How to make friends solo travelling – even if you don’t want to stay in hostels 

You want to see the world but don’t have anyone to go with? Afraid you are going to spend all the time alone? Solo travel can seem daunting and feel like it might be lonely, but it will be one of the most sociable things you do! As someone who has travelled solo (in their mid-30’s) for long periods of time, here are all my tips on how to make friends solo travelling (even if you don’t want to stay in a hostel)!

Will you make friends solo travelling?

The answer to this is a resounding yes! If you have made the decision to embark on solo travel, you are guaranteed to meet like-minded people along the way. It doesn’t necessarily mean it will happen at every stop, but sometimes striking up the briefest of conversations can lead to that connection. 
No matter if you perceive yourself to be a shy person and are wondering how to make friends solo travelling, if you follow these tips you won’t spend all your time alone! 

Top tips for how to make friends solo travelling

Here are my top tips on how to make friends solo travelling, and tips on how small things can make a big difference when approaching how to make friends when solo travelling. 

Be approachable 

Put your phone away, as tempting as it is to hide behind it. Smile at people as they walk past and keep your head up to try and make eye contact. It takes one small moment for someone to ask the first question, which leads to a conversation, discovering things in common and a new friend! Maximise the chance of this happening with open body language.

Ask the first question

If you find yourself in a moment where a light comment feels natural, like pointing out something interesting you’ve seen, mentioning how good the food is, or asking how long someone’s been travelling, go for it. (And if you’re British, talking about the weather is always a safe bet!) Chances are, the other person is just as nervous about starting a conversation. A small comment can break the ice instantly and set the tone for a new friendship. 

Embrace spontaneity  

Solo travel is all about going with the flow, and this applies to making connections too. If someone invites you for a drink or to join an activity, say yes. It not only strengthens the bond you’ve just formed, but also opens the door to meeting others through them.

How to make friends solo travelling – the questions to ask 

There’s an arsenal of conversation starters to use when solo travelling that can help you strike up a chat. Let’s be real, you often find yourself asking (and being asked) the same questions repeatedly, and it can get a bit dull, repeating the same answer every time you meet someone new. I felt I wanted placards to hold up with the answers! But, as repetitive as they may be, these questions do work.

Here are some basic questions to ask: 

1. Where are you from?
2. How long are you travelling for?
3. How long have you been travelling?
4. Where have you been? 
5. Where are you going? 
6. Is this your first time in [insert] country? 

How to make friends solo travelling – through activities 

By joining in with group activities, you are going to be spending time with people and giving yourself easy conversation starters. This is an easy thing to do when wondering how to make friends solo travelling.

Join a walking tour

Regardless of whether you are solo travelling or not, a free walking tour is one of the best things to do when you arrive somewhere. But as a solo traveller, this is a great way to make friends. At the beginning, when you are standing around waiting for everyone to arrive, take a quick scan to look out for the other people on their own, and move to stand near them! 

As the tour starts, if you are walking near someone, it is so easy to comment on what you are seeing or point out things. Immediate conversation starter! 

Sign up for group activities 

Signing up for group activities is a great way to meet people when thinking about how to make friends solo travelling. As you are partaking in an activity, you don’t have to worry about awkward silences, but you are also given an easy thing to start talking about. Examples of these activities might be a cooking class, a wine tasting or an art workshop.

Top Tip: Take this a step further to really align with your hobbies and interests. For example, in New Zealand I joined a lot of Lord of the Rings tours!

Take an overnight trip 

Joining a 1-night, 2-day tour is a great way to meet people while solo travelling. These short trips give you more time to chat and get to know your fellow travellers, which is ideal if you take a little longer to feel comfortable in new company.

Whether it’s an overnight sailing trip or a night camping under the stars. These experiences naturally bring people together. I did a two-day sailing trip in the Whitsundays and ended up meeting some wonderful people. We even met up again later during my travels.

If you’re looking for a relaxed and easy way to connect with others, a short tour like this is a great option, without taking up too much of your time.

Book a hop-on-hop-off bus

Booking a hop-on hop-off bus tour is a great way to meet people while solo travelling, especially if you prefer not to stay in hostels. It offers the social side, as there will be many people travelling on the bus. However, you can book your own accommodation in each stop, as well as choose how long to stay in each location. 

The shared experience of sightseeing can naturally lead to conversations with fellow travellers, making it easier to connect with others. If you’re looking for a balance between independence and social interaction, a hop-on hop-off bus tour could be the perfect compromise, and a great way to meet people! 

Consider a group travel tour 

For the ultimate, guaranteed way to make friends while solo travelling, you could book a group travel tour. What you might lose in flexibility, you more than make up for in the friendships you are going to make. 

It is a really unique and special connection that you don’t get in any other travel experience. As you are travelling with the same group of like-minded people, you are going to form friendships and form them quickly. 

In Australia, I stayed with a friend I met in Guatemala 8 years before and who I hadn’t seen in 7 years. It was the best two weeks!

Top Tip: G Adventures are one of the best group travel tour companies and their 18-30 something tours are a great way to meet people to travel with.

How to make friends solo travelling – through situations 

By taking advantage of situations you find yourself in, you are guaranteed to meet people on your travels. 

Meet people on transport

If you’re solo travelling, there’s a good chance you’re following a similar route to lots of other travellers. That means you’re likely to find fellow adventurers on the same bus, train or even flight. Starting a simple conversation with the person next to you could lead to a great connection. I once got chatting to someone on a Greyhound bus in Australia, and we ended up travelling together for a whole week. You never know where a quick hello might take you.

Talk to strangers 

How to make friends solo travelling? By talking to strangers! Yes, really! Of course, trust your instincts and be mindful of your surroundings, but starting up a simple conversation can be the beginning of making a connection. Asking a question or making a small comment often opens the door. At a food market, you could ask to share a table. If you are waiting in line at a coffee shop? Compliment someone’s outfit or ask if they’ve been to the place before. I’ve met people by asking what they thought of the wine, which led to a chat and plans to explore together later. It doesn’t need to be a big gesture, just a friendly moment.

Hang out in communal areas in your accommodation 

Even if you’ve decided hostels aren’t for you, there are still plenty of accommodation options that make it easier to be social. Look for places with shared spaces where people naturally gather when thinking about how to make friends solo travelling. Spending time in these areas puts you in the right place to meet others without too much effort. Rooftop terraces are a good example, often busy at sunset or during happy hour. Some guesthouses and self-catering stays also have shared kitchens or dining spaces, where chatting while cooking or sharing a table feels easy. I once met someone over breakfast in a fale in Samoa, and we ended up flying to Fiji together!

Offer to take a photo of someone

If you see someone at a landmark taking a selfie, offer to take a photo of them in front of it. This often leads to them asking if you would like one as well, which in turn can lead to making a connection. 

Coincidentally, this is also one of my top tips for getting photos when travelling solo!

How to make friends solo travelling – through online platforms 

Join Facebook groups 

There are loads of Facebook groups designed to help solo travellers connect. Some are based on shared communities, such as groups specifically for women who love to travel. Others are location-specific, so it’s worth searching for groups related to the destination you’re heading to. Many are set up for backpackers looking for travel companions. This could be as simple as meeting others in a city or finding someone to join a road trip. These groups are a great way to meet people with a similar itinerary or travel style to yours.

Use travel apps 

There are plenty of apps out there that are designed to improve your solo travel experience, but here are some that are geared towards making friends: 

Bumble BFF: 
Originally known as a dating app, Bumble’s BFF mode is perfect for finding new friends in a city. You can swipe through people nearby who are also looking to make platonic connections, making it an easy way to meet locals or fellow travellers.

TripBFF:

TripBFF connects solo travellers based on their destination and travel dates. It’s a great way to find people with a similar itinerary, whether you’re after a one-off meet-up or a longer travel buddy. 

MeetUp: 

This app helps you find local events and group activities, from hiking and yoga to language exchanges and food tours. It’s ideal if you want to meet people through shared interests and join in with something that’s already happening.

Couchsurfing: 

Couchsurfing is an app where locals open up their homes to travellers looking for a free place to stay. But it’s not just about accommodation. The Hangouts feature lets you see who’s nearby and up for meeting, whether that’s for a coffee, a stroll around the city or a last-minute adventure.

Share your travels on social media 

Creating a social media account to share your travels is a great way to connect with like-minded people. It’s not just for keeping friends and family updated; it also opens the door to meeting others. Friends might spot where you are and mention they know someone nearby. Or someone who follows you could message to say they’re in the same place. Likewise, you can see if anyone is in the same place as you. I’ve ended up meeting people this way in Sydney and even in Helsinki, just through a quick message and shared travel plans.

And finally, of course, stay in a hostel! 

Look, sometimes the oldies are the goodies. There is a reason that so many solo travellers stay in them. With communal areas, kitchens and arranged activities, they are designed for people to meet each other. 

Even if you feel like hostel life might not be for you, I still believe some hostels work for everyone. I was worried that as a 30-something traveller I might be too old to stay in a hostel. However, I learned how to find the ones that suited my needs and really enjoyed my time in them! 

I used HostelWorld to find the right ones for me. I chose ones that had curtains around the bed, and mostly 6-bed female dorms. Also, I treated myself to private rooms within hostels now and again. The perfect way to experience hostel life, with some privacy. I met tons of like-minded and similarly aged people during my travels. 

Top Tip: If you don’t want to party constantly, look for hostels that DON’T say they are ‘social’.  Search HostelWorld and check the reviews; you can filter for age demographic to see what fellow travellers are saying. 

How to make friends while solo travel – the conclusion

There you have it! There are so many different ways to make friends while solo travelling. With all these ways, there is no chance you are going to spend your time alone. Be confident, step out of your comfort zone and embrace the challenge. The rewards are phenomenal! 

Note: Every single photo in this blog post was taken after I landed in a country and knew no one! 

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