There are many benefits to travelling alone, you can choose where you go and when, travelling at your own pace without having to consider anyone else. Plus, it’ll help to grow your confidence and meet like-minded people along the way. Solo travel is on the rise so, although you may be travelling by yourself, you definitely won’t be alone as more and more people are choosing to ditch friends and family to jet off by themselves.
Is your next destination New Zealand? Whether this is your first solo trip or just your first time travelling alone in beautiful NZ, here is a guide to solo travel, to help ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time.
Research and make a plan
Before you go, do your research so you know exactly where you want to go and what you would like to see. Your plan should include how you wish to travel – do you want to pick up car hire in NZ and make it a road trip or will you use public transport? What do you want to see and do? Where will you visit and stay?
You don’t want to end up feeling lost and panicking about what to do next once you are there. You can keep your plan vague and then you have the freedom to change it once you are there. New Zealand is one of the safest countries, so there shouldn’t be too many areas to avoid but you may want to look for the best locations for solo travellers so that you can avoid feeling.
Join a group tour
If you would like all or part of your trip planned out for you and the opportunity to meet and travel with other solo travellers, then you could join a group tour. Your accommodation, flights, transfers, meals and tours will be arranged for you, ensuring you see the very best side of the country. Plus, although you are embarking on the trip by yourself, you’ll leave with a new group of friends, who you’ll make special memories with. There are different tours to choose from, so you are sure to find one that covers what you would like to do and can even opt for one specifically for your age group.
Book into a hostel
If you don’t want your itinerary planned for you and would prefer to be able to choose where you go and when – but still want the opportunity to meet people – then stay in hostels. Rather than being shut away in a hotel room by yourself, you’ll be sharing a room with others as well as access to a communal kitchen where you’ll be able to spark up conversation as you tuck into breakfast or make dinner. Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Queenstown are just a few places that have a great selection of hostels in New Zealand. You can still move at your own pace, but you’ll meet people everywhere you go and maybe even find others follow the same route as you.
Go on a bar crawl
You no doubt want to experience the nightlife, but this probably isn’t something you want to do alone. There are plenty of bar crawls to join, especially in Queenstown and Auckland. If you are staying in a hostel, then check out what they offer, as they tend to be organised here. Alternatively, there are backpacker bars in many of the main cities so see which ones are in your area.
Take advantage of social media
Social media is a great way to stay in touch with people back home while you are travelling, so you don’t feel so far from home and loved ones. However, it can also be a great way to meet people in New Zealand and get insider tips from those in the same situation as you are. You may even find travellers who you can join for activities along the way.
Now you are ready to embark on your solo travel, you can start enjoying the planning and look forward to visiting this beautiful country.
Leave a Reply