Solo travel can be one of the most freeing experiences in the world, but it also pushes you out of your comfort zone in many different and unexpected ways. Somewhere between navigating new cities, eating alone and figuring things out on your own, you learn just how open the world can be when you are, and often, the people you meet become as memorable as the places themselves.
Travel creator Sanjana Goswami (@undermypinkumbrella) believes that travelling alone doesn’t have to mean travelling lonely. In fact, she says some of the best friendships of her life began on unfamiliar streets, long bus rides, and hostel common rooms. “I have met some of the kindest, funniest, and most unexpected people while traveling solo,” she wrote in her caption. Here’s how to build real connections on the road the easy way.
Get comfortable being alone first
Before you can meet new people, you need to enjoy your own company. It’s counterintuitive, but true. When you’re relaxed, content and moving at your own rhythm, you naturally give off an energy that invites conversation. Whether you’re reading in a café, strolling through a market, or eating alone without guilt, that comfort becomes the first step to forming friendships.
Say “yes” more often
Solo travel opens the door to spontaneous opportunities and saying yes to them can change your entire trip. If someone at your hostel asks if you want to join them for dinner, a beach day, or a sunrise hike, go. You don’t make memories by sitting in your bunk.
Take group tours
If you’re shy or unsure where to begin, group activities take the pressure off. Walking tours, cooking classes, pub crawls, art workshops, and day hikes offer built-in shared experiences, which make bonding feel natural instead of forced. You’re all learning, exploring or laughing together, and that becomes an instant icebreaker.
Stay in hostels
You don’t have to be a backpacker to enjoy hostel life. Many modern hostels are clean, safe and beautifully designed, and their common rooms, kitchen spaces and nightly events are designed to help travellers mingle. Movie nights, game evenings, local food tastings or rooftop gatherings can lead to friendships that last long after checkout.
Ask questions and stay curious
If you ever find yourself stuck, remember this: curiosity is charm. Simple questions like “Where are you from?”, “Where did you just travel from?”, or “Do you have any recommendations for tonight?” can open entire conversations. Most solo travellers want to talk, they’re just waiting for someone else to start.
Know that solo travel doesn’t mean lonely travel
The biggest mindset shift? Realising you don’t need a group to belong. Be open, be kind, and trust that connection happens in surprising ways; on trains, in queues, at cafés, or while watching a sunset next to a stranger. Your next friend could literally be on the next bus.
