7 HELPFUL Solo Travel Tips for Introverts (From an Introvert!)

Hey there, fellow introvert! Worried about your upcoming solo trip? Never fear! This post has 7 REALISTIC and HELPFUL solo travel tips for introverts!

Welcome to my blog! My name is Nat, and I’m an expat who’s been living abroad for almost 6 years. I’m also a huge introvert!

You’ll rarely find me hitting up the bar/club scene while on the road. You’re far more likely, in fact, to find me out enjoying nature, or sitting at a local spot with a journal and something warm to drink.

Yep–I’m about as introverted as they get!

Having done plenty of solo travel as an introvert, I’m super excited to share some tips in this post! Let’s get started!

Solo Travel Tips for Introverts

Here are my 7 top tips for introverts embarking on solo travel experiences:

1. EMBRACE Your Introverted-ness!

It’s OKAY to be an introvert! Maybe your trips will have less clubbing or group activities involved, but in my opinion, you don’t need that to have a complete travel experience.

I’ve actually written about how traveling solo can sometimes help you find yourself. It’s true: when you’re traveling alone, you don’t have to make your plans according to everyone else’s desires.

You can go wherever is calling you, and explore whatever interests you. You can skip experiences that don’t excite you, and seek ones that are meaningful to you.

Instead of hunting down the local bar scene, you may find yourself watching the stars from a quiet overlook, or listening to the ocean waves hit a foreign shore.

There is SO much beauty in traveling solo, and in being introverted while doing so! Don’t fear it; embrace it!

2. Be Self-Aware: Watch Your Own Back!

I don’t want to gloss over the fact that you’re definitely more vulnerable when traveling solo. We often say “safety in numbers”.

I recommend having someone, a family member or friend at home, whom you check in with each day.

Even if it’s just shooting a “Good Morning” and “Good night” text, so that they know you’re alive — make sure SOMEONE knows your status.

Another of my tips for introverts doing solo travel: stay around people! Sometimes, depending on the country you’re traveling to, it may be best to even stick with a group of people.

This doesn’t mean you necessarily have to JOIN their group. Just that if you feel unsafe, you can just sit near people who will see you if there’s trouble. If they seem like nice people, maybe you can even sit with them!

Think ahead about how to best protect yourself while out and about, and make sure SOMEONE is aware of your plans for the day, so they can contact help if you fail to contact them as usual due to a problem.

3. Choose Travel Destinations that are Safe & Have Options

I wrote about travel destinations that are quite safe for solo travelers in this post (it’s aimed for female travelers, but honestly, same rules apply for any solo traveler!).

Destination is one of the BIGGEST factors in your safety, aside from your personal awareness and preparedness.

Also, if you’re an introvert, you’d probably do better in a place that has activities which suit a solo traveler.

For example: I live in China, and one of China’s BIGGEST cities is Shanghai. But to be honest: I’ve NEVER been! Why? Because Shanghai is a party city. It’s full of clubs and social events, which are best to do with friends.

So for me, I’d rather visit a city Chengdu. It has restaurants and social activities, but it’s mostly known for its tourist activities, like seeing the pandas, the Leshan Giant Buddha, and tea houses.

All that to say: choose a place that has lots of activities for a solo traveler. You may feel quite lost if you visit a city where the ONLY thing to do is socialize!

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Hang Out with New Friends!

Okay…you knew this was coming! Next on my list of solo travel tips for introverts: DO try to meet people!

One of my most MEMORABLE evenings of traveling solo was when I met a girl names Lara from Germany, who was also traveling solo in Thailand.

We were staying in the same hostel, and after chatting (it was my first totally solo trip, and I was super shy!) we decided to hunt down a place for dinner and hang out for the evening.

We spent the evening wandering around Phi Phi Island, enjoying coconut curry, and talking about all kinds of random things. It was so much fun!

Obviously, not EVERY person is a Lara, and some people can get you into trouble. So you have to use your better judgement when you meet new people.

And that leads us to point #5…

5. Ch0ose Safe, Public Locations for meetups with New People

This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT tips for introverts going on a solo travel adventure: pick SMART locations to meet with people.

For example, let’s say you meet a new friend. They propose that you meet for drinks the next day, and they recommend meeting on the beach in the evening to share a few beers.

I would say it’s a NO GO. Why?

Because if it’s dark out, and the beach is empty, and you’re going to meet a stranger on the beach alone with some (potentially alcoholic) drinks…you get the idea of how things can go wrong.

I recommend the following tips for meeting up with people during solo travel as an introvert:

1. Choose a BUSY time of day to meet. Lunch or just after lunch is great.
2. Choose a public area to meet, like a restaurant or cafe.
3. DON’T meet in secluded places like the forest, or do activities like hiking alone together with a stranger.
4. Make sure wherever you meet will have LOTS of people around. It’s much safer!
5. DON’T go to someone’s hotel room to hang out! Keep it public, stick to cafes, busy parks, or restaurants!

6. Research Places to Visit in Advance, and Be Picky!

Before you travel, do some research! Choose hotels or hostels in populated areas, where people will be around. Choose places for meeting up that are comfortable for you.

Skip places that don’t interest you, and on the flip side, visit the places that DO interest you (even if they aren’t on the Top 10 list for that city!)

Make sure every location you visit will be safe for you as a solo traveler, and also provide a way for you to either enjoy your introverted-ness, or comfortably socialize with people around you.

This is the best part of being a solo traveler (especially as an introvert!) you can be PICKY and make the itinerary that suits YOU!

7. Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back

There’s a difference between being introverted, and being scared of socializing.

If you have social anxiety, traveling solo may be a great thing for you. There’s nothing wrong with keeping to yourself!

However, the people you meet while traveling are often some of the most FASCINATING people you’ll meet, EVER!

Even if you’re an introvert, do your best to safely break out of your comfort zone here and there.

By following these tips for introverts traveling solo, you can breathe a bit easier, knowing that you’re being smart and safe about stepping out of the introvert bubble.

Enjoy your time alone–but don’t miss out on meeting the cool travelers and locals around you!

Summary

Traveling solo as an introvert is one of the BEST experiences, if you know how to do it safely and smartly!

Bottom line is: don’t be ashamed of your introverted-ness, but learn how to work with it while on the road. Be smart, watch out for yourself, and enjoy!

I hope these seven solo travel tips for introverts helped you to feel more confident about fulfilling your travel dreams! If you have any other tips, I’d LOVE to hear them in the comments below!

You May Also Like:

Traveling Solo to Find Yourself: Does It Really Work?

10 BEST Solo Travel Quotes To Get YOU Excited & Inspired

BEST Female Solo Travel Destinations: Advice from a Girl Abroad