Solo travel: Why more people are doing it and tips for first timers - BBC

Rosie Breen on holiday standing and smiling for the camera. She has her brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail and is wearing black sunglasses. She is wearing earrings in both ears and has a few necklaces around her neck. She is wearing a black cropped vest top and blue denim shorts. She has two bags over her left shoulder, one is white and one is pink. Behind her there is a road and some trees before there is a row of buildings

By Tania Sangha

BBC Asian Network

Have you thought about travelling on your own this summer? Well you're probably not alone.

That's because 2023 is a popular year for solo travellers, going by what people are searching for online.

More and more are ditching their friends or family and stepping out on their own when it comes to exploring the world.

The number of people Googling "solo travel" this year has almost doubled compared to five years ago.

And the picture's similar on social media - #solotravel on TikTok has seen almost a tenfold increase in the last three years.

So why are more people deciding to go it alone?

"It's 2023. If you still rely on your friends to fly out, you're doing it wrong."

That's what 23-year-old Islam Fessih told his TikTok followers after solo travelling for the first time in May.

The content creator tells BBC Asian Network he decided to travel alone to Morocco to "widen his horizons and see the world a bit differently."

Islam Fessih sat on an ornate fountain in a courtyard posing for the camera. His hair is dark and styled quite short and he is a small dark moustache and beard. He is wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and white linen trousers and behind him in the courtyard there are stones on the floor and a few plants and another fountain in the background

Rosie Breen, a content creator and podcaster from Reading, is a bit more experienced when it comes to solo trips.

She's travelled by herself to Italy, Vietnam and Thailand and says it's something she's always wanted to do as an act of "self-love".

The 26-year-old says it forced her to get "comfortable with spending time alone".

"Even in that act of booking that flight and going away is almost like handing myself a little trophy to say well done, you've done that for you."

But despite plenty of positive experiences, there's a lot of things people might want to consider before jetting off alone for the first time.

BBC Asian Network spoke to Islam, Rosie and some other experienced solo travellers to get their top tips.

Making new connections

If you're nervous about starting conversations with new people, Rosie says the best thing to do is just "turn up, leave your room at the hostel and just say hello to someone".

Another keen solo traveller, Aiz Hussain, believes it's all down to being open-minded and asking the right questions.

"Even little questions like asking hospitality staff 'where would you recommend to go next?'

"And you just find yourself going on these crazy adventures."

Aiz Hussain smiling for the camera, which is above him, as he sits on the edge of a rock at the top of a cliff. His dark hair is pulled back into a ponytail and he has a dark beard. He is wearing a blue/grey T-shirt and and similar colour shorts, with black socks and black trainers on. He is making the peace sign with his right hand towards the camera. Behind him you can see the bright blue sea at the bottom of the cliff and a small bit of a beach at the bottom of a rocky outcrop

Budgeting

Travelling alone can get pretty expensive but Islam suggests that having an itinerary beforehand can help you save money.

"When I knew what I wanted to do on the trip like places to eat and visit, it allowed me to budget more as I knew roughly what I was expected to spend".

Aiz, who's originally from London but now lives in Australia, agrees but also says it's important to leave room for spontaneity so you don't miss out on fun experiences.

He thinks people should have a separate pot of money for these spur-of-the-moment occasions.

Keeping safe

Travelling alone in a foreign country can be intimidating, especially if you're a woman, says Rosie.

She carries a personal hand-held alarm that "makes a huge siren noise" and says just having it on her gave her "peace of mind".

Rosie says as a woman "you have to be so much more alert and conscious of your safety".

"If you feel like someone might be following you, don't walk back to wherever you're staying.

"Go for a little loop around or sit in a restaurant for a couple of hours."

Shayla Rathod, from Leicester, is quitting her job to travel solo around 12 different countries in Central and South America in September.

She says one tip someone's given her is to always know what other hostels are in the area.

"So if someone asks where you're staying you can tell them that one without revealing your actual accommodation."

Shayla Rathod stood smiling for the camera on a rocky beach right by the water's edge. She is has sunglasses on the top of her head and her dark hair is worn down over her shoulders. She is wearing a navy top and navy trousers and has a black handbag over her shoulder hanging in front of her midriff. She has a watch on her left wrist. Behind her is the sea and a pretty orange sunset with a boat also visible in the background

Packing for the unknown

If you're going to be traveling to a lot of countries, you need to be able to pack light.

Islam, who's from south London, says "you want to be thinking about things you want to be wearing all of the time".

Rosie admits she's an over-packer and says preparing for backpacking in Bali was her biggest challenge.

"Pack everything you think you need and then halve every category," she advises.

"Wherever you are in the world you can always buy clothes."

Journaling

One tip Islam has for people while they're away is to start journaling so they don't lose any creative thoughts or ideas.

He downloaded an app that turns all of his journals into a book.

"I did one specifically for my solo trip and I had like 15 to 20 journals which I made into a little solo trip book," he says.

"It's so refreshing to look back on because you realise as you go onto these different countries that you're going to be learning a lot and thinking about things you may have never thought about."

Listen to the full interviews on Asian Network News Presents on BBC Sounds.