Help!!!!! I'm traveling alone, to Ireland this summer, is it safe?
 

Hi.

I'm only 19 and for my 20th birthday I want to travel to Ireland.
I have been struggling with my identity and life has been mentally challenging for me these past few years. I feel like traveling to that beautiful country (that I've always been fond of) will help me connect with myself and find who I am. I need to go alone because my friends weigh me down. I'm just wondering if it's safe. I'm debating if I should stay in an affordable AirBnb or a hotel. I've never traveled before so any tips would be helpful. Any city in particular that I should stay in if I'm looking for scenery, safety, and tourism?
Oh and my last concern is the flight. What's the cheapest airline to fly with?

Thanks!!

It has never occurred to me to question the safety of Ireland, cannot imagine why anyone would think it dangerous, especially by people from the US.
Without knowing anything about your itinerary (no dates, no routes), no one can tell you what the cheapest airline is going to be.

Watch out for the leprechauns.

Try www.skyscanner.com for flights.

Do you even have a passport? Get that sorted first.

Stay in hostels or hotels rather than Airbnb; there will be other young people to meet, a front desk where you can get information and help if needed. In a flat you are pretty much on your own.

<i> Help!!!!! I'm traveling alone, to Ireland this summer, is it safe?
Posted by: brebre123101 on May 30, 16 at 3:10am</i>

I definitely agree with Tulips. Hostels are the way to go. Prices are the best, opportunities to meet others are great, breakfast is usually included, and wifi is usually free.

Here is a map of the Hostelling International locations in Ireland. https://www.hihostels.com/search/hos...ts=1&q=ireland. Unfortunately this organization has no facility in Cork, one of the highlights of my trips to Ireland. Get around by bus. You will be in a different world.

Aer Lingus often has good prices from my departure city but you should research the various options for your dates and departure city.

I'm not sure where you are from, but I think most people would regard Ireland as very safe, safer than many countries. And there shouldn't be language difficulties which always makes your first trip easier, also.

But like any big city, you shouldn't do foolish things when alone in Dublin. given you are nervous about this (and I can understand that for your first trip), I presume you aren't going to be running around to bars alone at night, drinking a lot. Dublin does have a fairly high rate of drug users, I believe, and some bad areas in the inner city districts. So it's not Disneyland, but as a tourist, I think you can easily find a good place to stay.

From your desires, it sounds like you want something rural, anyway, though. I'm very surprised that someone who has never traveled and is nervous about it would decide they are going to use Airbnb on their first trip, as it will add attendant issues to deal with and worry about. I don't know where that idea came from.

I expect she got the idea from the AirBnB ads. But I agree Air BnB makes no sense for a first trip. A hostel or a small hotel would give you more support as you find your way.

>>>Oh and my last concern is the flight. What's the cheapest airline to fly with?

If you want to reduce the overall cost, you have to look at the whole picture where the airfare is only a part. This forum has many postings by those who incorrectly equated cheap airfare to automatically mean lower overall trip cost. If you book a lower cost flight to a destination different from your actual destination without actually verifying how much you end up paying monetary and in time to make it work, it can backfire on you big time.

Suggest you have a look at resources aimed specifically at students - like the Let's Go guides or the Thorn Tree section of the Lonely Planet web site. Will give you tons of info on things other young people do/reco and have tons if info on budget travel.

Oh - and Ireland is way safer than the US - so no need to worry.

IME, hostels, like all human endeavors, are a mixed bag. An Air BnB that lives up to the original concept--that is, a room in some friendly person's house--is no better or worse an idea, except that Air BnB has attracted an unfortunate number of scammers in big cities. So I come down on the side of hostels, by a nose.

Hotels are much cheaper in Ireland than in many other countries, but they can be a bit isolating.

All that said, Ireland is--generalizing, of course-- a friendly country, and a safe one.

Start searching Travelocity or Expedia--they're really the same-- and Kayak to get an idea of good fares. You don't specify a time frame; if you can be flexible about dates you stand a much better chance of booking a good fare.

I would start with a few days in Dublin, and then branch out from there based on your interests.

I went to Ireland for my first solo trip and it could not have been better.

Heartily endorse the Let's Go guidebook suggestion -- perfect for your age group and lots of no-nonsense advice. Read it before you make many plans. It all depends on what you want out of your trip, but they have lots of tips and probably good itineraries.

Agree with the recs for good hostel or a b&b or small guesthouse (actually the latter worked great for us in Dublin--Fitzwilliam Guest House as I recall).

IF you fly into Shannon and out of Dublin (what they call an open-jaw ticket), consider Galway--a university town; actually there's a hostel adjacent to the bus station on Eyre Square. From Galway you might consider a day trip to the Aran Islands. Galway has some wonderful pubs with good music (The Quays was the series of connected pubs with good music in times past).

It's a 3 hour train ride Galway to Dublin straight across the country. For a small town experience during Dublin part of trip consider Skerries, a lovely smaller town a short train ride away, near the sea. As I recall, busses tend to be better in Ireland and trains less helpful than in some other northern European countries. Had to use the occasional taxi as well.

Agree with caution about late hours, pubs, and alcohol. There's great music and good "craic" at the pubs but do be sensible when you are on your own. Ask the innkeepers where an appropriate for you local pub might be.

Random suggestions, mostly echoing above, are to stay connected with trusted others via WiFi, snap a copy of your passport main page and store in your phone or scan a copy for a trusted person back home, consider a small close-to-your-body bag for passport etc., bring an extra debit or credit card, get cash from ATMs, travel *light* (one smallish carry-on) etc.

Also, suggest bringing a journal and pens unless you prefer an ipad mini or similar. Writing may help the personal growth exploration.

I have very fond memories of Irish hospitality when a friend and I were stranded there an extra week due to 9/11.

Rather than go to Dublin, if you're after "scenery, safety and tourism" you could give Dingle in County Kerry a try.

It's no city (more of a small town) but I think it could have everything you're after. The scenery in the vicinity - The Wild Atlantic Way, Connor Pass , Slea Head etc. - is genuinely stunning, the people are wonderfully friendly and welcoming, I doubt you'll be alone for long if you don't want to be and it's as safe as anywhere I've ever been.

If you're going with the aim of finding yourself, I think you'll be able to get away from it all more easily in Dingle, than you would in Dublin.

If you do ever feel homesick (guessing that you're American) you'll hear lots of familiar accents about as there are a lot of septics who travel to Dingle to trace their roots, so if you do need a flavour of home, offer to buy one of them a drink and swap travel stories.

I'd suggest staying in genuine B and Bs, rather than Air BandB. There are lots of them in this part of the world and the ones I've stayed at in this area have without fail, been well priced, clean and very well run.

Sounds like a hell of an adventure. Enjoy!

Keep an eye out for Liam Neeson but other than that you should be fine. Glad to hear you want to go to our beautiful island. Have a wonderful trip!

Hostel world.com Great people, discounts and people in hostels. Ireland will refresh your spirit and is very safe. Travel to Northern Ireland also.

The biggest risk is the state of your liver