Slow Travel Is Chill Travel (here are 8 ways I do it)
Slow traveling is chill traveling, and it’s my preferred mode of adventure. Well, to be fair, chill is my preferred style for doing everything — it’s my default state.
So that means I’ve got some keen insights to share!
This is my guide on how to enjoy relaxed, slow travel. Because slow-paced, carefree travel means less stress and more fun. This is how travel should be.
Alright, let’s do this!
Table of Contents Show
What Is Slow Travel?
Slow travel is slower-paced travel, like spending more time in a location to let yourself experience it more fully. It’s letting yourself connect with a culture on a deeper, more personal level.
Slow traveling is the opposite of trying to cram as much as you can into a trip, and it allows you to go with the flow more.
This means no rushing to check off boxes on some itinerary or a perfectly crafted schedule.
Slow traveling focuses on connecting more deeply with yourself and your destination by letting things unfold as they will (and relinquishing your control).
You’ll find plenty of type B personalities embracing this style of traveling since it’s more chill and, well, more slow-paced.
But let’s look at some specific perks to traveling this way.
Some Epic Benefits of Slow Travel
Become more present
Less stress
More room for spontaneity
Connect with cultures and destinations more deeply
Boost your present moment and self awareness
Supports a more carefree lifestyle
Slow travel is simple and usually saves money
Supports ecotourism, cultural appreciation and more sustainable travel
A more enriching and memorable travel experience
How to Slow Travel (8 things I do)
1. Define Slow Traveling for Yourself
My version of slow traveling may be totally different from yours.
So a solid first step is to clearly define what it means for you.
For me, slow traveling means exploring like I live there (which entails lots of cafes, cooking and less touristy things). This entails lots of cafes, waking up slow, cooking, doing less touristy things, and having personal creative projects for tinkering.
Slow travel helps me keep my traveling carefree and creative.
So what does slow traveling mean for you? Here are some questions for pondering:
What things are most relaxing for you?
What does a relaxing vacation look like?
Why is slow traveling important to you?
Describe your ideal slow travel trip
2. Set the Intention (+ stay aware)
Intentions make things more purposeful.
If slow traveling (or carefree living) is new for you, then staying intentional is helpful.
But even if non-chill habits aren’t a problem for you, setting the intention still creates a clear travel goal and keeps you from going off course.
So here are some quick tips for setting a slow travel intention (and staying aware of it):
Align your travel with your slow travel intentions
Stay mindful
Write down your intention and put it somewhere visible or odd
Create a clear why for wanting to travel slower
Keep your intentions clear and simple
Reflect and adjust things if you need to
3. Go to Slow Traveling Destinations
Some places are just easier to relax and better for slow traveling.
So why not make things easy on ourselves and opt for those spots? Makes sense to me!
Slow traveling destinations are locations that simply support or make slow traveling easier to do.
But keep in mind that slow traveling is also about mindset, your intention and cultural nuances. Because even bustling cities can be enjoyed slowly.
For example, I spend a lot of time in Tokyo, which is the busiest city in the world. But Japanese culture is low-key and my intentions are always to stay chill and creative. So slow traveling in this hectic town is actually pretty easy to do.
For more inspo, here are a few destinations that are just begging for some slow traveling:
Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma
Hakone Yuryo Onsen, Kanagawa
Okinawa
Hawaii
It’s pricier, but I love it here
Iceland
Great for epic slow traveling through nature
Italy
Tuscany
Sicily
Sardinia
Cruises
Worldwide
Yoga retreats
Worldwide
4. Avoid Slow Travel Bottlenecks + Travel Stressors
Bottlenecks prevent you from reaching your goals (which would of course be slow travel).
So let’s prevent or avoid them altogether. This can require a bit of self reflection and research.
For example, getting to know what your personal stressors are, what causes them and why you experience them will help you plan and optimize your trip for ultimate slowness.
Bottlenecks can be avoided or fixed after you shine a light on them.
Here are some examples of potential bottlenecks to slow traveling:
Traveling with the wrong people
Too many travel expectations (like relying on perfect weather)
Having a strict itinerary or schedule
Not spending enough time in a location to fully unwind
Explore more:
➤ My Best Stress-Free Travel Tips
5. Travel Like An Artist
Creativity and travel are close friends. And mixing them together always makes things slower for me.
Art is naturally cathartic and is a form of meditation. So why not use it while traveling?
I always have a creative travel project to work on. It keeps me focused and adds additional meaning and purpose to my adventures.
Creativity is an awesome human thing, and mixing it with travel amplifies its effect.
So even if you’re not creative, try adding some artistic intention to your trips. Have a creative project, bring your camera or start a journal.
Alternatively, if you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can launch your personal brand with travel content or start a blog.
But whatever you do, creativity is one of my favorite ways to make travel slower.
Explore more:
➤ Have A Creative Travel Project
6. Do Slow Travel Things
For me, part of slow travel means not having much of an itinerary at all. But if you must, keep things chill.
Depending on what type of traveler you are, this could be easy or hard. Like I mentioned in the intro, my default mode is carefree — so my hobbies, lifestyle and ability to travel slow comes pretty easy.
But don’t despair! I believe in you — anyone can become more chill.
For example, limiting expectations, doing more of what you want and not watching the news so much all help me.
But just take baby steps with carefreeness if you’re new to it. It’s a lifelong journey, not a sprint.
Here are some ideas for slow travel things to do:
Enjoy books or writing at cafes
Spend the day in a park
Watch your favorite shows (make it a guilty pleasures holiday)
Wake up slow
Go to relaxing places, like museum or botanical gardens
Do things you genuinely enjoy
7. Travel Solo (or with carefree people)
It’s hard to find a travel partner who is always on the same page as you.
After all, everyone has different hobbies, goals, lifestyles and travel preferences. So your version of slow travel may not be the same as your travel partner.
Traveling solo is a great way to avoid this issue and keep things nice and chill.
It’s usually how I end up doing most of my exploring.
While it can be stressful to travel alone, it’s also more flexible. Plus, you’ll likely meet cool people at your destinations (while out and about or where you’re staying).
But if solo adventures aren’t in the cards for you, the next best option would be to travel with like-minded people who are carefree and interested in slow traveling.
For example, you can recruit friends or sign up for a slow travel group tour.
Either way, if you are traveling with people, aim to keep your group smaller so there’s less chance of differing goals and preferences.
Explore more:
➤ Solo Travel Tips for Introverts
8. Travel for Longer Durations
Short trips create urgency — quite the opposite of slow.
So, a reasonable move is to simply extend your trips and take longer vacations. While this isn’t always feasible for everyone, it’s a goal worth aiming for.
You could even go all in and join me as a digital nomad (if that excites you, check out the recommended link below!).
Alternatively, you could also just start traveling more often. This lessens that sense of urgency associated with quick trips in a similar way (since you know you’ll be back on the road again soon).
Whatever the case, just don’t try to cram a week’s worth of travel into a weekend trip.
Keep things chill (and travel slower).
Explore more:
➤ How to Travel Full-Time
Later ✌️
Slow traveling keeps your adventures carefree and relaxed. It’s my preferred mode of travel.
My favorite ways to keep travel slow are choosing a solid location, having a creative project and doing more slow travel things.
But solo traveling helps a lot too, since you can avoid contrasting personalities and varying travel preferences common in group settings.
At the end of the day though, the best thing you can do is to just stay intentional.
Slow traveling is a choice, whether you’re in the busiest city in the world or alone in a sleepy beachside town.
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
