9 Reasons To Travel Alone
Setting out on a solo adventure is a thrilling mix of excitement, a touch of nerves and a sprinkling of unpredictability. What will come out of your trip won’t necessarily be a magical getaway filled with only laughter, new friends and unforgettable places (although, you’ll definitely get plenty of this along the way). It will also be a space for self-reflection, the occasional mishap and most importantly, time for you and only you.
On a recent solo trip, I made friends with a few local students who were fascinated by the fact I had come to Poland alone. They all told me how brave I was for undertaking a journey by myself - a sentiment echoed by many people you’ll meet along the way who find out you’re traveling alone. It’s true that solo travel requires a certain amount of bravery but what it gives back - confidence, friends from around the world and memories - makes the leap of faith all the more worthwhile.
Here Are My Reasons To Travel Solo
Why Travel Solo?
Below are some of the reasons that traveling alone can be an enriching experience and most of all, why it is loads of fun!
1. No pre-travel faff
When traveling with friends, family or as part of a group, there is a seemingly endless back and forth prior to setting off. From different budgets, transportation preferences and accommodation options the list of things for people to disagree over gets longer the more you delve into the planning nitty gritty. The good news is, when traveling solo, there’s no one to check in with. If you want to save money and book the flights with the 2am layover, there’s no one there to stop you and equally, if you want to splash out on a five star adult-only hotel you won’t have to worry about what aunt Glenda and your whiny cousin Joe have to say about that!
2. You get to make all the decisions
While this is a common fear people raise when discussing solo travel, it’s also a pretty great situation to find yourself in. When you’re making decisions solely for yourself, there’s no guilt around what you decide to do. If you’d prefer having a nap immediately upon arrival, instead of getting out to explore, there’s no one around to judge you or try and persuade you otherwise. Solo travel affords you the space to make your own decisions that will serve you in your day-to-day life. This is especially pertinent for women who spend so much of our time doing things for other people (colleagues, kids, partners, friends etc) and never giving ourselves the space to say ‘hey, this is what I want.’ Good news is, through solo travel, you can.
3. Solo Travel forces you to leave your comfort zone
This is a reason I’m especially grateful to have discovered solo travel. The events of the last few years (pandemic, lockdowns and more) made the world feel small and comfortable and safe to be surrounded by the same 4 walls every day. Yet, at the same time, it also meant that we were increasingly cut off from the diverse and varied world out there. Solo travel puts you in situations where you are forced to try new things. It would be a lie to say that this will always be a comfortable experience, but it’s almost always a rewarding one.
4. You spend time with just yourself
It’s in moments of solitude that you are really able to self-reflect. Solo travel gives you this opportunity to an infinite degree and most importantly, you’ll be doing this somewhere new - away from your usual routine and distractions.
5. You’ll make friends and learn how to be lonely
Loneliness gets a bad wrap, but it’s an inevitable part of solo travel and anyone who tells you differently is either lying or privy to a secret I’m yet to learn. Being lonely helps focus your thoughts - even if they start off completely muddled. Loneliness teaches you how you like to spend your time and helps you understand your own rhythms - from the highs to the lows. This isn’t to say that you’ll be lonely the whole time, because trust me, you really won’t be, but it’s important to allow space for these moments when they arise. It’s easy to throw loneliness into the scary and unwanted bin, but dig a little deeper into that feeling and you’ll learn something about yourself.
On the flip side, you’ll also make lifelong friends by traveling alone. Solo travel breaks you out of your comfort zone, so you’re more open to people and new experiences, plus a solo traveler is much less intimidating to befriend than a large group of people traveling together.
6. Gain greater awareness of your surroundings
You’re more likely to notice the little things going on around you when traveling solo. From the mother & daughter sharing a bottle of red or the two guys on their first date awkwardly, but endearingly getting to know one another - it’s these details that make you fall in love with a place. You might find that you feel more deeply because your feelings are yours alone, and aren’t shared with a companion. When you’re alone, less is missed because you don’t have the distraction of a travel buddy.
7. Gain confidence
One of the best things solo travel does is give you confidence & self-awareness . It will help your decision making, because you have no one else to rely on. You make decisions from the word go: destination, budget, hostel or hotel, foodie or sporty trip (or both?) Knowing that you made these decisions without needing to rely on others will make you feel stronger and trust in your ability to be self-reliant.
8. It is an experience just for you
Your trip will be filled with people who share moments with you, but the whole trip will only ever be yours. There’s something so exciting about this - only you’ll remember watching the solo sunrise on the beach, the unforgettable meal you had at the rainforest restaurant or the awkward lugging of your suitcase to the toilet because no one was around to keep an eye on it. Solo travel gives you life-changing memories - and who better to share them with than the one person who will always be with you.
9. The the world is (almost always) kind
You’ll meet people along the way and most of them, you’ll never meet again but the kindness, compassion and help you’ll be shown will make it feel like a lifetime connection. As solo travelers, you’re immediately interesting to the average person (for many of the reasons given above). You’ll find yourself constantly surprised at just how generous people are - no matter where in the world you find yourself.
Solo travel isn’t for everyone, but if you decide to take the plunge, I hope you find it as fun and fulfilling as I do and that these tips help you along the way. Remember, solo travel won’t always be easy, but it will always be worthwhile.
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