Travel isn’t only about what you see and experience on the road, it’s also about the people you meet. In order to have a true travel experience, and to grab every second of your time from a destination then it’s important to throw caution to the wind, meet like-minded individuals, and perhaps form life-long friendships as a result.

Now, nobody said it was going to be easy, and of course you need to be careful to a certain degree, because there are certainly some strange people out there, however on the whole it’s not at all difficult to meet people whilst you’re on the road to somewhere new.

How?

Eye contact and smiling will get you a long way

Smiling and making eye contact makes you approachable, and being approachable is obviously the first step towards that first chat. It’s really as simple as ‘hello’, it doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t have to be your life story. You’ll probably find that most people are keen to make conversation but are too shy or scared to make the first move – make it for them!

Hostels are a great place to meet like-minded travellers

Dorm-style rooms mean you are instantly thrown into the mix with other travellers, who are probably on the same road as you. Again, chat, be approachable, and be friendly. You will find dorm rooms are cheaper than private rooms anyway, and if you get to make new friends and save money at the same time – double win for you!

Take guided tours

Again, a guided tour means you’re thrown into the mix with other travellers heading in the same direction as you. You get to experience a place and learn about it, and you get to meet new friends.

Chat before you go

We mentioned that you should always exercise caution with chatting to strangers, but talking online on forums is a good place to start. You can chat in a more relaxed setting this way, and perhaps swap travel tips and stories, which is one of the great perks of meeting people on the road.

Take classes

Regardless of being on the road, taking a class is a great way to meet new people, who are all in the same boat as you, so to speak. Enrol in a language class, or perhaps a craft class, so you can again swap stories, learn, and you have plenty to talk about too.

Basically, meeting new people is about taking a risk and chatting. You don’t have to swap life stories, it doesn’t have to be anything too heavy, but meeting new friends on the road is a great way to not only perhaps meet a life-long special someone, but also to enhance your own travel experience.