The Best Ways to Make Friends When You Travel

Making friends when you travel: Two girls hugging.
Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

It’s not uncommon for wayward travelers to make friends with one another on the road. In fact, it’s incredibly common. However, this happens a lot more frequently with some people than it does with others. If you’re looking to make friends in the city you’re visiting, here are some tips that’ll help you get started.

Stay at a Hostel

The first thing you should do if you’re trying to meet new people abroad is to stay at a youth hostel. These places are literally designed for the purpose of bringing tourists together. They run events, parties, and even guided tours, all the while encouraging their residents to mingle with one another and have the time of their lives. This is the easiest way to make new friends when you’re in some random country.

Say Hello

If you keep to yourself, it’ll be hard for you to meet new people. The fact of the matter is, the more you actually make an effort to meet new people, the more people you’ll meet. We’re not saying you should approach a random stranger on the street. But at a mixer or party as we mentioned previously, it’s perfectly acceptable to introduce yourself.

Follow The Crowd

Let’s say you’re staying at a hostel and you still can’t for the life of you muster up the courage to introduce yourself to someone. That’s all good. You don’t have to try so hard. Hostel hosts usually lead large groups around the city, so you can just easily blend in with the crowd. Before you know it, you’ll be bonding with others without even realizing it.