Planning Your First Solo Trip Corey, January 9, 2024March 31, 2024 Embracing Independence: How to Organize Your First Solo Adventure The joys and empowerment of solo travel Congrats on taking steps towards your first solo trip, how exciting! I wanted to share some perspective on what I have experienced, right up to departure day and include some solo traveler tips! I am living this somewhat in “real-time” so my point of view is fresh, and hopefully gives you some comfort in knowing you will likely experience some similar joy and empowerment through your own solo adventure planning. Solo travel starts much before you arrive to your chosen destination. You will be thinking and planning for YOU, on what to organize and by when. Follow the tips below and I believe it will provide some clear guidance on how to approach planning for your first solo adventure. Setting clear and achievable goals for your solo trip This doesn’t need to be overly complex. There are some basic criteria you can align on for shaping the overall intent and purpose of your solo trip: Selecting a destination that aligns with your interests and comfort level Depending on where you are based in the world, something domestic (close to home in same country) may be what’s comfortable for your first solo trip. This could be a 3 to 6 hour flight somewhere that keeps things familiar but still allows for some “stepping out of your comfort zone”. Check out this recent blog post on Your Comfort Zone: Growth Through Values to help guide you in some something that aligns with your interests. For me, I traveled through South America a number of years ago as my first BIG solo adventure and have recently embarked on my next BIGGER solo trip through South East Asia. I am interested in the Asian culture and way of life, and I have plans to explore this over the next 6 months as a modern day nomad. More to come on that below! Your budget will also be a factor in choosing where to adventure to especially if you are planning multiple stops and countries. Creating a budget that works for you and how to stick to it To avoid any over spending while away, it’s a good practice to set some thresholds on expenses. I recommend starting with a lump sum that you can afford and then work backwards from there. This will help keep you in check and not be tempted to overspend before you have even left. Then you can be as high-level or detailed as you need depending on your preference. (ie.) see table below. This should give you an idea how to frame up a simple budget. For me, I tend to focus on the bigger buckets, like flights, accommodations and excursions/activities. Sticking to your budget keeps you on track for ensuring you can plan another solo trip sooner than later by not overspending on your first one! TIP: Take out the weekly cash needed for excursions and food so you have the tangible paper. Once it’s spent, then you have hit your budget for the week. Typically your flights and accommodation will be paid by credit card. Every budget can go up or down depending on your travel dates, level of comfort desired with accommodation, number of actual days traveling, etc. Work within your initial lump sum you decided on. Safety first: Tips for staying safe and maintaining peace of mind Research in advance on the area you will be staying in. This will help ensure when selecting the type of accommodation (hostel, guesthouse, airbnb, hotel etc.) the level of security that might be important to you. Peace of mind comes with proper planning. Know before you go the kind of security offered at the property and in the room. Consider sharing your travel itinerary with friends / family so they are aware of your whereabouts and when. Turn on your phone locater in your settings as a back up for both you and your phone. Nobody wants to lose their phone and if your phone is on you, it will be a good tracker for either sharing your live location or dropping a pin for someone to know your whereabouts. Building a flexible itinerary: balance between structure and spontaneity This is a tough one for me. I am very structured and like to know well in advance where I will be and how to get there. However, we are solo travelers and its totally ok if things aren’t entirely planned out. For example, you will want to explore the food options but not limit yourself to having a dinner reservation each night. Be adventurous where you can, this is part of the joy and empowerment of solo traveling! Once you have determined your destination the balance between structure and spontaneity will become more clear. If you have pre-booked accommodations for your next stop, you should consider booking your transportation in advance (flights/bus/transfer) so you get to check-in on time! Packing essentials for the solo traveler: less is more This can vary largely due to destination. That said, learning to be ok with less while traveling can be quite liberating. It will leave you with less worries, lighter weight backpack/luggage and you can always pick up any essentials you might have missed along the way. See more ideas in this blog post Essential gear for the solo traveler The stages of planning I took for my South East Asia Solo Adventure Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines 1. Weather – I researched the weather patterns for the countries I wanted to visit. I am not a fan of rainy season as I come from Vancouver BC, Canada, aka “Raincouver” lol. So I picked my various destinations for January, February, March, April and the order I would go based on weather. 2. Flights – I looked at international flights well in advance to be sure I would get the most suitable dates and fare class that fit my budget. I eventually ended up booking 2 months prior to my chosen departure date. With a fixed departure date, I can now plan my route. When you’re ready to book that flight make sure to use WowTickets.com as they are the fastest-growing global travel platform offering exclusive deals not available anywhere else! 3. Accommodation – For the first leg of my trip I wanted to be sure I am settled and have some flow to where I will sleep and recharge so I booked this all in advance. I have roughly 2 weeks and 4 stops in Thailand and was able to book 2 direct with the hotel (better deal/rate/location) and 2 direct in airbnb. I don’t mind airbnb as you get honest reviews and usually a pretty flexible cancelation policy (pretty low risk commitment in advance). Up next is 2 weeks in Vietnam. I applied the same approach here, as for Thailand. I have various things I want to see and do, so I narrowed my search for where to stay based on those activities along with my budget. Up next is 2 weeks in Indonesia. I have only booked the first 4 nights so far as this is still 6 weeks out from my day 1. I am going to practice what I am suggesting and will have to balance structure with spontaneity for the remainder of the trip, as I am literally on the plane now as I am writing this blog post haha! I have more to book still for Indonesia and my whole trip to the Philippines has no framework yet…. yikes! Summary: Focus on the main items as noted; weather, flights, accommodation and the rest can easily fall into place on the go. The wisdom in this approach is it allows for achievable goals, a more flexible itinerary and possible budget savings if you choose to pivot from your original thinking of how to plan the whole trip. Remember, you are a solo traveler, so anything goes! Self-Discovery: Tips for a Memorable Journey The psychological benefits of traveling alone No matter your age or level of experience I am a firm believer that solo travel ignites something in us all! You will naturally leverage your existing skills and then undoubtedly be tested in new situations and challenges that pull you out of your comfort zone! When we experience this, we grow, we adapt and we evolve. Don’t be afraid to go at it alone; the benefits of confidence, joy and purpose will make you question why you didn’t plan your first solo adventure sooner! Overcoming challenges and problem-solving on the road It’s likely things won’t always go as planned! Case in point, I arrived at Vancouver International Airport to check in for my international flight, which has 1 stop in Tokyo then over to Bangkok. At the check in counter I asked about my checked luggage and if it would be transferred to the next flight. The response was no, and that I had to collect my bags and then take a bus 90 min away to another airport to catch my 2nd flight. Umm is that right – lol? I had not paid close enough attention to the airport names on my ticket only to find out the day of travel this was a new part of the plan. Luckily, I have 7 hrs to go only 90 minutes so should be more than fine to get checked in at the new airport for my next flight. If you find yourself with a problem to solve, ask questions and don’t feel silly. Remember, you’ve never done this before! Keep calm, as most challenges can be overcome with a positive attitude and a little help! TIP: keep a note of important contact info, travel dates and copies of your passport info somewhere secure but accessible (locked phone note). This way when something arises you have some info at your finger tips instead of searching for it in the moment. Learning to enjoy your own company and embracing solitude This one is easy for me. I like ME haha! I encourage you to indulge where you can and truly enjoy what you are planning for yourself. I can’t think of how often I have sat back in awe of the amazing meal I just had, or the delicious glass of wine, or a magical ocean view sunset with just myself, my thoughts and my emotions in those moments. Get ready to embrace the solitude and be present in what you are setting out to do. It will be one of most rewarding things you have done in a long time, I promise! TIP: for a more memorable journey, leave the phone back at the room one day/night and experience something new, just for you and your eyes, senses, and emotions. It will amaze you how present you become! Remember, action over everything. There is only so much planning you can do, and eventually you will just need to get up and go! Leave a comment and let me know where you are headed and what else you might want to know. 40 SHARES Share on Facebook Post on X Follow us Personal Development Travel Guide