Welcome Back fellow Explorers in this blog I’m going to share with you 5 important must dos before solo traveling anywhere in the world! A lot goes into planning the perfect solo trip ! And with more cruise lines implementing Solo Travel and Destinations around the world becoming more versed towards the Solo Traveler I thought it would be great to share a few helpful tips while choosing your Solo Destination that really helped me when I started out :)
#1 - Research
I cannot stress this enough , research is so important when you are about to embark on a solo journey and while your travel agent will get all the research for you it is also good to research where you are going, emerge yourself in local culture, understand customs, traditions, and social norms. What is going on in the country you are going to currently? What are the safety guidelines? Acquaint yourself with the laws and regulations of where you are going! All of this is so important as a solo traveler because you will be relying on yourself the majority of the trip , it can be a lot but researching sets you up for success along with talking to your Travel Agent :)
#2 - Language!
Languages! This is huge , if you are going to travel anywhere you should know some basics but especially if you will be traveling solo you need to be able to be confident and try with the Language that is native to where you are going. One, it is so much fun to learn a new language and secondly it just helps so much when traveling abroad to know some of the countries native tongue so you can talk to locals, make new friends and truly experience a more cultured experience on your journey!
“The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself." – Wallace Stevens
#3 - Packing!
Respecting local dress codes to where you are and what has helped me so much with packing is “layer packing”. I saw someone once have jeans on but had a dress tucked in so once they were done hiking Machu Picchu they could retake a picture in a cute dress ! How smart, right? Think about pictures you want to take where you want to go and your itinerary while packing along with what the weather will be and what is appropriate for where you're going. All of these add value in packing for your Solo Trip!
#4 - Sightseeing & Activities
I loved planning my itinerary on my Solo backpacking trip through Peru because I didn’t have to wait on anyone, but most importantly I made sure I understood what it took to get to Machu Picchu before even landing in Peru. This is so important because you do not want the added stress of trying to figure out “How?” and “when?” when you are at your destination ! I also like to advise, in my opinion…DO NOT PLAN EVERYTHING. Leave some room open for the remarkable to happen on its own, because while traveling solo a lot of serendipity is in the works; but for your “must see and do’s “ definitely have them planned out and ready to go with the help of your travel agent :)
#5 - Find the best place to stay for YOU
This is so important and different for everyone but find what makes you comfortable on your solo trip. Do you want your days spent in a hotel?, a hostel?, a local home ?, an all inclusive ? There are so many options when you travel but finding the one that is best for you on that specific journey is key to a great trip so work with your travel agent to find what speaks to you when traveling solo because every destination is so different from the last especially when staying abroad. However if you are traveling to another location in that country, it is so important to have where you are staying in place ! That doesn't mean you can't extend your time or shorten it, that’s the beauty of Solo Travel !