5 Great Ways to Engage With People When Traveling Solo

Solo traveling has been a growing trend in recent years. There’s a growing community of solo backpackers across the globe wanting to explore the world by themselves, and there are many good reasons to travel alone – from the convenience of single benefits down to discovering yourself. However, one minor challenge is the awkwardness that comes with engaging with people whom you’ve just met. Particularly if you’re an introvert, it can be quite difficult to start a conversation with other travelers or perhaps immerse yourself in the local community.

In this article, we will share with you five practical tips to help you engage with people when you’re traveling the world by yourself:

1. Book your stay at a hostel

Hostels provide inexpensive food and lodging options for travelers. What’s good about a hostel is that you can have a shared space with other people as well. As a result, you will have to force yourself to get out of your comfort zone and mingle with some of the people sharing the hostel.

Unlike at a hotel, you are secluded in your room and will need to go out to mingle with people. While you’re mingling with new friends at the hostel, make sure to check the event schedules and join in, if you must.

2. Make a connection online

We now live in a digital era that it’s easy to interact with people online. As a traveler, it’s best to connect with new contacts in the digital realm. There is a wide range of apps designed for this, such as Tripr and Backpacker, where you can plan and meet with people who will be traveling in a destination the same as yours.

3. Participate in a walking tour

While having reached your destination and staying there for quite some time, what better way to engage with people than to join in a walking tour? As you get to explore the city’s attractions or nature’s paradise, you’ll have many chances to meet other solo travelers and establish rapport with them. You can even make friends with couples, families, and other individuals traveling by group.

4. Have your meals at a bar

While you’re at it, opt to have your lunch or dinner in restaurant bars. Doing so will not only help you avoid an awkward “table for one” dining scenario, but it will also enable you to communicate with other diners next to you. You can even engage with the bartenders, where they’re more likely to kick off the conversation with you.

5. Participate in a local meet-up

A local meet-up has increasingly become popular in recent years. Take the Meetup (meetup.com) community, for example. It has almost 30 million members in 184 countries quite recently. Others search for localInstaMeets via Instagram, while travel bloggers converge via Travel Massive.

Conclusion

Traveling by yourself can be a bit challenging, especially when it comes to getting along with people. However, you’ll reap the benefits of meeting new people, finding interesting souls, and widening your horizon. That said, follow some of the simple steps mentioned above, and enjoy meeting new people and making new friends while traveling and exploring the world!

If you are looking for a hostel in Phuket, check out Book a Bed Poshtel. We have a friendly, laid back accommodation for both digital nomads and solo travelers. Get in touch with us today to see how we can assist your traveling adventures!