Solo travel advice & recommendations

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I'm going to bologna next month for a week!! Getting excited but kind of nervous just of the logistics of it all. I've only been through an airport by myself once before and was met by family at the other end. Making my way to my hotel alone and vice versa does give me a bit of anxiety but I'm sure I'll figure it out. I actually booked a taxi via booking.com to meet me at the other end but they only give you 40 minutes to get through passport control and collect your luggage which I'm not sure will be enough time and it would mean getting to my hotel too early to check in so maybe I'm better off just going to the taxi rank at the airport? Or booking a private transfer?
Also I've seen some people recommend hydration tablets to help with walking about in the heat. Has anyone tried these and do they make any difference? I do struggle with hot weather

I normally get public transport to my hotel when I travel alone. I prefer it as 1, you get to know the system and 2, I don’t have too wory if my driver will wait for delays etc
However Mr Lolz only takes a taxi. So maybe used Uber instead of a prebooked taxi.

I buy Berocca tablets and put you in a bottle of water that I drink from throughout the day. This seems to work for me

 

[Colin]

Yeah Bucharest isn't a very hotel with pool city. You might have more luck outside the city (maybe in the bran castle area) or you could go on to Bulgaria or Greece where those things are more common. I had an amazing holiday on the coast on Bulgaria a few years back.

 

[LaBlonde]

Anyone have recommendations for a shirt trip in mid November (in europe). Want to go away for a bit for my birthday (haven't been abroad since 2019 November when I went to bologna in Italy which was great. Not really fussy but want somewhere nice to walk around, good food!

barcelona or milan would be my votes! depending on what you want weather wise but lots to see, easy to walk around and great food in both.

 

[Notworthy]

Looking at booking my first solo holiday later this year.

Depending how long it takes for my passport to come back (renewing it this week) I’m looking at a long weekend fri- mon and can do any month. Or a week in October but ideally id like sun so I know this would mean going further. Can anyone recommend anywhere? (Edit- I was looking at Greece/ canaries for a long weekend or Florida for October)

I’ve enjoyed reading this thread so far and I’m excited to do this for myself!

Florida in October is incredible and definitely doable for a long weekend. Most flights land very early in the morning on the return trip so you can go into work the day you get back (tough but best way to combat the jetlag)

 

[ForkHandles]

At least in Japan, get pocket WiFi (you can pick it up from the airport), not sure about Korea's wifi situation, and familiarise yourself with all the functions of Google Translate the app. You can use the camera to scan images, you can type and it translates and there's also a sort of conversation function where someone can speak into it and it translates. I tried it with a Japanese friend and she said it was a bit polite and formal but perfectly intelligible. I recommended it to a colleague who went and he said he ended up in a bar having a conversation with locals via Google translate.

Korea also has pocket Wi-Fi - I actually got a box in Japan that I could return in Seoul on my way home and had the same wifi box all the way through.
In the big cities in both Japan and Korea loads of people speak English, less so in the countryside but with google translate and a lot of gesturing I managed to get by!

 

[Former_Antelopee]

My (Male) Osteo travels a lot on his own. He just came back from S. Africa and from what he said, it's not a place for tourists right now let alone single female tourists so anyone contemplating it, probably better to consider Namibia or Botswana. He's travelled all through S. America with no qualms but he said S. Africa was a whole different ballgame, he couldn't even stand outside the Hotel to wait for his cab in case he was kidnapped.

I have heard the same so put me off. Someone told me they don’t stop at traffic lights at night they just carry on as people will kidnap you from cars, and they have a gun under the car seat.
They lock you in the rooms at night to prevent break ins.
Even just coming out the airport at one airport you come out in a cage and there are people there at the cage shouting and spitting at you.
I’ve been told to look at Kenya apparently felt safer and better wildlife

 

[Heidi88]

Anyone else done with long haul? Last one i did was 6 years ago, I'm now just happy exploring Europe it has so much to offer

Im currently on the last day of a three week trip around Asia. First week wasnt solo but the last two were. In the three weeks I went to 3 countries. I also did a solo trip to the US last year for two weeks.

I found long haul solo fine. This trip was scarier with more language and cultural differences and I still really enjoyed it. I had one issue getting from the airport to the city but I worked it out. I learned my lesson to check if there are airports nearer the city in future and not go for one a few hours outside the city.

 

[Felix08]

Im single and dont have anyone to go on holiday with but I want to start small and safe.
Anyone been to Stockholm?

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Just avoid the bed bugs.

 

[Megansnarkle]

I did my first solo trip last year to the US and loved it. I did a city break in Europe earlier this month on my own which went really well. It was a city I had been to multiple times before so it was a very easy trip.

I'm going to Tokyo and Seoul solo later this summer. I'm visiting family in Singapore first. It will my first time in Asia. I've heard both cities are good for female solo travel. I'm a little nervous about the language barrier but i cant wait for the trip!

At least in Japan, get pocket WiFi (you can pick it up from the airport), not sure about Korea's wifi situation, and familiarise yourself with all the functions of Google Translate the app. You can use the camera to scan images, you can type and it translates and there's also a sort of conversation function where someone can speak into it and it translates. I tried it with a Japanese friend and she said it was a bit polite and formal but perfectly intelligible. I recommended it to a colleague who went and he said he ended up in a bar having a conversation with locals via Google translate.

 

[Monkeybum]

I’ve always wanted to try a cruise as well. I just don’t understand how the drinks work, do you have to pay extra? I see drinks packages when I search about it but can’t see the option on how you book a drinks package when you book the cruise?

Yes you pay extra or sometimes included when you book, I upgraded after booking as had the basic package included. There is different packages, I went top tier which included all cocktails and named spirits, was only £10 a day cheaper than the basic, which was roughly the cost of one cocktail a day

 

[Zulkraa]

Oh yes I love walking the high line any time of year and day bc it’s diff vibe with the greenery and flowers as well as light for photos. I saw one of the nyc housewives on my last stroll

If you like art, walking around the chelsea galleries are amazing. Most of them free and always changing. Some of the popular ones like David zwirner with yayoi kusama sold out months in advance bc of the artist. Then chelsea market is closeby and there’s great coffee and food there. Like black seed bagels

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If you like food festival type things smorgasburg is fun and there’s one at oculus now…don’t have to trek into Brooklyn.

Agree with @Zulkraa there’s some fun tours in nyc. I saw one for sex and the city.

I did the Sex and the City tour last time I was there so other tours like that are a good shout! Thank you!
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Smorgasbord looks fab, and Chelsea markets going on the list too!

How funny as that’s the one I did too! Loved it and all the inside knowledge they gave on the tour and all the places

 

[Former_Antelopee]

So close to booking Cappadocia, I would’ve booked it if I knew what was happening with my shifts at work. Although I need to find my passport not sure where I put it

 

[littlepup]

What's the smallest amount of money people have gone travelling with really feel like I need to get away for like a month or 2

It depends what you’re prepared to do to save money. Travelling around is generally expensive as is alcohol but if you stay in one place it can be cheaper wherever you go.
Many years ago I did a Thailand trip for around £15 a day average. Room was £7 but that was a beach shack with cold shower and generally a toilet you flush by chucking a bucket of water down it. Eating £1 street noodles or £2.50 Thai food restaurant dinners, buying big waters from the shop for 50p, a 7/11 toastie and crisps for lunch for £2 then snacks, beers and shakes here and there. But each day if you wanted to island hop, the boat ride would be £5-15. Flights say £30-60 and so on.
You could get a better room for £15-20, it all depends where you’re prepared to save.

 

[LaBlonde]

My Osteo is a youngish Male and well travelled, he frequently disappears off for a couple of months of travelling and that was his experience of S. Africa. It's safe only if you take extreme care. When he stood outside the Hotel waiting for his cab (as is pretty normal behaviour) He was told to go back in and wait inside until the cab showed up as there was a risk of kidnapping. My Son went a few years ago with his School and it wasn't like that at all. The situation is deteriorating and caution is needed at all times. Caution somewhere like Rome where you get pickpocketed is one thing, having to be cautious because there is a risk of kidnapping is a whole different level. He spent 2 months travelling through Colombia and didn't experience anything like that.

i would really love to know what part! as i said above, my sister was a solo traveller there and drove herself also - and felt fine about it. there are iffy spots (as with anywhere) and she was recommended to avoid townships and got a lot of warnings about pretoria in particular but she’s a seasoned traveller and it was really no different to going anywhere (like going to a city in the us and being told the no go areas). my parents also go very frequently, again seasoned travellers, and said the same.

to be told not to stand outside your hotel or someone will kidnap you is something i would only expect from an extremely hostile and dangerous environment. i can’t see that was the case in cape town (as an example) which still has a large tourist population from all over. serious crimes on tourists are also extremely rare in most places because the criminals just don’t want to get involved with the embassies or international police forces.

it is relative though i guess! i’ve been all over, in particular the us, and the only place i truly felt unsafe was new orleans. my sister has been all over the world and the only place she truly felt unsafe was egypt. yet other people have told me the exact opposite about both these places!

 

[YetAnotherObsessionx]

Depends what kind of holiday you want, but I went to Puglia one September which was just stunning, great weather and the food was AMAZING

Yesssss I LOVE the look of Puglia. I really want to go to Matera.

How about the lakes.

And yes to this too, and the Dolomites, I do like a mountain!

 

[misunderstood]

This thread is making me want to book a holiday . I am thinking of Ibiza in October but I think the prices that are putting me off

 

[Former_Antelopee]

It’s great if you can take to work with you, especially if it’s a puppy. I did this. And we never had separation anxiety because I worked on the leaving by herself. Although I know all dogs are different.
Btw I woulf say get the dog

Yeah I think I’d get a puppy just as I wouldn’t want an adult dog which already has issues. I’m leaning towards the dog . My 3 family dogs growing up never had separation anxiety, even one we inherited at 9 years old from my grandad who spent the majority of his time with the dog. I’m just stuck on a breed to get. I’ll probably end up with the breed I had growing up but I kind of what a different breed

 

[YetAnotherObsessionx]

The first time I went away on my own was a week all inclusive to menorca. I dislike eating in restaurants so went for one with a buffet. Nice pool, on the beach. Read a lot of books!

Cried the night before I flew out through anxiety and not knowing how everybody else would be with me. It was mostly spanish/ Italian families in the hotel so they just didn't 'get' an English woman on her own. But all was fine. Felt safe.

Since then I have mainly done cruises as I like seeing different places and you can choose to go on trips or wander off on your own. You can also eat with the other solo travellers, or with other people or on your own. In fact, most times some couple or group usually adopts me

I have also been on a city break to new York twice! Just do your research before you go. Went to Madeira for a week last year - was very nice. Don't think you can go too far wrong in europe, North America etc. Just be aware like you would be here.

Ooh I never thought of going on a cruise by myself! That's a good idea, thank you!

 

[futbolista]

Anyone travelled New Zealand solo? Been made redundant and thinking of going to sort my head out.

Yes I went solo. It was part of a career break and it was the first country I went to. I had a month in NZ, went to both north and south islands. Absolutely stunning country. Nice people.

This was 13 years ago so a lot has changed. I took buses around as well as some flights bc I found really cheap flights on budget carriers at the time. I went to cape reinga, paihia area, Auckland obvs, marloborough wine region (have a friend there), queenstown, Christchurch, Milford sound. Wish I went to coromandel and some other places. At the time I stayed in some budget hotels and hostels. There wasn’t air bnb at the time. Was trying to conserve money was I was traveling for a year.