Solo Travel – A Guide to Why You Should Travel Solo

I have always travelled solo. Initially anyway. For me, travel isn’t just about seeing new places. It’s about character building and meeting new people. Of course, when you are planning your backpacking trip, you are looking at all the cool things to see and do. But how often do you think about who you’re going to do and see all this amazing stuff with? Well if you have a buddy you’re going travelling with that questions already answered. But what if you’re solo travelling?

One of the most amazing things about solo travel is that you have no idea who you’re going to be spending your time with. But you will be spending it with people you’ve just met unless you actively avoid other people which would destroy the point of solo travel!

So Why Travel Solo?

Good question! Wouldn’t it just be easier to travel with your friends? To be honest I don’t know, because I’ve never done it. But I have spoken to people that have, and also observed those that are. It really depends on what you are looking for from your trip!

Travelling solo can really help open your eyes to who you are, what you like and what you want. As human beings we morph into the groups we are in. It’s a completely natural instinct, we are pack animals after all. But what happens if you leave the “pack” you are in and go it alone. Will you change? In my experience, you will. It’s truly eye-opening to travel solo.

Meeting people as a Solo Traveler.

You will meet countless people, good people, different people. All of whom will be on a similar journey to you, some you will make lifelong friends, others will be friends for a few nights before you leave the hostel and some will be downright irritating!

You will usually keep bumping into the same people while you are on your travels. It can be quite a strange experience being in a country or city you’ve never been to and seeing familiar faces.

As I said in the first paragraph, I initially travel solo. It’s never long that I’m by myself because most people do travel solo! Everyone is in the same position looking for people to talk to and do things with. Even though I want to be with people (most of the time) I still prefer travelling solo! Why? Because it pushes you to meet people. When I do meet one of these travel buddies I don’t have the urge to strike up a conversation as much. So, in my opinion, you will make more connections if you travel solo. Read my guide on making friends in hostels here.

You Are the Boss!

Travel is for yourself. You will grow as a person and you will find things about yourself you never knew. Solo travel means you don’t have to agree with anyone on what you want to do. If you decide you want to go to a random place you’ve never heard of with some people you just met last night, you can! You can completely immerse yourself when travelling solo, you don’t need to worry that you’re doing what others want as well.

It’s complete freedom! If you decide on the day you’d rather stay in bed for a couple more hours rather than get up to go on a hike, that’s completely up to you. If you would rather spend your money going up the Eiffel Tower than going to the Louvre, then you can just make the decision, nobody to answer to, and you’ll usually find someone in the hostel that wants to do the same as you if you want some company.

Independence.

For many first time travellers, it’s also their first time alone away from home. If it is your first trip read my packing guide here. Solo travel gives you a real sense of independence and teaches you real life-skills. Being in a country where you don’t speak the language and finding you can get by comfortably feels like a big achievement!

YOU will be responsible for yourself and trust me you will be fine! Once you get over the initial nerves of travelling solo, you will realise how much fun it is! Remember you are not alone both literally and hypothetically. There’s always going to be others you can spend time with, and most of the people around you are in the same boat.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.

“A ship is always safe at the shore-but that is not what it is built for.” – Albert Einstein

Getting out of your comfort zone is when you really grow as a person. Personally, I was scared to travel solo for the first time. But it soon dissipated when I realised how easy it was to meet people and get by!

“Outside your comfort zone is the only place worth living.” – Karina Bliss

Solo travel can seem incredibly daunting, especially when you are more of an introvert (like me). But you will become more extroverted by the day! You will realise how strong you truly are and once you take that step out of your comfort zone, you can’t go back it just expands. If you are worried about staying in hostels read this guide to put your mind at ease!

Get out of your comfort zone and travel solo! You won’t regret it!

The Negatives of Solo Travel.

So it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some downfalls of solo travel. But in my personal opinion, the positives far outweigh the negatives!

Loneliness – You can find that you are alone sometimes when you want someone to share an experience or conversation with. But this is just part of solo travel. You have to be realistic, although you will not be alone often, there will be times you are. But going back to the point I just made, get out of your comfort zone! It can be nice to plug in your headphones and go on a hike or go sightseeing in a new city. You never know who you can bump into along the way!

Safety – Being alone can feel unsafe in a foreign country, and it can be. Personally, I have never felt very unsafe anywhere I have been. But I do use my common sense, I would be wary of walking around late at night, I would keep my valuables somewhere safe, and just generally trust my intuition! Do your research on your destination before you go, but don’t stress just use your common sense and stay vigilant! For safety tips in hostels click on this link.

Getting Homesick – I can imagine being homesick is amplified when travelling solo, as opposed to travelling with a friend from home. Personally, I don’t really get homesick, but if I do my friends and family are just a phone call away. So if you do feel homesick just pick up the phone and speak to someone from home, it helps!

Reminiscing – I have only noticed this to be an issue after returning from my travels. You know when you tell a story and don’t get the reaction you want. Yeah, “you had to of been there”. If you travel with a friend then you can go back and reminisce on all of these moments. The easy solution to this is to stay in touch with the people you DID share the moment with! Just because you didn’t share the moment with someone you know from home, doesn’t mean you haven’t got the memories.

Expenses – Sometimes things are going to be more expensive for you. Read my guide on saving money for travel here. Say if you wanted to rent a car then you would normally split the rental and petrol money between yourselves but if you are alone you can’t. Same situation with hotel rooms if you decide you want your own space, you will have to pay for the whole room yourself, unless you find someone willing to share with you. Read about how you can save money on your next flight here!

Solo Travel In Summary…

You should absolutely travel alone especially if it’s fear that’s making you reconsider! There’s nothing wrong with travelling with friends if that’s what you want to do either, it’s really a matter of preference. Do what makes you happy, travel is about you so take whatever path you feel is right!

I hope this helped push some people over the line to get out of their comfort zone and take the first step to become a solo traveller. But like I said before if it’s not for you then do what pleases you! If your not sure if you want to travel solo or with friends I have a whole post about it here!