Everyone Should Solo Travel At Least Once. Here’s Why

I’m addicted to solo travel and you should be too! I’ve done lots of traveling in my life: tour groups, family road trips, weekends away with friends, and more. Out of all my travel experience, none is more rewarding than a solo trip. Solo traveling is a one of a kind adventure that everyone should experience at least once. Keep reading to discover the reasons why, and I dare you to not book yourself a solo trip by the time you finish.

Choose Your Own Adventure

A solo trip is the perfect way to plan the exact type of travel experience you want. You might be the only one in your friend group that loves going to museums. Or you like to shop while your partner prefers to relax at the hotel.

With a solo trip, you don’t need to compromise anything! You do what you want when you want.

That goes for planning a trip too. You can arrange to have a tour company book everything for you –down to planning your meals. Or dig into the logistics yourself and find your own accommodations and activities.

I like a bit of spontaneity in my travels. I book transportation and accommodation and leave the rest of my schedule open. That’s not to say I don’t do my research beforehand.

When I traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam I looked up the most popular attractions and best local food spots. Then I searched for a budget friendly hostel in the area of town closest to my interests. I made a list of things I wanted to do from most to least. When I arrived at my destination, I asked the hostel staff for recommendations too. I even booked a guided local food tour through them. I did the activities I felt like doing on the day and could always change my mind.

Hanoi, Vietnam

local food tour

Roll With The Punches

Planning a solo trip also challenges you to remain calm when things go wrong. Having a plan B (and C) is essential to ensuring your trip goes smoothly since you only have yourself to rely on.

If plan A falls apart, it can feel empowering to know you already have a fall back plan.

When the airline canceled my connecting flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, I already had a plan B in place. A friend in the same position hired a car to drive to Bangkok and had enough room for me and my luggage to join them. Their plane left a full 24 hours before my flight, so I needed to book one night in a capsule hotel. I didn’t stress at all since I planned for this scenario and knew I could make my flight to Dubai in plenty of time.

my capsule hotel in Bangkok airport

Sometimes you need to make plans on the go.

Once, I visited Amsterdam and needed to change my plans as fast as I made them. I wanted to meet up with some friends in the city but we didn’t have a set time. They sent me the location of their hostel but didn’t know when they’d return. I made my way there and grabbed some lunch at the bar. When I did not hear back I decided to explore the surrounding neighborhood. I walked around the picturesque canals taking my time. Eventually they let me know to meet them at the Anne Frank House instead. Since we arrived at different times, the long line prevented us from going in together. I decided that I wanted to visit the museum myself and told them I’d meet them later for dinner. Even though my day did not go to plan at all, I enjoyed exploring the city on my own.

exploring the Amsterdam canals

visiting the Anne Frank House

Make Connections

A misconception is that traveling alone is lonely, but this is false. You often meet more people then you would traveling in an entourage. Solo travel is an adventure! I have conversed with strangers on a train to London, gone rock climbing with a newlywed couple, and made new friends in a remote hilltribe village. Traveling solo forces you to open yourself up to new people and experiences. You will meet plenty of diverse and interesting people while traveling alone.

I attended a sold out concert in New Jersey and drove all the way from Florida by myself. Even though I went to the concert alone, I met lots of other fans waiting in line and in the seats around me. Everyone I met was so friendly and we talked about the show, music, and our shared interests. The crowd’s enthusiasm was infectious and made the concert even more enjoyable. Afterwards we exchanged contact info and sent each other pictures and videos of the fun night. Never before had I experienced strangers become such fast friends.

making new friends at a concert

The unplanned moments of a trip are often the most memorable.

Conversations provide a more authentic cultural experience than reading a tourist brochure. Talk with the locals. Ask advice about what you should see and do during your visit and their insights might surprise you.

I got a slice of life experience at a homestay in Krabi, Thailand. It involved sleeping in an open-air hut, visiting a hot spring, and cooking a traditional meal. All coordinated by my wonderful host. This experience allowed me to meet many interesting people. It pushed me outside my comfort zone in a worthwhile way.

Arihut Krabi

village cooking class

Treat Yourself to Some ‘Me Time’

Finally, solo traveling is a good time for self reflection. Taking a break from your hectic schedule every once in a while is healthy. Stepping outside your daily routine can show you new things about yourself.

You can take it one step further and use the trip as an opportunity to disconnect from social media for a short time. Today's technology provides limitless distractions and we rarely sit in our own thoughts.

quality alone time

reading with a view

I decided to do just that on my spring break last year. I booked a week-long stay at a beach resort in Railay, Thailand with the goal of rest and relaxation. I packed a few books and my cross stitch project for entertainment. I spent hours sitting by the pool or on the beach soaking up the sunshine and fresh air. I hardly touched my phone other than to take pictures of my beautiful surroundings. By the end of my stay, I felt refreshed and ready to start the new term at my busy teaching job.

cross stitch with a view

who doesn’t love a coconut on the beach?

It is not necessary to completely disconnect or spend hours in contemplation on a solo trip. Trying something new and exciting can also be a form of self reflection. Spending time with yourself is as important as spending time with friends and family.

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2022 is showing a surge in popularity of solo traveling. Some people prefer to join a tour company while others choose to venture out completely on their own. Hopefully seeing the many benefits of solo trips inspires you to take one of your own. It will change your life. You might become addicted to solo travel like me, or you might decide it’s not your cup of tea. Everyone should try it at least once.

Where do you want to go on your next solo adventure?

chasing waterfalls