Top tips for solo travellers

Solo travel is becoming increasingly popular, with more and more people embracing the freedom it gives them to travel on their own terms.

If you’re thinking of travelling alone on your next holiday, our advice below will help you plan the perfect trip for you and offers tips for staying safe while you’re away.

How to plan your holiday

There are many different options for solo travellers and ABTA members can help you find your dream holiday.

You can tailor-make your trip - If you’d like to travel entirely on your own, our members can help tailor your trip to your needs, provide an itinerary for you to follow and book all of your travel arrangements for you. This includes offering advice on which destinations cater best for solo travellers and finding accommodation that offers single occupancy rooms or discounts for solo travellers.
Or join an organised tour - If you’d prefer to travel with others, many of our members offer organised tours which are a great way of meeting like-minded people who share an interest in your destination and style of travel. This style of trip also helps to keep costs down as you share transport costs, can take advantage of group discounts when visiting local attractions, and have the option to share a room with a fellow traveller.
Always research your destination – As with all trips, it’s really important to check the Government’s latest advice for the countries you’re planning to visit at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. These pages include lots of helpful information, including advice on safety and security plus local laws and customs. You can sign up for email alerts so you’re automatically notified of any updates or changes to the advice.
Take out insurance – You should also make sure you take out the right travel insurance policy for your needs as soon as you book, then keep your policy number and your insurer’s contact info on you at all times while you’re away so you can easily access it if needed.

Stay connected with family and friends back home

Have an emergency contact – Make sure the right person is listed as an emergency contact in your phone (see more info here) and in the back of your passport in case you need help while away. Share details of your emergency contact with your travel company, so they know who to speak to if necessary.
Give them copies of your documents – Give your emergency contact a copy of your passport in case it gets lost while you are away, as well as your travel insurance details in case they need to contact them on your behalf.
Tell them your travel plans – Share your trip itinerary with family and friends back home, so they’ll know where you will be at each part of your trip.
Stay in touch – Keep in touch with friends and family back home while you are away, let them know if your plans have changed, and how often you’ll be in contact.

Top tips while you’re away

Prioritise your safety – stick to well-lit, public areas when you’re out and about, especially at night, and make sure you know where you’re going before you set off. Never leave a drink unattended and only use officially licensed taxi companies.
Look after your belongings – keep valuable items like money, cameras and phones in a securely fastened bag that isn’t easy to grab to avoid being pickpocketed. Always use the safe in your room to store your valuables, taking just one credit or debit card and enough cash for your expenses that day.
Respect cultural differences – research the local laws and customs, being mindful that they might be quite different from those in the UK. For example, you might be required to dress more conservatively, especially when visiting religious sites.
Learn the local language – if you can, learn some common phrases in the local language before you go, or travel with a phrasebook to help you get by. There are also lots of helpful apps you can download and even use offline, like Google translate, so you can communicate even more effectively.

Extra advice for female travellers

Female travellers can face additional risks or unwanted attention because of their gender. It’s important to thoroughly research your destination before you go, particularly when it comes to women’s rights and cultural differences in your chosen destination. Read more advice on women’s safety abroad at gov.uk.

ABTA’s travel checklist

Whether you’re travelling alone for the first time, heading off on a gap year, or you’re a seasoned solo traveller, it’s important to make sure you have everything you need before you head off on your adventure.

Our helpful travel checklist is packed with advice about airport security, passport validity and other useful tips for solo travellers.