Grab yourself a Travel Buddy and let's go!

By: Isabella Zengotita
Aug 26, 2019

Benefits of having a Travel buddy other than the obvious one

Want to try zip-lining for the first time in Costa Rica or a scuba diving class in the Caribbean? It’s more fun when you can laugh it up with someone else. Traveling solo without someone to share moments with can make the adventure lonely. At other times traveling in too large of a group can be restrictive and expensive, especially if you want to explore more areas during your vacation at your own pace. When something planned falls through or a problem arises, you are not alone. You are facing it with another person who can bring a different perspective. Travel buddies make the journey more enjoyable.

Economic power
Traveling solo often brings you face to face with the infamous "Single Supplement” fee. Solo travelers end up paying more for their vacation in hotels, tours and transportation due to the fact that they are traveling alone. Traveling with another can help save money and increase the quality of your vacation. Want to stay in a villa but can't afford one? Split it with a Travel Buddy. It's your vacation, enjoy it!


Safety
There's always safety in numbers. Traveling with others reduces risks of mishaps on your journey. Adventuring solo, especially for women, minorities, and LGBTQ travelers, is a lot risker; this puts many into an alert and defensive mode while on vacation. Journeying with a Travel Buddy can ease that stress a lot more knowing you don't always have to look over your shoulder or need to compromise an activity/destination. It's a nice feeling to not always worry, if something happens, you will face it with a Travel Buddy and problem-solve together!


Loneliness
Most solo travelers look in many places to get social interactions, from apps that connect you to locals to staying in hostels. The journey can be lonely. Share all your stories and experiences with a Travel Buddy. Whether you're sleep deprived at the airport or enjoying the view from the hotel balcony, you can create a deeper connection and reminisce together about the trip.

How to find the right Travel Buddy?

Looking for a Travel Buddy can be exciting - think of all the endless opportunities! However, there should always be a consideration of what type of Travel Buddy you'd like to pair up with. This is where the self-evaluation on what type of traveler you want to be for this trip comes in. Considering the travel habits and goals you'd want in a Travel Buddy, we would work together to find someone that fits your parameters. While you talk to potential travel buddies, consider some of these questions to ask about:



1. Destination
Will you be just visiting one city or more?

2. Travel Dates
What type of dates are you willing to pair up with? Same dates, dates that overlap to shorter days. Would you consider going half the trip solo and half with a buddy?

3. Financials
What type of budget do you have in mind for the trip? Backpacker budget $ to Luxury spender $$$$$. It's always good to match budgets and keep each other in the same spending consciousness.

4. Travel Sleep Habits
What type of accomodations & sleep hours do you prefer? Are you an early bird or night owl? Are you flexible to whatever time you wake up to? If splitting accommodations, are you looking for Bed and Breakfasts or even a Resort?

5. Travel Interest
What is the main reason you travel? For art, music, tour groups, trekking, leisure, culture, and etc..

Also keep in mind that just because you may want a Travel Buddy doesn't mean you may want to spend every minute with them. Perhaps your travel buddy wants to eat but you want to spend more time in a museum before the day ends. It's okay to split for a bit, just let each other know!