Are you travelling alone for the first time and wondering how to meet people as a solo traveller?
Solo travel is liberating and and it can change how you see the world. But after a while, even the most independent traveller can get tired of their own company, feel fed up with eating out alone and want someone to share those moments with.
After more than three decades of travelling solo, this is where I can help. These are my tried and tested ways to meet people when travelling alone, based on real experience rather than theory
Top Tips at a Glance
- Keep your head up and smile — openness invites conversation
- Ask simple questions — people love talking about themselves
- Offer to take someone’s photo — a small gesture can start a chat
- Choose places where others gather — hostels, group tours, common areas
- Use social media and travel apps to find people before you arrive
- Try day tours and shared experiences — easy ways to connect
- Attend classes or meetups connected to your interests
Places to Meet People as a Solo Traveller
1. Stay where people hang out
Staying in a hostel is one of the easiest ways to meet fellow travellers.
Most hostels have shared spaces, including bars and communal dining areas, that are ideal for making friends. Additionally, many hostels run events or day trips.
Until my early thirties, a dorm bed in a hostel was my accommodation of choice. Through those stays, I connected with other great solo travellers, some of whom remain friends to this day.
2. Meet people on public transport
As solo travellers we all need to get from A to B and trains, buses and planes are great places to meet people.
In 2009 I shared a compartment on a sleeper train from Bangkok to Chang Mai with a Russian ballerina with whom I performed a temple-hopping pas de deux on arrival.
I shared a table on the Glacier Express with a delightful trio: a South Korean couple and a Swiss lady. The eight-hour journey flew by as we chatted and exchanged stories.
3. Make new friends through activities you enjoy
Perhaps you are an avid photographer or a keen walker? Then why not indulge your passion whilst travelling alone and meet people at the same time?
Meetup is an online tool listing events that cater to a vast range of interests. Type in your interest in the search engine and pick your event.
4. Meet other solo travellers by taking a class
Instead of indulging your passion, why not learn a new skill? And that’s even better if it is something related to that region.
Channel your inner Riverdancer and learn how to jig. Create the perfect ragù sauce in Tuscany. Or fashion the finest spring roll in Vietnam.
5. Take a small group tour
When travelling alone, don’t feel that you have to do everything independently. One of the growing trends in solo travel is the growth in the popularity of small-group tours.
A small group tour can be convenient, time-efficient and provides you with ready-made travelling companions for the duration. I have been on a dozen or so over the last 20 or so years, and have formed some lasting friendships with other travellers on these trips.
However, not all group tours are created equal. Do your homework to identify your perfect group tour and the best group travel company to suit your needs.
6. Join a day tour
But you don’t have to take a lengthy group tour to meet people while travelling alone.
Why not sign up for a day tour? Most cities will offer a walking tour, which may be free and will only last two or three hours at most. During a lull in the guide’s commentary, chat with the person next to you.
7. Try group social events
For example: organised pub crawls are on offer in many cities. In my home city of London, where pub culture is ingrained, there is a myriad of opportunities to get well and truly bladdered over the course of an evening.
I joined a superb beer tour when I was visiting Ghent. It was a fun night and I learnt so much about Belgian beer. Ditto, wine tasting in Budapest and a street food tour in Georgetown, Penang.
Mindset and approach tips
8. Be open and friendly
One of the joys of travelling is that you will come across people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. Be open to these encounters and reach out to these people.
As a midlife solo traveller, even after three decades of travelling alone, people still can surprise me, mostly in a good way. Everyone has a story; just give them a chance to share it.
Lisa, a fellow solo traveller, shared this piece of advice and an anecdote:
A good conversation opener is to pay someone a compliment…. I love your hat/scarf/colour nail polish! Whilst on boat trip in Costa Rica someone said to me ‘I love your perfume. What is it?’ It was my insect repellant! We did laugh and chatted all day as a result.
9. Take an interest in people
Most people love to talk about themselves. Although this may sound manipulative, you can use this to your advantage.
Avoid closed questions that simply require a Yes / No response. Instead, throw lots of open questions into the conversation. For example:
- How long are you travelling for?
- What has been your favourite place so far?
- What do you think of the food here?
You get the idea.
10. Be open to opportunities
Sticking to an itinerary is sometimes necessary, but may not be your friend when it comes to meeting other solo travellers.
More than once in my life, I’ve taken up random offers from both fellow travellers and locals and had an absolute blast. Like celebrating Australia in an apartment overlooking Sydney Harbour. Or travelling through Cuba with a couple of gals I met on a group tour.
These experiences would have been impossible if my plans were set in stone.
I’VE WRITTEN THIS ITALY SOLO TRAVEL GUIDE!
A 100+ page ebook to inspire and equip solo travellers with the confidence and knowledge to explore Italy independently
- Plan Your Trip – with curated itineraries, budgeting and how to get around
- Explore Awesome Destinations – guides to the must-see cities of Rome, Florence, Venice and Naples
- Stay Safe as a Solo Traveller – practical safety advice, empowering you to confidently navigate Italy and avoid common pitfalls
- Enjoy Eating Out in Italy – essential tried-and-tested solo dining tips
Specific Social Tactics
11. Offer to take a picture
This is a strategy that has worked for me in the past.
All solo travellers know that it can be tricky to capture an image of yourself next to that iconic landmark. It’s easy to spot those travelling alone as these are often the people struggling to take a selfie.
Help them out and offer to take a picture for them. From there, you might be able to strike up a conversation with them which might lead to you having a travel buddy, even if this is just for a few hours or so.
12. Stay with local hosts
Although hostels are great places to meet people while travelling alone, they don’t provide many opportunities to mix with locals. One way to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of your destination is to stay with a local host.
When I visited Lebanon in 2009, I stayed with Mirna. Through chats on the sofa of her beautifully restored apartment in downtown Beirut, I learnt more about her city, its history and Lebanese culture than I ever could have gleaned from a guidebook.
I would not have traded that experience for a stay at The Four Seasons if you had paid me.
13. Embrace the power of social media
Why not use solo travel as an opportunity to turn your virtual friends into real friends?
Reach out to those that you follow on social media and who live in the destination that you are travelling to. Or if you spot someone else heading to the same place at the same time think about trying to hook up with them.
If you are feeling particularly brave, you can cold call people. Search a place by its hashtag and reach out to other travellers posting from there.
14. Use your Facebook account
One of the best things about Facebook is that it allows me to keep in loose contact with people I have met whilst travelling with minimal effort. If you are heading to that person’s hometown it is easy to reach out to them to get together.
Similar to other social media channels, posting an update to let others know what you are up to might result in a response from another traveller to that place. However, your privacy settings will need to accommodate this.
Facebook groups are another way to meet locals with similar interests. For example, a search for Facebook groups for foodies in London generated close to 100 results.
15. Use apps for solo travellers
The growing market for apps dedicated to meeting fellow travellers is a sign of our connected times.
Backpackr – a bit like Tinder for those travelling alone.
Browse the profiles of other solo travellers and message those you would like to meet. It also has a ‘common room’ in which to post those burning travel questions.
A great feature for solo female travellers is that it allows you to configure your settings so that only other female travellers can contact you. Maybe not so much like Tinder after all.
Tourlina – Going one step further, Tourlina is an app solely for female travellers.
Enter your dates and destination it will search for other women who are travelling alone. You can also specify the age of your potential travel buddy in your profile settings.
Other Fun Ways to Connect
Not every interaction needs to start with a big conversation or a bold move. Some of the easiest connections happen through small, low effort gestures.
- Carry a pack of cards
Cards are a brilliant social shortcut in hostels, on trains or in cafes. Someone will almost always join in and it takes the pressure off having to talk straight away. - Have something people can comment on
A book, photos from home, a map, a notebook or even what you’re doing on your phone can be an easy conversation starter without forcing it. - Use simple contact swaps
Exchanging Instagram handles is often easier and more natural than asking for a number. It keeps things light and makes it easy to stay in touch if you both want to. - Leave the door open
Sometimes just sitting in a shared space, not glued to your phone, is enough. You don’t have to work at it too hard.
These small things might sound obvious, but they often lead to the most relaxed connections, especially when you’re travelling alone and not trying to impress anyone.
One Final Thought
I hope these tips will help you as much as they have helped me. Just because you are a solo traveller, this doesn’t mean you have to be lonely.
One of the greatest things about travelling alone is that you can be completely flexible and have just yourself to please. Inevitably, you will meet people who might suggest doing something that doesn’t feature in your guidebook and isn’t on your radar.
Often great things can happen if you throw caution to the wind. But always remember that your personal safety is paramount.
Most people you meet will be decent and would not harm a hair on your head. But equally, there will be a few individuals whose motives may not be so pure.
Trust your gut. If someone feels off, walk away and don’t feel bad about doing so. When you arrange to meet with someone you don’t know well, make sure that this is during daylight hours.
If you are looking for inspiration and information about solo travel destinations, take a look at some of my other articles:
- 10 Perfect Places to Travel Alone for the First Time
- The Best Places to Travel Alone in Asia
- 40 Best Places to Travel Alone in Europe
- Best Places to Travel Alone in the USA
- 35+ Epic Things To Do Alone In London: A Local Expert’s Guide
- Solo Travel in Portugal and Spain
- Best Solo Travel Destinations in Italy
- Solo Travel in France: Ultimate Guide & Best Places to Visit
- Canary Islands Solo Travel: The Ultimate Guide
- Iceland Solo Travel: Itinerary, Trip Costs & Essential Tips
- Solo Travel in Madeira: The Ultimate Guide
- Mauritius Solo Travel: The Ultimate Guide
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.
Pingback: 7 Things You Need To Know About Solo Backpacking – THE HOMESICK DIARIES
Pingback: 7 Things You Need To Know About Solo Backpacking
Site is a Good idea. To get some ideas; alone or bunch !?