I’ve traveled solo a few times but going to Tulum, Mexico for a month, was by far my longest solo trip. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. I was nervous I wouldn’t make any friends and I would be stuck talking to myself for a month.
Here are some of the best ways I found to make friends while travelling solo:
Message People Posting on the Instagram Location
This might sound a little creepy but trust me it works. Everyone has Instagram and everyone posts on it, especially while travelling so take advantage of it! I DM’ed a couple people about Tulum before I left and got some really useful information on how to best prepare for my trip.
Through someone I met on Instagram, I was also added to a Whatsapp group of female digital nomads living in Tulum. This was super helpful and it was one of the best ways I made friends in Tulum. Through that group chat, I was able to meet up with people at the beach, ask people to get dinner, etc.
Ask Strangers to Hang Out
This one is probably the most nerve wracking one for me to do but the best one. Personally, I’m not used to going up to strangers and talking to them anymore (maybe that’s just me as a Gen Z-er). I’ve found making friends as a solo traveler is a lot like dating, you just have to put yourself out there and you can’t be afraid of rejection.
This was actually how I made my first friend in Tulum! The third day I was there, I was at a café eating brunch and I noticed another girl was by herself too. I literally went up to her and I said something really awkward like “Are you here by yourself? Because I am too. Do you wanna eat together?” And we did! And it was so much fun. After that, we made plans to go to a cenote that afternoon and I met up with her and her friends and I was able to meet more people.
Don’t be afraid to go up to strangers if they look nice and approachable. As a solo female traveler, you do have to be cautious of people, so use your best judgment!
Join “Expat” Groups on Facebook
Before I left for Tulum, I searched “Tulum” on Facebook groups and I joined a couple of them. I didn’t end up interacting with those groups. But, I did see people post about cool events in Tulum and people shared some helpful information about Tulum in general. I would say the people in the Tulum Facebook groups are definitely on the older side.
Stay at a Party/Social Hostel
I didn’t stay at a hostel this trip because of COVID, but I do love staying at party/social hostels. It’s truly the easiest way to make friends. People are always hanging out at the hostel, there are usually free tours, bar crawls, and dinners you can sign up for with the hostel.
Sign up for a bar crawl
There probably aren’t many bar crawls going on during COVID but pre-COVID, bar crawls were one of my favorite ways to meet other travelers. If you google, the city + bar crawl, you should be able to find one. Some cities are more famous for bar crawls than others. Really fun ones that I’ve been on were in Hong Kong, Prague, Krakow, etc. They usually start with an hour of unlimited alcohol too so it’s a fun way to meet strangers and it’s usually worth the money!
Say “Yes” to an Invitation
If you meet someone and they invite you to do something and you have no plans, say YES! This is one of the easiest ways to become friends with someone and try a new activity/see something new.
My second week, I met another traveler at a pregame I went to and the next week, she invited me to her pool to watch the sunset. I barely knew her at the time but I went even though I was tired after work. I ended up having so much fun and met other girls she invited too.
The only thing is if someone invites you to do something and you get a bad feeling about them or the activity, listen to your gut! Don’t do it if it doesn’t feel safe.
Sign Up for a Class (yoga, cooking, surf, etc)
I did 2 yoga classes and a pottery class while in Tulum. My first week, I took a yoga class that I heard about from a Whatsapp group. Through the yoga classes, I would always stay after and talk to the other people in the class. I would ask people if they wanted to get food or go to the beach after.
Always ask new people you meet to get food or do something after! This is the best way to meet new friends. If they say no, no worries and you can get their contact information to hang out another time. If they say yes, that’s perfect and you have plans!
