5 surprising tips to enjoy traveling alone

Traveling alone seems like such daunting thought to many largely because it seems to reinforce a feeling of loneliness but it doesn't have to be so. Traveling alone doesn't mean you are lonely, in fact there are certain times when you might just want to get away and have some time to yourself to reflect and think. At such times there are many ways to make traveling alone fun and thus maximize your travel experience. Here are 5 surprising tips to enjoy traveling alone.

Stay at Places That Encourage Talking

Local bars, local independent coffee shops, lounges etc. are just some examples of places that encourage talking with their communal settings. You can use the opportunity to meet new people, position yourself for great conversations, learn something new and enliven your solo travel adventure and experience.

Take Day Tours

Aside the fact that this can be an exciting and gratifying experience, it is also an opportunity to meet new people and make a friend or two. If you are not interested in meeting new people, it provides a great opportunity for sight-seeing in a safe setting, watching people like you navigate through the tour and can generally be a great learning experience for you.

Take a Restaurant Meal at Noon

Dining at a fine restaurant at noon is a great way to enjoy nice meals at fairly lower prices. This is because at this time there isn't much foot traffic into the restaurant and as a result prices are likely to be relatively low compared to the evening time where there are significantly higher numbers of people coming in. In addition, you'll also get to enjoy not having to deal with an overly romantic crowd as most lovers would save their soirees for the evening time.

Plan Your Days

When traveling alone, you need to map out your daily activities to avoid having to wonder about what to do. Traveling alone without a plan can get it in the way of the fun you would have and make you more likely to feel bored. Additionally, the fact that you have plan doesn't mean you have to be rigid with it, you can be flexible and even spontaneous with it. There is no hard or fast rule to it, just embrace the experience, indulge yourself and open yourself up to a potentially reflective and fulfilling travel experience.

Be Friendly But Security Conscious

You're traveling alone after all, so safety has to be top of mind for you. Favour day-time tours or sight-seeing activities over night-time. If you must move around at night, try doing so with private transportation like Uber or a cab, rather than with public transportation. If you intend to take a walk in the evening or at night, be sure you know the path to your destination so you don't have to start asking questions that will reveal your ignorance and put you at risk. If you're staying at a hotel or hostel, ask the concierge or staff about certain places you intend to go and how safe they are at different times of the day. Additionally, when making new friends, be sure not to immediately disclose sensitive information about yourself like where you are staying, the area you are staying in, your daily routine etc. Again, if you have to meet up with new friends, do so at day-time in public settings. If you have to meet with the person at night, also favour public settings and use your own private transportation rather than sharing one with the person.