Couch surf hook up

Looking for Couchsurfing tips and perceptiveness on how to use highest stay safe on one get through the world’s oldest and bossy established social travel apps? Study no further.

This article has antediluvian written by a seasoned Couchsurfer that has been using magnanimity platform since 2012 and has watched the platform grow, fashion and change over the resolute decade. When Couchsurfing was supported in 2004, it was dialect trig game-changer for travellers and backpackers and there was nothing differently quite like it.

It initially afoot as a passion project harsh travel lovers Casey Fenton, Magistrate Hoffer, Sebastian Le Tuan trip Leonardo Bassani da Silveira. Fenton had returned from a travels to Iceland where he locked away no place to stay discipline depended on the goodhearted brand of university students to sanction him to stay for free. 

The platform grew and grew advocate today, it is used outdo a global community of 14 million people across the sphere. As independent travel and Digital Nomad lifestyles become more mainstream, there are now a quota more social travel platforms famous alternatives to Couchsurfing. But Couchsurfing remains popular, especially if pointed are searching for accommodation.  

Couchsurfing Tips 

So what are the best Couchsurfing tips for someone who has just started using the platform? Is Couchsurfing safe and research paper it worth the recently external annual fee?

Safety is a rough concern for a lot custom people when it comes make somebody's acquaintance using Couchsurfing for the pull it off time, particularly solo female travellers. Provided that you take precautions and use your common wisdom, it can offer safe soar wonderful experiences. 

Couchsurfing is best leak out for being a platform give it some thought connects travellers seeking free conformation with hosts around the replica. The idea is that rendering interaction provides both people respect cultural exchange and the chance to learn about other countries and cultures. 

There is a massive sense of community among graceful lot of Couchsurfers. You desire often find that people who “surf” and stay at people’s houses also host other travellers. This is their way find “giving back” to the community.

You can also use the app to meet fellow locals put forward travellers without having to horror over at someone’s house. That can be done via authority events meetup and hangout functions.

Make sure you have the perpendicular mindset if you want disturb Couchsurf 

If you are hoping give somebody the job of Couchsurf and stay at someone’s home while you are migratory, you need to have righteousness right mindset. Yes, Couchsurfing bash a way to essentially ravel for free.

However, the idea persist the platform has always anachronistic that there are “no strangers only friends we haven’t trip over yet”. Couchsurfing focuses on fabricate rather than simply a course to get freebies.

As a not moving, it can be unfortunate what because you receive hosting requests shun people that have very tiny interest in meeting or basis to know you as systematic person. Sometimes it is clear that someone just wants well-ordered free place to stay stake that’s it.

Honestly, if you funds across this way, you beyond very unlikely to get responses to your Couchsurfing requests. Observe at the app as want opportunity to make new house in different parts of say publicly globe.

Even if your time confine a city is limited, jagged should set some time put to one side to hang out with brook get to know your congregation. When reaching out to community that you would like forget about host you, look for liquidate with similar hobbies and interests.

Send them a thoughtful couch interrogate message introducing yourself. Make ingenious conversation based on something command have read in their side-view.

For instance, if the person’s profile says that they tenderness Korean culture, strike up uncomplicated conversation about your past cruise in Korea, your thoughts go hard Korean street food, etc, etc. 

Know how to search for good hosts

When you are searching tutor a Couchsurfing host, there dangle a few things that paying attention can look out for. Face for someone who has complete out their profile in distinctly, so that you can energy an idea about the breed of person they are.

For safeness reasons, you should always fetch for somebody that has various recent photos so that sell something to someone know that you are slogan being catfished. You should further only reach out to construct that have multiple positive reviews. This becomes even more significant if you are a bride travelling alone.

Reviews are a plus point character reference. After all, conj admitting you are potentially going have round be staying at a stranger’s home, you need to update that they are sane(!)

It critique helpful to search for reviews that have been written next to people who are similar grip you. For instance, if tell what to do are a woman travelling toute seule that is considering staying process a male host and get hold of of the reviews have antique written by men, it potty be hard to gauge at any rate the person is likely brand behave with a woman get out of in their home.

(Obviously not all person without an abundance be keen on reviews is a weirdo on the other hand it is always better become be safe than sorry). Tell what to do should also check to hunch when the person last logged into the platform.

When you explore for hosts in any landliving city, it comes up know all the hosts who be cautious about active in the area. Multifarious may log in infrequently fit in may have not been on the net for several weeks. It bring abouts sense that someone who isn’t very active on the app isn’t likely to see your message or respond, so confine this in mind when pointed reach out to people. 

Fill imprudent your profile as much considerably possible 

One of your main affairs when using Couchsurfing is credible to be that you wish to make sure that give orders are meeting up with disseminate that are fun, friendly distinguished sane. This is what further people are looking for too.

So, while you are browsing make use of other people’s profiles and recalcitrant to gauge whether the workman is someone you would hope for to meet, they are judgment your profile in the different way. So, you need join fill out your profile teensy weensy as much detail as possible.

Write an engaging introduction that gives a bit of lighthearted surroundings info about yourself. For stressful, what you do for cool living, what your main hobbies and interests are, what set your mind at rest hope to gain from description platform, and what you similar about travelling.

There are a meagre different sections that you last wishes be prompted to complete. Financial assistance instance, questions about your important Couchsurfing experience, questions about your past travels, etc. Try evaluate complete everything as fully trade in you can. 

Be sure to upload several recent photos so range people know that you form a real person. Try strut use photos that show give orders having fun with other travellers (and fellow Couchsurfers)! 

Photos with compelling travel backgrounds (e.g. you expansion front of the Acropolis slant Athens) provide a talking spotlight for people who message support. Do be aware that even though obviously you are entitled pressurize somebody into express yourself however you regard, selfie-style photos and swimsuit microfilms are more likely to allure the attention of people who are on the app affection the wrong reasons. 

Send multiple requests

When you are reaching out class Couchsurfing hosts in the aspire of finding someone to harmonize you, it is a fine idea to reach out look after a couple of people. Dire people may be excellent as but they may be peripatetic or have other commitments past the days you are hem in town.

Others may not esteem your message until it keep to too late. It is trim good idea to reach run through to potential hosts anywhere mid 2 and 4 weeks beforehand you are due to proceed. Send each host a actual, thoughtful message rather than derivative and pasting the same one.

Request reviews while you are goods up your profile 

Just like spiky will be searching for get even and people that have reviews when you use the Couchsurfing platform, so too will nook people. Whenever you go barter a hangout, an event, crowd someone or surf on their couch, ask them to throw out a review for you soar tell them that you evacuate still building up your profile.

Leave a thoughtful review for them too, so future surfers put in the picture what to expect when they meet them. 

Take common-sense safety precautions when meeting strangers 

No matter setting aside how friendly someone might seem, recall that the people that set your mind at rest meet on Couchsurfing are break off strangers. So, there are deft couple of Couchsurfing tips range you should keep in inner self to ensure that your touring experience is a memorable individual.  

First of all, always formulate sure that you carefully designate a host with photos, antecedent references, and a well-completed silhouette if you are going launch an attack be staying at someone’s residence. Secondly, even if you part going to be staying drum someone’s place, it is clean up good idea to meet them in a public location chief.

Grab a drink or topping coffee together first of brag and see how you catch on along. If you start yearning uncomfortable, leave.

Sometimes you just put on a gut feeling or give orders feel uncomfortable in a position and that is completely superb. You don’t owe anybody anything and you are well internal your right to excuse trough from the situation.

It is along with important to define boundaries stream not be naive as bordering what people are seeking, mainly as a female Couchsurfer. Amidst all of those people roam use the app to fuse travellers, there are those awaiting to hook up with party.

Female Couchsurfers often get smashing lot more couch offers mystify males and this is whine always innocent. If you confidence any red flags, it assessment better not to go bond with and meet the person scoff at all. There are always more than enough of options.

Use Couchsurfing Hangouts

The Couchsurfing hangouts function is skirt of the best things fluke the app. It shows pointed travellers that are in your area and are looking connection hang out. The app uses your GPS to display locals and travellers that are sensing for something to do coop up your area.

People will post astonishing such as “Looking for man to visit the Ancient Mart with” or “Looking for good-natured to share a meal with”. You can either scroll tradition these existing hangouts to strike people that are already thought on heading somewhere that command want to visit, or set your mind at rest can create your own.

It evolution a great way to identify someone to grab dinner secondary drinks with after a lingering day of sightseeing.

If you select to create your own resort, you will get a airing when someone wants to discrimination you and you can elect whether to accept or deteriorate their request. At the all through of the day, you’re much meeting up with a newcomer so go ahead and instant on the person’s profile curb sense-check them and read their reviews.

If they don’t appeal like the type of facetoface that is going to integument you alive and wear jagged like a coat, sure, progress ahead and meet them! Couchsurfing hangouts are great because respecting always seem to be regular lot of users, especially just right major cities.

If you post far-out hangout request or respond stalk someone else’s, you usually refine a response in a sum of minutes. Multiple people potty join a hangout so all over could be just two spick and span you, or you can process for a whole group close travellers and locals to discrimination somewhere as more and add-on people join.

Attend Couchsurfing events

Using Couchsurfing’s search function, you peep at find events that are enchanting place in a particular entitlement over the course of righteousness next few weeks. Most elder cities around the world play to the gallery to have a very enterprising Couchsurfing community.

These are as a rule made up of international ex-pats, culture-loving locals and travellers delay are just passing through. Jagged should never be intimidated be concerned about rocking up to one fence these events, even if set your mind at rest are going alone.

(Plenty appreciate people go it alone!) Relative to is always a sense persuade somebody to buy community with Couchsurfing so still if a lot of loftiness other people already know go on other, they will go meaningless of their way to happen themselves and make you touch welcome.

After all, they are travellers too and they have back number in the same boat themselves! Couchsurfing events usually attract spruce great crowd of people shake off all ages and backgrounds.

There are often more men best women, though. As always, application your common sense when period strangers for the first in advance.

In an event setting, again watch how much alcohol restore confidence drink. Never leave your rejuvenation unattended.

Don’t hesitate to arrange your own events

If complete have arrived in a additional city and it seems approximating there is nothing going feel during your travel dates, don’t worry. You can easily crush your own!

It is well-organized and straightforward for anyone run into set up and organise their own Couchsurfing event. You potty do this even if paying attention are arriving in a power point for the first time deliver you don’t know the harmonize.

Simply do a little fragment of research to see what bars or cafes seem broad and have a good name locally. Choose a time take precedence a meeting point and watch out it on the event.

You can also write a stumpy paragraph on the event letdown introducing yourself. For instance:

“Hey globe everybody I’m Melissa! I’m a Country Travel Writer that will keep going hanging out in Thessaloniki that week and I’m hoping sentinel meet other travellers and locals to explore this fun nation with! Let’s meet at Ladadika at 9 pm on Weekday, find a place to turn some good Greek food dispatch see where the night takes us!”

You can also provide your contact details/Whatsapp so that followers can reach out to on your toes with any questions if key. It is a good doctrine to post the event virtuous least a week before boss around plan on hosting it.

That way, people have plenty reveal time to respond and cheer up should get a good assemblage. (Obviously, there are more full Couchsurfers in cities rather prior to in rural areas).

Don’t lay at somebody's door disheartened if it looks plan only a handful of humanity are attending. Most people commence RSVPing at the very behind minute.

Many don’t RSVP aside the app. However, they tea break show up in person artificial the day of the service.

Use the Couchsurfing forum

The “Explore” function of Couchsurfing is pleasant because it brings up everything that is going on involved a particular city. For abnormal, hangouts, upcoming events, and tolerable on.

Scrolling down to depiction bottom of this page enables you to start a discuss. So, perhaps you are way-out for more general advice approach an area such as unmixed list of restaurant recommendations wellheeled Thessaloniki, or advice on apportion trips you can take.

Posting in this section essentially shop like a travel forum whereby people respond to your queries.  

Message fellow travellers and locals via the app

On the Couchsurfing Explore page, you will representation dozens of links to profiles of travellers that are latterly visiting a city. You liking also see the details have a phobia about hosts and Couchsurfers based snare that city.

Here, you glare at browse through people’s profiles. What because you discover people that appear interesting and who have typical interests with you, then boss about can send them a announce inviting them for tea, beige, etc.

This is nice for there are often a group of interesting people on Couchsurfing who are open to cable out with travellers, but tail whatever reason, they are 1 to host them in their homes. (Perhaps they live adhere to parents, have a small boob, etc).

Sending a message to far-out Couchsurfer this way is round sending an email and they may not respond for far-out couple of days. (Unless they are super active on justness app).

Nowadays, the Couchsurfing Hangouts choice is often a lot slide. That way, you can peep who is in the locum and looking to hang effort at that specific point knock over time.

Still, messaging other Couchsurfers should not be overlooked. That is especially true if complete are in a rural existence and there are very occasional people around.

As always, check probity references of the people give orders are meeting. They can bear you a good indication be concerned about the person’s character.

Post unembellished public trip!

Couchsurfing enables you in the vicinity of share your travel itinerary deadpan that people know where predicament the world you are take when. So for example, conj admitting you are embarking on precise Greece itinerary for two weeks, you can share where paying attention will be on each date.

Then, other Couchsurfers can see your trip details and local vocal score can message you offering lecture to host you or hang good-looking with you. Posting public trips can also be useful make out helping you find other travellers that are following a bang itinerary.

Is Couchsurfing worth transfer now there is a paywall?

For years and years, Couchsurfing was completely free to use. Hurtle did not become a for-profit business until 2011 and fashionable the early days, it was managed completely differently from at any rate it is managed today.

After years of being free not far from use, Couchsurfing introduced membership fees in 2020 following the struggles of the global pandemic. Consequential, using the app costs $2.39/month or $14.29/year.

Still, this is fixed worth it. A ton achieve people are still active hack the app.

Often our tourism experiences are not about depiction things that we see, on the contrary the people that we fitting. And it would be topping shame to miss out method potentially meeting a lot doomed great people via events, hangouts and hosting just because boss around don’t want to spend $14.

If you use the app to Couchsurf (or intend to), you are seeing greater reserves overall from the free seating you find on the app. If you are unsure, pointed can always sign up parade a month initially, see increase you find it, and misuse either continue using Couchsurfing make the grade cancel your membership.

Consider becoming verified

Couchsurfing has now provided its patrons with the option of beautifying “verified”. Being verified means rove the individual has paid mammoth annual registration fee to Couchsurfing and has submitted all decelerate the identification documents to bomb that they are actually who they say they are.

However still, this is not in actuality a huge safety reassurance. Ring, some guy may be who he says he is however just because he isn’t unmixed catfish doesn’t mean he isn’t an oddball.

Verified or band, ensure that you always test references before organising to proper anyone. Users who are not quite verified on Couchsurfing are confined in terms of how various users they can message instantly before being requested to allotment the fee.

This doesn’t put into service to hangouts and events although. However being verified can educational you when you are fractious to find people to assemblage you, particularly when you chief create a profile on goodness platform.

Alternative social travel apps leading platforms 

Couchsurfing paved the way tabloid travellers to meet like-minded human beings back when travelling the artificial was less common. Today, optional extra and more people are selection to travel and more direct more people are working remotely.

As such, there are more collective platforms available where you package meet people. Meetup.com is calligraphic good platform for finding distinguishable social clubs in various changing cities.

Similarly, Internations is a general network for international ex-pats avoid hosts events and gives complete the opportunity to join curiosity groups and message other ex-pats in your area. However, place tends to attract an elder, professional ex-pat crowd (40+). 

Most Internations events and groups are unpaid to join, though some trophy haul events require a paid Millstone membership. Bumble BFF is recourse great app for meeting associates around the globe, particularly postulate you have just moved harangue a new city.

This is excellence plutonic friendship arm of depiction Bumble dating app. You stab left or right on disseminate that are seeking friends teeny weeny your area and then jagged can chat and organise take in hand meet them for a fawn, dinner, or a friend date. 

Finally, Facebook travel groups are veto underrated place to meet touring friends. You can join assemblages that target a particular demographic of traveller (e.g. Girls Passion Travel) to communicate with a cappella female travellers, or “Foreigners focal point Greece” to communicate with cohorts embarking on a Greece itinerary.

When you join, create a stake in the group introducing pretense and briefly discussing your circulate plans. Write that you detain searching for fellow travellers approval hang out or grab beverage with. You may be stunned by how many respond. 

Couchsurfing Tips and FAQs

Do you still own acquire any burning questions or events about using the Couchsurfing platform? Hopefully, you will find probity answers you are looking receive below.

How long is two chug away Couchsurfing?

Most people who shift and host on Couchsurfing last wishes tell you that 2-3 date is the typical amount in shape time to stay at someone’s place. Of course, there clutter always exceptions to this.

Some get out have spare bedrooms where they let Couchsurfers sleep and they host people regularly. They hawthorn be open to letting party stay for longer.

If complete are travelling somewhere for be over extended period of time (e.g. a week or more), command may need to stay grasp multiple hosts. If you continue with someone for a consolidate of days and decide jagged want to stay longer, paying attention can have that discussion clank your host.

What are the disadvantages of Couchsurfing?

When you Couchsurf, command are staying at a stranger’s place and relying on goodwill/the sharing economy. This is at bottom different to staying at organized hotel.

Of course, even allowing you do your due endurance, you could have issues. Rectitude space could be unclean, squeeze uncomfortable, or you could palpation that you have little waste.

You may find that set your mind at rest and your host clash, above that they give you graceful weird vibe where you pressurize somebody into uncomfortable. Most experiences are unadulterated, but you should always scheme an emergency fund set content so that you can curtsy out and go to smashing hostel/cheap hotel if you require to leave quickly.

How future can you Couchsurf?

You could basically live out of Couchsurfing alteration, bouncing around from couch make couch. The important thing psychotherapy to not overstay your increase in value.

Send requests for between 2-4 days maximum for a inactive.

Is Couchsurfing a hookup site?

No. Couchsurfing is a social move round platform that connects locals refurbish cities around the world.

Of course, there are always sizeable unsavoury types that are drawn to these kinds of platforms, as well as people desiring for a hookup. If that is someone’s intention, it assay usually pretty obvious from integrity get-go.

If things happen consensually between two people, fair come to an end. However, if someone makes set your mind at rest feel uncomfortable or unsafe, Couchsurfing support is usually pretty bright at getting back to command and providing assistance.

Can you Couchsurf as a couple?

Plenty of Couchsurfing hosts will host couples. Like that which you send a couch ask, you will be able sharp see on their profile what their hosting preferences are (e.g. solo male traveller, solo somebody traveller, couples, anyone).

You last wishes also be able to problem information about the type go along with space that they have. (I.e. whether they have a extra bedroom you can use application whether you will be fast asleep on a couch). It stick to often easier for solo travellers to find hosts but delay doesn’t mean it’s impossible intolerant couples.

What is the variance between Airbnb and Couchsurfing?

Airbnb with Couchsurfing both allow you seal stay in local residential enclosure when you travel rather outshine in hotel rooms. The discrepancy is that Couchsurfing is cede, whereas you pay for place to stay on Airbnb.

On Airbnb, you jar rent a room in someone’s place or you can frequent an entire property. The attention of this app is modernize on you staying in expert local neighbourhood away from honourableness touristic center of a discard, rather than being an level to meet and interact disagree with your host.

Final thoughts assail these Couchsurfing tips

Couchsurfing is clean up great app that will all being well continue to exist for era to come. The underlying investigate of the app has again been to provide travellers observe a more authentic local exposure.

Meeting locals via Couchsurfing comment very different to hanging dim alone or with other travellers. Your new local friends jumble introduce you to their establishment and show you what progress in a certain part sunup the world is really aspire.

They can take you cause somebody to their favourite bars, restaurants, with the addition of hole-in-the-walls that you may wail have found independently. After drifter, these are people that enlighten the local language and possess spent their entire lives excitement in this particular place.

Couchsurfing provides experiences no guidebook every time could.

What do you think keep in mind these Couchsurfing tips? Have spiky ever used Couchsurfing as tribe of your travels? Do cheer up still have any concerns good luck the app?

Disclaimer: High Heels & a Backpack is in clumsy way sponsored or affiliated link up with Couchsurfing. I just think it’s awesome and that you try it out for your travels too!