“Is solo travel boring? What if I venture out on my own but get bored?”
This is a valid concern, especially among those who’re mustering the courage to take their first solo trip.
I’ve been on both sides of traveling alone – when I got bored and when I had the most memorable trip of my life.
Here’s what happens – solo traveling is fun if you know how to make the best use of the freedom it offers.
But, if you don’t know what to do with the luxury of time and choices, solo travel can become boring.
In this blog post, you’ll discover when a solo journey could become boring and how you can counter that boredom.
What solo travel offers on the most fundamental level
In simple terms, traveling alone offers the freedom of 2 things:
- Choices
- Time
You’re free to choose and spend time as you wish. This is a blessing but can also be a curse.
When I was in Riga, Latvia for a day, it wasn’t so fun…
When solo travel becomes boring.
Traveling alone becomes boring when you lack or can’t discover any good choices. When this happens, the luxury of having extra time becomes a curse rather than a blessing.
Think about it – when do you start to feel bored at home?
It’s usually when you make the same choices day in and day out – meeting the same people, sticking to the same routine, etc, and see no better choices.
It works the same when you travel. Here are 2 of the most common reasons why people get bored.
1. Lack of money
Money buys choices. And it’s one of the most important things to enjoy a stress-free vacation.
I remember having to spend 1 day in Riga on my last few dollars. I had to ensure there was enough money to get back to the airport on the following day while having a full meal.
So even if there were attractions to visit, I couldn’t afford to see them. The choices were there but a lack of money kept me from exploring the city.
2. Lack of people to talk to
This can be one of the most painful experiences. Humans are social creatures. You need people to talk to even when you’re taking a solo trip.
I learned it through a painful experience in Riga. And I don’t want you to make the same mistake. I was staying at a hostel.
For those who don’t know, hostels are usually social places. You meet other travelers and it’s quite easy to start conversions here.
But because I didn’t talk to anyone, I felt very lonely and bored. If I were to go back in time, I’d drop a ‘Hi’ to someone there. It doesn’t cost anything 🙂
Can traveling alone be fun?
Yes, traveling alone can be fun and rewarding, sometimes even life-changing.
In a fun solo trip, there’s an abundance of good choices to spend your time.
It’s when you can decide whether to board a bus to that exciting city, talk to new people, visit the historical monuments nearby, try out new experiences like scuba diving, paragliding, etc.
I remember while exploring Thailand on my own, I had many such ‘good choices’, right from picking exciting places for sightseeing to making new friends to trying out the delicious local Thai cuisine.
Everything was fun!
5 Tips to Keep Boredom Away While Traveling Alone
1. Visit nearby attractions
Historical palaces, monuments, museums and public parks are an excellent way to submerge in the local culture. It opens up your mind and offers an excellent learning opportunity.
This happens because as you discover something you didn’t previously know, the mind pays more attention, trying to absorb as much information as it can. Curiosity kills boredom.
2. Plan crazy adventures
A rush of adrenaline and excitement can spice up your solo adventure. This is one of the main things that travelers who go alone get a kick from.
Imagine jumping from a Canyon as high as a 5-story building or running in a bull race. Would you feel bored during these moments? 🙂
We all know the answer.
3. Be a part of Facebook communities
Facebook is an excellent platform to find so many exciting events going on in the city. Join these events to keep boredom away.
In Thailand, I found a chess community via this platform.
This gave me an opportunity to meet friends who shared my interests and showed me around.
To find the communities you want to be a part of, do this:
- Open Facebook
- In the search bar, type the following: “Your interest” + “city name”
- So if you’re in Paris and want to search for a cooking group, type “Cooking Paris” in search.
A bunch of groups will show up for you to choose from.
Also, it’s useful to be a part of travel communities and meet other travelers along the way.
4. Approach strangers
The more strangers you talk to on your solo journey, the more successful and fun your adventure will be – this is what I believe.
Because it’s these strangers who’ll become your friends and with whom you’ll form lifelong memories.
Ditch the old belief of not talking to strangers. As long as you follow some basic solo travel safety tips, you’ll be fine. The world’s not as dangerous as the TV portrays it to be 🙂
5. Budget smartly. Keep some extra cash.
Budgeting smartly is actually a smart long-term move that can actually keep boredom away. Not many people talk about it though.
As you know, lack of money made my last day boring in Riga. Just a little cash(didn’t have a card at that time) would’ve changed the memory I hold today.
I’ve also met solo travelers who’ve made this same mistake. As a result, they had to cut back their expenses and stay at a hostel.
It’s no fun when you come to travel but can’t do so because you lack money. The very purpose gets defeated.
So make sure to have a budget and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Conclusion
Solo travel unlocks the luxury of choice and time. Whether it will be boring or enjoyable depends on the choices you make.
Find and make good choices to make your time enjoyable. Talk to people, visit new places and be smart about money. It’ll help you enjoy your coming solo trip and keep boredom at bay!
