Gone are the days when you need to wait for a partner to whisk you away to an exotic destination. It’s 2020, and travellers from all over the globe are embracing new ways of travelling. While solo travel is still on the rise, and something we strongly believe everyone should try at least once in their lifetime, more globe-trotters are now grabbing their mates and jetting off on new-found adventures. Whether or not you are in a relationship, travelling with your friends is an excellent opportunity to reinvigorate your friendships and meet new buddies along the way. This Valentine’s Day, we are embracing why travelling with friends should be your next adventure!

Solo travel isn’t for everyone – and that’s okay

There remains a lot of hype around the concept of solo travel, and it is something we definitely believe in. But don’t get us wrong, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s perfectly okay. The idea of travelling alone can be daunting for many, especially if it’s perhaps your first time abroad or your first experience in a new culture. Don’t let fear put you off and grab some friends to embrace the adventure together. Getting lost in a new city can be a lot of fun and you never know what you might discover, but it also has its risks if you are unfamiliar with the area. Having an extra person with you not only makes it safer, but you can share the memories of the exciting things you discover. 

You can still make new friends together

Just because you’re travelling with a buddy doesn’t mean you will shut yourself off to all other travellers, in fact it can be just the opposite! Not everyone is outgoing enough to start talking to strangers in a hostel, or to join that pub crawl you see advertised all over town, but being with a pal can give you that extra bit of back-up to dive into new social situations. 

No more asking strangers to take photos of you

We’ve all been there, you’re solo travelling and want to get a fantastic snap of yourself with that beautiful backdrop so you ask a stranger to take a photo. You get your phone back and eagerly check the image to find they got the wrong angle, had their finger on the lens or cut off the iconic landmark behind you. You feel bad asking them again so you wait for someone else to pass by and repeat the process. When you’re with a friend you get your own personal photographer, and both of you can snap away capturing the most beautiful photos of your holiday! 

Enjoy a month long adventure with your friends in the Balkan’s on the Croatia & Balkan’s tour.

It’s a good chance to meet long-distance friends halfway

If you’re already an avid traveller, chances are you have accumulated quite a few life-long friends from around the world. While yes, it’s 2020 and technology now allows us to keep in touch better than ever before, but nothing quite beats that face-to-face interaction. A holiday with friends can be an excellent way to catch up and explore somewhere new for the both of you in a location that’s easy to reach from your respective home countries.  

If you can’t take time off with your partner – choose a friend!

Just because you might be coupled up, it doesn’t mean you still need to take every holiday with your significant other. You might simply enjoy the time apart (which is totally okay!) or perhaps your partner just can’t take the same time off for your getaway. Teaching is just an example of some careers that don’t have flexible holidays and if you’ve found a fantastic deal online then don’t give it up just because your other half can’t make it. Grab a friend and make some memories!

You can share the expenses

Money is often one of the number one concerns when travelling, and for good reason. The costs add up fairly quickly when you’re zipping between locations and booking accommodation, transport, excursions and meals. Having someone to share the cost with can make the whole experience a little more hassle-free and save you some bucks at the same time. Solo travellers often opt for hostels in order to avoid the high costs of hotel rooms for single travellers, but grab a buddy and you can half the cost easily. 

 Experience Asia with your friends on our Vietnam, Laos and Thailand Express tour. 

It’s an excuse to enjoy activities your partner might hate

Even if you’re loved up and in a relationship, travelling with your friends is a great time to take part in things you might not normally do on a holiday with your partner. Perhaps you want to indulge in spa treatments while sipping on some delicious local wine, but your partner would rather be zipping around the ocean on a jet ski? Or maybe you want to explore the Costa Rican jungle but they get freaked out by monkeys. It’s perfectly normal to have different interests from one another and a great reason to invite those friends who you know are going to want to take on the same activities as yourself.

Travelling together strengthens your friendship 

They say you don’t really know someone until you travel together. For the most part, you’ll be together 24/7, you’ll see each other tired and jet-lagged and if you’re sharing a room – well you’ll soon learn just how messy the other is! Travelling together is a fantastic way to strengthen any relationship, whether romantic or not. Your friendship is likely to get tested, since you’ll have to decide on various aspects of your travel such as budget and where to stay, and you will have to compromise at one point or another. If you can make it through a holiday together, your friendship is sealed!  

You’ll be pushed to try new experiences

Travelling with other people is an excellent way to step out of your comfort zone and try new experiences. When you’re travelling alone, you have full control over all your activities and it can be easy to step away from anything that might make you uncomfortable. Afraid of heights? Forget the sky-tower with the best views of the city! However when you’re travelling with friends you have someone to give you that little push, hold your hand and introduce you to exciting things you might not otherwise do. 

Experience zip-lining in Costa Rica on the Costa Rica Encompassed small group tour.  

And finally, join a group tour and make instant friendships

And if your friends are all too busy to travel? Make new ones. Joining a group tour is one of the best and easiest ways to make instant friends on the road. You’ve all chosen the same tour and holiday destination after all, so already have that in common. Depending on your chosen tour you’ll have the chance to meet people from around the world, of different ages and interesting walks of life. Group tours are one of the best ways to meet others when travelling and it’s much easier to strike up a conversation on a tour than it is with strangers in a hostel. Travelling together and sharing the ups and downs will create a bond that doesn’t have to end when the tour does. Voila, a new network of friends to visit around the world!

Tucan Travel offer a range of group tours which are perfectly suited for friends travelling together. From Mexico to Vietnam, where will your next adventure take you?