I have done my fair share of traveling alone, and I know exactly what it's like to be out there, facing uncertainties every day with only yourself to rely on. Sometimes, it's the terrifying feeling of not knowing what to do; other times, it's the loneliness that comes after being on the road for several weeks. These feelings can really take their toll if you don't balance them carefully.
I just came back from Myanmar about a week ago, and I believe this trip was the one I enjoyed the most, not particularly because of the country, but because I chose to change myself to enjoy and have more fun. It's not easy, mind you. It requires you to step out of your comfort zone and expose yourself to whatever comes your way, but it is well worth it.
Without any further ado, here are some of the things you can do to have fun and enjoy yourself more while traveling alone.
Talk to the Locals
As I walked down Mandalay Hill, trying to find my way back to the hotel, I saw a little girl playing with her younger sister. I waved at her, expecting her to shy away and run back to her parents. However, she suddenly walked up to my side and asked my name. Although we hardly understood each other, we exchanged some precious memories, with me showing her photos of Myanmar from my camera. This encounter turned what could have been a very lonely walk back into a companionship-filled experience.
Tip: Approach the locals and start making friends. You are, after all, traveling in their country, and this may open up a window for you to see the local life that others will rarely experience.
Talk to other travelers
I went to Myanmar, and I learned about the French culture. "How the hell did you learn about the French culture in Myanmar?", you may ask. By talking to other travelers. I used to be very reluctant to talk to other travelers because I feared they might shut me out, and I would be embarrassed. The thing is, that doesn't matter. You are in a foreign country, and you are unlikely to see that person again for the rest of your life, so why not give it a shot.
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While I was ready to leave the Shwenandaw Monastery after spending an hour there, I saw a fellow solo traveler who had just arrived, and she sat near the tree at the entrance. I decided to bite my tongue and ask her if she was traveling alone like I was. That little conversation stretched out to over an hour of discussions about life, travel experiences, my culture, her culture, and even music genres. Not to mention, she also suggested places to visit in Myanmar (Inwa), and I decided to follow her suggestion, and I was not disappointed. This is probably one of the best conversations I've had in a while. Isn't it amazing that two people, whom I would never have met in ordinary daily life, were able to converse for more than an hour? This is traveling at its fullest potential.
Tip: The key is to look for someone who travels alone, or maybe a couple, and start smiling and say Hi as you walk past. If they say Hi back, then you could start by asking common questions like "Where are you guys from?" or "Are you traveling alone as well?". If they answer you and ask you more questions, it means that they are open to talking to you. You will know right away whether they are interested in talking to you or not when both parties are trying to move the conversation forward by asking questions. If you are the only one asking questions, then you might be bothering the other party, so end the conversation and let them be in peace.
Be goofy in front of a camera
It is daunting to travel to a country and have no photos of yourself in your camera. The problem with traveling alone is that you will have to ask someone to take them for you or, in my case, put it down somewhere, set a timer, and be goofy in front of the camera like a crazy person. That turned out to be something I really enjoyed - having fun with myself and entertaining others in the process. It may also become a conversation starter for other travelers as well. You can ask others to take a photo of you and offer to take one of them in exchange. Not to mention, you also get an awesome photo of yourself for your friends and family to see.
Just have fun. Maybe do a jump shot or a perspective shot that is worthy of your Facebook profile photo. The trick is to be comfortable in your own skin. There are no people around to judge you, after all.
Prepare a good book for some down times
When traveling, there will be several downtime periods, such as waiting for a flight or while on a bus or train. You will be bored out of your mind if you do not have anything to do. I've learned this the hard way when I had to wait for the check-in counter to open for 3 hours. My phone's battery was running out, and I had 2 more hours to go without anything to do. That was the moment when I wished I had brought a book to read. Since then, I have always prepared one in case of downtime.
Tip: Bring a book that will let you sink in and amplify your moments. A book that will engage you in thinking about your surroundings. This might be weird, but my book for the trip to Myanmar was "Pale Blue Dot" by Carl Sagan. The book is about space and how our future of space exploration may unfold. This may seem like a weird match, but the books really got me thinking about how silly we all are to put our efforts on things that are so small and insignificant. Travel also has the same effect. Your mind is expanded through experiences of other cultures. It reminds me of why I decided to travel in the first place and makes me feel grateful for where I am and for making the decision to travel solo. You will be surprised how creative you can be, especially when you are in unusual surroundings.
Get lost.. on purpose
Last but not least, when traveling, get used to being lost and find the beauty in it. When I was in Bagan, Myanmar, I decided to ride a bike through a shortcut which should have led me to this big remote temple (Dhammayangyi Pagoda), but instead, I ended up in a cactus farm (really) somewhere in the middle of a field under the heat of a thousand suns. I was able to find a shelter nearby, and as I tried to find my way back, I looked around and realized how beautiful it was. The vast plain stretched over several kilometers with thousands of pagodas spiraling up from the ground. It was in that moment that I found myself enjoying being lost in a foreign land. I eventually found my way out of the maze and reached the temple with that great feeling when you overcome an obstacle.
Tip: Don't get stressed out when you are lost. That will do you more harm than good. Start by realizing which way you should be heading. Use a compass if you must and start moving in that direction. Remember to enjoy the beauty along the way as well and keep in mind that you will not find this kind of excitement and adventure if you follow the common routes.
That is it for How to enjoy yourself and have fun while traveling alone. Have we missed anything? Have you found the guide useful? Let us know in the comments below!
Further Reading for Inspiration
Looking for more articles to help inspire you to travel more? Here are a collection of articles you might like:
- Hiking to the Everest Base Camp is one of the most memorable epic moments of my life. Here's a long-read piece about my experiences hiking the Everest Base Camp: On My Way To Everest Base Camp.
- Ever wondered what it's like to travel the world with a third-world passport? Check out: Traveling The World On A Third World Passport.
- Here's why I always celebrate turning a year older with a hike: Climbing Kilimanjaro on My 33rd Birthday.
- Are you currently planning a trip around the world and looking for cheap countries to visit? Here are the 13 Cheapest Countries To Visit in the World.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for the most beautiful travel blogs to follow? Here are the 23 Most Beautiful Travel Blogs to Follow.
- For adventurers and backpackers out there, here are the 10 Best Adventure and Backpacking Blogs You Should Follow.
- I truly believe we need more Asian representatives in the English-speaking travel blogging industry, especially for blogs about Asia. Here are the Top 10 Kick-Ass Asian Travel Bloggers To Follow.
- Did you know that you can travel without leaving your couch? Here are the 8 Great Travel Books You Should Read.
- For the best travel videos to inspire you to travel even further, here are the 20 Most Creative Travel Videos of All Time.
- If you are looking for travel vloggers to follow on YouTube who aren't cringeworthy, check out: 10 Best Travel Vloggers to Follow On YouTube.
- The best way to improve your photography skills is to learn from the best. Here are the 10 Best Photography YouTube Channels to Follow.
- A photo is worth a thousand words. Here are the 25 Most Beautiful Travel Photos I Ever Took From Around The World.
- Ever wondered what it's like to be a travel blogger during COVID-19? Check out: Being A Travel Blogger During COVID-19 - What Is It Like?
- Stuck at home and not sure what to do? Here are the 10 Best Things to Do When You Are Bored in Lockdown.
- Looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit this year? Check out: 8 Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Destination to Visit.
- Can't travel internationally for the time being? How about traveling in your own country? Here are the 7 Reasons Why You Should Travel in Your Own Country.
- To find the most inspirational travel quotes and captions to go with your photos on your Instagram, check out 34 Short and Unique Traveller Quotes for Instagram.
- We often hear bad stories about locals from travelers, but what about the other way around? Here are some of the Notorious Stories Of Terrible Backpackers.
- If you lost your bag while you were traveling, here is how to deal with the situation: My Bag Was Stolen In Germany.
- Have you ever felt that you do not belong in a place you were born in? Read this: Where Is Home? - My Quest In Search Of Where I Belong.
- People often preach about how important it is to live in the moment, but sometimes, that may not be such a good idea. Here is The Problem With Living In The Moment.
- Solo traveling is not for everyone, and even though I love it to death, it is not always flowers and sunshine for solo travelers. Here are the 10 Things I Hate Most When Traveling Solo.
- Travel friends come and go, but that may not be such a bad thing. Here is why you should embrace your travel friends: A Life Of Brief Encounters.
- Hiking is life. Here's why: One Year Of Incredible Discomfort - 10 Things I've Learned From Climbing Mountains.
- Here's why having no plan is the best plan: Magical Things Happen When You Have Nothing To Do - The Art Of Doing Nothing.
- Is life getting you down? Here's why you can't always blame life for everything: Life Doesn't Suck. We Just Suck At Living It.
- Want to know why I chose to travel alone? Read this: We Travel Alone, NOT To Be Alone.
- For a meaningful solo trip, you need to share it with someone. Here is why Happiness Is Only Real When Shared.
- Traveling is no longer for the rich. Here is why: "People Think I'm Rich".
- The Himalayan Mountain is one hell of a teacher. Here are the 7 Life Lessons The Himalayas Taught Me.
- Want to start traveling solo too? Here is What It's Like to Travel Alone.
- Here is a simple story on how I started traveling: F*ck It, I'll Do This Alone.
- For more inspiring articles like this, visit my Inspiration page.
8 Comments
good and nice tips...
it is an exhilirating feeling
Totally!
I enjoyed reading this.
Gives a few great tips for traveling alone & how to enjoy every single moment of your solo trip
Thank you for reading! Hope you found it useful and something you could try for your next solo trip :)
I just arrived in South Korea, from the US. I will be here for the next 1-2 years. Looking forward to exploring this country as well as traveling to other countries. Solo adventure starts once I'm at of this quarantine, thanks for the nice read. Excited to explore :)
Hey Levi!
I'm surprised South Korea is allowing inbound flights from the US! Did you have any problem coming in at all? Anyhow, I believe everyone should travel solo once in their lives. Some will hate it, some will like it, like me, but at least we have tried it. :) South Korea is a great place to start. People are nice, friendly, very safe, and very easy to navigate. You will love it! I hope you can do it soon!
Thanks for this article. I'm travelling alone right now, working somewhere on a farm and it's especially hard getting to meet people because of Covid. It's nice knowing that I'm not alone in my feelings of loneliness.