Solo travel tips: How to stay comfortable, cozy, and safe on the road

I have already written a more generic post on 32 travel tips I wish I knew before my first trip. If you missed it you can read it here. In this blog article I wanted to focus more specifically on travel tips that will help you feel comfortable and safe as a solo female traveller. Some of these may sound a bit random, but they come from my over 10-year long experience of travelling the world alone. It isn't always easy, and I know especially if you are new to this genre, it can sound a bit daunting. But I promise you, if you do it with the right approach it can be the biggest confidence boosting tool you have ever come across. So, let's see my, at times random, solo travel tips so that you can have the best experience possible.

In the midst of pretty (and at times enhanced) photos I think it is important to keep it real. Cosy and comfortable, even when having to have dinner on the airport floor before my overnight flight

1. Don't save money on safety – If you travel alone, don't book accommodation in lesser touristy/known or more remote areas or take the public transport just because they are the cheaper options. Your comfort and safety are worth every penny, especially when you roam alone. You may even check Google Maps to see if there is public transport to that cheap hotel you found a good deal on, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be nice or simple to take a bus in the dark at 5am, or that there are frequent/punctual buses at all.

   
   

2. Don't engage it controversial conversations with people you meet on the road – This is one of those random tips, but let me explain. When you hang out it fellow travellers keep the conversations light. No need to use this opportunity to debate a heavy topic and try to change someone's mind. You might have a specific view on a political issue, religion or climate change. Having a debate with someone you just met about something that can trigger strong emotions like anger, sadness, disappointment etc isn't a great way to stay comfortable when you travel alone. I have seen people do this when hanging out in hostels/going out for food together and it can really bring down the mood, not just for those who actively debate, but for everyone around them. Stay neutral when travelling and stick to light topics, unless you are prepared for big and triggering emotions to come up.

   
   

3. Learn to differentiate reviews and trust your gut – I have mixed feelings and experiences around reviews. Over the years I think I have learnt to filter them out, because scores don't necessarily mean anything, and I don't always choose restaurants or accommodation based on them purely. Unless the reviews are overwhelmingly negative of course. But I have had several experiences when I had amazing food in a restaurant, but when I checked its ratings it wasn't as high as I expected. after some digging, I realised that the reason why people gave less than 5 stars was because of the service, but that had more to do with not understanding cultural differences, than with the service itself. You see, dining in can be a long, slow-paced part of the culture in places like Portugal, Spain or Greece. If a traveller from a country like the U.S. comes in, where customer service is rapid and has a massive 'the customer is always right' culture, a novice may rate the whole experience lower because of lack of context. It isn't because the food is awful, but because they had different expectations. This was just an example, but you get the logic. Yes, reviews can be useful, but you always have to take them with a pinch of salt, if they are controversial. Your trip can run more smoothly and comfortably if you trust your instincts and go with what you think works best for you, even if the reviews don't agree with you.

   

   Travelling solo to India was one of the times I really had to practise what I preach. I was fighting a stubborn cold, so feeling cosy and comfortable was all I wanted.

4. Have a little look on street view and save maps offline – This links nicely to point 1, before you arrive to your destination, it helps with the nerves to look around in street view on Google Maps, and familiarise yourself with where you're going. This method can help you see if a hotel/ restaurant/attraction you found looks like an area where you would feel safe and comfortable. This can make you feel more prepared and safe when going somewhere new alone. On maps a place might say it's a 10 minute walk, but if you look at the street view and find that it is not a street where you would want to walk alone, you can always order a taxi instead. And if/when you order a taxi and your driver says 'you have arrived' but the place looks nothing like you have seen on the maps, you can show your driver what the place is supposed to look like. This trick helped me to navigate before in places I have never been before and my local driver wasn't familiar with either. And of course, don't forget to save your maps offline, so you can use them without internet!

   
   

5. Befriend routine – People ask me all the time how I stay comfortable and cozy, even when I travel across the globe. No matter where I land, it can be an overnight bus, a busy hostel or an airport floor, I always find ways to stay grounded and stay cozy through routine. I have certain practises I do, no matter where in the world I am. Your brain loves familiarity and that is what I cash in when I travel solo. I am naturally a morning person, so over the years I have created a solid, but easily accessible morning routine which I follow, no matter where in the world I wake up. This is my secret weapon when I feel lonely or blue when travelling alone.

   
   

   And now, I am teaching you how to do the same (and it is completely free). Inside my Travel Wellness Routine Builder, I reveal the full, step-by-step morning routine that keeps me grounded no matter where I am in the world. On top of that, you’ll get additional rituals (in case you are an evening person, I have something in store for you too), practical tips, and little-known hacks that make travelling not just comfortable, but truly cozy, empowering, and enjoyable. From strategies to lift your spirits when you’re feeling lonely, to ways to create a sense of home in even the busiest airports or tiniest hostels, these are the exact practices that have transformed my solo journeys. Download it now and discover the secrets that can make your own adventures feel safe, balanced, and completely your own.

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