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Aleaya Duran
shares her top advice for heading on your first solo trip abroad
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Single female traveler Aleaya Duran
@aleayabella
It offers numerous suggestions for your bucket list if you enjoy traveling solo as well.
However, before we begin, she wants to issue a caution regarding two well-liked backpacking spots that she believes solo travelers should steer clear of.
‘I faced some tough times in the Philippines, particularly in Palawan,’ says the 22-year-old to MailOnline Travel. ‘My visit coincided with the typhoon season, making things challenging due to frequent flight cancellations.’
‘Aside from the natural aspect I was also worried about my safety there more than anywhere else due to the harassment I received from some of the locals.’
The bold explorer similarly advises against visiting Cambodia for women traveling alone, noting that she felt least secure there.
So, where should budding solo travellers put on their bucket list?
Aleaya, from
Oregon
, explains: ‘Switzerland, Iceland,
Singapore
and
Japan
was like a dream because I felt incredibly secure traveling there solo as a woman.
‘Those were also the only countries where I went out alone at night, purely due to how safe I felt.’
She also advises first-time solo travellers to start with ‘very touristy places’, as she did.
‘Paris,
Italy
and Bali were great introductions to solo travelling,’ she adds.
That doesn’t mean Aleaya steers clear of more remote destinations, as she was ‘pleasantly surprised by Laos’.
She explains: ‘While it’s not as big a tourist destination as its neighbouring countries,
Thailand
and Vietnam, it has so much to offer.
‘The amazing people, along with the natural surroundings and wildlife – it genuinely made this one of my most cherished destinations.’
Aleaya mentions that since she grew up in ‘a very small town’, the urge to leave was always present within her.
She adds: ‘I was curious about what lay beyond and eventually grew weary of awaiting company.’
I believe that traveling seems incredibly daunting at first. However, when you actually venture out, you discover that it would have been much scarier to let fear prevent you from taking the chance.
When Aleaya initially shared her aspirations for traveling alone with her family, she acknowledges that some members had reservations. However, she emphasizes that it’s crucial to “trust your intuition and not allow others’ opinions to deter you.”
He offers an excellent solution that suits his needs and those close to him, advising others to consider this approach as well.
She explains: ‘I usually use Google Docs to do a rough draft of each day and then I will put together a PowerPoint for my family so they know where I am each day and what I have planned.
‘This provides them with a feeling of ease and confidence that I am aware of what I’m doing.’
Although solo traveling comes with significant costs, Aleaya mentions she managed to save up by taking on many unconventional part-time jobs.
She says: ‘Most people don’t have extra money to be able to put towards travel and I was no exception. I found ways to make money at home, selling used clothes and working multiple jobs at a time.
‘Social media has also helped fund a few of my trips and I think it’s such a great avenue for people to make money sharing what they love.’
The budget-conscious adventurer keeps the cost of her trips down by avoiding ‘the common mistake’ of booking with an agency group.
She warns: ‘While that’s a good idea if it’s your first trip or if you’re nervous to travel alone, it doubles the cost.’
She opts for carrying only carry-on luggage during her journeys, thus consistently facing ‘severely restricted space’. What strategies does she use to manage this?
She says: ‘I bring packing cubes to make my luggage more organised. I make sure to always leave for a destination with only half my bag full so I can save room for a lot of souvenirs.
‘I would say the most important essential is medicine as different countries have different brands which can make it hard to find what you’re looking for.’
While Aleaya insists solo travelling hasn’t always been ‘glamorous’, she’s never looked back since doing it the first time.
She finishes: ‘My favourite part about travelling alone is the freedom of it all. There is no one there to taint my experience or slow me down.
‘Most of the time it has felt like just God and I are exploring the world.
‘I’m able to wander the streets and mountains and just focus on the environment around me. It’s freeing and also allows me to truly be enriched in where I am.’
Looking for more content from Aleaya? Follow her on TikTok –
@aleayabella
or Instagram –
@aleayabella
For additional travel advice and motivation.
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