Thailand runs on one backpacker route, which means the person you'd travel with is probably already on it.
Where solo travellers meet, by place#
| Place | The easy way in |
|---|---|
| Bangkok | Social hostel, Chinatown food crawl, cooking class, Muay Thai class |
| Chiang Mai | Cooking classes at a farm, the Pai minivan, Sunday Walking Street |
| Koh Tao | A dive course: four days with the same group |
| Koh Phangan | Hostels around Haad Rin and Srithanu, yoga, the beach bars |
| Krabi / Railay | Climbing groups, long-tail trips to the Four Islands |
| Phuket | Harder: pick a hostel in Old Town or Kata, not Patong |
Online, before you go#
Post your trip on Roavi Community: the city, your dates, what you're into. Travellers heading to the same city in the next two weeks show up in the same place, and Local Friends in the city can message you back. It's a message, not a booking: you decide who to meet. How Roavi Community works.
The general guide: how to find a travel buddy, and the travel communities and apps that still work.
The first two days#
Say yes to the first group dinner. Book one activity on day one. Sit at the communal table. In Bangkok that means the solo travel guide and how to meet locals in Bangkok; for a woman travelling alone, Bangkok solo female travel.
Safety with a new travel buddy#
- Meet in public first; keep your own room.
- Your money stays yours: no shared "investments", no lending for a visa run.
- Tell someone where you are.
- Scooters: your licence, your insurance, your decision.
- If you feel lonely rather than unsafe, that's normal: solo travel loneliness.
A local as the first friend#
A Local Friend in Bangkok is a different thing from a travel buddy: someone who lives there, shows you the city for a few hours at a rate they set, and introduces you to where people actually go. Many solo travellers start with one and meet everyone else from there. Rent a friend in Thailand.
Start Thailand with someone who lives there.
Meet a Local Friend in BangkokNearby: Vietnam, Bali, the Philippines, Japan.
Using Facebook for it: travel buddy Facebook groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to find a travel buddy in Thailand?
A social hostel on the main route (Bangkok → Chiang Mai → islands), group activities (cooking classes, Pai minivans, dive courses on Koh Tao), and posting your trip with dates on Roavi Community so people on the same dates can find you.Is there an app to find a travel buddy in Thailand?
Roavi Community lets you post a trip (city, dates) and see other travellers heading there in the next two weeks, plus Local Friends in the city you can message. Facebook groups and hostel apps also work; most 'travel buddy' apps are small in Thailand.Where do solo travellers meet in Bangkok?
Hostel common rooms around Khao San and Sukhumvit, free walking tours, cooking classes, rooftop bars with communal tables, and Muay Thai classes. Chinatown food crawls are the easiest ice-breaker in the city.Is it safe to meet a travel buddy in Thailand?
Generally yes, with the usual rules: meet in public, tell someone where you're going, keep your own room and your own money, and never share scooter costs, visas or 'investments' with someone you met yesterday.Can I find a travel buddy for the Thai islands?
Yes. The ferries and the dive schools do it for you: Koh Tao's dive courses, Koh Phangan's hostels and Krabi's Railay climbing groups all mix solo travellers daily.
