Before I begin, I would like to make clear that I absolutely believe you can have the best travel experiences with your partner, your best friends, or your family. However, with this post, I urge you to experience the feeling of solo travel at least once in your life. And while it seems challenging, frightening, or even boring in the first place, I am telling you that there are so many more benefits of traveling alone than you think.
“Don’t be scared to walk alone, don’t be scared to like it”
John Mayer
This is one of my favorite quotes and it perfectly sums up the feeling of solo travel. First, you fear starting, then you will (most likely) love it, and in the end, you will wonder if it’s actually a good thing to love it. As with so many other things in life, the most important step to knowing whether you’ll love it or not is to try it. If you are not already planning your first solo trip, I have compiled a list of the 10 best benefits of traveling alone. But first, let me tell you where and when to go solo traveling.
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Where to go solo traveling?
In my opinion, Southeast Asia is the perfect destination for first-time solo travelers. Not only does this region offer hot weather, beautiful beaches, and fantastic food, but countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, or Indonesia are comparatively very cheap when it comes to accommodation costs, food costs, or transportation costs. Moreover, as many, especially young, people choose Southeast Asia for their Backpacking trips, chances are high that you will meet a lot of like-minded people along your journey. Having said that, I want to stress that traveling solo in no way means traveling alone. It only means that you are starting solo but making friends along the way.
When to go solo traveling?
This question definitely has no right or wrong answer. In my opinion, the best time is always now. It’s just a matter of courage. Whether you have just finished school or college, you are taking a break from your job, or you are having a crisis – no matter your situation and age, travel is always the right answer and will make everything better, trust me! 😊
Fun fact: I’ve even heard of a 106-year-old professor, who was traveling the world on his own. If this is not an inspiring story, then I don’t know what is. For more inspiration, take a look at my favorite solo trip quotes and my list of the best books about travel and self-discovery.
Why travel solo? 10 benefits of traveling alone
1. Be independent in your travel plans
This might be one of the most obvious benefits of traveling alone. It is not only at the destination where you don’t need to coordinate two or more opinions, it already starts with the packing and travel planning. Which country would you like to visit? How long would you like to stay? What is your budget? When do you want to depart? It’s all in your hands! And it goes without saying that, especially when you are traveling in a group, it can sometimes be quite a challenge to get all people under one roof. Imagine never having to discuss what the plan for the next day looks like, what to eat, where to go first, and so on. You don’t even need to discuss who can have the window seat when looking for flights – wow.
2. Become more self-confident and self-reliant
Doing something on your own and without the help of others is always a boost in self-confidence and independence. From making the decision to go on that trip to planning the trip, to actually being on the trip – during the whole process you will face minor and major obstacles that you will master by relying on yourself. Even if you have to jump over your shadow more than once and encounter some of the top travel mistakes, the whole experience of solo travel will definitely make you a more self-confident person at the end of the day.
3. Meet new people more easily
I think it goes without saying that it’s easier to meet new people when you travel alone than as a couple or as part of a group. The best way to meet new people abroad is by staying in hostels/ shared accommodations or by taking part in group trips. Nowadays, there are also numerous options to connect with other solo travelers online (before or during the trip), for example through Facebook groups or online platforms such as joinmytrip or travelbuddies.
4. Learn a lot about yourself
Solo traveling means going on a trip with yourself. Of course, you’ll probably be surrounded by other people most of the time, but you’ll also learn to do well on your own. As strange as that may sound, it means that you’ll learn to like yourself as a friend and travel companion. A solo trip is a great opportunity to sort your own thoughts, discover new ideas and passions, and make new plans. Talking to people from all over the world who live in different cultures, and have different values and views on life will inspire you in a way no conversations with friends and family at home ever can. And by learning about others, you will learn a lot about yourself.
5. Have the best stories to tell
“Aren’t you afraid to go there on your own? Isn’t it dangerous to go there alone?” These will probably be the most asked questions you will receive. Proof others they are wrong with their assumptions about how dangerous traveling alone can be and tell them about the amazing experiences you’ve had and all the friendly people you’ve met. Even in job interviews, you can talk about your solo travel experiences and therefore prove how well-structured, reliable, and flexible you are.
6. Become a pro in travel planning
If you’re the kind of person who always relies on others booking the travel transportation, choosing the accommodation, and showing the way to the attractions, you will definitely have to change a lot while solo traveling. After your trip, you will be a true expert in finding the best travel insurance, planning excursions, knowing how to avoid getting pickpocketed, writing itineraries and so much more. Other people will be amazed by your talent to organize and manage the whole trip by yourself and you will definitely be asked for travel tips and inspiration in the future. And being reliant on your own organization automatically helps you to become a more structured person in other situations as well.
7. Discover new places at your own pace
Do you feel like spending a whole day doing nothing but relaxing at the hostel? Do you feel like skipping a city that you’ve actually planned to visit for several days? No problem at all, you are your own boss! Even though it makes you feel safe to travel according to a pre-determined itinerary and to have all the accommodations already booked, I recommend leaving room for some flexibility and spontaneity. If you meet new people and want to travel a bit further with them, or if you want to stay longer in one place, it’s good to book the accommodations spontaneously and adjust your route along the way. Being flexible is one of the big advantages of traveling alone.
8. Travel with less money
Why is solo traveling cheaper? First, because your expectations might be lower. When traveling as a couple, you usually don’t want to stay in a shared hostel room, and you tend to rather go out for a romantic dinner at night. Traveling alone and with the intention of meeting new people, you will probably be super happy with a shared hostel room and a cheap meal in a trendy backpacker restaurant. Also, you can plan according to your own budget and schedule, and therefore choose to travel off-season for example.
9. Enhance your language skills
Improving your communication skills is one of the best benefits of traveling alone! Traveling to a foreign country and meeting people from all over the world forces you to improve your language skills automatically. If you’re staying at hostels, chances are high you will meet people from all over the world, speaking different languages and sharing different cultures. During your journey, you will learn how important communication is and how difficult everyday life can be if you’re not able to understand other people. Make sure to learn at least a few words of the local language before coming to the country. The locals will like you immediately if you know how to say “hello” and “thank you” in their language. If you’re planning a long-term solo trip, going to a language school is something you can take into consideration as well.
10. Improve your interpersonal skills
If you’re an extrovert person, meeting new people along the road might be easy for you. But if you’re rather an introverted person, you probably know how hard it can be to start a conversation with strangers or make small talk. Traveling alone not only helps you meet new people but also helps you deal with situations you prefer to avoid in everyday life. You won’t be able to avoid small talk and short conversations with strangers while traveling and this can also help you later – both in your everyday life and professional life.
Have you ever traveled on your own before or are you planning to do so any time soon? I’m curious about your experiences! Let me know about them in the comments down below.
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