Sometimes, a change from the routine life is all the heart yearns for. With the same old friends, mundane routines and hangout spots, you are bound to lose interest in your life. We suggest you to go on a solo trip, but don't worry, we got your back on making friends while traveling solo. To get out of the boredom of your life, welcome new experiences and new people into your life, nothing can be better than a solo trip to an unknown place. It will definitely open a wide range of new things in your life which can only be sought after. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. The idea might sound extremely exhilarating at first but once the planning period surpasses, nothing will stand as an obstacle between you and your ultimate destination.

Whether or Not to Travel Alone?

The first question that will most probably arise during the idea stage would be whether or not to travel alone. Though a few people are experts at solo tripping and backpacking to places you have never heard about, it doesn't make you any lesser.

Make Up Your Mind

Make up your mind that you want to visit a place where you will get to do all those things that you haven’t done before. A visit to a place where people speak a language you don’t know, follow a culture you haven’t heard of and completely different from anything you have seen before is exactly the kind of place that should be on your mind.

Have a Plan

An important thing to keep in mind is that the plan has to sustain until the end of your trip. A plan may sound like work but it will act as your safety net at times of distress. Maybe travelling all alone seems double the work but that is where you get to meet a lot of new people and learn valuable insights that you wouldn't learn on your own otherwise.  

Tips on Making Friends while Traveling Solo:

Following are few pointers you need to keep in mind while traveling solo in order to make new friends. Hope it helps you make hell lot of friends on your upcoming solo trip.

1. Choose a Hostel Dorm over a Hotel Accommodation

[caption id="attachment_2228" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Credits: Zostel[/caption] Hostel dorms can be really exciting places to live in if you are the kind of person who is always eager to make new friends and are ready to mingle. A lot of dorms have fun activities and amazing hangout places for the visitors and they are super fun. You get an opportunity to interact with your dorm-mates and also get to know about the best places to visit. You will also get to join the groups that have already planned their trip and are willing to let you go along. Stating at hostels prove to be more beneficial since it opens gateways to things you would have to search otherwise.

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2. Use Translator App

[caption id="attachment_2229" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Credits: departsmart.org[/caption] You definitely need help while travelling to a new place and especially when you don’t know the language spoken there. Try using a translator app and converse with locals in that place. A lot of locals do appreciate the efforts of visitors who try to communicate in their language. They can be really helpful and welcoming. You get to learn a bit of their language and also make friends with them. Making new friends is definitely not like trying to crack civil services entrance test. It can be really easy and natural if you have the right attitude and a broad mind.

We made a list of all the travel apps. You can read it here!

3. Just Smile to Strike a Conversation

Smile at people you come across, talk to them about the place, the culture, the food, and the famous spots to visit. It’s all about starting the conversation. Once you start a conversation, you will find that there are a lot of commonalities between you and the stranger you just met.

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4. Never miss attending a local festival or parties

Never miss attending a local festival or parties being organized during your stay in that place. These are events that will undoubtedly turn into your best memories from that visit. These are exactly those events where you get to make new friends, see their culture, and get to taste their food. The celebrations will bring you close to so many locals that you will forget the fact that you don’t belong to that place and that you are just a visitor. It makes you feel like a home away from home. Let us know if these tips helped you in making friends while traveling solo. We'd love to hear from you! Keep traveling and exploring!