7 Tips For Traveling The World Without Drinking
I have been sober for four and a half years, and most of that time has been spent on the road. Before I quit drinking, I thought travel without alcohol might feel flat. Airports, planes, hotel check-ins, dinners, activities, nightlife. So much of it seemed built around drinking. I imagined being the odd one out, sitting with water while everyone else bonded over beers or wine. Thought scared the living daylights out of me!
Back then, my drinking was not casual. It was a social crutch, a way to loosen up or feel connected. I thought removing it would take the fun away. At first, I stopped after a stint in rehab. Sobriety was necessary. It was a life-saving action that saved me from an alternate existence that was breaking me. In time, I saw how much better life felt without the hangovers, the blank spots in my memory, and the mornings wasted in recovery mode. Moderation would never have worked for me, so I committed to full sobriety.
Since then, I have traveled through countries where alcohol is central to the culture. Japan, with its sake and whiskey breweries, Italy, with its aperitivo hours, and South Africa, with its wine estates and craft beer scene. I have been to weddings, holidays, and bucket-list destinations without picking up a drink. The fear of missing something has been replaced by the confidence that I am not losing anything at all.
So I thought it would be cool to share with you what I have learned.
1. The company you keep determine how you feel
The people you travel with shape the entire trip. Friends who understand and respect your choice make the experience easy. Friends who treat your sobriety as something to test turn every day into a negotiation. That is mental real estate you don’t have and people you don’t needc.
To rid myself of that need, I set expectations before we book anything. I say I do not drink, I prefer early mornings and big days, and I will not be spending my nights in bars. In Cape Town, I had a few friends who embraced that, joining me for sunrise at Muizenberg and hiking Table Mountain. Another friend wanted Long Street until three in the morning. We agreed to share dinners and then follow our own plans. Everyone got the trip they wanted, and no one lost a thing!
2. Keep a reason in your back pocket
In Japan, I was at a small izakaya when the chef poured everyone sake on the house. I remembered a sunrise I had seen in the Alps years earlier, a morning I would have slept through if I had been drinking.
Long story short, I stayed with my oolong tea! By keeping a mental list of moments like the mornings I lived to 100%, the hikes I completed, and conversations that made me laugh and feel. That list makes my choice clear in any setting, whether it is the lure of an aperitivo in Italy or on a wine estate in Australia, the reason remains the same.
3. Make drinks part of the trip without alcohol
In every country, I find something worth putting in a glass that isn’t alcohol. In Vietnam, I stopped at roadside stalls for fresh-pressed juices and listened to locals tell me about their country. In Japan, I hunted vending-machine coffee and rated each one. In Italy, I found chinotto or Sanbittèr and sat in the square as if it were the most important thing on the itinerary. Ordering something with confidence in a proper glass keeps you part of the moment without compromising your choice.
4. Have your answer ready for the eyebrow raise
Turning down a drink still surprises people in many places. In Scotland, a server encouraged me to “at least smell” a tasting flight. I told him I was there for the food and asked about the cheese plate. He brought one that blew any alcohol beverage out of the water. In Bali, a bartender asked twice if I was sure about ordering a tonic and lime. I told him it was exactly what I wanted, tipped well, and had the best service of the night. If you keep your answer short and certain, most people drop the subject immediately.
5. Make mornings the star of the show
Traveling sober opened up mornings in a way I had never experienced. In Kyoto, I hiked through Fushimi Inari before the city was awake (no mean feat in Japan!). The sun broke through the Torii Gates, and the only sounds were birds and my footsteps. In Botswana, I watched elephants at sunrise, their breath visible in the cool air. In Rome, I sat with a cappuccino in an empty piazza while delivery trucks rolled in. I plan at least one morning on every trip that I would not forgive myself for missing.
6. Decide before you go how to handle drinking-heavy activities
Some destinations lean hard into alcohol tourism. Whisky distilleries in Scotland, wine estates in Argentina, and bar crawls in Europe are designed for it. I decide before the trip how I will approach them. Other times, I look for destinations that are sober-friendly. Sometimes I go along and make the day about photography, food pairings, or driving so others can drink. Sometimes I book something else entirely. In Stellenbosch, I went with the group but focused on scenery, bread, and olives. In Thailand, I skipped sundowners for a Thai cooking class, then met them later for an island dance party. Planning my role means I am not deciding in the moment.
7. Put food in the spotlight
Food is the fastest way into a culture. In Mexico City, I spent an afternoon eating my way through a street market, trying tacos al pastor from three different stalls and comparing the salsas like it was a sport. In Thailand, I learned to pound curry paste by hand in a Chiang Mai cooking class, my forearms aching by the time we sat down to eat. In Morocco, I shared a tagine on a rooftop in Marrakech while the call to prayer echoed across the city. When food is the focus, the trip becomes about taste, conversation, and connection.
Connect with sober and sober curious folks on a Capsule Adventure
At Capsule Adventures we go to great lengths to curate trips that appeal to sober and sober curious travelers. When some travel revolves around a bottle of wine or sundowners after a day of touring a city, it can be hard to connect with others when you have made the choice to remain alcohol-free. With us, you don’t need to worry about that. We take trips to Machu Picchu, Cape Town, and Indonesia among many others that provide activity, connection, and a sense of achievement. If this interests you, reach out and join a trip. We’d love to have you on board!
Frequently asked questions
What are the best tips for traveling the world without drinking?
Set expectations with your travel companions, plan mornings that you will not forgive yourself for missing, decide in advance how you will handle drinking-heavy activities, order alcohol-free drinks with confidence, keep a personal reason ready for turning down alcohol, and put food and connection at the center of the trip.
How do you handle social pressure or offers to drink while traveling?
Keep your answer short and certain. Say what you want and move on. Set expectations before the trip, choose company that respects your choice, and redirect the moment toward food, scenery, or conversation. Most people drop the subject when you are clear.
How can mornings make sober travel better?
Plan at least one morning on every trip that you refuse to miss, such as a sunrise hike, quiet temple walk, wildlife viewing, or first coffee in an empty piazza. Clear mornings become the most vivid memories of the journey.
What are alcohol-free drink ideas to stay part of the moment?
Pick local options and order them with confidence. Examples include fresh-pressed juices, vending-machine coffees, chinotto, Sanbittèr, tonic with lime, and specialty sodas or teas. A proper glass and a clear order keep you in the experience without alcohol.
