How to find travel companions? Tips for beginners

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Many travelers who plan to travel to another country or to a remote region of our homeland periodically ask themselves the question of finding a travel companion. Someone is scared to be far from home alone, someone wants to get a free guide who knows the city and sights, and someone simply does not want to be alone for a long time.

But how best to find a travel companion using the Internet ? What should you be afraid of? What selection criteria should be for those traveling with a travel companion for the first time?

The Vipgeo portal will answer these questions and give advice to novice tourists.

Where to look for travel companions?

Sites of fellow travelers

The most obvious and simplest search for a fellow traveler today is, in fact, travel companion sites . Every year there are more and more of them, but the rules for placing ads there are almost the same. In addition to the place where the person wants to go, the requirements for the desired travel companion and all travel conditions are indicated.

Traveling Sites

On the plus side, this is the fastest way to find suitable people from your city and country. Minus one - some tourists refer to such portals as dating sites, and very frivolously respond to messages. However, such ladies' men are most often sent to black lists.

Social networks

The method practically does not differ from the first option, with the proviso that you do not have to register and re-enter your personal data. Groups and communities on any social network with names like"Looking for a travel companion" appear with the same frequency as similar sites, only in a more familiar and intuitive interface.

Social networks

The advantage of this method is that if the page of the selected user is real and there is enough information, you can explore his passions, education, musical and other tastes. For some people, this is of great importance.

Travel Forums

Today it is the safest way to find a fellow traveler for a joint vacation, regardless of the direction of the tour. The fact is that administrators of serious travel forums pay great attention to the rules for publishing such ads, and unregistered users will not even be able to read them, let alone communicate.

Travel Forums

Other conditions for the submission of such ads are the indication of a personal phone number and other data by which you can be contacted directly, without mediation on the site. On the downside, the forum format itself is not suitable for everyone, and some users find it extremely inconvenient.

Search through friends

Yes, this is not a joke, and a large percentage of independent travelers are looking for travel companions through friends. To do this, you do not need to call all the relatives with whom you have not seen for 10 years - you just need to place an ad on a page in your social network and ask your friends to distribute it.

Search through acquaintances

Perhaps the only nuance of this method is the time of posting such records. It is better to do this a few months before the expected departure and make sure that the announcement remains fixed and does not get lost among the photos with cats.

Find a travel companion"on the spot"

If for some reason it was not possible to find a travel companion in advance, this is not a reason to be upset. You can always find a travel companion"on the spot" if this place is not the only stop on the planned route. The most effective way for such a search is to check into a hostel, not in a traditional hotel. More often than not, this way of living is chosen by adventurers like you who are open to new acquaintances.

Search for a travel companion

Search for a companion" on the spot"

In the end, even if a person does not want to continue moving in your company, you can go on excursions with him and explore the city where you are staying at the moment.

How to choose a suitable travel companion?

So, you already know where to look for a travel companion, and even found some suitable candidates. But what are the criteria for selecting someone with whom it will be interesting, and most importantly - calmly and safely? In fact, these criteria are not so many.

Financial independence

Everything is on the surface - no one wants to go to a resort with a person for whom they have to also pay from above. To do this, you should not be ashamed and ask what budget your potential fellow traveler can count on, whether he will financially pull the hotel you have chosen, and vice versa, and in general, as he has with money at the moment.

Financial independence

The issue of accommodation

The moment that automatically follows from the first. If you do not care whether you will live in the same hotel with a companion or not, the question is removed automatically. And if you want to part with a new friend just for sleep, then you have to make compromises. It is better to decide right away and choose the option of average comfort, so as not to infringe on your needs.

Accommodation issue

Accommodation question

For travelers of the same gender and age, the option of booking one room with separate beds may generally be suitable. Why not, if there is a question of austerity of money on both sides?

Coincidence of routes

Another slippery issue where most of the potential fellow travelers are eliminated finally. If you want to climb the Eiffel Tower, and your friend is afraid of heights, then you have to climb alone. The same goes for other inconsistencies in desires. Most importantly, remember - now you are not alone, and all movements will have to be coordinated with a fellow traveler. If such a burden is a burden for you - think, is it worth it at all?

Route match

Bad habits

For some, this is not so important, but for a non-smoking tourist it is completely unpleasant to be near a person who will constantly reek of tobacco. The same applies to alcohol - how many of our people do not ask to refrain from drinking alcohol at the resorts, there are always those who confirm the cranberry about"drunk Russian".

Bad habits

Marital status

As a rule, tourists who are married and have children are less prone to reckless behavior at the resorts when traveling with fellow travelers. And if both fellow travelers turn out to be burdened by people, the guarantees of peace will increase exponentially. Therefore, many travelers prefer family fellow travelers, but who cannot travel with a spouse or child.

Marital status

If your travel companion suddenly decides to take the child with him, then think twice. Firstly, do you love children, and are you ready for the fact that you will be accompanied everywhere by a minor character. And secondly, the entertainment program will have to be built around places suitable for families with children, which, of course, will not suit everyone.

Travel experience

Well, and most importantly, what is worth paying attention to is how experienced your future companion is in terms of travel. This is especially true for overseas tours. It will be great if someone alone speaks the language of the country where you are going, and not just English. People who have been to specific resorts and cities more than once and who know the cheapest cafes and the safest streets are doubly appreciated.

Travel experience

And if you both turn out to be"dummies", then here you can find your advantages. At least the route planning will definitely not cause much controversy. Besides, you and your fellow traveler will be on equal terms , and collectively"sniff gunpowder", which will be an invaluable experience and maybe even the birth of a strong friendship.

Safety rules when traveling with a fellow traveler

Be sure to take out accident insurance Most visa countries require the payment of a policy with an amount of coverage of € 30,000, but even if there are no such conditions, insurance will not become a burden in any case.

Get insurance

Important: Insurance policies, even with a large amount of coverage, may not treat some cases as an insurance situation. This is, first of all, about extreme entertainment and visiting places where a person's foot rarely steps. So, when issuing a policy, carefully read the conditions under which you are entitled to compensation.

Regularly notify your loved ones and relatives by phone or messages on social networks where you are and what you will be doing in the next day. If you are afraid of offending your fellow traveler in this way, do it when he is not around.
Choose well-lit and crowded places for walks, especially if you are an unmarried girl, and your travel companion is a guy of your age. Nobody cancels the spark that ran between you, but still you went to rest, and not expose yourself and your life to unjustified risk. And it's not a fact that a fellow traveler will be able to protect you, for example, from street hooligans.

Use early booking accommodation. This is not only a good way to save money, but also a great way to test the seriousness of your fellow traveler's intentions. If the person does not know how to make long-term plans and starts to back up, choose another person.

Early Booking

Don't go to countries with a hectic social environment and high crime rates. The reason is approximately the same as in the case of crowded places for walking. Only here you can be not only robbed, but also physically hurt.

Do not go to countries with high crime rates

If possible, control your fellow traveler if there are obvious violations of the rules of conduct in the country where you have come to rest. Regardless of the degree of your guilt, if the fellow traveler mischief, a 90% guarantee that you will be called to account as well.
Do not waste your entire supply of money, even if your fellow traveler does it. You must always have a free amount of funds to exchange your ticket, and return home earlier in case of unpleasant situations.