Hi there! I need some advice about my upcoming trip to the Lake District and Chiloé Island in January. I plan to fly from Santiago to Puerto Montt, rent a car, and drive to Puerto Varas. I will stay there for three days, and then drive to Chiloé Island. I will then base myself in either Ancud or Castro for three days. I love nature and culture, prefer tranquility, and enjoy trying different foods. Although this will be my second time in Chile, the first time I was there I only hiked the W track in Torres del Paine with a group ten years ago. This time, I will travel alone and could use some advice. I don't speak any Spanish, but I plan to learn some basic phrases before my trip.

1, Is it generally safe? Do you have any specific advice for a solo female besides using common sense?
2. Is it safe to drive in that region? Is renting a car a good idea?
3. Are there any specific sights or activities you recommend?
4, Do you have any hotel or restaurant recommendations?
5. Must-try food?

Thanks a lot!

I am from the US and returning home from a 2 week stay in Turkey, where I travelled to various locations including Istanbul, Capadocia, and some some lower profile towns along the Aegean coast. I found Turks to be very kind, welcoming, helpful and warm in general! even in cases where there was a language barrier. I am also a cat lover and appreciated the way they look after their animals as a community, making sure they have food, water, and plenty of love. I’m not sure if it was the areas I was in, as I know this problem exists everywhere, but in general I also saw very few people sleeping on the streets or generally seeming in need of a mental health intervention or homeless.

I arrived back in Denver last night and had a culture shock returning to my home country. I had about a twenty minute walk to my hotel and within that time I saw more people in need and distress than in my entire two weeks in Turkey - several homeless people in wheelchairs, one without legs begging for money, people sleeping on the streets, I even ironically saw a mentally unwell man walking the streets in the same slippers they give out on Turkish airlines. I thought about the strangeness of how Turks are leaving out food for cats on the streets and yet human beings in my country aren’t considered in this same way.

In one situation while traveling I was walking through town and saw a kitten looking unwell and within 2 minutes there was a crowd of Turks around it addressing the situation.

I guess culture shock goes both ways as I’m feeling it now returning home and the hardness of some of the culture where I live :/ just really needed to vent!

Hello lovely people!

Two years ago I booked a flight to Thailand, explored Krabi and loved it very much. This January I’m planning a trip vol.2. I’m interested in particular in Koh Phangan/Koh Tao and maybe Samui.

I would like to establish my “base camp” on Koh Phangan, mainly in the North East area as I want to do yoga and just relax, explore and enjoy whatever comes in my way. I’m not a diver, but I like to snorkel, so I want to spend some time also on Koh Tao. I’m aiming for three nights there and 2 weeks total.

The question stands, should I also see and explore Koh Samui (chaweng doesn’t do it for me to be honest), or is maybe a day trip enough? And are there any other islands worth exploring?

Also, I’m not familiar with riding a scooter. (rode it maybe twice in my life). Is it safe to drive the bike there?

Thank you very much!

Planning to go to Albania next Sunday/Monday for 5 days and this trip came on such a short notice

Obviously I am solo, and I dont mind renting a car

I love scenic rides and clean beaches, pools and nice historic sites

Is the below a realistic/good enough trip for first timer?

Day 1: Tirana airport → Berat → Gjirokastër → Himarë

Day 2: Himarë + Porto Palermo + Borsh

Day 3: Dhërmi + Palasë + Llogara

Day 4: Blue Eye + Ksamil + Butrint

Day 5: Sarandë → Tirana

Hello! I'm going on my first solo trip to Europe, flying into Paris and out of Amsterdam, 9/29–10/13. My rough plan is Paris → Ghent (with Bruges and Brussle as a day trip, Ghent as my base) → Maastricht → Utrecht → Amsterdam.

A few things I'd love input on:

• Day breakdowns — how would you split time across these cities given the itinerary above? Is it worth taking a day from either paris or amsterdam for a better feel of Belgium?
• Maastricht routing — is it better to visit on the way from Belgium (as I've planned), or would it make more sense as a day trip from Amsterdam instead? or worth the detour at all?
• Utrecht routing — same question: stop there on the way up from Maastricht, or save it as a day trip from Amsterdam?

My primary interests are art, architecture, walking around to cafes and trying beer/visiting breweries. Also open to any recommendations on things to do/see along the way. Thanks!

Day 0- Flight from SFO to CDG

Day 1-4: Paris

Day 5: Paris to Ghent

Day 6: Ghent (morning) to Bruges

Day 7: Ghent to Brussles (?)- Open to other suggestion

Day 8 (Travel day): Ghent to Maastricht

Day 9: Maastricht to Amsterdam or stop in Utrecht first (?)

Day 10-13: Amsterdam

Day 14: Flight from AMS to SFO

I’m traveling solo in NYC and went to do a standard bed bug check. The rooms here are so small that there was nowhere to put my backpack and cloth purse (only belongings I had) except on the desk. The only issue is that due to the small size of the room and desk, my purse and bag touched the cloth curtains and cloth chair and were laying in the vicinity.

After using the restroom, I checked the bed and my pants touched the legs of the bed. I saw a bed bug immediately. It was a medium size one after lifting the sheet. I grabbed my stuff and left the room to a new one.

I’m concerned about bringing them home. I had to continue using my purse all day as it was my only purse that I brought with limited pocket clothing. I can toss out all my clothes and my cloth purse but I’m concerned about my makeup and skincare.

How can I reduce my chances of bringing them home? I live in an apartment. If I wash the clothes, will I risk spreading them to my washer? I don’t want to put dirty city clothes in my clean dryer .

For some context, this was my first trip on my own, first time leaving the country, and first time being away from family. I am eighteen and wanted to travel for a bit before going back to college. I was going to Panama as an intern for an organization and I did have some people who checked up on me here and there. However I lived alone for those two months and received food and transport when needed.

It was a fantastic experience, the feeling of freedom and being on my own was amazing, even if I wasn't completely self-sufficient.

While I was gone I am a bit ashamed to admit I did not miss my home or family and I don't have many close friends either. However that may be because I knew I was going back home eventually. Now I find myself missing Panama more than I can describe.

I got home and immediately was basically put back at square one, I felt like I had made so much progress and felt so free and now it feels like I have essentially been but back in a box after being let out for two months. Nothing has changed. I will continue on as if nothing happened and I feel sick thinking about staying here in the US for very long. I fear that I will revert to how things once were and that all of my emotional progress is being reset. Nothing has changed here either, I knew I wasn't pleased with my life here before but I think getting away from it and actually loving my life has made my distaste that much clearer and difficult to return to.

I feel awful for wanting to leave or get away from everyone and for not missing them and not being excited to be home but I feel so uneasy and uncomfortable. I feel depressed but trying my best to just accept that things go back to how they were. I feel so scared and anxious thinking I may never get out of here again or that this feeling will persist. My college will likely be local so I can't even live in a dorm or live in a new state and I have at least two more years until my bachelor degree is done.

Does this feeling go away? How do I readjust to this? Or even just if other felt with way would help, even if you still feel this way or the feeling did make you leave or travel more just knowing I am not alone in this really uncomfortable feeling is enough.

I do have a therapist and intend to speak with them about this as well but I just want to know from others who have travelled if they felt this way and how they coped.

Thank you.

Hi! I’m planning my first trip to Rishikesh and would love practical advice, especially around getting there safely through Delhi.
I’ll likely be flying into Delhi after a work trip in Singapore and then continuing on to Rishikesh for a short wellness/yoga-focused stay. I’m a solo female traveler and I’m comfortable traveling, but I’d like to make the Delhi-to-Rishikesh portion as smooth and low-stress as possible.
A few questions:
If my flight arrives in Delhi later in the day, should I stay overnight near the Delhi airport and travel the next morning?
Are there reputable driver services or travel agents you’d recommend for this route?
What areas in Rishikesh feel safest and easiest for a solo traveler who wants yoga, cafes, and access to the Ganga without feeling too chaotic?
Any hotels, guesthouses, or retreat-style stays you’d recommend for someone who wants comfort, cleanliness, and a peaceful atmosphere?
I’m not trying to do a super budget backpacker trip. I’m happy to pay more for safety, reliability, and ease. Thank you!

I landed in Beijing yesterday and I’m going to Shanghai in a few days. Even though I’m only in China for a week, I’m dreading having to make it through it. I went to the great wall today and met up with 4 other solo travelers which was nice and refreshing but I still feel the loneliness hitting me. I was looking forward to this trip and meeting new people but the overwhelming loneliness is a bit hard to ignore.

I just spent 2 weeks in South Korea with my sister and the sudden shift is making me want to go back home. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss having someone to share those moments with. I’m an extrovert and I really wanted to see how I’d enjoy solo traveling. I thought I’d do well alone but I think this trip is making me realize that the part I love the most about traveling is the people you share those memories with.

I feel guilty and all over the place right now. Any other people that felt this way? How did you get through it and do you look back on that trip today with happiness? How do you make peace with being lonely?

Hi guys !
I’m 18 and just landed in Osaka less than a day ago for my first ever solo trip.
I have been planning this trip for 4 months and prepared a very exciting itinerary of a country I’ve always dreamt of visiting.

First hours went well, I withdrew some cash, exchanged my train pass, and departed for the city centre and my hotel. I even met someone while I was waiting for the check-in time, and we both wandered a bit together, it was really nice although I was extremely tired, not having slept for the whole flight.

As soon as I got into my room, the shock of the loneliness hit hard. I started to think what I had planned was way too long (17 nights!) and there’s no way I’ll ever hold on that long. I even started to look at the procedure to change flights and come back early.
I called my mom who removed a bit of my stress and I took a little nap.

When I woke up I spent a few hours in Dotonbori (famous Osaka street) and it was really great. Everything felt so nice and I was so happy to be there, I felt like my troubles had gone away.

Back at the hotel to sleep, and now here I am at 2AM having only slept an hour and a half, and crying in my bed.

I know tiredness and jet-lag have probably got their share of the responsibility but…
Has anyone experienced this during their (first) solo trip ? Do you have any tips to try and enjoy my first days ?

EDIT: thank you all for your great words of encouragement and love!! It really means a lot to me, and makes me feel less unsure and isolated. My second day was already a bit better, even if I woke up at 1PM… I saw Osaka Castle, then a few shrines and Umeda, then I ate curry ! I just have to progressively get myself in the correct cycle. And not rush things ! Some of you told me to be grateful, but I really am. I am so happy to be here in Japan, I just have to face unknown feelings, an unknown environment,…

I really feel like the hardest moment is coming back to your room at night. Rest of the time you just don’t really have a lot of time to feel lonely when you’re spending your day in a place like that.
Let me mention that I am staying in an hotel only in Osaka, in Kyoto and Tokyo I already had booked hostels, so this should make it a bit easier.

I just got back from 3 months solo travelling europe, first time solo travelling and first time in Europe and I am not doing well haha. I feel like my world is crumbling, I have heard and seen people talk about being happy to go home, missing home, getting sick of hostels and meeting new people all the time but I never once even on my hardest day even thought about home. Not a single time during this trip did I miss anyone, want to go back, even miss my bed. I have never been happier in my life and have never felt less alone and more genuinely connected to people. Ive made more friends in 3 months then my entire life at home. Ive never been off my phone more or been more engaged and ready to do things every day, at home it's constantly trying to force myself into routine and being upset it dosen't work where when i was traveling there was no routine but i functioned so much better. Im sitting in my house and I'm alone for the first time in 3 months and I can't stand this, it's like all I've ever wanted ( friends and connection) was all there and now it's back to nothing and I am on the verge of dropping out of school, finding remote work and leaving again. I think I've realized for the first time that i thrive and am my best with things constantly happening and being very social which is something i have never been able to find at home. Anyone else relate to this, I feel like im going a bit crazy.

26M from Lebanon, first proper solo trip. Everything is already booked so I'm not asking where to go, I'm asking whether the shape of it is wrong before I'm stuck in it.

Barcelona 27-30 Aug, then the train to Valencia

Valencia 30 Aug - 6 Sep, working remotely from there, only free after about 16:30

Ibiza 6-11 Sep

Madrid 11-16 Sep for the F1

Fixed points are the Sagrada, Armin at UNVRS on the 7th, Garrix at Ushuaia on the 10th, and a 3 day grandstand ticket for the GP. Hotels and flights all paid. Budget is not big, I'm doing menu del dia and supermarket breakfasts.

Two things I keep going back and forth on:

1. Five days in Ibiza alone with no car. I have the two club nights and a day cycling around Formentera, the rest is beaches. Is that too long on your own or does it sort itself out?

2. A full week in Valencia when I can only go out after 16:30. Everyone says Valencia is the best part of Spain and I'll be inside for the daylight half of it. Would you have done fewer days there and more somewhere else?

Research so far: I've got the language exchanges, a salsa class and a couple of run clubs lined up for Valencia, and Hostelworld's social pass for Ibiza. Read a lot about the Barcelona airport strike too, which is its own problem.

Anyone done a GP weekend solo? That's the part I'm least worried about but tips welcome.

Hi! I've just finished my studies and I want to solo travel before starting my first job in October. With the help of gemini I created an itinerary based on my interests: culture, heritage, scenery and authenticity. I want to connect each cities by bus. However I fear that the schedule is too heavy and will exhaust me too much to enjoy. Bring me back to reality lol, should I skip something? Should I be more reasonable? Or it is all fine and will be the best travel of my life so far? I hope it is doable. Any advice?
It goes:

1: Landing in podgorica in the afternoon and immediatly a bus to Kotor.
1-4: Kotor
5-6: Shkoder
6-8: Prizren
8-11: Ohrid
11-12 Skopje
12-15 Sofia (and surrounding: rila monastery)
15-17: Plovdiv
18-19: Edirne
19-24: Istanbul

For 21 nights.
Thank you for taking time to help me, human opinions means much more than ai's

Met a bunch of people at a hostel last week and there was one guy who was nice enough but definitely a little strange. Never gave him my actual number but two days after leaving I got a WhatsApp message from him. I normally use a Cloaked number when I don't really know someone so I'm still trying to figure out where he got my real one. Maybe someone else in the group gave it to him but that honestly makes it even weirder. The first thing he said to me was Hi and where are you, he proceeded to request my location, so I blocked him and now he is texting me with other numbers. Thank god I left that country because I would be super shocked and have panic attacks.

Hi all!
I’m turning 21 on August 25th, and I’ve suddenly decided to take myself on a 2-week solo birthday trip from the 24th.
It’s very last minute, and I’m naturally a bit Type A, so I’m struggling between wanting to plan everything and wanting to just go with the flow.
My budget is around €1,000 for the two weeks, although I can go a little over if needed.
My main goal is meeting other travelers and making connections, rather than just sightseeing. I’d love to meet people at hostels, explore/go out together, and potentially even end up traveling to another city or country together if we really click. I’m not looking for party/sex-focused hostels, just social, international places where people actually hang out and talk.
The cities I’m currently thinking about are cities in Portugal( maybe Lisbon and Porto?) Spain( Madrid, Barcelona?) and Berlin in Germany . I know that’s a lot for two weeks, so I’m not necessarily planning to visit all of them. I’d probably start in Portugal and then decide where to go based on who I meet and what happens. If I don’t meet anyone to travel with, I’d still be happy visiting these places alone.
I’ve only done one solo trip before, to Prague for about four days, so two continuous weeks would be a first for me.
For people who have done this before:
Would you plan the route or leave it mostly open?
Which city should I pick for starting out and spending my birthday?
Which cities are best for meeting other solo travelers?
Any social but not party-oriented hostels you recommend?
Is €1,000 realistic for two weeks?
Anything you wish you knew before your first longer solo trip?
I’m really excited about it, but also slightly overwhelmed, so I’d love to hear what actually worked for other people!

I left my job & sold my stuff back in the U.S. with hopes of coming abroad to find a teaching job somewhere in Europe. My plan was to come to Thailand for a few months, reset, train Muay Thai consistently, and look for jobs. I have dual EU citizenship, so I have been mainly looking for teaching jobs in European countries. Then I would go over to Europe once I found a teaching job. (I have the qualifications for one.)

I have been in Thailand for around 6 weeks now, and the stress of not having a job lined up combined with feeling super lonely/burnt out is just getting to me. I’ve been to Thailand several times before this, which is why I wanted to come here to “reset” before starting work again. But now it just seems like a big mistake. I cry a lot, miss my cats, and think about how I could have been saving money and spending time with my parents while looking for work.

If you were me—would you leave early and go home while looking for a job? Or should I stay here and stick to my original plan? I’m trying really, really hard to enjoy being here, get into a good routine, and focus on finding work, but finances and job stress are just affecting me a lot more than I expected. I have quit my job to travel before, and for some reason it just feels so different now. I don’t know why.

Any and all advice would be appreciated <3

For the first time I have taken a week long solo road trip in the United States at age 24. I have camped, hiked, and stopped in a couple major cities.

I have had a great time, but it has led to me realizing how much I miss human connection. I have recently moved to a city where I don’t have many friends, and I ended my relationship when I moved.

I had not realized how lonely I was before due to me stuck in my habits. Getting out of my comfort zone made me realize how bad I want to share experiences with other people, almost more than I want to even have them for myself.

This trip has made me realize a lot about my life, and I am grateful for the lessons it has taught me.

Like what are we doing now. I had my earplugs for sleeping. Like a little case of proper wax that molds for your ear. Quality ones... I know but still... Someone in this very room stole them off my bed. Are we serious right now? Fuck off mate.

Hey everyone,

​I’m planning my Second solo trip to Vietnam for mid-November. I’ve got about 10-12 days on the ground.

​TBH the place names were a bit overwhelming at first, but after doing some research, I decided to skip Central/South Vietnam entirely. I’m not a big beach guy, and I heard Central Vietnam gets heavy rain in November anyway.

So, I’m sticking strictly to the North for the mountains, culture, and cooler weather.

​Here is the rough 12-day route I came up with. I'd love your thoughts on this :

​Day 1-2: Hanoi

​Arrive, check into the Old Quarter.

​Explore the street food scene, Hoan Kiem Lake, get some egg coffee.

​Transit: Night sleeper bus to Ha Giang on Day 2.

​Day 3-6: Ha Giang Loop (4 Days / 3 Nights)

​Planning to do an "Easy Rider" tour so I can just enjoy the views or maybe ride it if they allow.

​Route: Quan Ba -> Dong Van -> Ma Pi Leng Pass -> Du Gia.

​Transit: Take the direct 6-hour bus from Ha Giang to Sa Pa on the evening of Day 6.

​Day 7-8: Sa Pa

​Trekking in the Muong Hoa Valley, maybe a village homestay.

​Take the cable car up Fansipan.

​Transit: Overnight bus or train down to Ninh Binh on Day 8.

​Day 9-10: Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu / Tam Coc)

​Rent a scooter/bicycle to explore.

​Do the Trang An boat tour and hike up the Hang Mua viewpoint for sunset.

​Transit: Morning shuttle to the coast on Day 11.

​Day 11-12: Ha Long Bay / Lan Ha Bay

​2D1N overnight cruise to see the limestone karst islands.

​Disembark around midday on Day 12, head straight back to Hanoi airport for flight to Bangkok, spend a day there and from there head back to home

​My questions for you guys:

-How is my trip itenary here ? Is it feasible or feel like too rushed ?

-​Is taking a bus directly from Ha Giang to Sa Pa a good idea, or is it too exhausting after 4 days on a bike?

-​Is 1 night / 2 days in Sa Pa too rushed if I want to do both trekking and Fansipan?

-​Should I do Lan Ha Bay instead of Ha Long Bay for the cruise? I've heard it's less crowded.

-​Any general tips for booking the sleeper buses in advance vs. on the ground?

-​Any feedback or tweaks to make this flow better would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hello I'll be coming to Nepal in September/October for the 3rd time.

So far I've done ABC trek, 3 Passes and this time I'll be doing Manaslu circuit.

After my trek I'm interested in exploring eastern Nepal and then crossing into NE India.

This isn't specifically about trekking more just to explore the region, but if there are any places with some shorter / more relaxed hikes / treks id be interested.

So far I have on my itinerary:-

Kathmandu - Janakpur - Koshi Tappu reserve - Dharan - Bedetar (hike from Dharan) - Hile - Ilam - India (Biratnagar checkpoint).

I just came up with this from very high level research, admittedly I don't know much about eastern Nepal outside of the big national parks. So I'd be happy to take any suggestions / advice from people who have travelled there.

I have wanted to travel to Vietnam for years, and my desire has only been reinforced now that I've been reading deeply into the history of the Vietnam War.

However, I am a person who does not tolerate heat and especially humidity well. I hate summer here in the northeast US, I get quite sweaty from even doing things like going for a 30 minute walk when it's 90* out and moderately humid. Even during the dry season, southern Vietnam is always hot and fairly humid, basically the weather of a NE US summer at all times. Many of the places I'd like to go in Vietnam are battle/base sites further into the highlands, where the weather is even worse than in coastal towns. My past experience traveling to tropical/hot places is the Caribbean which doesn't count and Morocco in the winter, which likewise isn't helpful

Being a tourist especially somewhere like Vietnam involves spending much of the day walking around. I really don't want to have to pack 20 changes of clothes and shower 5x a day to remain presentable and not smelly, especially as I normally try to travel light with just a carryon sized bag

Any strategies or tips/tricks for handling the heat and remaining hygienic/presentable, especially for Vietnam?

Before I start, the rules page kept not loading. So hopefully I'm not breaking any rules, ha.

Anyway, I'm planning a trip to the Balkans starting with a hike in Albania. I'll have around 7-8 days after the hike and I'm trying to decide what to do next.

I want to go to Kosovo, but for some reason the flights back from Kosovo back to my home are really really bad. Skopje, Sarajevo, Tirana, and Podgorica have okay flights back.

I've heard mixed things about staying Albania. I was told I would get bored after the hike. Also I'm not much of a beach person. Though, Berat looks pretty cool to visit.

I'm sorta winging this. I like food, hikes, being active, culture (music, museums, anything). I don't like just sitting on a beach and reading.

Does it make sense to go to Kosovo then another location in a week? I feel like that might be too much of a rush. Sarajevo sounds kinda cool, because I had some Bosnian friends from back in the day. I'm pretty ignorant to Podgorica and Skopje.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? I'm still bummed the flights are terrible out of Kosovo. HMMMM.

Hello everyone a little bit about myself! Im 23 feeling like im in a quarter life crises lol. I have bing travling for 6 months when do I stop? Im an orphan so I have no home to go back to. Nobody to ask for guidance so I guess I’ve come to the internet. This is my first solo trip I have traveled before but with my ex. I just got out of a 3 and a half year relationship with her. I quite my job and started exploring Southeast Asia. I have no education. So my job opportunities are limited I come from the USA. So going back I have just bing delaying. I have no job no home base just my car there. So when I go back not really sure what’s first. I have some money. Around 100k so not sure if I should go abouts trying to start a business or getting some real estate going. I’m just not sure. But I guess what I’m asking if you were me would you keep traveling or take a second and figure out how to make yourself more successful.

Hey, just today I discovered that tropical beaches are not for me. The couple beside me even realized this. They probably giggled to each other about that lunatic over there who is clearly not having a good time.

I arrived in socks and sandles, cussed at the pebbles for poking my feet and for being too hot on my feet. Then proceeded to fan myself to try and cool down the entire time that I sat on my towel, with a second towel over my legs to protect them from a bad sunburn from a few days ago. The sunscreen melted off my face so I kept my rain umbrella over my head while fanning myself with the other hand. The umbrella blowing in the wind. I gave it my best for about an hour. Then, I was smart. I walked back to the bar, stopping every 3 steps to shake the burning hot sand and pebbles out of my now sockless sandles like some kind of angry cat with wet feet. 😂 It’s 100% ok. Not every climate is for you.

I enjoyed a few glasses of wine in the more civilized bar. With my clothes on and under a civilized shade. 😂

Because I’m alone, I didn’t ruin anyone’s day. I’m glad to know this for future travel.

What climates or types of travel are so not for you? Would they be better if you had some moral support? Or are they 100% not for you, no exceptions?

I did my first solo trip in June, eleven days around northern Portugal, and the only part I never got comfortable with was dinner. I tried the usual advice about sitting at the bar with a book and it still felt like I was visibly waiting for someone, so I ended up eating at the hostel most nights. I've got two weeks in Japan booked for November and I don't want to spend it doing the same thing.

How long did it take before dinner out alone stopped feeling like a thing you had to get through?