How to Meet People While Traveling Solo

How to Meet People While Traveling Solo

Solo travel is rising fast. According to a 2023 report by Booking.com, now take at least one solo trip per year — and that number keeps climbing. But for many people, the hardest part isn't the fligh

t or the foreign currency. It's quiet. The moment you sit down at a restaurant table for one and realize you have nobody to laugh with.

The good news? Connection is everywhere. You just need to know where to look.

Start Before You Even Pack

Tell People You're Going

This sounds almost too simple. But posting in Facebook travel groups, Reddit communities like r/solotravel, or even just texting a friend who's been to your destination can open real doors. Someone will know someone. People are generous with their contacts when they know you're traveling alone.

Reach out to locals directly on platforms like Couchsurfing or Meetup. You don't have to stay with strangers — just attend their events. A Meetup walk or language exchange costs nothing and puts you in a room full of curious, open people from day one.

Choose the Right Places to Stay

Hostels Still Work — Even for Non-Budget Travelers

Here's a stat worth knowing: a 2022 Hostelworld survey found that 72% of solo travelers said they made at least one lasting friendship during a hostel stay. That's not a coincidence. Hostels are built for collision — shared kitchens, common rooms, pub crawls, free walking tours.

You don't have to sleep in a dorm. Many hostels offer private rooms. Pay for the privacy, but eat breakfast in the shared space. Sit down next to someone. Ask where they've been. It really is that straightforward.

Boutique Hotels and Guesthouses Can Surprise You

Small family-run guesthouses are underrated. The owner often becomes your unofficial guide. They recommend the market nobody writes about, the bar that fills up on Thursdays, the beach before the crowds arrive.

Stay somewhere with a communal breakfast table. Avoid the places with in-room everything and nowhere to linger.

Talk to the People Right in Front of You

The Bar Seat Rule

Sit at the bar, not at a table. This is non-negotiable if you're eating or drinking alone. Bar seats face people — bartenders, other solo diners, locals stopping in after work. Tables isolate. Bars connect.

Order something local you don't recognize. Ask the bartender what it is. That's a conversation that has already started.

Meet People Online

Every city has various chats and groups, and they're a good place to make new connections. You can even build relationships with locals before you even start your trip. You can also meet people through video calls with Americans, which offers video chat with strangers. You'll meet random people, and some of them might just be right where you want them. Video chats allow you to establish a more trusting connection.

Coffee Shops and Co-Working Spaces

Remote work has changed travel. Digital nomad cafés in cities like Chiang Mai, Tbilisi, or Lisbon are full of people working alone who actually want to not be alone. A simple "is this seat taken?" can turn into a four-hour conversation about life choices.

Look for co-working day passes too. They're cheap, fast Wi-Fi is guaranteed, and the community boards often advertise local events.

Use Your Days Strategically

Join a Free Walking Tour

Free walking tours exist in almost every city now — Berlin, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Krakow. You tip what you feel at the end. More importantly, you spend two hours walking beside strangers who are also alone, curious, and also open to conversation.

After the tour, someone almost always suggests a coffee or a beer. Say yes. That's the moment.

Take a Class or Workshop

Cooking classes are the classic recommendation — and they work because everyone is doing something with their hands, which takes the pressure off conversation. But think wider. A pottery class in Lisbon. A salsa lesson in Medellín. A knife-skills workshop in Tokyo.

Shared activity creates shared memory faster than almost anything else.

Apps and Online Communities

Beyond Dating Apps

Bumble BFF exists. So does Meetup, Interpal, and Tandem — a language exchange app where you help someone practice your language and they help you practice theirs. These are genuine connection tools, not gimmicks.

Facebook groups for specific cities are surprisingly active. Search "[City Name] Expats" or "[City Name] Solo Travelers." Post that you're arriving Tuesday. Someone will respond.

Travel Companions on the Road

Apps like Tourlina (for women travelers) and Travel Buddies connect people with overlapping itineraries. You're not committing to anything — just opening a door. Sometimes you meet for one afternoon. Sometimes you end up traveling together for two weeks.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

Stop Waiting to Be Approached

Most people assume someone else will start the conversation. That means two solo travelers can sit three feet apart for an hour and never speak. One of you has to go first. It might as well be you.

The rejection risk is almost zero. People traveling alone are already primed to connect. A simple "Where are you from?" carries almost no social risk — and enormous potential upside.

Embrace the Awkward Moments

Not every attempt works. Some conversations fizzle in thirty seconds. That's fine. It's normal. The travelers who make the most connections aren't more charming — they're just more willing to try and move on without spiraling.

Solo travel teaches you something the guidebooks don't mention: the world is full of people looking for exactly what you are. A little company. A shared meal. Someone to say "did you see that?" to.

All you have to do is show up and open your mouth.