Who says you need to be with friends to have fun when you go travelling? Sure, there are positive sides to experiencing new things as a group, but there are also awesome aspects to travelling alone. Don’t worry about the lonely bug biting you. There are ways for you to travel alone and still have a lot of fun doing it. Here are a few tips on how to have a blast during your next solo trip.

Prepare Yourself For Everything

To make sure you have the most fun, you need to plan at least the basics out, so you don’t have any problems when you get there – this is so much more important than people think it is. While others prefer to learn along the way with a few bumps on the road, you can make sure to smoothen them out by doing your research about the country you plan to visit, how much it’ll cost you for the entire trip, and how to adapt to their culture. Japan, for example, has a very different culture from Spain; you could go out and have drinks at a loud bar in Madrid and meet new, outgoing people, while Japan’s predominantly introverted culture could make you new friends at a Manga store. As mentioned, you may enjoy the activities and excursions in one country more than another, based on your personal preferences. Pre-purchase tickets to places you’d like to see or events you’d like to go to. Once you have the place you’d like to go in mind, and the resources to get yourself there, and the research to help you when you arrive, you’re halfway set to a stress-free and enjoyable experience.

Get Connected In The City You’re In

The internet is a great place to make friends in the places you plan to travel to. There are willing locals all over the world who are willing to teach you the ropes of their culture. You can find them on forums and websites such as reddit and Couchsurfing, or groups on Facebook. Before you go, join some of those online communities, so when you solo travel, you can meet them in real life. Meet with them over a cup of coffee or in a restaurant, and voila – you’ve made a new friend. Not only do you get the enjoy brand-new company, you also get to be in charge of how your trip goes. You can also try any motorcycle tours as no one’s telling you where to go, or what to do! Take this moment to try something new and be unapologetically, authentically yourself around your newly made acquaintances.

Just Go For It

If you’ve come researched and prepared, there’s no reason to be scared to explore. The most fun part about travelling alone is that you can do whatever you want without the say or judgment of friends or family – so whatever you’ve been dreaming of doing, just go for it! Try those different activity tours in Bali Indonesia, try that strange delicacy in the farmer’s market, take that diving class, and check out that quirky museum only you’d ever want to visit. Though it may seem daunting in the beginning, you’ll be grateful you did it – and you’ll learn so much about yourself along the way.