How to travel solo on a budget

Booking flights early and staying in hostels are among ways to get a bang for your buck

- Kolette Lim

It was a Saturday morning in Rome. There was no window, and thus no sunlight streaming into the room. I turned to my mobile phone to tell me the time.

The eight-bed room in the hostel I stayed in left much to be desired, such as a softer mattress and a private bathroom, but it gave me a place to sleep for €30 (S$43) a night. A single room at the hotel a short walk away would have cost me seven times more, and was well beyond my budget.

That summer day in 2022 was full of possibilities: Should I head to a coffee shop for a hot cup of joe? (Italians turn their noses up at the idea of an iced coffee, even in the summer.) Should I visit the weekend market? Or perhaps toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain to start the day?

I decided to take a 30-minute walk to the Roman Forum, saving on a €1.50 bus ride. Before hopping on, I refilled my water bottle at a nasone (literally "large nose"), a type of drinking fountain scattered around the city. Since discovering one, I hadn't spent a single cent on bottled water.

Solo travel, if planned well, does not have to be exorbitant. Since my first lone venture abroad, I've picked up tips on getting a bang for my buck. Here are some of them.

PLAN AND BOOK EARLY

It was soon made clear to me that I wasn't the only one who had envisioned enjoying an Italian summer. My flight from London—the first port of call in my European sojourn—to Rome, booked just two months before departure in June, set me back over $300—more than triple the usual off-peak season price.

And that is why one should book their flights and accommodation early, said Ms Jaclynn Seah, who owns travel blog The Occasional Traveller. "Things are likely to be cheaper and there will be more options," she said.