THE DESTINATION

1. Language Considerations

First of all, if you’re too overwhelmed to navigate another language on your first solo trip abroad, then pick somewhere that speaks your native language! As English speakers, we’re privileged because of the language’s global presence. According to Rosetta Stone, 75 countries and states list English either as an official language or as the most commonly used language, and several countries beyond those listed have a high percentage of English speakers, especially in tourist locations.

However, there are plenty of resources to learn the basics of another language, and I’ve found great value in knowing at least a few simple words and phrases. In Tanzania, I tried to speak Swahili with every local I met, which made vendors smile or laugh, and sometimes opened up enriching conversations about the local economy, tourism, or cultural differences. Natives often appreciate when you try.

You can use language-learning apps like DuoLingo or Babbel, search Google for government websites or blogs that list common greetings and phrases, and even use AI-powered tools like Little Language Lessons by Gemini or Langua Talk for more conversational practice. If you’re lucky, you might meet a patient local who helps you write down the pronunciation of words and phrases you learn.

Finally, I recommend downloading the local language in Google Translate before you go. This way, with or without phone service, you’ll have a basic translator. It works best for simple words and phrases. I used it to speak with two young girls selling bracelets on the beach in Dahab, Egypt, who ended up sitting with me for an hour at a café because they were fascinated by my underwater videos. On the contrary, I once received an inappropriate translation while getting a ride from a local on a piki piki (a motorbike in Tanzania) when I asked the driver “where are you taking me” after he drove past our agreed-upon stop… Fortunately, his face showed his shock and confusion, and then he laughed. Mistakes are part of the game!

2. Culture

We all carry our own perspectives of the world shaped by what we’ve seen and experienced, so I challenge you to consider viewing life through a shifted perspective if you’re ever feeling judgmental towards a new culture.

For instance, perhaps, like me, you acknowledge how many societies have historically suppressed women, and so to stand up against these standards you dress freely. You might think it a sign of strength to express your values in the same way no matter where you go; however, consider that modesty doesn’t automatically equate to suppression in all cultures. And if the two are linked where you are visiting, then it is likely safer to fit in and not draw unwanted attention to yourself—especially traveling solo. By showing respect, you’re more likely to be treated with respect.

Dress code also applies to men. Don’t be that guy who walks around shirtless on a hot, midday romp around the UNESCO World Heritage site of Stone Town, Zanzibar, especially not during the religious holiday of Ramadan. Don’t go somewhere and feel like you don’t have to observe their customs just because you’re a visitor. I have made a few uneducated mistakes, but the more we learn, see, and experience, the better we can appreciate that the world truly does not revolve around you.

Aside from dress codes, consider the following non-exhaustive list of customs to anticipate during your stay: observed holidays (a chance to participate, but also be prepared for road or store closures); typical and traditional cuisine; body language (is it inappropriate to smile at strangers?); negotiating or haggling; tipping (is it expected, and how much?); or shoes off inside homes. One time, I didn’t fully understand the no-shoes-inside rule and was publicly reprimanded by kitchen staff at a busy hostel on my first morning in Egypt for wearing my inside-only slippers. Not a great start!

3. Accommodation

Finding the right place to stay can make or break your solo travel experience. Here’s how to approach it:

Depending on your budget and the experience you crave, you can keep accommodation costs down by couchsurfing, camping, or volunteering in exchange for a bed and/or food. If those options are too far out of your comfort zone, then paying for a bed in a hostel dorm might be your cheapest option. Search diligently for a hostel with great reviews and amenities that meet your needs: think lockers, curtains around beds, AC or fans, cleanliness, towels and linens included, Wi-Fi, activities, workspaces, or kitchens. Even only a couple of nights in a shared space will help bring your costs down if you don’t want to stay in one for your entire trip. Switching between shared and private rooms allowed me to stay in a decent hostel in Zanzibar for one month during low season for under $400.

On a tighter budget, but privacy’s a priority? Hostels often have a few private rooms available that typically cost less than hotel rooms. Plus, you’ll still have access to any of the hostel’s perks, like included meals and a kitchen, shared spaces for socializing, and organized or free activities.

If you’re looking for more than the activities organized by many hostels, and you’re craving cultural enrichment by building a deeper connection with the local community, then book a homestay. As a solo traveler, having a local host to help you navigate a new culture and environment can ease your stress and enable a smoother transition. Most hosts will gladly help answer your questions, and active hosts might guide you through local neighborhoods and markets, find you rides, or make you home-cooked meals. Remember, a host's home was likely not built to cater to Western culture and amenities like a hotel or high-end hostel might be. The point of a homestay is to immerse yourself in the culture and live like a local.

Ultimately, be sure to stay in a location that meets your needs! If you want to walk as often as possible, look for accommodations that are closer to the attractions and restaurants you plan to visit. Or maybe you want to stay further away because it’s cheaper, so look up the best and cheapest ride share options, or how to use the local public transportation, and then find places near bus routes, for example, that take you where you want to go. Whatever type of accommodation you’re after, picking the right area to stay can make all the difference.

4. Getting Around

To save both money and stress, and to observe more of your surroundings, try to use public transportation and walk as much as possible. That said, figuring out how public transit works can be an ordeal! I once circled cluelessly for 10 minutes through a station in Barcelona, and then got on the wrong metro, but it wasn’t a big deal because I got off at the next stop and easily resolved the error. But when I went to Tanzania, I heavily prepared by taking notes from blogs and first-hand reports about the public “busses,” and still desperately relied on the kindness of locals to help me get on the correct bus, pay the correct amount to the correct person at the correct time, and get off at the right location.

It took me days to process the life I observed during my first 3.5-hour bus ride through rural Tanzania: the vibrance of scattered villages near the edge of dense, jungly bush, where brown, dirt roads collide with colorful assortments of fresh fruit for sale; and the chaos within the cracked-open windows of a dusty bus full of sweaty yet unbothered people squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder, feet propped on sacks of flour and potatoes, stood beside stalks of bananas or sat on questionable planks of wood atop crates of tomatoes. Taking public transportation can be a very rewarding experience if you prepare, and exercise patience and adaptability.

In many cities around the world, you can use taxis or services like Uber, Lyft, or Bolt. Taxis might operate differently though, so before you get in one, ask your driver about the cost and price breakdown to get to your destination, as well as if they take cash or card. In Dahab, Egypt, the taxis are white trucks honking and driving around looking for customers, and while they should only cost a few bucks for short journeys, it’s common to receive a tourist price that you need to haggle down to the true price. If using a ride-sharing service, research which ones have good and bad reputations for safety and reliability in your destination, and download them before arrival because you might need to verify your phone number to use the app!

The freedom of renting a car sounds enticing, but for your first international trip alone (depending on where you go), it might be wiser to avoid the stress. You’d first need to check if the country requires an international driving permit, and then you’d have to navigate new roads and laws—both official and unofficial—and potentially in another language. If you have the money and are confident you can sort all this out, then go for it! Just don’t forget to pay for the best insurance—you never know what can happen, and who wants to get smacked with high bills or court cases in another country? When I travel, I prefer to save money by avoiding or minimizing car rentals; plus, I take in more of my surroundings when I’m moving slowly by walking, cycling, or taking public transit.

No matter how you choose to get around, download an offline map of your destination on Google Maps. This way you can navigate even when you don’t have service. Also, I highly suggest studying the map before you go anywhere so that you have more confidence once you’re en route!

5. Arrival Plan

Your first moments in a new country can set the tone for your entire trip. A little preparation goes a long way here.

Plan your first 24-48 hours strategically. This means figuring out your transport to and from the airport, identifying places to withdraw or exchange cash cheaply, and even pinning a few cafes, restaurants, parks, or walking paths on your map. Booking a tour or two for your initial days can also ease your transition. The goal is to make your arrival as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Consider getting an eSIM before you go. While sometimes more expensive than physical SIM cards, eSIMs often help you avoid the potentially confrontational experience of acquiring a physical SIM card, like navigating language barriers and document requirements, negotiating for better prices, or paying for a full month of service when you only need a week of data. Some eSIMs offer global phone numbers, minutes, and call time. Being connected from the moment you touch down to the moments you’re navigating public transportation or unfamiliar streets significantly enhances your feeling of security.

Who’s going to be the first to use my referral code SOFIA9204 for 3 USD off your first purchase with Airalo, my favorite eSIM provider?!

ADMIN & LOGISTICS

1. Passport, Visa, and Entry Requirements

You likely already have a passport if you’ve traveled internationally before, but if not, start the process ASAP! Otherwise, check to make sure yours is still valid, and when it expires. Many countries require visitor passports to be valid for six months upon arrival.

If you need a visa to enter the country you’re visiting, can you get it upon arrival or do you need to apply online ahead of time? What documents are required to apply for the visa, how much does it cost, and how long are you allowed to stay? When visiting multiple countries, it’s not a bad idea to travel with a couple of recent passport-style photos as a backup.

To travel to Egypt, I needed proof of my Yellow Fever vaccine because of my recent visits to other African countries. While nobody checked my vaccination record, if I had been asked to show it and had not been prepared, I might have been held at the border. Now, you probably don’t want to risk being denied entry to a country, but let’s also consider the hopefully obvious point that different diseases, viruses, and bacteria exist and thrive in different parts of the world that you, as a foreigner, have no prior exposure to, and so you probably don’t want to get sick abroad. Seek out a travel clinic a few months before you travel to discuss any immunization requirements and recommendations for the countries you’re visiting.

In general, check for any other potential entry requirements. Maybe you need proof of onward travel, accommodation, sufficient funds, or health insurance. Zanzibar, for example, now requires all visitors to purchase government-issued health insurance (ZIC) for visitors. No other travel insurance will suffice, and I promise you can’t argue your case once you’ve arrived with the masses of people trying to argue the same thing. Not an ideal 44 USD surprise, especially if you’re only there for a short stay.

Aside from random entry requirements like that, most countries want to know that you plan to leave before your visa expires. As evidence, any airline could ask to see your ticket out of the country, so either pre-book your return ticket, or cautiously use a service like Onward Ticket to buy a cheap, temporary, but real flight reservation (not a ticket) with a 24-48 hour validity that supposedly works as proof. I’ve never tried it, but people I know have used it without any problems. Do what’s best for you!

Finally, always use official government websites for obtaining up-to-date information on passport validity, visas, and other entry requirements, and when applying for online visas. Beware of unofficial websites that could scam you.

2. Packing

Packing smart for your solo international trip is about striking the balance between comfort, efficiency, and practicality. First of all, while I personally try to pack carry-on only backpacks because I’m cheap, stubborn, and independent, I’m not going to tell you to only pack backpacks, because that’s just not what’s best for all of us. I will, however, encourage you to learn from your packing mistakes with each trip you take, and to consider what effort it will take to get around your destination with the bags you bring. 

When it comes to pre-travel purchases, prioritize climate and culturally appropriate clothing. Also, consider items that might make your packing more functional and efficient, especially if you are trying to travel lightweight and minimal. Want to know my favorite items I purchased and brought with me that I highly recommend to any traveler? Subscribe to my newsletter below to find out soon!

That said, my first challenge to you is to use what you have. Buying one thing often leads to the feeling of needing to buy another. Think long and hard about purchases and the true benefit you’ll gain. What could work for this trip that you already own?

Last but not least, always have copies of your important documents, both physical and digitally stored offline on your phone or a hard drive that you can connect to your phone. This includes your medical and travel insurance information, passport, driver's license, allergy and critical medical information, and vaccination records. Give copies to a trusted person at home and share your accommodation addresses and information with them as well.

3. Finances

Managing your money effectively is key to a stress-free trip.

To make a spending plan, consider your priorities, or what you value most. Do you want to experience a place through its food culture? Then dining out will eat up most of your budget. Would you rather explore the great outdoors through activities like hiking or scuba diving? Then use the cost of those excursions to determine the rest of your spending allowance. Estimate the total you’ll have saved for your trip (after booking your flights), then price out your preferred activities, then divide the remainder up into a daily spending allowance, and finally, honestly reflect on where you’re willing to cut costs and comfort (i.e., sleeping in a dorm rather than a hotel room, cooking meals rather than going out, walking rather than driving).

I love the app called TravelSpend to input a total budget or daily budget for a trip, and then track and categorize my daily expenses. When I want to book an accommodation or a flight, I input the cost and spread it out over the date range of my stay, and the app will divide the total cost into daily amounts, so then I see a clearer representation of my remaining daily budget. It has the following categories to choose from that might be helpful when trying to pick a budget: transportation, accommodation, groceries, restaurants, coffee, drinks, excursions and tours, park fees, tips, exchange fees, insurance, shopping, and other fees (i.e., phone data or SIM cards).

My Favorite Savings Tip: I am neither a financial expert nor advisor, so consider this as advice from a friend, and know that it may or may not serve you. The best way to save up for a trip (or anything) is to pay yourself every time you get paid. What do I mean? Automate a monthly or bi-monthly transfer from the account where you receive income to an account you strictly have for savings—an account that you do not use to spend. We tend to spend what we have, so if we trick ourselves into thinking we have less (by putting it somewhere we don’t see as often as a spending account), then we’re probably going to spend less. There’s a wealth of information out there to help you find a savings plan that works for you, no matter your financial situation.

Finally, I highly suggest traveling with: cash hidden in two different places in your bags; back-up debit or credit cards; and a card that has low or zero foreign transaction fees, low currency conversion rates, and coverage on ATM fees, such as Wise. Oh, and download XE to easily convert between different currencies while you’re on the go!

4. Safety and Wellness

Traveling solo is an incredible journey of self-discovery, and it's crucial to prioritize your safety and mental well-being.

Firstly, know when and where you can walk alone. Not everywhere will be safe on foot. I accidentally wandered down a questionable street in Cape Town when walking from my hostel to a car rental office, and at one point I found a safe way to pretend to tie my shoelace so that the person walking relatively close behind me could pass. Other times I’ve kept up with families or couples who were out for a stroll when I found myself walking down quieter streets. And while it’s wise advice to never walk alone at night, I love late nights on the beach and stargazing, and so I might venture out late if I’m somewhere with a reputation for being safe. Whatever time of day, know the local emergency services numbers, tell a friend your location and what time you plan to arrive at your next destination, and always be mindful of your surroundings.

Beware of scams or petty crimes—like believing that offered help is free, or pickpocketing in big cities—that might be commonly reported in your destination. A quick online search for "common scams in [destination]" can save you a lot of headache.

As a solo traveler, finding the right balance between solitude and socializing is key. Pick somewhere to stay where you can be social when you want, even if you’re not the biggest social butterfly like me. When you have the energy, practice saying “yes”, especially if you’re feeling a little shy! To ease this effort, use the under-promise-and-over-deliver method: commit to showing up for a short amount of time, and if you’re enjoying yourself when that time is up, then stay longer! Learn how to trust your intuition to know if an invite is safe and well-intentioned, and if the invitation genuinely spars your curiosity.

There’s no need to succumb to the pressures of expectations versus reality. Not everyone enjoys visiting the most popular museums or tourist attractions. Not everyone wants to go for a hike or a swim. Not everyone likes a jam-packed itinerary! If you want to wake up late, take a book or a journal to a coffee shop, and then walk around with no particular destination in mind, DO IT. What a great way to slowly digest the new world around you!

Finally, be prepared without over-planning, and let go of your plan when you need to. Sometimes, traveling solo means embracing the unexpected turns of your day and the invites from people you meet along the way. Learning to be adaptable makes unexpected situations less stressful. Being less stressed helps to think through problems more logically and efficiently. Expect to make mistakes and have travel mishaps. Hope for the best, but be ready for anything to happen. Be observant and patient. And always, ALWAYS have snacks.