Jack's Guide to: Solo Travel
Solo travel is one of those topics that we get asked about all the time. Understandably, the idea of going it alone for the first time—or in a new part of the world—can be daunting. Thankfully, there are loads of great resources out there to help us find our feet, and many of our wonderful Jack's Travellers have been kind enough to share their experiences and advice.
We’ve visited the topic from various different angles over the years, so it seemed only right that we finally pull together all the best tips we’ve gathered. Let’s start off with general rules of play from across the JFC community, including member Shuo, who we first interviewed back in 2021:
- Enjoy going with the flow and not always following plans. You’re on your own, you can choose where you go and when. Sometimes the best experiences are completely unexpected.
Shuo says: Take advantage of indirect flights—make as many stopovers as you can. Don’t think of it as an inconvenience, treat it as an opportunity to see somewhere else and get a cheaper flight into the bargain!
- Embrace the locals, but stay safe. You don’t need to give away personal information or push yourself if you feel uncomfortable, but take the opportunity to chat with people in cafés and hear about their town. That said, you should still always keep your wits about you!
Shuo says: Trust your instincts. Be streetwise and vigilant, don’t get expensive things out, stay on the inside of the pavement. Make sure you don’t come across like a tourist, like someone who doesn’t belong!
- If you have any special interests or hobbies, look for local meet-ups happening while you’re in town. Parkruns and boardgame cafés are good examples of places you can find no-obligations company for a few hours.
Shuo says: There’s no need to worry—you will meet others. Travelling solo forces you to meet people, to be sociable. You have to fend for yourself, get that train ticket, learn that language.
I know a lot of solo travellers use Couchsurfing to meet locals and immerse themselves in the culture. Along the way, you’ll meet like-minded people who’ll ask if you want to join in their own mini adventures. Don’t live your life in regret, just say yes (within reason, of course)! - Make sure you have several copies of your passport and multiple cards stored in different places, just in case you lose something. And always carry a little cash in USD, GBP or EUR in case of emergencies.
Shuo says: In South America, I also used to carry a spoof wallet with a bit of money in it, just in case it was ever needed in a mugging.
- Get a self-applicator for sun cream. It’s either that or asking a stranger to help you out—I know which I’d choose…
Adopting these mindsets and tips should work for everyone, regardless of where you travel. However, it won’t quite cut the mustard for many of us.
Women’s Solo Travel
A couple of years ago, we interviewed JFC-er Priti, who packed in her job, car, and house in California to become a full-time traveller at the age of 55. Here’s what she had to say when we asked her what advice she had for other would-be female solo travellers:
"I get asked this a lot, particularly as an older woman. But I’m not anything special! Any woman who wants to travel can do it. And for me, solo travel is the only way.
Some of my best friends ask me how I do it alone - am I lonely? Am I safe? - but I enjoy my own company and I always meet people.
Bad things can happen, it’s true. I got robbed a couple of times during my travels. It makes me upset, it makes me angry… but I have to stop and remind myself that it could have happened just as easily back in LA!
You just have to use your judgement. Be safe. Be cautious, of course. But you don’t need to be paranoid, otherwise you’ll never go anywhere - and the world really isn’t so bad, despite what the media tells us! People are generally super-kind, super generous and helpful.
Even when I was robbed, I met people who helped me. I had no money and no access to my account, and I was panicking! I was completely cut off. But people helped. The friends I’d met came to my rescue. Total strangers have offered me a place to stay when I needed it."
Priti also recommends staying in hostels, as much for the social aspect as for the budget. As an avid cook, she has found that people naturally gravitate to the kitchen for a chat—an excellent solution for anyone anxious about eating alone every night. But since most hostels also offer private rooms, you still have the option to retire for the night in peace.
The Detour reader Margaret also got in touch to share her favourite solo travel experience with us:
“Having travelled extensively (backpacking, staying in hostels), for women travelling alone using public transport, one of the places I have felt safest in is Sri Lanka. I found the kindness of the people had no boundaries, just little everyday kindnesses, which added such a lot to my solo backpackers trip.”
Travellers just like ourselves are often exactly what we need to help us find the confidence to take that leap. The Solo Female Traveler Network is an invaluable resource for finding answers to those questions you never knew you had, while Women on the Road has handy resources for budgeting, packing, finding a travel buddy, and more.
Of course, concerns about solo travel can stretch beyond gender, to race, religion, sexuality, accessibility, and more.
This article is full of great pointers for solo Muslim women looking to join group tours that work for them. While religion isn’t necessarily the focus of these tours, things like prayer schedules and finding Halal restaurants are all baked into the plans. You’ll also find comprehensive advice for solo Muslim travellers—and Muslim-friendly travel in general—over on Muslim Travel Girl.
Black Solo Travel
We've actually touched on specific destination tips for Black solo travellers before, with spots like Ghana and Portugal coming out on top. While we always recommend doing your own research when it comes to concerns about prejudice or racism abroad, these are some of the trusted resources we'd recommend starting with for up-to-date experience:
- Personal stories on sites like Travel Noire
- Community reviews on Black And Abroad
- r/blacktravel on Reddit
LGBTQ+ Solo Travel
And then there’s other kinds of prejudice you might worry about, such as homophobia or transphobia. For LGBTQ+ solo travellers, Asher Fergusson’s LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index and Global Trans Rights Index are invaluable resources when it comes to working out just how safe a country is. Spoiler: Canada, Sweden and Malta are looking good across the board.
For international travel guides and research advice specifically for LGBTQ+ travellers, IGLTA is a fountain of knowledge. They also have a great tours section, where solo travellers can find all kinds of group trips, from simple city breaks to Antarctica Pride Cruises (that’s right, you can celebrate Pride on the Drake Passage!).
Accessible Solo Travel
Finally, we’re delighted to have noticed an increasing number of resources surrounding accessible travel and, as a result, more advice for solo travellers with disabilities.
Wheel the World covers practical tips for air travel and cruising with a disability, as well as wheelchair-accessible group tours, while Journey Woman and CN Traveller have countless inspirational stories from travellers with all kinds of accessibility needs.
Many of the sites and group tours aimed at disabled solo travellers tend towards the assumption that you’re also of a certain age. I’d suggest that no matter how old you are, joining an online community such as tabifolk is the best way to find out how accessible the places you hope to visit really are.
These resources are by no means exhaustive, and we’d encourage anyone to research their destination thoroughly before embarking on a solo trip. Not just because it’s wise to know how safe, accepting, or accessible it’ll be for you, but also because this time, it’s up to you to make your trip what you want it to be.
It’s exciting. It’s scary. But it also feels pretty good!
Have you ever travelled solo? Did you find any handy resources that helped you prepare? Share your experiences—good or bad—in the comments to help the Jack's community.