30 fun and deep questions to break the ice with other travelers in a hostel, bus, or on a trek. The game that creates travel friendships.
30 questions to break the ice between travelers
How do I use these questions?
No need to recite them like a questionnaire. The idea is to have a few in mind to restart a conversation that's dying down, or to start a chat when the mood is right. The ideal setting: a hostel dinner, a long bus ride, a group hike, or simply a moment shared by the sea.
Practical tip In a group, turn it into a game: take turns drawing a question and everyone answers. It creates an amazing dynamic, especially on the first night in a new place. |
10 easy icebreaker questions
These always work. Simple, open-ended, and they naturally start a conversation.
1. Where are you from, and what do you miss most about home?
2. What is the most amazing place you've visited so far?
3. How long have you been traveling, and what's next on the itinerary?
4. Do you have a place recommendation that you absolutely shouldn't miss around here?
5. What's the weirdest local dish you've tried?
6. Are you traveling alone or with someone? And which do you prefer?
7. Was there a travel mishap that made you laugh afterward?
8. Do you have a lucky item in your bag that you take everywhere?
9. What's the longest trip you've taken during this journey?
10. If you had to recommend ONE country to someone traveling for the first time?
10 questions to dig deeper (in-depth)
For evenings when the atmosphere is more intimate. These questions create real connections, to use when things are already flowing well.
1. What has travel taught you about yourself that you didn't know before?
2. Is there a travel encounter that changed the way you see things?
3. Have you ever had a moment when you wanted to stop everything and go home?
4. What's your biggest fear when traveling? And have you overcome it?
5. Has traveling changed your relationship with your life before?
6. Is there a place where you really felt "at home" abroad?
7. What's the nicest act of generosity someone has shown you while traveling?
8. Do you think travel makes us better, or is it a myth?
9. Is there something you do now while traveling that you didn't do at the beginning?
10. What's the most valuable lesson you bring back from this trip?
The game De Sacs et d'Eau, quick rules
We created our own version of the game for hostel nights. The rules are simple.
1. Print or write down the 30 questions on small slips of paper.
2. Everyone draws a question in turn.
3. Everyone answers, not just the person who draws.
4. If you don't want to answer, you get a dare (or you dance, or you sing—adapt it to the mood).
5. Travel version: after each round, the group votes for the best answer. The winner chooses the group's next activity.
Plan B No paper handy? No problem. Open this article on your phone and scroll through the questions. Or even better: take screenshots of the lists and keep them in a "Travel" album on your phone so you always have them close at hand. |
Tips for starting a conversation naturally
Start with yourself. Share your own answer first before asking the question. It puts the other person at ease and shows that you're participating too.
Adapt to the context. A deep question at breakfast at 7 a.m. may not be the right time. Read the room and choose accordingly.
Listen actively. The best follow-up is to build on what the other person just said, not to move on to the next question.
Don't turn it into an interrogation. 3-4 well-placed questions are better than 15 in a row. The goal is a conversation, not an interview.
The final word
The Final Word
The best travel friendships start with a good question. No need to be the most extroverted person in the hostel, just curious and sincere. Keep these 30 questions tucked away somewhere in your mind (or on your phone), and the next time silence settles in, go for it. You’ll be surprised by what comes out of it.
