How to Overcome Loneliness While Traveling Solo

Not so long ago I got an email from my reader with two questions: “Don’t you feel lonely traveling solo?” and “What are the ways to overcome loneliness while traveling solo?” I was puzzled. I’m not trying to deceive anyone into thinking that travel, or more specifically, traveling while single, is nothing but a never-ending happiness.

On the one hand, being an independent traveler means battling loneliness or even depression from time to time. On the other hand, traveling alone has countless benefits. After more than 10 years on the road, I start believing that it is all about your own attitude, about the right mindset.

While it may take time to build your own network, you still get enough time to order your thoughts and reflect on who you really are. Traveling alone gives you the chance to recharge, and re-connect with yourself and there is no one to disrupt your journey, both mental and physical.

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When you traveling alone for work balancing career and travel adventures and escaping loneliness isn’t easy. I get nervous when I’m not good at conquering my fear of meeting new people. I get confused when I don’t make instant connections and I get depressed that I haven’t done everything as of yesterday.

Unsurprisingly, the first few days experiencing a new destination are always the toughest. It is often hard to adapt quickly to a new environment, understand the language or pick interesting places to visit. Even if you don’t have any friends around, this fact must not bring you down since being alone does not always mean being lonely.

So, instead of battling loneliness when you feel lonely abroad out in the open, you may consider googling it and find yourself here. The good news is, any struggles of traveling can be somewhat easily minimized. I have put together 10 different techniques to overcome loneliness while traveling alone and getting the most out of the work and travel lifestyle.

Ways To Manage Travel Loneliness:

1. Find a Travel Buddy

Joining up with fellow travelers is the best way to combat loneliness on the road. Too shy? Take a deep breath and start talking. Talking to like-minded people around you is still the most reliable way to learn about the customs and where to eat or what sites to visit.

Spending a day seeing “the best of the city” can help you to bond with new folks and often pick up a travel friend. But there is a catch. Pick your tour carefully. It would be great if you could book a tour that is run by a hostel – that way, you’re more likely to spend the day with other solo travelers.

On the contrary, booking a tour from a hotel or a ticket booth may end up spending your time with groups and families – not the kind of stuff you want to face. There are also many solid informative forums and apps you could use to meet people as well, such as Couchsurfing.

2. Don’t Forget About Your Friends and Family

Spending your time online chatting to your family or friends is a great reminder that you’re not all alone. But talking or writing to people you know can be a double edged-sword. It can make your episode of loneliness more intense due to the distance from your friends.

Try both options to learn whether this is a good or bad activity for you in the face of loneliness. As for me, I love chatting with friends on the other side of the globe, it just makes me feel connected.

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What’s more, you can always check whether any of your friends fancy coming out to see you. On my journey to Chiang Mai, I’ve been very fortunate to have met my friend – not by accident, of course. He was looking for an excuse for a trip. It’s doing them a favor, bingo!

3. Take Your Time

Yes, I know there is always the temptation to fit in and tick off many sights as possible. But that isn’t always the best thing to do. When I set off on my first trip I made a huge mistake treating travel as a checklist. The Eiffel Tower, the Westminster Abbey, the Colosseum… the list goes on and on. However, there is much more to travel than exploring historical sites quickly.

Take your time to soak in the culture and reflect on your surroundings. I’m not speaking about the actual speed at which you’re traveling but embracing a new way of thinking and the mindset you adopt to explore your destination to the fullest.

Whenever I have a chance I opt for spending at least a week in each city and have enough time to process everything I have seen. By staying a bit longer, you can really get to know the place and eventually form a new habit to travel slow, not fast.

4. Give Yourself Something to Pursue

Yup, Tim O’Reilly was right. There is no better time to do something that can help you stop thinking about being lonely than now. Setting a goal can help keep you occupied on researching a travel destination or planning an itinerary. Stop questioning yourself. Stop listening to everyone else.

Give yourself a mission to become a creator of your own journey. It has never been easier to choose a place to visit and make discoveries based on it. Don’t fail to exercise your right to try something new and less predictable. Find the best places to travel alone in the US or simply the best things to do when traveling. When I was in Rome, I made it my mission to unearth the best pizzeria in the city. While it was definitely a challenging task, it allowed me to see Rome in a new way and discover some lesser-known but worthwhile venues.

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5. Read a Book

Reading a good book is my favorite way not just to overcome loneliness on the road but to entertain myself at night when traveling alone. Reading new books or re-reading my favorite books is a great distraction that tunes out of the world and reminds me of the comforts of home. When I just need a break from practicing my Chinese or constantly exploring new destinations, these treasures come in.

6. Allow Yourself the Freedom to be Spontaneous

Oftentimes, unplanned adventures are the best ones. Even when the very thought of an unplanned trip conjures up thoughts of fear, don’t stress about it. That’s a completely normal reaction, especially when traveling alone for the first time. I’ve certainly felt that way plenty of times. When you let go of the planning and embrace spontaneity, you never know what might come of your trip. But it’s almost always the most memorable travel experience.

Spontaneity goes hand-in-hand with flexibility. While you can’t always help needing to travel during certain dates, you’ll feel more like yourself and more alive traveling without a fixed itinerary. Allow yourself an extra day or two of freedom before or after your journey. This flexibility is the greatest perk that allows you to be open to changing your travel plans and becoming a more spontaneous traveler.