5 Great Ways to Meet New People Abroad

Wherever and whenever you travel, holidays always provide amazing opportunities to meet new people and make some new friends. Some of these friendships may be short-lived or some may last rough weathers, but they certainly enrich your experience. In fact, there are some places where being ‘all by yourself’ can be utterly boring.

From getting together for an activity or an experience that wouldn’t be as fun alone, to watching younger members of the family connect across cultures, there’s something incredibly special about meeting new people abroad. Personally, I like to meet new people, talk around various relevant topics and listen to their views.

How and where to meet new people?

Chances of meeting new people are high at places where people come together to appreciate things of common interest. For instance, I like art tours and local city walks.

Here are five ways to be more social on holiday, and open yourself up to new friendships:

Make the most of resort entertainment

Whether you’re travelling alone or with family, you’ll find that resort entertainment brings many new social opportunities. Your children can make friends at the Kids’ Club, or even when they’re playing in the pool. Often, resort entertainment is interactive and designed to encourage conversation.

If you’re on holiday on your own, don’t be afraid to find a quiet table at the bar, when the evening entertainment begins. You’re sure to find someone else that’s doing exactly the same and you can make friends soon. Sometimes, you also end up finding people from your own country.

Join Facebook groups to meet new people

There are Facebook groups for everything. Before you travel, look for a group that covers holidays to your chosen destination. You’re likely to find many lone travellers chatting away, as well as friendly couples and families.

Perhaps you could book a boat trip with another family, to reduce the cost? A shared ride can be fun. Maybe you could ask someone local to give you a tour of the city? Even before you travel, there are many benefits to making connections online.

Making some online friends means that you can arrange to meet up when you’re travelling. Even if you don’t arrange a get-together, you’ll almost certainly learn a lot about favourite places to go. Meeting locals always makes the experience better.

Leave the headphones behind

It’s very easy to walk around a foreign country and be left completely alone. If you don’t want to be approached, then a pair of headphones and a Spotify playlist could be your best tool. Covering your ears will show that you’re not open to any small talk. But I feel you should be open to interaction.

When you travel on your own, it can be tempting to escape into your own little world whilst listening to your favourite music. Instead, leave the headphones in your hotel room and show people that you’re open to talking. You’d be surprised how many locals and tourists will be happy to start up a conversation! This is also one of the best ways to make friends if you are really open to the idea of meeting new people.

Embrace all weathers

Even if you’re planning for sun, sea and sand, the weather might have other ideas. Top tips for packing say that you should have appropriate clothing in your suitcase, using weather forecasts as a guide. But, don’t assume that they’ll always be accurate. Just don’t shy from stepping out. You might meet people like you.

Rainy days are some of the best for meeting new people. Most holidaymakers will return to their accommodation or find indoor things to do, which means that the great outdoors will be left to those friendly faces that don’t let the clouds spoil their fun. Often these are locals going about their day, and lone tourists that enjoy the peace and quiet.

Don’t hesitate from using Public Transport. You will meet new people here.

I am not saying that you cannot talk to taxi or cab driver. In fact, most of the times, they are the best people to give advice on traveling to different locations but when you use public transport, the chances of stumbling upon helpful locals is more. I recently met a charming lady in Malta in a local bus. I loved her warmth. She gave me a quick brief about her country and it was very helpful.

You might also meet someone who is also doing that part of the city, alone. Company is always good. You both might not have to end up with selfies but can click each other’s pictures.

Meeting new people isn’t always easy. But on holiday, away from your regular routine, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to try.