Keep in mind Couchsurfing? It was an internet site that allowed you to stick with locals (without spending a dime) and at all times had a plethora of occasions and meetups you might attend regardless of the place you have been on the earth. It was the most effective methods to fulfill locals and vacationers on the highway. It was certainly one of my favourite websites.
Just about everybody on the staff right here used it loads over time. My Director of Content material, for instance, was not solely an avid traveler who went on a number of multi-day journeys with strangers because of Couchsurfing, however he was additionally a bunch, and he was even featured in a calendar they made one yr!
I used it to remain in locations like Copenhagen, London, Oxford, Munich, Broome, Paris, Osaka, Athens, and so forth and so forth. I imply, I beloved it. I met individuals in cities like Lyon simply to hang around, did meet-ups in NYC, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and so many different locations.
However ever because the web site began charging round 2013, after which instituted a paywall through the pandemic, fewer and fewer individuals have used it. Today, it’s a shell of its former self.
Whereas researching the most recent version of my book on budget travel (popping out in March 2025!), I rejoined Couchsurfing to see how lively it was, and even within the largest metropolitan facilities, there have been barely a couple of dozen lively profiles inside the earlier month. For instance, London confirmed 229,457 complete hosts however solely 896 lively hosts within the final six months — and solely 496 lively inside the final month. That’s a giant, large distinction!
It’s an actual disgrace as Couchsurfing actually modified the best way individuals traveled. It was as ubiquitous as Lonely Planet!
So, with Couchsurfing (and comparable web sites) fairly lifeless, the place does one go to fulfill individuals now?
Reply: Fb — which is actually the final place I’d have thought, as a result of, properly, it’s Fb, and most youthful vacationers don’t use it as a lot as TikTok or Instagram. In any case, Fb additionally has a well-deserved repute because the place your aunt posts memes or your loopy cousin rants about racist stuff.
However, every time I signal into Fb, I maintain seeing posts from all types of teams in my feed, with individuals on the lookout for journey buddies: backpacking Europe, backpacking Australia, digital nomads in (insert vacation spot), discover a journey buddy…the checklist of teams goes on and on.
I used to be skeptical of them at first, as a result of once I took a deeper have a look at the posts, it at all times felt like they have been simply sleazy guys hitting on younger ladies and AI-generated woman accounts designed entice somebody. “Hello I’m Anna from US trying to journey dm me” doesn’t strike me as one thing an precise individual would say.
Whereas female-only teams have been a reliable solution to meet individuals for a very long time (Girls Love Travel being probably the most well-known), the mixed-gender ones at all times felt slightly sketchy. However they saved popping up in my feed.
So I seemed into them extra rigorously to see in the event that they actually have been spammy. Whereas there have been many pretend profiles and creepy dudes (sorry, guys, but it surely’s the web, and there are tons of these), generally I did come throughout actual individuals who appeared usually taken with assembly others, nevertheless few and much between they have been.
Are these teams actually a great way to fulfill individuals? There was just one solution to discover out.
I used the group Find a Travel Buddy whereas in Europe and posted a few of my tentative plans. I obtained tons of of responses and direct messages, which was fairly overwhelming.
A whole lot of it was spam: individuals telling me to come back go to them in India (I’m posting about Europe), individuals sending me hellos, a couple of marriage proposals, and a few actually inappropriate feedback. (Facet word: if I get these sorts of responses, I can solely think about what it’s like for ladies, who I typically see edit their posts to ask individuals to cease approaching to them. Fairly unhappy.)
However I waded via all of the junk and finally discovered actual individuals to fulfill up with. Ultimately, I solely met a couple of of them, as both my plans shifted or theirs did. However the interactions I had have been actually nice.
I had an superior night time out in Freiburg, Germany, with a bunch of oldsters, and one other with an Italian woman and her buddies in Amsterdam. Every time, they took me round to locations I wouldn’t have seen in any other case, and I obtained to fulfill locals. It was a great way to make new buddies and discover individuals to speak to.
Though you need to wade via quite a lot of rubbish, I feel these teams are nice, particularly if you’re touring alone. Whereas I don’t have the character to go on a multi-day journey with a stranger, I did love the power to fulfill individuals as I traveled.
Should you’re wanting to make use of them, listed here are some recommendations to attenuate (however not eradicate) the rubbish replies:
- Be particular about the place you’re going and when (in any other case, individuals will spam ya with “come go to X!”).
- Ask individuals who reply to be particular about themselves.
- Be clear about what you might be on the lookout for (age, sort of journey companion, gender, and so forth.)
My present favourite teams are:
From there, for security, I’d extremely advocate wanting on the profiles of respondents to ensure they’re actual and solely meet in public locations. Past that, have enjoyable! These teams won’t be as simple to make use of as Couchsurfing was, however a minimum of there’s something lately that will help you meet locals and different vacationers. I’m now a believer in and fan of those teams and will certainly be utilizing them extra on future journeys.
Guide Your Journey: Logistical Ideas and Methods
Guide Your Flight
Discover a low cost flight through the use of Skyscanner. It’s my favourite search engine as a result of it searches web sites and airways across the globe so that you at all times know no stone is being left unturned.
Guide Your Lodging
You’ll be able to e book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you wish to keep someplace apart from a hostel, use Booking.com because it constantly returns the most cost effective charges for guesthouses and motels.
Don’t Neglect Journey Insurance coverage
Journey insurance coverage will shield you towards sickness, harm, theft, and cancellations. It’s complete safety in case something goes fallacious. I by no means go on a visit with out it as I’ve had to make use of it many instances previously. My favourite firms that provide the very best service and worth are:
Wish to Journey for Free?
Journey bank cards permit you to earn factors that may be redeemed without spending a dime flights and lodging — all with none further spending. Try my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get began and see the most recent greatest offers.
Want Assist Discovering Actions for Your Journey?
Get Your Guide is a large on-line market the place you could find cool strolling excursions, enjoyable excursions, skip-the-line tickets, non-public guides, and extra.
Able to Guide Your Journey?
Try my resource page for the very best firms to make use of once you journey. I checklist all those I exploit once I journey. They’re the very best at school and you may’t go fallacious utilizing them in your journey.