How to find a travel buddy (and pick the right one)

Where to look for a travel partner

Travel buddy apps, such as Raahi, match you by destination and dates, so you only see people who are going where you are going.

Destination-specific groups, hostel common rooms, group tours and free walking tours are also good places to meet other travellers once you arrive.

What to check before you commit

Budget: agree roughly what you each want to spend on stays, food and transport.

Pace: one person who wants sunrise treks and another who wants slow mornings is a recipe for friction.

Interests and must-dos: list the three things you each cannot skip, and see how much they overlap.

Comfort and safety: talk through how you each handle risk, late nights and unplanned changes.

Chat first, then test with a short trip

Talk through your plans before agreeing to anything, and meet in a public place first. A weekend or a day trip together shows how you travel as a pair before you book something longer.

It is fine to part ways if it is not working. Agree at the start that either of you can go solo for a day or leave the trip.

Stay safe

Tell a friend or family member your plans and who you are meeting, and do not send money to someone you have not met. Read about solo travel safety on Raahi for the tools the app gives you.

Meet locals too

A travel buddy is one way to travel with company. Another is to join a coffee, walk or food hangout with someone who lives there. See how to meet locals while you travel.