Travelling solo is an art that takes a bit of fine-tuning, but once you get it right, you’ll never want to stop.
Whether you’re excited or terrified by the prospect of solo travel in Australia, here are some top tips to help get you on your way.
1. Embrace the unknown
When you’re going somewhere you’ve never been before it’s comforting to have a familiar face along for the ride. But rather than worrying about going it alone, see it as a chance find out just what you’re capable of when you’re the only one in the driver’s seat.
Plan ahead but don’t panic if those plans don’t go as smoothly as you’d hoped. If the last few years have taught us anything it’s that we can’t control everything in life and flexibility is key. Stay open to where any twists and turns may take you. It may not be where you set out to go, but you could come home with even better memories and stories.
2. Talk to strangers
Some people can happily talk to anyone, anywhere. For others conversations are things best saved for people they already know and love. Depending on the day I could be in either of these camps and can happily spend days talking to no one, or find myself chatting to strangers about anything under the sun.
When you’re travelling solo there’s a lot to be said for talking to strangers. If they’re local they can tell you more about the place you’re visiting. If they’re a fellow traveller you can swap tales and tips.
To stay on the safe side, don’t tell people you’ve just met that you’re travelling alone. A phantom partner who’s either back in the hotel room or about to meet you for dinner can help create a safety buffer until you’re confident you’re in the right kind of company.
If you’re a bit rusty on the striking-up conversations with strangers side of things try asking them questions about their favourite things to do, see and eat around town. If they like to chat you could be there for hours. And if they don’t then thank them for their short reply and let them get back to their day.
3. Enjoy dining alone
Solomangarephobia is a fear of eating alone in public and while I’ve never known that fear I know what it’s like to feel other people looking at me when I’m dining alone, especially when I treat myself to a solo meal in a good restaurant.
If you’re worried about eating by yourself a counter seat or a seat at the bar can be a great option. I’ve had some very entertaining conversations with chefs, bar staff and fellow single diners at a counter seat.
As easy as it is to disappear into your phone, force yourself to put your devices away and take in where you are. Really taste that food that you’ve never eaten before. Even if it’s an old favourite dish, you’ve never had it here so how does it compare?
If you’d rather have some kind of distraction bring a book or magazine, or take the time to write in a travel journal or catch up on postcards rather than scrolling social media.
4. Be patient
With yourself and with others. When you step out of your comfort zone you’re bound to have some frustrating moments. Whether it’s failing to immediately grasp a new public transport system or getting lost after taking a wrong turn, take a breath and reboot. Allow extra time for figuring some things out slowly and be kind to yourself when you get things wrong.
Extend the same courtesies to everyone you meet on your travels. Some things may not be done as quickly as you’re used to back home, but with so many short-staffed businesses around Australia, the people behind the counters are the ones who turned up and are doing their best.
5. Pack your hiking boots
Really get to know a special corner of Australia on two feet. You can either be inspired by Cheryl Strayed’s Wild experience and go completely solo, or if you’re like me and want to walk the walk but not pitch your own tent you can join a guided hike.
As a solo traveller on Spicer’s Scenic Rim Trail , I was able to hike 88km up and along Queensland’s Great Dividing Range with nothing more than a day pack. As well as having the security and safety of a guide I loved the chance to get to know fellow hikers both on the trail and over drinks and dinners every night.
There are short and long walks to find around Australia including Tasmania’s Bay of Fires Lodge Walk, South Australia’s Arkaba Walk and the Northern Territory’s Larapinta Trek, and some companies offer no single supplement deals so you don’t have to pay more to go solo.
6. Join a group
If your friends and family aren’t interested in joining you on your dream trip but you’d rather not go it alone, a group holiday could be the answer. When I joined an Inspiring Journeys tour I went from an Indigenous tour of the Daintree and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef to seeing Field of Light at Uluru at hiking Kings Canyon at sunrise.
As well as handing over all of the logistics to the experts, you’ll get the chance to share the trip with other travellers. Companies will often know the best things to do in any location and have tickets to events or experiences that can sell out in advance.
With tours tailored to different kinds of travelling styles as well as destinations, you may even meet some like-minded travel friends for future adventures.
7. Set sail
Another way to go it alone without really going it alone. I’ve enjoyed cabins for one on boats and ships that have had anywhere from 10 to 4,000 passengers. Sailing solo gives you a chance to be as social or as quiet as you like and at meals there’s almost always a table where you can join other people or you can simply request to dine alone.
As with group tours you don’t have to worry about orchestrating any plans, and on a ship you don’t have to keep packing and unpacking your bags either. On a tour around Tasmania’s wild coast with Coral Expeditions I was able to see wilderness spots I couldn’t have reached by car and after sharing travel tales over meals I could retire to my cabin alone.
Coral Expeditions are among the cruise companies that offer to match single guests with people of the same gender to avoid single supplements, and also have a Standby Singles offer where you could get a cabin to yourself with no single supplement depending on availability.
Some cruise lines including Cunard and Celebrity Cruises also have solo staterooms built for one but as single cabins and fares are limited it’s best to book well ahead.
8. Be beach smart
Australian beaches are pretty sweet places to get away from it all and while most people can be trusted unfortunately there are times when you shouldn’t just put your valuables in your shoes when you go for a dip. Well, that’s unless they’re a pair of reef or waterproof shoes with pockets. Then you’re good to go.
Some beaches have lockers but when they don’t you’re best off leaving valuables either in the hotel safe or hidden in the car if you’re between rooms on a road trip. A waterproof phone pouch can fit your phone, room card and a little cash when you go for a swim, or you can also buy a small portable safe to attach to a table or umbrella.
If you decide to bury your things in the sand make sure you’re subtle about it and use a zip-lock bag. And if there’s a lifeguard on duty get a spot in front of them as most thieves will avoid areas where they think someone is watching.
9. Stay safe
Even though Australia is a pretty safe country to travel around it’s still a good idea to do some simple things to help make your solo trip a safe one.
Pop a rubber doorstop in your bag for those times when your hotel room doesn’t have a deadbolt or security latch. They’re small and light and can stop an intruder in their tracks.
I like to tell empty hotel rooms that I’ll see them soon and then say I’m back when I open the door so that it looks like I’m not alone. Asking for two keys at check-in if there’s anyone else around is also a good idea.
Resist sharing where you are on social media until you’ve checked out. I once shared a drink with two influencers who discovered to their horror that the champagne that was sent to their room wasn’t from hotel management but from a man who liked their latest Instagram story a bit too much.
And while smart international readers will already have this covered a tip for our fellow Australians. While you may only think about travel insurance when you’re heading overseas it can come in very handy in your own country too. Domestic travel insurance policies can kick in when you’re anywhere between 50 and 250km from home and depending on the policy could cover you for delays and cancellations and lost or damaged belongings.
10. Have fun
And finally, in a world where so many of our decisions involve friends, family and work enjoy every moment of a trip that’s all about you.
Solo travel allows you to choose everything you do from the places you go and the things you see to what time you want to have breakfast in the morning and go to bed at night. And if you decide at the last minute to turn that 7 am breakfast into an 11 am brunch, that’s okay too.
It’s self-indulgent in the best of possible ways, and as well as discovering new things in new places, you may find that you learn a lot about yourself on the way too.
