The reality of solo travel can be completely different than what most people think. Today more people are traveling solo than ever before due to different reasons.
First, of course, the population is the biggest up to date on earth, but that’s not the only reason why people are going traveling on their own.
More people haven’t met that special someone and is single than before due to our lifestyle at any other time in history. Or you are traveling on business, or you just need some time for yourself. There are many reasons and traveling alone can be entirely different than going with a friend.
One of the biggest challenges for many people of traveling solo is taking the first step and making the decision to go somewhere and pack your bag.
Some people want to travel solo in luxury but for others just to travel can be a luxury. Whether you’re looking for a safari, a luxury tour, or a sustainable travel tour, start by googling “luxury travel,” go to the websites that most match your travel dream destination, and look if there is a section on their site that is devoted to solo travelers.
If you’re planning a solo trip and want to know some tips for luxury solo travel, here are ten top insider tips for independent travelers you need to know.
Top Tips for Luxury Solo Travelers
Choose Your Destination
One of the best things about traveling solo is that you can go exactly where you want to – a popular destination or off-the-beaten-track. Firstly, after you made the decision to travel you have to pick where you want to go. To make your choice easier you have to ask yourself some questions: What would you prefer a city, beach or countryside? What type of weather hot or cold? Adventure or relaxation? Do you wanna go to a popular destination or you want to go off the beaten track?
Then the time you have will help you narrow down your choice. For example, are you planning a long weekend getaway, extended travel, or something like a few days? Depending on the amount of time you have to travel, some destinations will be a better option than others.
Explore Your Options
The best way to have a luxury vacation for cheap is to visit a cheap destination.
All-inclusive hotels and resorts have been gaining in popularity recently. They include food, drinks, and tips, significant savings if you tend to splurge on these and you can enjoy all the facilities in the resorts including free Wi-Fi.
Find Where to Stay
Some hotels and lodges are better than others, especially for solo travelers. It’s great to book through someone who has stayed at that accommodations and can bring more insight for them.
For some travelers, accommodation is often more important than the destination. If you’re going to a spa or a resort, for example, it doesn’t matter where you are because you’ll spend most of your time in that resort.
When looking for a 5-star retreat think about the country first. You want a country where using your currency can buy a lot. A few examples here: Central America, Southern Europe like Greece, Portugal, Spain or Southeast Asia.
You have a better chance of a deal when you call the hotel directly.
Airlines
High Season Means High Prices. Popular destinations tend to have high seasons with corresponding prices. Book early or at the last minute.
Sometimes, finding an amazing flight deal is all you need for a luxury vacation. If you’re flexible, you can try Skyscanner search everywhere feature. This is one of the best sites for finding a good deal with the best flight prices available with searching of over 1,200+ partners. You can a set location in mind and click on the get price alerts button. There are also many other websites where you can subscribe to price drop alerts.
One of the best tips to help you get the most for your transportation dollar is using the rule of thumb – long-haul flights to longer trips and short-haul flights to shorter ones. This will help keep your daily costs down.
Another tip is to look for large immigrant populations near your home airport and you’ll likely discover where flights are less expensive for the distance.
Cuisine
Eating alone is not about eating as quickly as possible but it is more of time to enjoy what you have ordered! According to reservations site OpenTable there is a 110 percent increase in bookings for one person over the past 24 months.
In a fine dining establishment, the bar is a more casual place to eat than at a table and often you can meet people at the bar and have interesting conversations.
There are many ways you can eat in a nice restaurant and not pay the full price. Some of those are buying a discounted gift card or using coupons or birthday discounts. Many countries do not require to leave a tip. When you are traveling alone no matter if it is a business trip or solo travel adventure it is always a good idea to limit your alcohol. Not just because it could add up a big portion of your bill but you do not want to walk out drunk in a foreign country.
if you’re going to pay that premium price, you might as well get your money’s worth by ordering something special that you couldn’t. Or you could enjoy a locally owned restaurant and experience great food which normally you would never discover.
Find an amazing guide
Having a tour guide by your side during your trip can provide you with additional information and a local perspective that allows you to deeper explore the culture. A good guide will be able to explain the local culture and traditions and give you other local insights about the places you visit.
Local guides are available for you to hire to help you experience more of the place you visit and difficulty language situations you ran into you. There are so many more benefits of hiring a guide for your Africa, Asia or any trip.
A good guide will know the time to visit the attractions to avoid big crowds, tricks to let you experience the most out of major tourist destinations or bring you to off-the-beaten-path spots you wouldn’t have known otherwise.
Transportation
You have many options here – you can rent a car /but make sure you have a travel insurance that covers a collision/, use a ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft if available at that location or you’ll be surprised how many hotels, if you are staying at some, offer free shuttles that stop at major locations in the city. If you are going with a tour most of your transportation of course will be arranged already so you do not have to worry about.
When you don’t know your way around a new place but want to experience the most out of your trip, skip the cheesy tourist tours and seek a local car driver service. Drivers know the streets and popular venues as well as a taxi cab driver, but they also provide a safer and more personalized transportation service.
Use a tour operator
Many solo travelers prefer to join a group travel over independent travel. If this is your preferred choice, then the challenge here is how to choose the tour that’s suits you best.
The beauty of joining a tour is that you’ll have all your logistics taken care of, including some extra travel challenges, transport logistics or language barriers, and this is usually the part that most travelers spend time to.
If you’re want to meet new people and forget about the hassle of organizing your itinerary or transport, then a group tour is your choice. If you just want to go on a journey,
Many tour operators don’t charge the single supplement HF Holidays, Friendship Travel, Explore, or Interpid Travel.
Experiences
Traveling solo can bring you one of the greatest experiences you will ever have in your life. Sometimes you just need to get away from it all and disconnect, and that’s one of the biggest benefits of solo travel. Stepping out of your comfort zone to discover new cultures and unfamiliar places opens up a new way of thinking and living.
Travel planning can be stressful, but when you join a tour, they do the planning for you and even can help you book flights. So you can focus on preparing for your adventure by studying books or researching the destination’s history and culture.
How to travel eco-sustainably
Avoid bottled water
Travel with sustainable, eco-friendly or fairtrade travel agencies
Reduce consumption of meat
Use eco-friendly products
Book eco-friendly accommodations
Support local economies
Resources for Solo Travelers
One Traveller is a U.K.-based company offering trips for the “mature single traveler” over 50+ to world destinations in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
Solo Traveler is more than just a site – it’s a community where people who share a passion for traveling alone exchange tips, resources, and destination guides for solo travelers.
Singles Travel International is for solo travelers with an average age of 48 through 65 and it offers trips throughout the world.
Women Traveling Together is focused on solo female travelers who prefer to join a group of other traveling women. Do you dream of exploring & traveling the world with a small group of women traveling together? Then this may be your top choice. The company offers roommate matching, tours, and other getaways.
Want to find more create destinations for solo travelers? Check our section Solo Travel for more tips and inspirations.
