How to Plan a Solo Trip: Essential Tips & Safety Strategies

Written by: Segun Akomolafe

Planning a solo trip can feel overwhelming at first, but with the right approach it becomes an incredibly rewarding experience. Whether you’re considering your first solo adventure or looking to refine your travel planning skills, understanding how to plan a solo trip properly makes all the difference between a stressful journey and an unforgettable adventure.

How to Plan a Solo Trip: Essential Tips & Safety Strategies

Choosing Your Destination

Before you plan a trip, the first thing you have to think about is choosing the country you’re going to and the town you’re going to. There are lists online that you can look at that are like top countries in the world where men and women feel the most safe, that’s the safest for solo travelers, that’s the safest for just females in general but I would also really recommend looking up the town you’re going to because in each country there are places that are less safe and there are places that are more safe and that really applies to solo female travelers as well.

I would recommend looking at some tourist places if you’re traveling during tourist season because personally I feel more safe when there’s a lot of tourists around, like there’s tons of people you know just like mopping around just like me. I don’t feel like I’m sticking out.

Not all tourist places will be a good fit though. You want to stay away from big party places, big group places and rather go to places where families with their children go, places where couples go and places where solo travelers go.

Research Resources:

Travel tips from other solo travelers
Google searches for safety information
Solo traveler experiences on video platforms

If this is your first solo trip though I do want to say the closer to home probably the better, like a country not super far away, a neighboring country or yeah you don’t even have to leave the country.

You can go to a nearby town or nearby city you’ve always wanted to visit, build your confidence doing things alone, get used to flying alone, get used to taking public transport alone, get used to finding your way alone, get used to all those things and then you can kind of build your way up and go on further trips when you feel more comfortable.

Organizing Your Travel Information

Once you got your country and your town figured out, what I personally like to do is I like to create a notion page so I have all my travel information, all my travel details in that page and when I go through and I decide what I want to do in all the other categories later like accommodation, transportation to get there, activities I want to do, I like to fill all that out in the same notion page as well.

It’s just really nice to have everything in one document for a trip, especially when you’re going alone because you’re in control of your whole trip right, so you want to make sure you have absolutely everything you need searched out before you go and I like to keep all those things in a document on my notion.

Transportation Planning

How to plan a solo trip requires careful consideration of transportation. You really have five options here: plane, train, ferry, bus and bringing your own personal vehicle or renting your own personal vehicle.

Some apps I recommend to do your research would probably be Skyscanner for flights, Rome to Rio for how to get to your destination, Google Maps is also really good for that and Trainline for finding trains.

As a solo traveler, there’s a few things that I would kind make sure to do and not do or just be wary of in general when it comes to transportation:

Transportation Safety Tips:

Avoid renting your own vehicle in foreign countries when possible
Always book travel during daylight hours
Research taxi companies and approved apps beforehand
Take screenshots of all travel routes and connections

I probably wouldn’t rent my own vehicle, you know most likely you’re in a foreign country, things can happen, I just don’t like the idea of being completely on my own and driving a vehicle you know on my own.

I always prefer public transport if I can, it’s also cheaper but you can take a taxi in Costa Rica, Mexico and all around Europe alone and safety is not 100% guaranteed in any of those scenarios.

I always made sure to do my research on things that are safe in this country, such as, what taxi companies should you use, what apps should you use.

The next consideration is just make sure you do your travel during the day.

That means booking an early morning flight so you can do your travel to your destination or to your hotel during the daytime and not the night time hours. Transportation just feels a little bit safer when it’s daytime versus night time you know.

Selecting Safe Accommodation

In regards to choosing accommodation you really have four options: you have hotels, hostels, bed, breakfast and Airbnbs. Before you choose any of these four options of accommodations, a good tip is to conduct a second research in the area you’re going to. Like every city around the world, especially big cities, there are places that are more sketched, like around the train station, a certain downtown area.

Accommodation Type	Safety Level	Best For	Considerations
Hotels	High	First-time solo travelers	24-hour front desk service, higher cost
Hostels	Medium-High	Meeting other travelers	Shared spaces, social atmosphere
Bed & Breakfast	Medium-High	Quiet, local experience	Personal touch, breakfast included
Airbnb	Medium	Experienced travelers	Less security presence, varies by location

Personally I know solo travelers who have stayed in all four types of accommodation that I talked about earlier, however personally I don’t think I would stay in an Airbnb when traveling alone. There’s just something about hotels, hostels and some bed and breakfast as well where they just have someone at the front desk at all times. Like 24 hours a day and that kind of just adds a level of security that is really nice to have, just the fact that they’re there and like watching over me makes me feel more safe at night.

Planning Activities and Staying Flexible

One of the most important aspects of how to plan a solo trip is balancing structure with spontaneity. From my experience I think the best thing to do and the most successful trips I’ve had is where I have kind of like a mix of those two things.

I always write down a list on my notion of a couple things that I really really want to do when I’m in my destination and also a couple of day trips that I really want to do and I might even put in the booking for a restaurant or an activity because that’s required, like that’s okay, however I do also think it’s really important to leave some room to be spontaneous.

There’s a beauty in the fact that you can go on a solo trip and literally do exactly what you want to do, like you don’t have to follow a schedule and that’s great and it also leaves some room for if you want to meet people.

Managing Your Valuables

Now when you’re actually on your trip, how do you manage alone? There’s like a couple of things that get a little bit harder to do when you’re on your own. In regards to keeping your valuables and your most important documents safe, lock them in travel gear. Then when you go on your day trips or when you want to go swimming or out and about, only bring the things you think are absolutely essential.

I would never leave my hotel with more money than I thought I could use in a day for transportation back and forth and a meal and a drink during that day. In regards to going swimming and keeping your valuables safe, some beaches and some cities just have more crime and more petty theft.

I had my beach bag, it doesn’t look super expensive, I have my stuff in my bag, again nothing expensive except my phone, put my phone in my bag, cover it with like either my beach towel or like my shirt from the day, hide it under my sun chair or hide it next to some rocks, go out swim, come back, nothing happened.

I did see and I did hear of some other ways to do it as well and the first thing which I thought was actually really clever is to get a swimming belt. You get a waterproof swimming belt, you put it around your tummy and you can put your phone in and some cash and you can swim with it so you leave the rest of your stuff at your chair because you’re not scared of that getting stolen right but you are scared of your phone getting stolen and your cash, you swim with your valuables, it doesn’t get wet.

What I’ve also done a couple of times is just find a group of really nice looking people and just go up and ask them if they could look out for my bag, most of the time they say yes.

Overcoming Loneliness

Understanding how to plan a solo trip also means preparing mentally for being alone. The best answer to this is just experience and time. Start by doing small things alone like going to the park alone, going on a solo date alone, going for a lunch alone, then kind of build your way up to a solo day trip and then once you become comfortable with that you can do a solo trip.

I used to be someone who was not very comfortable doing things alone and now I become so comfortable being alone but I do still get some intrusive thoughts like oh like do people think I look lonely, like do I feel lonely, like you know all those kinds of things and I think when that happens it’s just important to remember that you are here alone by choice.

You decided to do this for yourself and you are very happy to do so. This all applies to what a lot of people see as the most daunting thing about solo travel which is eating alone. Again, the more you do it, the more comfortable you become with it.

Essential Products for Solo Travelers

Here are some products that I would definitely recommend you getting if you’re solo traveling. The first thing I would recommend is just keep a spare battery with you at all times. Your phone is your best friend when you’re solo traveling, you’re using it for maps, you’re using it for money, you’re using it to take pictures, you’re using it for entertainment, like it’s everything right, so it’s so important that you have enough battery at all times on your phone.

I’ve definitely been in the situation where I’m almost running out of battery and I’m like how do I get home? This is awful. I’m the only person who can help myself here so I carry two battery packs. One has a full load of like one iPhone battery and one has like half a load of iPhone battery but it’s quite nice because it sticks onto my phone. I would also really recommend you get either an eSIM or if you have a plan that has roaming in the country you’re going to, make sure that’s sorted and make sure you have enough data.

The swimming belt from SwimOutlet is of good quality and I would recommend you try it and see how it works for keeping you safe while swimming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some relevant frequently asked questions on how to plan a solo trip and their optimized answers.

How far in advance should I plan a solo trip?

Start planning at least 2-3 months ahead for international trips to secure better flight deals and accommodation. Book essential activities early but leave room for spontaneity. Research your destination thoroughly during this time to feel prepared and confident.

Is it safe for women to travel alone?

Yes, with proper planning and precautions. Choose destinations known for safety, stay in accommodations with 24-hour front desk service, travel during daylight, share your location with family, and trust your instincts. Research each specific destination’s safety reputation beforehand.

What’s the best way to meet people while traveling solo?

Stay in hostels or join group activities and day trips. Be open to conversations at cafes and tourist spots. Use travel apps to connect with other solo travelers. Don’t overschedule so you have flexibility to spend time with people you meet.

How much money should I bring on a solo trip?

Only carry cash needed for one day’s expenses including meals, transport and one activity. Lock remaining cash and cards in your hotel safe. Use a mix of cash and cards for backup, and have emergency funds accessible online.

Should I tell people I’m traveling alone?

No, for safety reasons tell strangers you’re meeting friends later or your travel companion is back at the hotel. Only share your solo status with trusted sources like hotel staff. Keep your accommodation details private from casual acquaintances.

Conclusion

Learning how to plan a solo trip takes research and preparation but the rewards are incredible. From choosing safe destinations and accommodation to managing your valuables and staying connected, each element contributes to a successful journey.

Remember that confidence builds with experience, so start small with nearby destinations before venturing further. The key is balancing careful planning with room for spontaneity, prioritizing safety while embracing the freedom that solo travel offers. With these strategies in place, you’ll be well-equipped to embark on an unforgettable solo adventure that helps you grow as both a traveler and an individual.

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