Secret overseas Tinder trick for ‘15 men in 21 days’

The ultimate way to get multiple dates while on holiday is hiding in a Tinder secret feature – and author Helen Chik used it to her advantage.

Is there anything better than a holiday fling? You’re relaxed, the cocktails are flowing and you’re living your best life. So why not spend a little time falling in love? Or in most cases, lust.

I’ve had some wonderful holiday flings. There was the ultimate Lad in London who shouted me double gin and tonics at a bar that looked like it was straight out of Peaky Blinders and introduced me to a Notting Hill bottomless brunch tradition that I would very much like to be introduced properly in Sydney. It was a glorious, lusty long weekend.

The ultimate holiday fling, however, was the groomsman at my friends wedding in Italy. Good lord he looked like he belonged on the cover of Men’s Health magazine. I was smitten.

We danced the night away, and had a very joyous day by the pool at the recovery party. In fact, we even flew home together and pretended we were a married couple to score upgrades on the many flights it took to get back to Sydney.

Jana Hocking is a fan of a holiday fling. Picture: Instagram.

Sadly, just like many holiday flings, the spark kinda died out when we got back to Sydney. Gone was drinking Aperol Spritz overlooking the Amalfi Coast, and the many adventures that came with trying to work out how to order a spag bol and two vinos in Italian.

Sigh … they were replaced with vodka sodas at The Royal and bland conversations that made it abundantly clear that we had absolutely nothing in common.

He was a gym bunny whose perfect date was a workout followed by a protein shake and I as an arts lover, I would much prefer checking out a new gallery or play and sipping on a Martini or two.

Nevertheless, I’ve got the best memories and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

So when my Kinda Sorta Dating podcast guest this week, influencer and author Helen Chik, shared with me a very special dating hack she does before going on holidays that ensures she has men lined and ready for dates when she gets there … well, I was hooked!

Helen Chik has a special trick for dating overseas. Picture: Instagram.

Helen was explaining that she once went on 15 different dates over a three week holiday in New York. Yep, 15 different men … in just 21 days.

First of all, I tip my hat to you Helen, that is impressive! And secondly, I bet you are wondering how the heck she did it …

Well, it turns out that if you’re willing to pay for it, Tinder has an upgrade service that allows you to change your location to anywhere in the world at will. And apparently all the other dating apps are incorporating this feature as well.

So, a few weeks before you choof off overseas, you change your location to the destination you will be going to, and get swiping.

That way you’ve already matched with blokes you might fancy while on your holiday, and got the small talk out of the way. By the time you get off the plane, you’ve already set up dates with each and every one of them. What a serious time saving hack!

The extra bonus is you can use them as your own personal tour guide. Let’s be honest, locals always know where the best bars, restaurants and adventure spots are. So why the heck not go check these places out with someone you want to swoon over.

Genius!

With borders now opening up and lockdown spent being far too single for my liking, I’m ready to let my hair down a little and have some fun again. So with my friend’s wedding in Spain fast approaching in June, I plan on using this dating hack myself.

Yes, it is time to find myself a Javier Bardem to have my very own Vicky Christina Barcelona moment. Bring. It. On.

Jana Hocking is a podcaster and collector of kind-of-boyfriends | @jana_hocking

Originally published as Secret overseas Tinder trick for ‘15 men in 21 days’