Travel tip 109: How to fight loneliness when traveling solo

How are you doing Reader?

I am in Bali, at the end of the trip, enjoying a well deserved beach day 🌴

We have had a very authentic week, and it was so lovely to see guests who have traveled with us for the third and even fourth and fifth time again.

How amazing it is to make connections that will last for years to come 😀

We still have 2 spots left on our October Bali trip (August is sold out) and we are returning next year. Get on the waitlist to be notified when 2026 goes live.

This week's travel tip is about a topic that comes up a lot in the group: How to manage feelings of loneliness when traveling solo.

How to fight loneliness when traveling solo

I have been living by myself for a really long time and I have been traveling solo for almost 25 years!

Whoa, that is a lot of time to get to know yourself and learn to appreciate the beauty of having your own space and enjoying your own company!

If I could summarise the ways in which you can fight loneliness traveling solo in one sentence I would say: Be your best friend.

Nobody will care, love and understand you like you do.

Plus, you are amazing and nobody knows that like you do!! (Ok, maybe your mum does too!)

If you become your best friend, you will never be lonely again, whether you are traveling solo or living by yourself.

I love people, I am an extroverted and I thrive in social environments where I get to interact and meet new people.

But I also love going back home and enjoying the peace and quiet of my own thoughts.

Because this is a process that takes time and practice, here are other ways to fight loneliness when traveling solo:

Call friends and family in the evenings; Check in with them, share how your day went and reflect on what you did. Not only will this help you process the experiences you had, but also feel more connected to someone important.
Or just exchange messages with them throughout the day so you have someone virtually next to you.
Write down your thoughts, your learnings, what you did. Keep a journal or a dairy, and your thoughts will keep you company when you feel lonely. This will also help you learn to appreciate your own company and learn about yourself.
Cry and take time for yourself to feel however you feel, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging your emotions.
Find others to meet up. There are lots of Facebook communities for women to connect with each other and find travel partners or meet ups, so you have company for some of the trip. Check out Meet-up and also dating apps like Bumble which have a friends section.
Join organized day trips or activities, these are the perfect way to fight loneliness for a few hours. Winery visits, cooking experiences or food tours are the best because they are social in nature, as opposed to a walking tour where there are no opportunities to chat and mingle with the rest of the group.
Reframe the situation. Instead of thinking "Why am I here alone without anyone to share this with" view the situation as a fantastic opportunity most don't have to discover a new destination, learn lots of new things, challenge yourself and grow. Perspective is everything, and nothing will help you fight loneliness like not seeing yourself as lonely.
Stay in social accommodation like hostels or the hotel chain Moxy which has lots of social spaces. Although I can assure you that you can feel lonely in a crowd and you may need some courage to strike up a conversation even in those more social settings.
Strike up a conversation with locals. I talk to people at bars, cafes and restaurants. Ask them about the city, their food recommendations (hint: they have the best insider knowledge), or with the staff at stores when they aren't busy, etc.
And above all, give yourself grace and the space to feel however you feel, no shame. Treat yourself to a nice meal, a spa treatment, a movie, run a bath with lots of bubbles, etc. anything that brings you joy and happiness.

And last but not least, the feeling of loneliness is completely VALID and hits everyone, even those who live by themselves, love their own company and are introverted. Show yourself some compassion.

PSt! even I, after almost 25 years of solo travel, more than 70 countries on my own and living by myself for over 10, feel lonely at times, and I can assure you I am amazing, fun and super interesting 😉 or so does my mum think!