Ways to Meet New People as a Backpacker in a Hostel on Koh Phangan

One of the best things you can do if you want to meet new people is to stay in a hostel or more communal environment than just on your own, this will help straight away. But if you still need to advice on how to approach people more then as always here’s some tips for you as we know not everyone is a social butterfly that finds it easy to talk right away…

Smile
It seems obvious but if you have your head in a book and someone walks past you may forget to give a quick smile as you look up, but try to do it.
The more you smile, although try not to be too ‘freaky’ with it, the more you will exude the energy that will actually attract other people to come and approach you so you won’t have to lift a finger in regards to meeting other guests.

Give Everyone a Chance
They may not be the kind of people you mix with back home but you can’t let things like that put you off! Giving everyone a chance means you may find something new in a person you have never experienced before and don’t judge a book by its cover.

Be Open Minded
This is similar to the above, stay open for suggestions on what to do and listen to others opinions.

Go to a Party!
You have your pick of everything in terms of partying here on the island and it is a great way to meet people if you are a bit on the shy side, especially if the drinks are flowing, you can all laugh about it the next day and it’s a way to meet people without the barriers of everyday life.

FOOD!
Going out for dinner with people you have just met is a great way to bond and make friends, it may be a new experience for each one of you, trying Thai cuisine. Food and eating is always a great way to get to know people as you all need to do it and most people love sharing food wisdom and different cultures over dinner.

Go on a Tour
Chances are the hostel you stay at will have its own group tour around the island so make sure you jump on this straight away. Even before you have had a chance to settle in and speak to anyone this will ensure that even on the next day you know you will meet everyone else there on this tour and you will all experience this together. This is a great way to meet new friends who you can continue adventures with whilst you’re here.

Get Involved
Most hostels will have a volunteer or rep who will be responsible for making sure everyone is included in activities. Whether it’s beer pong, dancing, going for breakfast or just jammin around, take them up on their offer even if you are by yourself, they will make sure you are included and do the work for you in terms of introducing you to others.