How to deal with loneliness during solo travel
Traveling alone without a companion to share experiences with often leads to intense feelings of isolation, especially when surrounded by couples. Without a built-in travel partner or a clear way to meet others, it becomes difficult to enjoy the trip and make new friends.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Staying in social accommodations like hostelsDid this help you?
- 2Keeping busy by walking around and exploringDid this help you?
- 3staying in a hostel to meet fellow travelersDid this help you?
- 4sticking to one country like Spain to minimize transit timeDid this help you?
- 5Flying home earlyDid this help you?
- 6Booking a trip to a neighboring countryDid this help you?
- 7Staying in hostels instead of private rooms to force yourself outsideDid this help you?
- 8Finding low-effort activities like a day spaDid this help you?
- 9Creating a concrete daily itinerary or planDid this help you?
- 10Doing activities that put you around people where you could be socialDid this help you?
- 11Focusing on the lighter logistics of traveling alone, such as carrying less gear and needing no coordination.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“There were quite a few moments where I thought, "I wish I had someone here with me."”source ↗
“eating alone at restaurants is fine at lunch but weird at dinner.”source ↗
“Not having someone to watch the bags when you need the bathroom.”source ↗
“Making every decision alone, which sounds great until you've been standing at an intersection for five minutes unable to pick a direction.”source ↗
“I'd do it again but I missed having someone to talk to at the end of the day.”source ↗
“The only thing I didnt really get to do was meet people and make new friends. So it kinda makes me sad.”source ↗
“I didnt really have that. So I'm a little sad.”source ↗
“IM alao kinda sad i didnt get to be as social as I thought I would.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4How do you handle solo travel when your partner hates traveling?
- 11Is solo travel actually safe for women and minorities?
- 8Where to solo travel for warm beaches and good nightlife
- 3Why does moving away for work feel so lonely?
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- 13Feeling lonely planning a wedding without a big friend group