My Best Solo Travel Tips (safety, friendships, & silence)

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I'm Joanna Franco, aka Jo, a multilingual storyteller, documentarian, language lover, and lifelong learner. If it's going to grow my mind, wellness, global understanding, finances, or love, I'm all about it. You may know me from my Netflix Show, The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, or from Shut Up and Go, my former channel and company with over 1.2 million subscribers and 600+ videos in travel! Welcome to the next chapter.

⌚️Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:49 Solo travel: a life-changing decision, self-discovery.
00:04:41 Solo travel tips: strategic location, prioritize safety.
00:07:22 Private reading and writing evoke curiosity, friendship.
00:10:54 Eye contact signals help from servers, strangers.
00:16:17 Excitement for meeting new people and self-reflection.
00:18:01 Discovering happiness, growth, and self-motivation in travel.
00:20:26 Come listen to my girl, man.

PS: Some of the links in this description are affiliate links, meaning I make a few cents if you buy them to build my business!

[khalilahd.]

I completely relate to not wanting to do something selfish but as a 25 year old I’m proud to say I play on going to Tokyo next year for 3 months on a solo trip just because I want to. I’m currently trying to learn the language so I can truly engage with the locals and your videos/message is a large reason for why I’m taking the leap so thank youn

[abdullahtk]

You know what I've noticed in silence, the best place to start is gratitude. If I don't, I think my mind drifts to judgement or things I need to. It's so beautiful to embrace the novelness of where I am and surrender to how beautiful it is to just exist and be. All the creative and happy thoughts flow after.

[Joycelyn]

I went to Ghana and South Africa last month solo just because I wanted to getaway for my birthday. I feel like solo travel is a form of self love because for the entire trip I’m doing all the things I want and attending to my own needs. I was reminded of all the things I love about myself that can sometimes get lost in group environments.

[CookieManatee]

I take long-weekend getaways solo more and more (4-5 days), and I think it's amazing. For years, I missed out on plans and destinations because I tried to gather people and organize everything, and there came a point where I said "screw it, I have the money and I want to go, with or without you". I think a lot of people have this issue of feeling selfish and being kind of afraid to go where you don't have others with you, but the thing is, if you wait for others, the opportunity will go. There are destinations that are worth to share with someone, but others are better to go to as soon as YOU want to go. If you wait for others to accompany you, you will regret it, at least that's my experience. And as a hobby photographer, I also love being free to shoot at the same scene for 30 minutes. When I'm with others, I always feel like I'm holding them up with my pursuit for the perfect shot - travelling solo, I am untethered. :)

[katherineandini]

when I was around 16, I firmly told my family that I want to study abroad. I worked hard to get admitted to a university in the Netherlands but my family didn’t give permission to move halfway across the world (because I’m a girl? idk). But they did allow me to study in a different city. It surely didn’t feel like solo travel back then, but I’m forever grateful to have left my hometown & explored a new city on my own. It’s been almost 15yrs since then, finally in the Netherlands building my career, while still travelling solo every now & then. The only downside is that now I feel a bit awkward to travel with people 😅

[NadiaPink]

When I moved to a different state with barely any friends and having to study hard to get into nursing school. I spent a good 10 years doing so many things alone/solo. I realized that I couldn’t rely on the friends I barely had to want to do things. So I started going alone. And then something sparked in me. I realized being alone is so much better for me many times. Bye use I can dictate all my time. No one to have to agree to placed etc. I could eat what I want, walk around the mall for as long as I want. Stop anywhere I want etc

[mariavalente]

Love it!! Now I need the "how to meet people everywhere? How to make friends?" I love the book thing (which is now my favorite) but I need a full-on episode or video on making friends because i NEED IT

[Maxine]

I really recommend solo traveling. My life coach, Lisa Haisha, said that solo travel not only helps us find ourselves but also create ourselves. I believe that's the most beautiful thing about solo traveling. ❤️

[viaxeros]

This gave me the solo travel bug! Being in a relationship where we travel together its hard to think of myself solo traveling again, but this inspired an idea that maybe we can both solo travel at the same time (a weekend) and keep journals throughout and share our unique experience w one another afterwards.

[emel]

Damn, i also decided to travel around 25/26 and i also see it being really significant as my first purely “selfish” decision.

It makes me emotional thinking about it because I just passed my one year anniversary since i left the US and started solo traveling….and while I originally thought i’d just do it for a few months, I never actually went back to my old life. I now live in Belgrade, have met the most incredible people, continue to travel, learn languages, seek out new experiences, and overall i just feel like a completely different person ☺️

[mssssandman]

tips i gleaned from this video:
1. go analogue (alternatively, go digital if u dont wanna attract attention)
2. safety first. learn to protect yourself
3. embrace silence

[briancag]

I’ve been watching you since I was about 12/13 and i’m 21 now!! Your videos are so inspiring and such a safe space 😭 they give me hope that there is a world out there beyond my boring existence rn

[jasonmims]

What i love about solo travel is the freedom. You go to a new city alone and theres no responsibilities. Your free to do whatever with no criticism from other people. So Solo travel is the ultimate freedom.

[sarahinojosa]

I come back to this channel every few months and leave feeling inspired, every time, without fail. This is the sort of stuff that fuels me and makes me so excited about the future.

I had my first solo travel experience at 19 to work as a nanny in the center of Rome. In between that time, I had moved to Alaska, a place in which I knew nothing about and knew no one else. In both of these experiences, I thrived and grew immeasurably.

I can’t stress the importance of travel/solo travel and getting to know yourself. Getting out of your bubble and going to see the beauty the world has to offer makes a person blossom and grow like nothing else. Each experience has the potential to unravel a part of yourself that you may have never known existed.

Big fan, Jo! Thanks for doing what you’re doing.

[Breezy]

I booked a solo trip for next spring to Rome for a month! I’m staying in a beautiful home in the city center and I’m so excited!! Admittedly, I booked the trip because of a lover I met in Spain.. but we don’t talk anymore. And that’s okay! I’m dedicating MY time to doing everything I know I’ll enjoy! 🌸

[laecurlslaetwirls]

You are such an inspiration, I am 30 and have never travelled outside of my country and I so badly want to, but I have this fear stopping me. I have been going to places in my province to get some experience. I have a long list of countries I'd love to see and experience for myself and soon I will do it and go...

[tayagreene]

I love the tip about having a “go to item” like a journal to write in when you might start feeling alone. You can free write about what your feeling in that moment which can ease the fear and anxiety if being out solo. Thank you

[jordantucker]

Watching this video as I am solo traveling throughout Europe, currently in Funchal, Portugal 🇵🇹, and basking in the essence of true freedom! Muito obrigada mi hermosa Brasileña! 🇧🇷 (Sportuguese? 😂)

[the_notebrooke]

I was literally just thinking about planning my first ever solo trip for my birthday in a few months, and this video came at just the right time. Thank you for this 🙏🏾

[courtney]

Did a solo trip to Belgium last spring and stayed in a hostel with other girls my age and it was such a life-changing three days! Though I love my friends, it really does feel good to not have anyone around to persuade you to go, do, or see anything other than what *you* want. You also just take in your surroundings on a different level and it’s such a great feeling. I felt so connected to everything around me. Highly recommend.