Tips for Long-Term Travel as a Couple

Mason and I took the bold step to quit our jobs, say farewell to the mundane, and dive headfirst into the exhilarating world of long-term travel. The thrill of exploration, joy of the unknown experiences ahead, and the thought of endless adventures were enough to make us believe that living life out of a backpack would be an ideal escape from the 9-5.

Little did we know, the reality of traveling as a couple would bring forth a mix of emotions and challenges even amidst the awe-inspiring landscapes and beautiful moments we’ve gotten to share. We were hit with a handful of realities that came to surface for us while seeing the world.

I want to be real and honest about our travels, so we brainstormed some tips we would give to any couples or friends who may be deciding to take on a big travel adventure themselves!

So, here we go—unveiling three tips for traveling long-term with your partner!

1.Communication is Key

Undoubtedly, one of the most significant lessons from our journey was the importance of communication. Travel, with its unpredictability and occasional chaos, became a test for our ability to truly express our thoughts, feelings, and expectations to each other. We quickly realized that effective communication is not just about sharing day dreams and aspirations but also about navigating differences, resolving conflicts, communicating if one of you is uncomfortable, and embracing compromise.

Be mindful if you are genuinely upset or if you’re just hungry or exhausted.

During significant travel days filled with catching flights or long train rides, make sure both of you have plenty of water and are eating. I know it’s common sense, but a majority of our little disagreements and quick-witted comments arise when we’re adjusting to a new time zone, haven’t eaten more than snacks for the day, or are both running ragged.

You two are a team on this adventure.

It’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else around you is doing, but make sure both of you are on the same page. For example, if you’re staying at a hostel and everyone is heading out to party but your partner wants to relax and have a movie night in, this could be a downer on the other person’s plan. Solo traveling and traveling as a couple are two different ballgames. You are not only on this adventure for yourself, but you also have to ensure your teammate, your partner, is up for those things as well. If they’re not, what’s the compromise for both of you?

Communicate your expectations clearly.

Mason still can’t read my mind, no matter how many times I try to telepathically get my thoughts to him—he can't, nobody can. So, be clear about your expectations for your travel journey. You may not know these things yet, but once you do, be sure to communicate that. For example, we tried to fit ourselves into this shoebox of “hostel living” as travelers a handful of times until we both admitted it wasn’t ideal. Mason was the first to say it wasn’t for him and I cracked after that. Had we known this after our first go-around, we would have saved ourselves many sleepless nights. It has it’s perks here and there, but our own room is what we prefer. Luckily, some hostels have private rooms to look into if you’re really wanting the social aspect.

2.Dedicate Alone Time for Yourself

One of the undeniable perks of traveling as a couple is always having someone to talk to, laugh with, and create memories. Whether we were strolling through markets in Thailand or marveling at breathtaking landscapes in New Zealand, we knew we had each other for any and all travel plans.

Constantly being in each other's company 24/7 however, was both a blessing and a test of patience. Before this journey, we would spend maybe a few hours together on a week night, catching up after a busy day of work, or even a weekend away. I would estimate that we spent roughly 20-25 hours a week together. Now we are side by side, every minute of every day. There is no longer an easy escape for us to go to work to gab with coworkers or make plans with a friend.

Carve out your alone time.

For us, we try to spend an hour apart in the morning either working out or going for a walk on our own. Sometimes we even head to different coffee shops just to read or work on our laptops separately. The time apart now is not near as much as we had, but time away is time to recharge. You need that.

You may get burned out by your partner from time to time.

I promise we love each other but it is totally okay and normal to get burned out from someone when you’ve been side by side for 30, 60, or 100+ days. This is just another sign to schedule a date with yourself or if you’ve met new travel friends, do something with!

Before we came to Australia, we hadn’t really separated much in our travels. We were lucky enough to be volunteering in a cute little town with people who would become great friends so whenever an opportunity came to walk to the grocery store, try out a cafe, or go to yoga it was a breath of fresh air to be able to get up and go without much worry.

Keep the flame burning.

Although you may get burned out of each other during traveling, don’t let the flame die out completely! It can be really easy to slip into being almost too comfortable after all this time together. That’s why it’s very important to plan intentional date nights, fun activities, and most of all dress up for each other! That doesn’t mean you need a whole closet of clothes. Read into my previous post about what to pack. Having a few dresses and skirts to mix + match can go a long way. When you’re with each other 24/7, a small change can go a long way. Something as simple as painting your nails, doing your hair differently, or wearing your “nice” shirt won’t go unnoticed. Your comfy airplane outfits or messy volunteer clothes are only cute for so long. Luckily, I’ve got a list of all the dresses I bought here. And there’s now doubt you’ll find many cute outfits while traveling!

3. You Don’t Have to Be a Tourist

When we first started our adventures, we truly thought we were going to do it all. We were going to see all of those cool things posted on TikTok, visit different countries to do the most popular excursions, eat at the most unique restaurants, and so on because that’s what we saw everyone else doing online. As we got deeper into travel, we soon learned that style was just not “us” and we weren’t going to fit into that mold.

Consider slow travel.

After we conquered a month around Thailand seeing the islands, Bangkok, all the way up to the beautiful northern parts, we jumped straight into Vietnam to do the same. We adventured North to South over four weeks and squeezed in seeing so much at a quick pace. At this point, we had stayed in too many hotels, hostels, and homestays to count over two busy months and we were completely burnt out on travel.

We started researching how to get into slower travel. We wanted the spark back that got us excited for a new place without feeling like we were spending every other day planning or sitting on trains.

Traveling slow emphasizes savoring the journey over reaching a new destination quickly. This was very different from how we started out. We picked one or two areas that we wanted to see and went there with far less things planned out. Our first stop was the island of Koh Lanta and we stayed here unexpectedly for two weeks. It was hard at first to avoid the go, go, go mentality but once we actually got into this style of living, things felt 10x better. When we arrived somewhere new, we no longer felt like we had to tornado our way through a place in a matter of days, but now we had plenty of time to meet locals, learn about the culture, and find our favorite restaurants to go back to again and again.

If you want Western food, get it.

Going off of that last sentence, I feel like some people put shame on you for craving your comfort foods when you’re out traveling the world. Even when you have the most authentic, delicious dishes in front of you, sometimes, all you really want is a pizza or a meat-and-potatoes kind of dinner. I think that’s okay! After a month or two of consecutively eating rice, noodles, curries, Bahn mi’s, and fried eggs — go out and indulge in that Western food you’re craving! Some of the best, most memorable pizzas I’ve ever had have been in Ubud, Bali and Koh Lanta, Thailand! Also, if you found a place you liked to eat at, go back. There’s no shame in doing that. Plus, if you’re lucky like us, the owner may gift you desserts for coming to their restaurant 10+ times in two weeks!

Don’t feel guilty about lazy days or nights in.

It’s really easy for your mind to continuously tell you, 'Oh my god, I’m traveling! I need to go see something today, I need to take a picture of me doing something cool, I need to go to this market, I need to—' You need to sit down and relax. If you were at home, you would spend days inside cleaning, have a movie night on the couch, or prepare meals on Sundays for your week. Make sure you try to give your brain and body rest as you shift into the long term travel lifestyle.

There you have it, our tips for those who want to dive into the long term travel! I hope this has helped give you a little insight from our own experiences. Our time traveling has been a true eye-opener to what we’ve seen around the world and in our relationship.