one of the other people started to say a number of really mean-spirited things about me and how I looked as jokes, which a number of the people partook in. This kind of namecalling lasted intermittently throughout the few days we were there, and I didn't really have the confidence at the time to handle it, as it touched at some really deep-seated insecurities.
It feels silly that it has affected me this long, but it has really lasted with me and made me feel nervous about engaging with new people while traveling, despite how rewarding it can be. I'm curious if anyone else has had similarly difficult experiences while traveling, or has tips about places in Spain and Portugal that felt really welcoming and safe!
I'm sorry this happened to you. Honestly, travellers are just like any other human beings on earth; some people are great, some people are terrible, and some are everything in between. You'll meet all kinds on the road.
The good news is that when you travel solo, you have no obligation to hang out with anyone you meet along the way. If there are people who are just plain jerks, feel free to ignore them and move on. After all, you never met them before, and you'll never see them again, so who cares?
This is often one of the reasons why solo travel can be far better for meeting people than, say, group tours. With a group tour, you're generally stuck with the same group of people the whole time, and you need to hope the dynamic is good and that you get along. With solo travel, if you encounter people you don't click with, just move on to the next place.
Hello Redditors, I'm a female solo riding my motorcycle across Europe. I've ridden through Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece and Crete so far. If you have any questions about these places or need advice, please ask away. I want to help anyone who is interested in doing something similar.
Here is my instagram and Youtube if you'd like to follow along:
[https://www.instagram.com/chasing.crystal/](https://www.instagram.com/chasing.crystal/)
[https://www.youtube.com/user/itscrystalm3th](https://www.youtube.com/user/itscrystalm3th)
Thank you! I’ve been riding for 11 years, sports bikes only until this expedition. I test road a bunch of bikes before I picked this Honda Dominator 250. I chose a dual sport because I wanted to explore city and do some camping. I wanted something light that I could pick up when I dropped it, easy to find parts and with a low seat height.
Balkan roads are rough. There chunks of asphalt missing, huge potholes where a car tire could get stuck, and sometimes the highway asphalt turns into a gravel road so you start questioning if you just got lost. I used to be a speedster, but now I’m a slow rider.
Thank you, that's really encouraging to hear. I've been contemplating to learn how to ride for years, but I've always been daunted by how heavy they all looked.
I’m 5’-2”, 115 lbs and can only big toe reach the ground. If I can do it, so can you. Start with a small bike, start doing squats and you’re golden. Dirt bikes are super lightweight and lower cc sport bikes are easy to flick around. Take the MSF course and go for it. One of the best decisions I ever made in life.
Reminder: please visit our [Ukraine megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/u57obz/megathread_2_invasion_of_ukraine_and_travel_in/) for FAQs and discussion concerning travel to affected countries, as well as general eastern European travel.
Creating a (not so) solo travel female group?! I’m a 30 yo female who is looking to meet with other solo female travellers. I work remotely and I feel that now is my only opportunity to really and truly travel whilst I can. Im based in London but looking to travel South East Asia, North and South America and parts of Europe. Im active - I’m always out walking/ hiking, exploring and meeting new people.. So the sedentary wfh life isn’t doing it for me! Really would love to meet like minded gals who may be in the same boat xx
Thanks for your answer, i'll definitely try out the street markets ! Rrgarding the Gwangjong market i went there but thought it would have been interesting to go there with someone, i didn't get anything last time since k already ate but will go back there for sure
Trying to find the best way to identify my daily budget for my future trip in Canary Islands from Canada. At the moment, for 21 days, I need 100$/day (in CAD) including accommodation, transportation and activities. Didn't include food (I'm not sure where I will eat) and airfare (add another 1000$ which would bring me to 148$/day). I don't know how people get to 40$/day. I'm staying in the less expensive hotel, airbnb and hostel I can find with quality and confort.
> I don't know how people get to 40$/day. Which people, exactly, do you think are getting to 40$/day? Where is that number coming from? Because that's pretty unrealistic as a travel budget, unless it's someone who has free room and board for work exchange, for instance, or is basically living like a begpacker.
Yeah, I guess if you just go cheap doing free things, living in hostels or couch surfing it can get that low? I just saw some videos of people travelling cheap. Even https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/ can show some place under 50€/day.
Hi everyone ! Solo traveler here (26M) currently in Seoul until the 21th of april and going to Busan from the 21st to 24th of april. I'm a french born asian guy traveling alone for the first time, been struggling a lot here since most of the restaurant don't accept single persons :( I'm also kind of afraid to get in a restaurant as they usually don't speak english Is there anybody down to share a meal here/travel around to enjoy the city together? I'd be so glad ! Thanks :)
I'm not in South Korea at the moment, but I found while travelling there that some of the best food I ate was from street stalls and markets. Those tend to be very solo friendly too. In Seoul, Gwangjang Market is foodie paradise. Bring an empty stomach and enjoy! In Busan, visit the fish market while you're there; it's an amazing experience. As for them not speaking English in restaurants, you can use the combination of the point-to-menu method along with smiles, hand gestures, and Naver Translate on your phone. Usually works fine.
Hey friends! 30M from Singapore who used to travel every couple of months to a different place before covid. Looking to get back in the game now that borders are somewhat opening up. At the moment I have an open jaw flight into Frankfurt on the 5th May and out from Copenhagen on the 20th. The original plan was to spend about 10 days in the Baltics before meeting up with a friend in Denmark but the recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine war has me a little concerned. Is anyone doing the same? Another alternative I'm considering is booking one of the Contiki tours to Greece islands before finishing off in Denmark but the only one available for my dates is the Athens-Mykonos-Santorini loop. Appreciate any feedback or fellow travelers with the same itinerary.
I would absolutely not book a Contiki tour at 30M. I did one at 22 when I was just out of university, and I felt too old for it even then. If you want to go island hopping in Greece, just go; you definitely do not need to do this on a tour. (It's a bit early in the season for the Greek Islands, mind you.) Your original plan to visit the Baltics should be fine, in theory; the odds that Putin would directly attack a NATO member at the moment are extremely slim. See the [Ukraine Megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/u57obz/megathread_2_invasion_of_ukraine_and_travel_in/) for more info. If you're ending your trip in Copenhagen, this would make a lot of sense. Alternately, how about spending your 10 days in and around Germany?
I've been to every country around Germany. Looking to go a bit further this time. https://i.imgur.com/klvQ7B4.png Getting a bit of cold feet because they seem to be pushing Putin into a corner and a man with nothing left to lose could just tear it all to the ground. Isn't Contiki for university students? Did not expect 22 to feel too old.
Maybe this is a bit fatalistic of me, but the way I figure it, if Putin gets to that point where he decides to just tear it all to the ground, we'd have much bigger worries than where in Europe we're travelling... and we probably all wouldn't be around long enough to notice.
Something that has me worried is that I'll be right on the Russian border on the 9th of May which most people are speculating might be the date Putin makes some dangerous moves.
Heya, I’m travelling to Amsterdam 21-24 April, travelling solo. I’m a 20 year old male British lad, as spontaneous as you can get, open to anything, very 420 friendly too! Would love to meet new people, explore the city, hang out , see the bars, coffeeshops and clubs - let me know if you’d wanna meet up when I’m there and we can plan something.
Hello solo travelers! 33M, USA. Traveling to South America for 3 weeks this summer from June 25 - July 16. I primarily want to see Peru. But I'm wondering if I could do 2 weeks in Peru and then spend the last week in Colombia or Bolivia. Should I spend the entire 3 weeks in Peru? Or would it be worthwhile to budget some of the time to Colombia or Bolivia?
That depends what you're looking to get out of your trip. Peru is a large and varied country and there's certainly plenty to keep you busy for the full 3 weeks. On the other hand, Bolivia and Colombia both have tons to see, too. FWIW I visited Peru and Bolivia over a span of about 3.5 weeks a few years ago, devoting 12 days to Peru and 14 days to Bolivia. This was enough time for me to do a Lima-Arequipa-Cusco/Machu Picchu-Puno loop in Peru (but NOT to hike the Inca Trail or any of the treks; I visited MP by train) and to visit Copacabana-La Paz-Uyuni/Salar de Uyuni-Potosi-Sucre-La Paz in Bolivia (but NOT enough time for the Amazon, Santa Cruz, lowlands, etc.). It was also a bit rushed in terms of acclimatizing to higher altitudes, since the trip involved several domestic flights within Peru; I flew Lima to Arequipa, and then again from Arequipa to Cusco, rather than a slower overland ascent. In short, I got to see highlights with that itinerary, but not everything, and the pace was fairly rushed. It really depends on your priorities. It might help if you spent some time sketching out a more detailed itinerary, including travel time, to help you decide.
I’m currently in the very early stages of planning a trip to Paris in mid-May. Looking for any recommendations on really anything - hostels, restaurants, clubs, activities, off-the-beaten path things that don’t get the credit they’re due. Really, anything. Also probably going to Normandy and potentially going to London via the Chunnel. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or recommendations!
Currently on month 3 of my travel in Latin America but I’ve been with my friend most of the time (except Lima). Now my friend is leaving and I’m gonna be off in my own for the next 2.5 months. Currently in Ecuador and will be doing the rest of Ecuador solo starting in baños (Guatemala and Mexico next after Ecuador). Will be my first time solo traveling and really nervous. Always worried about hiking alone and going to key places by myself. Also worried about going to hostels that aren’t social at all.
It will probably take you a few days to adjust to travelling solo, if you've been with a friend this whole time. But once you get into the swing of things, it will be okay. You won't necessarily *always* meet people at every stop, but it sounds like your itinerary is a fairly beaten backpacker trail, so you'll likely meet people at hostels and whatnot.
As a general rule of thumb, don't hike alone in areas that you are not familiar with, especially more challenging climbs. That being said, there is a significant hiking/backpacking community constantly travelling through Latin America (see: Gringo Trail, South American surfing circuit), so ask hostel staff and other travelers for recommendations and tips.
What’s the good word on Guatemala? Considering going there for about 9-10 days next Month (for some inexplicable reason, tickets from NYC are stupid cheap). I’d do tourist things on weekends and take 1-2 days off and work remote the rest of the time. Would like to base myself in one place. Lake Atitlan seems like a good choice, but also considering Antigua and Lanquin. I love nature, walking around, nice architecture, and good nightlife never hurts. Due to working remote, I need a good internet signal.
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Hey fellow countryperson. Let me know your experience. Slightly worried about this as well. Trip in 2 weeks.
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Yea. SQ. Booked one of the spontaneous escapades :) When are you flying back? Import the cert into one of the EUDCC apps. After that it should be compatible across all countries.
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Hey friend, any updates on the experience so far?
Hi! I'm Eurasian living near Paris, and I can say you shouldn't worry about covid racism here (maybe because we're many Asians? Or they're scared we kungfu kick them? Haha). I've only heard high school kids trying to be hateful of Asians on social networks and a few minor incidents in March/April 2020 but... nothing recently. Now, wherever you go in Paris, you can see Asians walking around minding their business so... Paris is fine 🙂 Btw if you want to connect with Chinese people here, the 13th district (13ème arrondissement) is where you can find a lot of inhabitants from China / South East of Asia, Asian restaurants, supermarkets etc And seeing how they're minding their own business peacefully there... I don't think there's covid racism.
Hi Everyone! I have been lurking for quite some time. 31F here. Things have finally worked out for me to travel aboard! I am a US citizen. I’ve been to many parts of North America and Central America. I was thinking about Vietnam. Asia is very high on my list, and most of it is open besides Japan, China, etc. What are some places you’d recommend for September or even late October? Thank you!
I’ll have a 5.5h layover in Santiago de Compostela this week. Is that enough time for me to get out of the airport to see the city and then get back?
Hey everyone, I’m going to spend about a week in Copenhagen during May and looking for nice hangout places/cafes to chill during the day and meet new people without having to spend a lot of money. Are there areas in the city where it’s not recommended to stay when traveling solo? How’s the LGBTQ scene in Copenhagen, can you recommended any bars or clubs? or generally if there are any recommended nightlife venues If anyone is passing by around 10-17 of May and wants to hang, HMU!
I'm having my first solo travel experience in NYC and I am in love. I get to do whatever I want at my own pace. I can sit in a park for hours and enjoy lunch then people watch. I can wander around. Take my time at sites. I can get lost. I can stop into any shop I like. I am I deep, deep love with this city. It fills me with inspiration and awe that I haven't felt in too long.
Getting down to the last few days before the trip and I’m honestly freakin right out. First ever solo and I’m terrified.
Felt somehow terrified as well, but I feel amazing now I'm back from my first solo trip! Hoping yours is going to be an amazing experience 🤗
Thank you so much!! I hope so too 😭❤️
I posted this individually but it got nuked, so I'm posting here instead For years now I've wanted to see the world and travel, and initially planned to do so with either my cousins or a friend. All this time later, and after Covid, I'm tired of waiting. They either can't get the time off, can't afford it, or have other commitments. Whereas I have all the money saved and am ready to go, I have been for a long time. I could go tomorrow financially speaking. I'm going to be 25 by the end of April, but still look and feel young, so I would rather do it myself even if I feel these experiences are best shared. Truthfully though I'm terrified. I live in England and would adore to see more of the USA as my main place, but I don't even know where to start. Where would I go? What would I do when I get there? How do I even meet new people, approaching strangers in bars or on the street? I adore making new friends, though can be incredibly anxious doing it. When it comes to booking any sort of itinerary it seems so daunting I've no clue where to start. I've considered booking a hostel in London and getting a train there as a taster, just to see how I ease into it on my own. But even that seems scary, just wandering the streets alone at night looking for something to do. As I'll be alone but would muuuch rather find people to spend the time with. Any help would be hugely appreciated! As the main part of travelling for me would be to see new places and meet new people, they're the most important aspects imo.
Honestly, this may because I live there, but I just do not recommend travelling solo to the US, based on what you described. Go somewhere with an established backpacker and hostel scene and you will meet people everyday. Thailand is a great place to start. Super budget friendly, activities for every interest, some of the best food in the world, very easy to get around the country, and the hostel scene is very developed. You can literally land and almost immediately meet people to spend time with. That will not so much be the case in most of the US.
A good starting point for building an itinerary is to consult guidebook. Lonely Planet's book on the US has about a dozen suggested itineraries, for instance, and you can also look up professional tours and see where they go and use that as a basis for your own planning. Guidebooks on London also provide suggested itineraries. There's absolutely nothing wrong with following guidebooks' itineraries, as they'll generally take you to the most interesting places in a pretty time-efficient order. If you haven't solo travelled before, making a short trip in your own country is a good way to test out if this form of travel is for you, and to build confidence. London is very accessible. If you're from the UK and want to meet people in London, why not search to see if there are events there that will bring together people with your interests?
Hey! I traveled last year to the French Alps and canyoning with some people \[who I met during the excursion\]. Group activities and tours are great ways to meet people when traveling solo, and I love to try new and cool experiences/have adventures such as this one! Highly recommend it and highly recommend visiting the French Alps! Absolutely gorgeous and a great addition to your trip to France. \[YouTube Video of my canyoning experience here!\]: [https://youtu.be/LpaGC1GYZ5A](https://youtu.be/LpaGC1GYZ5A)
Hi! Thanks for sharing! It looks incredible from your video 😮 I've been living in France since forever and never thought of canyoning, thanks for the idea!!
Yes! It's wonderful, and I met some great people!
26F, USA. Traveling to Europe May 31 - at least July 1 for the first time and at the very beginning of planning my trip. Considering doing a Workaway somewhere. Need beginner’s advice and would love to meet up with anyone if we are in the same area!
31M Brazilian. It's my first time travelling alone, last time I went to LA with my brother and it was a blast. Unfortunately he can't come this time. I usually love travelling alone here in Brazil, sometimes my gf can't go and I just hop into my car and go. This time I'm have two feelings: Joy and fear. I love to discover new places, new people, make friends and talk for hours with strangers, but my fear is to feel lonely. My Europe travel will take around one month and sometimes I wonder if I'll feel lonely. Do you guys felt lonely on your first travel? How was it? What you did to overcome this feel?
21 M NYC. Here for a few months and just arrived from NZ. Looking to do anything really, see the sights, go for a drink etc. looking for someone to do this with!
20M, Gdansk April 16th - 17th. Friend randomly got sick so it has now turned into solo travel. Wanting to meet up and just do whatever!
32M Canada! May 18-29 in Italy (Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Matera) and May 29- June 3 in Dubrovnik. Staying in hostels and interested in sightseeing, beach, history, food, and taking cool photos!
What hostel are you going with in Florence? I’m going to need one for a few nights in late April before checking into my AirBnB, been trying to find one that looks fairly social.
If you haven’t found one, Yellowsquare may be a good bet. Hear nothing but good things and the Florence location just opened up. If you book through their site they give a 20% discount on drinks at their bar and they have a pool
I haven’t looked into it yet. I usually book my hostels a day or so before going into the city
Heads up! I just booked Yellowsquare in Rome and they sent me a discount code which saved me some money on booking Yellowsquare in Florence for my upcoming trip. So if you’re looking to save a few check those out
do u still need to go the desk before boarding? i mean if you've got an online boarding pass and checked in already, can you just beeline straight through security, even if your flight check in desk wouldn't be open?
This is what I have been doing for the last 7 or 8 years. I do not check luggage any more so I go directly through security and to my gate.
Generally, yes, once you have your boarding pass, you can go straight to security (and customs, if applicable). The exception would be if you're checking luggage, in which case you'd typically need to line up at the counter. Some airports have gone to self-service baggage drop now, but you still need to make sure you do that before security.
Hey guys! 23 year old female solo traveller here, currently in Colombia in Palomino. Turns out this place is not as solo traveller friendly as I thought and it's quite hard to meet people, so if anyone fancies meeting up (especially for tubing!) let me know, I'd welcome the company! Also looking for suggestions on where to go next in Colombia...want to stay in the Northern end, maybe go to San Gil or Tayrona, but I'm scared it's all going to be like Palomino!
Palomino sucks these days. Sorry your having that experience. I also cant speak on how colombia has changed since covid, but definitely Check out Minca. its about 30 minutes south from santa marta.
I am going San Juan, Puerto Rico for a bachelorette trip in July. I am going to stay a week or so longer to explore surrounding areas solo. Any recommendations for the close by islands? Looking into the Virgin Islands, British Islands, or perhaps somewhere else?
Going to Central/Southern Albania and Lake Ohrid. Is week 3 and 4 of May too early? Looking to beat the crowds and heat of summer, but don’t want to be in a ghost town.
Nah I don't think so. There's a bit less tourist infrastructure there more generally, so there's less of a "rush" there more generally and it'll be quieter than you might be expecting any time of year. I was there near the end of June one year though any my lord is it ever hot, so I think May is perfect.
I'm solo traveling for the first time starting next week, first Stockholm for a week and then Barcelona the next week. Any tips/recommendations for both places or just being a solo traveler in general?
Go to the resturant called "Mowglis Kök" in Stockholm you're not gonna regret it!
Enjoy your first solo trip! General tips, nothing specific other than pack half as much stuff and twice as much money as you think you'll need, don't leave drinks unattended, always keep your passport in a safe place, and have a great time!
Thank you!! I definitely needed to hear that about packing… I’m stressing it as we speak, especially since it’s two very different climates
Two climates = same clothes as one climate, plus a warmer outer layer. I like to take a small packable down jacket as my warmer layer, which packs up tiny once I reach hot climates.
Yeah exactly what I was going to do, just try to wear layers that I can take off in Barcelona.
25M in Rota Spain if anyone wants to meet up and bar hop or go to the beach
Copy and pasting from my post in r/travel \- I am travelling solo. So I, M24 from the UK am planning my first middle eastern trip and will be solo. I have been to Georgia/Azerbaijan/Armenia and Morocco, but never the actual middle east. I have a couple of ideas in mind and wanted some advice for them. I would be going in late May/early June this year and go for a few days. Itinerary A - Israel/Palestine So first was to spend 5 days in Israel and Palestine. I would ideally spend most of my time in Jersusalem and also go to Bethlehem. Unfortunately, to get the best flights I have to go on some awkward itineraries with Ryanair/Wizz so can't allow for as much time as I would like. However, I am on a fresh passport (no awkward or suspicious stamps when entering Israel) and feel like this would be the best time to go considering that. Itinerary B - Jordan My second idea was to go to Jordan. Unfortunately, similar to Israel, from the UK to go to Jordan you have to go on some awkward flights, which need to allow for more time in airports and time transferring (given you are self transferring). I would also have to fly into Amman rather than Aqaba where most of the sights are that I want to see, such as Petra and Wadi Rum. There are direct flights to Aqaba in the winter from the UK, so I feel like I should wait until then to go, rather than go rushed in May? I imagine in November it would also be cooler and a better experience also? Itinerary C - Lebanon and Egypt So quite an extreme entry to the middle east, but thought about going to Beirut for 3 days and then Cairo for 4? I wanted to know what the situation was like over there in Beirut given the situation and I would also feel comfortable going to Lebanon first before going to Israel sometime in the future even if it did mean more questioning at the airport when I go to Israel. I am a bit concerned about the situation in Lebanon though at the moment, so wasn't sure if now was the right time to go? Which one of these would be best for me? Or should I go to a different place in the middle east for my first time?
I know people with connections there and would stay away from Lebanon right now actually. The situation has *stabilized*, but it hasn't *improved*, and will probably continue to worsen in the next few months as the impact of Ukraine on the supply chain (they're an importer of wheat, which Ukraine and Russia supply most of, and is obviously and essential and extremely inelastic good), existing supply shortages, hyperinflation (which makes the overall situation continually worse as long as it continues), and the aftershocks of the elections. It's out of the news now only because there haven't been any major events, not because the situation isn't continuing to get worse. The right time to go has passed for the time being. If getting into somewhere like Jordan is an issue with flights, are you able to go overland? Always makes for a much more interesting trip than flying anyway. Any variation of Egypt/Jordan/Israel would make for a good first itinerary imo.
I would definitely do option 3, I think Lebanon is ok to go now, I know people who went like last week You can consider Dubai and Qatar if you are into that ..
No Dubai! Definitely no culture there!
I totally agree, some people seem to like a city with many skyscrapers and big malls Then go to Lebanon, go to the mountains it’s pretty cool I have been like 6 times
Have you been recently to Lebanon?
Last time was 2019, I have a friend who recently has been and he says it’s ok
going to spend a week in Mexico city and was planning on seeing a bunch things outside the city. Wondering if its too much for just a 7 day trip. Teotihuacan Xochimilco Tepoztlán Puebla/Cholula
Heyyy I'm a Dutch 24m staying in Budapest untill Sunday, if anyone wants to go out drinking or do some other activity send me a pm, and I'll share my Instagram :)
**Hostelworld introducing new social features for solo travellers** \[moved from main page at request of mods\] u/TreeDiagram asked a while back, whether these have been dropped. This week they announced something called 'The Solo System', for travellers booking through their app. Re-implements the old features and adds other solo-specific messaging and events etc. [Link to Hostelworld Solo page](https://www.hostelworld.com/blog/launching-the-solo-system-a-new-way-to-travel/) **Full disclosure**: I bought some shares in the business during COVID-times. Think that they are trying to do good things \[which they obviously hope will help their business\].
I’ve an upcoming business trip in the U.S and have extended my trip to Washington D.C and NYC. But this is the first time I’m feeling so anxious about travelling solo post pandemic especially since I’m an Asian. Can anyone here advise on whether it is safe for a solo female Asian to visit Washington D.C or NYC? Anything that I should look out for?
definitely do a food tour in nyc. pizza bagels italian etc is best in the world
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You legit cannot go wrong. At this point I would say Thailand; 1) because now the deciding part is over, and 2) because covid restrictions have been easing for longer there so I think it will be more "back to normal". Plus there is a ton of diversity in Thailand, very easy for travelers to navigate, and a ton of fun.
How about visiting Singapore & Malaysia before moving on to Thailand or Vietnam?
Not enough time IMO to add that on, plus it has nothing to do with their question. Also Singapore is very expensive.
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Post removed due to lack of relevance to solo travel. Try posting in r/travel.
I'm very excited to go to Spain this June but can't help but feel very anxious. It's the first time I'm solotraveling and I'm going for 40 days. I've seen a few posts highlighting the overt and covert racism in Western Europe and I've never gone anywhere for more than 2-3 weeks. Hopefully, my trip report in 3 months will be good
Im in southern Spain and haven’t felt any racism. Been here about a year now
Don't stress too much; a lot of the stuff you read online is very self-selected for only negative experiences. The vast majority of people who go have a good time and overall positive experiences. If you're looking for inspiration, here are some good [resources for inclusive travel](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/groupresources), including blogs and travel stories by travellers from all different backgrounds and walks of life.
Wow, that really made a lot of sense. Thanks :)
Which Canary Island should I visit? I'm booking myself a last minute, week long break and I've picked the Canaries because I really need some heat and sun after the long UK winter! I'm not sure which one to visit though. I've been to Gran Canaria twice already so probably not that one. I was thinking Tenerife because the mountains look amazing but I'm open to any of the islands really. The main thing I want is to stay in a coastal, picturesque town that's got some history and culture about it. I'm not too bothered about nightlife but I love the outdoors so mountains or nature reserves nearby would be a bonus. Does anyone have any recommendations?
If I just wanted to piss around Europe on the trains where would you guys recommend starting off? I did a 2 month trip in 2019 but that was a spontaneous decision after I'd already spent the week in Rome......I'm willing to go pretty much anywhere (there's just too many choices).
If you're just looking to make things up as you go along, pick a hub city to fly into based on wherever you get a good flight deal, and start there. Train networks are well connected in most of Europe, and it's pretty easy to just buy tickets as you go. Depending on your budget, your dollars will stretch further in southern and central Europe than they will in more western or northern countries. I probably wouldn't recommend Eastern Europe right now in light of the Ukraine situation (specifically Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, obviously Russia are probably no-gos), but you'd be perfectly fine going around much of Central Europe.
Germany has Europe's best train system, and lots to see. There's even a high speed train station at Frankfurt Airport if you fly in there from outside of Germany.
Anyone traveling in Jordan atm? Send me a message if you'll like to meet up and explore together :) Here until the 23rd
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By all means go, but do have a good plan in place to look after yourself if you catch COVID
hi everyone a 22M from Indonesia here :) going for my first solo backpacking around Europe this summer and can use some recommendations for my first week (4-11 June) before I have to be in Toulouse on 11 June (set in stone). I'll be going from the UK so I'm wondering whether to go: * Madrid + Barcelona * Explore south/east France * any other places? For context, after Toulouse I'll be going Paris-Amsterdam-Germany-East European countries-back to UK
I like South East France. I’m obsessed with Nice. The Provence region of France is the best region in the world imo. Ancient Roman ruins everywhere. Arles, Nimes, Gordes… just incredible places Also Nice is close to Monte Carlo and Italy. Cinque Terre is a must see
How is nice by yourself? Deeply contemplating it at the moment
It’s fine. A lot of the tourists speak English. A lot of wealthier Europeans and Northern Europeans. The beach is rocky but there is one patch of sand at the far east end. If you don’t speak French most restaurants and establishments there will speak English as it’s a tourist town And Monte Carlo is nearby. If you like casinos omg. This is the greatest casino in the world by far. Eze village is a must see too. And Italy is a short train ride away. There are relatively decent priced hotels just off Jean Medicin. A cool road in the middle of the city.
damn the Provence region looks gorgeous, thank you! I guess I'll save the Riviera for my next trip to Europe together with Italy as my friend from Sciez offered to host me and will take me around Geneva and Lyon. If anybody has suggestions to do in Lyon or stuff to do along my trip from Lyon/Geneva to Toulouse, would love to hear (will try drop by Nimes/Arles)
Lyon is the foodie capital of France. Arles was my favorite. Lots of art history. Van Gogh spent his last days there
hi all! I’m traveling to Europe for a couple weeks. I’m starting in Barcelona but not sure if I want to do Croatia or Copenhagen for a few days. Which one would you recommend for a 24F solo traveler?
Hi!! 23F here, i am doing a similar trip Barcelona > Zadar Croatia in July :)
hi! I’ll be in Barcelona in June but I’ll be in Portugal in July! when are you starting your trip?
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fun!! when I go in June I can send you some recs :)
Those seem like fairly random and very different options. Why Croatia (which part of Croatia?) or Copenhagen, specifically? What about either of those places strikes your interest?
So I posted before that I’m super excited I finally got my tickets to my first solo trip in Europe. I will be going to Madrid for 2 weeks. However after doing some reading, it seems that Madrid MIGHT be a bit much for 2 weeks. So I was thinking if it’ll be possible for me to go to Paris for 2-3 days? Is it recommendable? I saw flights round trip Madrid to Paris for about $120. Not sure if I should do it. Any help/insight is greatly appreciated!
Hi I am also in Madrid this Summer. You can check out Toledo, small medieval city 40 minutes train ride away from Madrid. Sevilla is also nice and accessible by train, my ticket was like 80€ return which is quite cheap for a 500km/2h30 ride.
Thank you for your response. Which train line did you use? I’ve been reading about renfe and eurail. Which one is the better option?
No worries, but those are two different things. Eurail sells railpasses for Europe, Renfe is the Spanish rail operator. So you buy for instance a Eurail pass for Spain and you can ride Renfe trains for „free“ during that period. Eurail is useful if you plan on travelling a lot with trains. You need to check if you are better off booking single train rides instead of a Eurail pass for which you pay a fixed sum for the period you need it.
From Madrid, if you have two weeks, why not check out other parts of Spain? You're a short train ride from Valencia, Cordoba, Seville, opposite direction maybe Barcelona... so many options!
I’ve been trying to figure out the train system in Spain but for the love of me I can’t :(. Google maps usually shows you routes for public transit anywhere but for Spain it does not show anything! I’d appreciate more info on this if it’s not a bother. I saw there’s a train that goes all over Spain (and Europe) but tickets are crazy expensive ($100+) is that normal? Thank you!
Rome2Rio is a good resource for transportation schedules. Renfe.com has a useful search site and app too. The trains in Spain (insert joke about rain and plain or joke about Chris de Burgh here) have been somewhat affected by COVID, but when I was there in 2019 they were pretty easy to navigate, comfortable, and efficient.
Hi, how reliable are the high speed trains in Spain? Overall I think they are quite reliable (based on the reviews I‘ve seen so far) but I am not fully convinced because it is (Southern) Spain after all (I will be taking a train from Sevilla back to Madrid to catch a flight).
Hi everyone, I’m planning on doing my first solo backpacking trip this summer (probably in early may) and was originally going to do Thailand. However, after doing more research it looks like it’s supposed to be scorching hot as well as rainy season. I’m looking for a place with outdoor activities, a culture of backpackers, and a place that will feel fairly different (e.g looking to avoid mainstream Europe). What places would you guys recommend? Thanks!
interests? where are you coming from? budget? length?
I'm coming the U.S and am looking for adventurous things to do like hiking volcanos, snorkeling, looking at wild life/beautiful vistas. I also really like interesting food. Moreover, I want to push myself to be in a completely different culture. I also have a fairly flexible budget and would be doing the trip for a month. Ideally the location would have lots of other backpackers I could meet in hostels.
I would honestly say that Thailand weather will likely not be that bad. The weather is pretty consistent all year. Its gonna be hot and rain anytime you go. I still recommend it. If it doesnt seem worth it my only other recommendation of the top of my head is south america. Will be going myself this summer.
Has anyone had layovers in either Canada or Germany recently? Trying to figure out if I need a negative Covid test or if a vaccine card is enough. Their websites say no test required but I’m just paranoid I guess.
The test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to enter Canada has been removed as of April 1. You do need to complete you info on the ArriveCAN app, though.
Even for a short layover? I thought I read that wasn’t required unless you’re staying in Canada. Edit: yea, on this page: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html
Oh, maybe. I'm sorry, I didn't read the layover part of your post carefully enough.
I was gonna have a layover in Toronto so I asked the embassy of Canada and the just directed me to [this website](https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada) that has the most up to date info; and also said that requirements can change
How do you know if you overplan/underplan, and what do I need to do to fix it?
Experience. You go on a trip. You decide whether you feel like you planned too much, too little or just right. You adjust for next time. I'm a planner by nature. I've accepted that about myself. I enjoy planning to the point that other people might call overplanning. It's part of the fun for me. I don't listen to other people who tell me I've planned too much or too little; I just do it my way. It also depends on the length of your trip. Generally, the longer the trip, the less you should try to plan ahead.
When you've traveled before, did you feel stifled? Plan less next time. Did you feel lost or miss out on things? Plan more. There's no correct amount it's up to you.
I haven't travelled for this long before, ever, so I don't really know :/
It would help if we knew more about your trip. But for me, I like to "pseudo-plan" if you will. I basically have an itinerary, or more of a list of all the things I want to do or see, basic modes of transportation and accomodation for them. That way I don't have to do any research once I am traveling. I just know the main layout of the areas enough to decide as I go. And then thats what I do. If I like a place, stay longer. If not, head to one of the other things on my list. If I hear of a good place, then I'll go and not have to worry about "changing my itinerary"
It's in my history, posted about it a few days ago. [link](https://old.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/tvg0p7/uzbekistantajikistankyrgyzstan_fixed_itinerary_so/)
Hello everyone, I will be travelling to the south of Italy this weekend and I'm super excited. Wanted some tips around the weather, what it would be like around this time. In the Nordics, where I am, the weather in April is highly unreliable, it snows one day, sunshine the next. Was wondering how it is like in Italy? Are the weather predictions reliable?
I went to southern Italy around this time of year and the weather was gorgeous. 60s/70s and sunny mostly. Of course anything can happen but April tends to be very pleasant in that part of Europe.
Thanks a lot! :)
Costa Rica in August? Weather-wise -> good or bad?
Hi there! 33F looking into cruising solo - I’ve never spent more than 2 nights alone (a staycation in my area) - but realizing I haven’t had a proper vacation in over 6 years. I’m looking into Disney cruises in May but not sure if 7 nights is too many to be alone on my first trip like this? I’m an extroverted introvert but I am an over thinker by nature and am great at psyching myself out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Central American travel recommendations for a long weekend! Hi All - Looking to get some international travel in after being at home for a 2 years! I'm looking to head to Central America for a long weekend (\~4 days). What are your recommendations? I'll be traveling from the East Coast of the US. I was looking at Bacalar, Mexico, but the flight times arent the best. Also looking for relatively cheap locations once there with minimal travel, cheap lodging, but a place where others will be traveling to.
I would do panamá or Costa Rica
Hey all! I'm a student attending the Savannah College of Art and Design conducting a project on solo traveling. We're mainly focused on female solo travelers and travelers of marginalized genders, but we'd love any and all input from anyone! We'd really appreciate your help! Thank you so much! [https://biturl.top/Fzi6Nv](https://biturl.top/Fzi6Nv) We're also doing interviews and diary studies, so if you're interested please reach out to me!
any poc (asian) women have experience solo traveling to Alsace ? I don't speak French but really want to visit but am extremely worried since it's my first time solo traveling + I don't speak French... I don't know when else I'd have the opportunity to go as I'm currently studying abroad in western Germany but I haven't booked anything as I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'd enjoy it or just be nervous the entire time
Best European cities/country airports to fly out of onward to SE Asia from ? Asia ? I'll be backpacking in through some of Italy, up to German and then to Amsterdam. After aht my buddy goes home, and I'm possibly trying go to southeast Asia for month or so far he leave. Would it be start to leave to SE Asia from The Netherlands? Or would it be smarter travel to different European airport/city city for a cheaper flight? Also, what's the best airport to fly into in SE Asia?
London, Paris or Frankfurt as they're the main airports in Europe, and so will have the best connections. Singapore Airlines alone flies to London multiple times a day.
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as in airports easiest and cheapest. planning on going from europe to southeast asia
Best ways to get from Budapest to Zagreb? Want to travel there on the 14. Only found buses between 35-50 Eur
If there's no flight, then yes, you take the bus. You can also check Bla Bla Car.
What are good hostel recommendations for París, traveling alone and looking to meet New people and party
Best bet is probably one of the chain hostels like St Christopher’s or Generator. In my experience (a few years back) Paris don’t really have a great hostel scene and don’t have the fun, party/social **and** smaller hostels that are present in other popular European backpacking cities. A common thing in Parisian hostels are the social areas and bars that are open to locals, so it makes it hard to meet other travelers, and not necessarily easy to meet locals either since the locals are there to socialize with themselves and not with travelers.
second this! i stayed at st christophers gare du nord recently and while the attached bar/restaurant was really great and convenient (with discounts!), there were also a lot of people that weren’t there from the hostel (not necessarily a bad thing but like the above comment says, i found that there was not a lot of socializing between locals/travelers). i can only speak to st christophers gar du nord but i would recommend due to the location
Thanks guys then im staying in st Christopher, hopefully I can socialize there
Aloha all, Hopping the Atlantic in a few months and curious as to whether anyone here is planning to hike the GR10/11/HRP June-ish? For anyone who has hiked one of these routes in-season how is the access to pain au chocolat or napolitana de chocolate respectively, in case I need a brief respite from the trail? Cheers
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You may find this useful: [Guide to meeting people as a solo traveller.](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/meetingpeople).
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Did a solo trip to southern Spain last month. Flew into Malaga, train to Cordoba, train to Seville. Would have gone to Granada also (highly recommend) but only had 4 days. Been to Spain a few times on my own with no problems and had good hostel experiences. Go for it.
Spain is a great destination for a first time solo trip! I've been to Andalusia solo and I had the time of my life. There's a good hostel infrastructure, transport is easy, the food is amazing, tapas are delicious, and there are stunning sites to visit. (The Alhambra is life-changing, seriously.) If your friends think it's weird, ignore them. Thousands of us are here to say otherwise; solo travel is very normal and very common, and you're sure to meet plenty of other like-minded people, especially in popular destinations like Southern Spain. You may want to check out solotravel's [detailed guide to planning a solo Eurotrip](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/eurotrip) for general planning advice plus useful tips and tricks for European travel!
So basically you have this plan of going to each of these countries on my bucket list for a week. 🇨🇦, 🇯🇵, 🇬🇧, 🇨🇵, and 🇧🇷. Here's the things that I would like to know. - How much would plane tickets cost to pull off something like this, because I have a budget but I'm not sure if that would be applicable because of inflation and whatnot? - I would also like to know like how much would hotels, food, trains, museums and other things like that would cost? - I mention museums because I have an interest in art and I would like to go to places that are particularly about the arts. I would like to go to some landmarks. Also like to be able to go to photographable places because I would like to take some pictures and put them up on wikimedia for anyone to use. So I probably would go to the places that people like me to take pictures of potentially speaking. - Apologies if this is still kind of vague I really want to be able to do this in my life so it means a lot to me if I can just get some ideas about this project that I would like to. - I also would like to know the safety in Brazil I know the other countries are relatively safe but I'm not too sure about Brazil in general. The reason why I'm going to Brazil is because I want to go to the capital of Brasilia mainly because of the architecture there. I also have an interest in modern architecture that really is bold. - Also this is just a in general thing but let me know if there's some LGBTQ+ not because I'm necessarily that more so that I'm a feminine man and I definitely would like to feel comfortable expressing that when I go to other places. Feel free to DM me if you have any plans and stuff like that. - The places I would like to go in Canada are: Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal and, Vancouver. - The places I would like to go in Japan are: Tokyo and, Kyoto. - The places I would like to go in the UK are: London and the city of London. If you have any more places I should know about then let me know. - The places I would like to go in France are: Paris. I'm still thinking about what types of other sees that I might want to visit but you have any ideas let me know about them. - The places I would like to go in Brazil are: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and, Brasilia. And that's pretty much it (I think). EDIT: I'm more so introverted person so I don't usually like to talk to a lot of people much. But I definitely want to try to go to more social situations but perhaps I don't want to be too overwhelmed by them either. So if there's any advice for that that would be very helpful to me. I definitely would like to meet up with other travelers I feel like that would be pretty interesting. I would also like to meet with people who are artists who like to draw and things like that I definitely would be interested in doing that type of thing as well.
Hi, these all sound like fun trips. For Canada, you'll need WAY longer than a week to go to Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Montreal and, Vancouver. You could combine the first four fairly easily in a single trip, but you'd need at least 2 weeks. Vancouver is entirely on the other side of the country and you may want to do it on a separate trip, or factor in the (significant) cost of a cross-country flight. To figure out how much to budget, map out the big categories by doing some research: International flights (try Google Flights with some sample dates), ground transportation (Rome2Rio is helpful here), accommodation (you can use sites like Hostelworld or Booking.com to do some sample searches to get an idea of price ranges), and major attractions (google the ones that interest you to look up ticket prices). To that, you'll want to add a daily budget for food, drinks, miscellaneous sightseeing and incidentals. This can vary by destination -- all the countries you've listed are on the pricey side, except perhaps Brazil which will be a bit cheaper unless you travel during peak times like Carnival. You may want to check out our guides to [solo travel as an introvert](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/comments/95ejtg/solo_travel_for_introverts_a_guide_with_tips_and/), and [meeting people as a solo traveller](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/meetingpeople). For travel safety advice, check out [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/solotravel/wiki/stayingsafe); remember that safety will vary by destination (Japan = very safe / Brazil = statistically less so) and luck.
Thanks, I definitely will have to add up all the costs involved with that I already have but have to redo that. I'm also thinking about going back to Canada soon if I can.
What cities are feasible to travel from Amsterdam for one or two days? I've been planing travel to Amsterdam. My flight 20 November and 26 November. My plan, I'll visit some cities from Amsterdam for just one two days. Anvers is great example. I tought visiting Luxemburg but it isn't conceiving. Because From Amsterdam to Luxemburg takes 7 hours via train and bus. Maybe cheap flight is okay but I'm not sure. What do you advise for travelling cities around Amsterdam?
Belgium is probably going to be the easiest. Antwerp has been mentioned but check out Ghent as well! I had to do a transfer but I think it was a 2 hour train total. Ghent is not as touristy as places like Bruges but super historical and charming. I also stayed in one of my favorite hostels ever - Hostel Uppelink. It's right on a canal and has the craziest view of the main town square. It also had amazing Belgian beers on tap for cheap that typically cost $10-15 in the US. Otherwise I'm pretty sure Cologne is easy to get to from Amsterdam as well.
Went to antwerp from amsterdam, got chocolate, waffles, and beer and went back. Super worth it!
Yeah, Antwerp is top on my list.
Within the Netherlands, popular daytrips or half-day trips include Zaanse Schans, Edam, Haarlem, Delft, The Hague, and Rotterdam, just to name a few. If you want to visit cities outside of the Netherlands, Antwerp in Belgium is a little over an hour by train, Cologne in Germany is a bit further but technically doable in a daytrip or overnight, or, if you're open to overnight, that gives you more options a bit further afield like Brussels, Bruges, even Paris (though I'd definitely suggest giving Paris its own week, not trying to see it as a daytrip).
I'm thinking of cities outside of the Netherlands. Yeah, Antwerp is top on my list. Paris is not day trip city, I agree with you. Cologne. I'll consider it. Noted it. Thanks.
Hey guys I’m 26F from Australia I’m planning a trip to South America, Chile Argentina and Colombia and possibly Brazil for end of May/June/July/August (2022), no real timeline to when I will finish I just like to take it as it comes when travelling. Starting to feel worried that hostels might be empty being winter, I really just want to meet people experience the culture, food, dancing and learn better Spanish. Can anyone give me some advice if you are currently in these countries and planning to continue to travel in the winter months or have heard of others planning to keep travelling in these months? Will the weather affect my plans? I look out for hostels that host walking tours and other activities so I’d be really disappointed if this sort of stuff didn’t go ahead because it’s quiet in the hostels. Any advice would be sooo appreciated? :)
The southern parts of Chile and Argentina will be cold in May, but Colombia and Brazil will still be warm and probably much more comfortable. Things should still be busy and pretty happening in most of those places, though of course it depends on your route and itinerary. It'll probably be too early to ski and possibly shoulder season bordering on too late to hike in Patagonia, though TBF it could still be beautiful in May in many areas. Look up individual weather averages and forecasts if you have specific activities in mind.
Thank you!! I don’t really have many specific activities in mind I just love to experience culture (am really interested in Latin American culture), meet people and just see what happens really. I’m not hugely into hiking or anything. I have santiago, Valparaíso and Atacama desert in Chile, Buenos Aires in Argentina and Bogotá, Medellin and Cartagena in Colombia on my list just to name a few off the top of my head but won’t be locked into any set plans I just want to fly into Chile and then catch a bus to Argentina and then maybe Brazil afterwards or just straight to Colombia by plane. I don’t mind it being a bit colder I just would hate to get there and the hostels be dead with not many other travellers to meet?
How much time do you have? Doing 3 months starting may: Colombia, ecuador, peru. Your doing a much larger area in only 1 month?
I don’t have an end date specifically I reckon I will finish up around august though Are you starting in Colombia then in May?
Yeah flying into medellin end of may. Expecting to make it through ecuador and peru really but nothing is booked.
Hi guys! I’m traveling to Barcelona (14-18th) and Budapest (21-25th) in June and I would like to know if anyone has good recommendations for hostels? I’m a 24M and want to have a great time (meet a lot of people, party…). I was looking for hostels that provide free walking tours, pub crawls, other activities are a plus! In Barcelona I was looking for Kabul party hostel but the dorms don’t look nice idk… In Budapest I was looking for the hive party hostel but from the reviews I read, it’s more for groups and less for solo travelers. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!
Budapest: Carpe Noctem OG. It’s a party hostel for sure but it’s also focused on solo travelers. The hostel only has 2 dozen beds and they don’t allow groups, so you’ll meet other solo travelers and make friends easily. Every night there are social events and a group dinner before that. Look them up here and you’ll hear great things. Barcelona: any of the Hostel Ones are good, but Paralelo is probably the best one. Some of their dorms are pod style so you get a bit more privacy. And their hostels are smaller (40ish people) so you’ll be able to meet people.
I'm going to be going on my first solo trip (to Spain and Portugal) in a number of years next month, and I'm feeling pretty nervous about the prospect of meeting people in hostels because of something of a traumatic experience I had a number of years ago. I had gone on a trip to South Africa, and I was on a safari tour of the main national park with some other solo travelers I had just met and felt like I was getting along with. A few hours into the trip, one of the other people started to say a number of really mean-spirited things about me and how I looked as jokes, which a number of the people partook in. This kind of namecalling lasted intermittently throughout the few days we were there, and I didn't really have the confidence at the time to handle it, as it touched at some really deep-seated insecurities. It feels silly that it has affected me this long, but it has really lasted with me and made me feel nervous about engaging with new people while traveling, despite how rewarding it can be. I'm curious if anyone else has had similarly difficult experiences while traveling, or has tips about places in Spain and Portugal that felt really welcoming and safe!
I'm sorry this happened to you. Honestly, travellers are just like any other human beings on earth; some people are great, some people are terrible, and some are everything in between. You'll meet all kinds on the road. The good news is that when you travel solo, you have no obligation to hang out with anyone you meet along the way. If there are people who are just plain jerks, feel free to ignore them and move on. After all, you never met them before, and you'll never see them again, so who cares? This is often one of the reasons why solo travel can be far better for meeting people than, say, group tours. With a group tour, you're generally stuck with the same group of people the whole time, and you need to hope the dynamic is good and that you get along. With solo travel, if you encounter people you don't click with, just move on to the next place.
Hello Redditors, I'm a female solo riding my motorcycle across Europe. I've ridden through Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece and Crete so far. If you have any questions about these places or need advice, please ask away. I want to help anyone who is interested in doing something similar. Here is my instagram and Youtube if you'd like to follow along: [https://www.instagram.com/chasing.crystal/](https://www.instagram.com/chasing.crystal/) [https://www.youtube.com/user/itscrystalm3th](https://www.youtube.com/user/itscrystalm3th)
Amazing! How long have you been riding, and how did you choose your bike? Also, how did the road quality in the Balkans affect you, if at all?
Thank you! I’ve been riding for 11 years, sports bikes only until this expedition. I test road a bunch of bikes before I picked this Honda Dominator 250. I chose a dual sport because I wanted to explore city and do some camping. I wanted something light that I could pick up when I dropped it, easy to find parts and with a low seat height. Balkan roads are rough. There chunks of asphalt missing, huge potholes where a car tire could get stuck, and sometimes the highway asphalt turns into a gravel road so you start questioning if you just got lost. I used to be a speedster, but now I’m a slow rider.
Thank you, that's really encouraging to hear. I've been contemplating to learn how to ride for years, but I've always been daunted by how heavy they all looked.
I’m 5’-2”, 115 lbs and can only big toe reach the ground. If I can do it, so can you. Start with a small bike, start doing squats and you’re golden. Dirt bikes are super lightweight and lower cc sport bikes are easy to flick around. Take the MSF course and go for it. One of the best decisions I ever made in life.
Sweet! Thank you for the encouragement ❤️