Solo travel changed my life.
A few years ago, I didn’t think I was capable of solo travel. I was terrified at the prospect of navigating a new destination by myself and assumed it was something someone did when they had no one else to go with.
How wrong was I?! Solo travel is INCREDIBLE. Solo travel pushes you out of your comfort zone, encourages personal growth, and allows you to explore the world on YOUR terms. It’s become my favourite way to travel.
In this guide, I’ve shared what I believe to be just some of the benefits of solo travel. I’ve spent the best part of the past five years solo traveling to over 40 countries, including volunteering for six months in Costa Rica, and working as a tour guide in New Zealand. So, I think it’s fair to say I’m a bit of a solo travel expert.
I know the idea of solo travel can be terrifying. What if something goes wrong? What if I get lonely? Is it safe? These are all very valid questions, and even the most seasoned solo travellers still have these worries.
But trust me when I say the rewards make it all worthwhile. Even after your first trip, you will feel the benefits.
There are so many different reasons why everyone should solo travel at least once in their life, but here are just a few benefits of solo female travel.
Advantages of solo female travel
It’s on your terms
Let’s start with an obvious benefit of solo travel, but a good one: everything, and I mean everything, is on your terms.
This means you get to decide where you stay, what you eat, what you do, how you spend your day… the list goes on and on.
You get to make your own decisions and travel at your own pace on your own schedule. It’s a wonderful experience.
There’s zero compromising involved. The trip is entirely YOURS.
You’ll learn new skills
It sounds cliché, but solo traveling is a great opportunity to learn new skills.
As you’re on your own, you’ll be responsible for everything. This means using your decision-making skills and problem-solving skills to navigate your way around new countries and destinations.
Here are just a few of the tricky situations I’ve found myself in as a solo female traveler:
- Almost being denied entry to a country for having the wrong paperwork
- Getting sick in Guatemala and having no one to support me at the hospital
- Having my phone stolen in Ecuador
- Navigating the overnight buses in Bolivia alone
- Getting severely sick in Peru
- Lost luggage in North America
Not to mention, I’ve planned all my solo travels around the world entirely by myself.
The truth is that solo travel isn’t always going to be easy. There will be times when you are pushed out of your comfort zone, face safety concerns and find yourself in difficult situations.
But this is all part of the experience, and you will come out stronger on the other side.
You can be more flexible
With solo travel being on your terms, you can be as flexible as you want.
Want to change your plans and leave somewhere earlier or stay longer? Sorted.
Maybe you wake up and decide you no longer want to do something. No problem.
Don’t like the look of a restaurant and want to try something else? Okay.
You don’t need to discuss it with anyone or check it’s okay. It’s completely flexible and your decision. You can make last-minute, spontaneous decisions without checking in with anyone.
Solo travel gives you more flexibility than you can ever imagine. I still get a weird feeling when I wake up in the morning and realise I can do whatever I want today.
Honestly, it’s arguably the best part of solo travel for me.
You’ll meet new friends
Solo travel is a fantastic way to meet new friends. In fact, I’ve met some of my closest friends through my travels.
When you’re alone, you’re more likely to put yourself out there and be social. I always find when I’m traveling with people I know, I’m less likely to go and speak to other people.
Of course, you don’t have to be social (remember, solo travel is on your terms). Sometimes, it’s nice to spend some time by yourself.
But for the most part, solo travel is the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and share new experiences.
If you’re worried about being lonely when you travel, it’s rare that you’ll ever be entirely by yourself. Sure, you might find that you don’t gel with the other solo travellers in a hostel, but you can always move on and try somewhere else.
For those who are very worried about traveling alone and being by yourself, consider a group trip. And yes, it’s still solo travel, just in a different way.
You become comfortable with your own company
Going on a solo adventure requires you to become comfortable with your own company. Yes, you’ll likely meet people along the way, but that won’t always be the case.
There have been many times when I’ve spent extended periods traveling alone, either because I wasn’t meeting anyone or, more recently, because I genuinely enjoy exploring alone.
Traveling on long-haul flights, going out for meals, experiencing local culture… these are all different ways to become more comfortable with your own company.
You’ll become more confident
One of the great advantages of solo female travel is that you’ll become more confident, and this has undoubtedly been the biggest benefit for me. The psychological benefits have honestly changed my life.
I’ve never had the best self-esteem or self-confidence, and it was starting to impact my mental health. But solo travel has taught me to believe in myself and my abilities, it’s given me a whole new lease of life. Now, I am more confident than ever before. It takes a lot to phase me now.
I still remember how much I doubted myself in all areas of my life. But now? That’s not the case. Even after my first solo trip, I became so much more confident.
When you solo travel, you only have yourself. Whatever situation you find yourself in, you have to deal with it.
During my solo travels, I’ve had a phone stolen, been mugged, ended up in a hospital, had flights cancelled, had the wrong documents at an airport, and been completely lost.
You must trust yourself to resolve these situations, which can only make you more confident.
Solo travel has also taught me not to care what people think. You won’t get on with everyone you meet, and that’s okay.
You gain perspective
When someone asks me what solo travel has taught me, my answer is always: perspective.
Slightly cringe, I know! But it’s true, and many solo travelers will say the same.
I’ve gained perspective on so many things, not only on what’s important in my personal life but also on the world as a whole.
I used to be obsessed with climbing the career ladder and believed the whole world revolved around my 9-5. Now, I have a new perspective on that and the direction I want to take my life.
It’s suited to your budget
This is a big advantage of solo travel. It can be difficult to travel with someone on a different budget from you, whether they have more or less money.
Personally, I try to travel on a budget. The less money I spend in a new country, the more new places I can travel to (solo traveller math, I guess)!
However, that can be tricky when I travel with my friends. Not everyone is happy to stay in a hostel and survive on cheap street food.
Traveling alone allows you to control your own budget.
You can be your true self
When you solo travel, you can be completely yourself. No one knows who you are. No one has any expectations of you. And no one cares about your past.
Travel naturally brings like-minded people together. I’ve never felt so comfortable being myself as I have on my solo travels.
No one will judge you for being a little bit different. Everyone wants to have a good time and share this fantastic experience.
I’ve traveled with people I never could have imagined spending time with and had the best time. If you do come across someone you don’t feel like being yourself around, you can just move on and forget about them.
It’s the best feeling.
You have no commitments
Traveling solo means zero commitments.
Even if you meet people on your travels, everyone goes on a solo trip with the mindset that solo travel is on their own terms. It’s easy to say no to things and change your mind.
Perhaps your friends at a hostel are doing an activity you don’t want to do. That’s fine. You have no commitments or obligations.
The point of solo travel is to be flexible and do what you want. Most, if not all, solo female travelers I’ve met have that mindset.
You become resourceful
It’s rare that a big solo trip won’t come without its challenges and hiccups.
You will learn how to deal with these issues in the moment. You only have yourself to rely on and that means being resourceful in solving problems.
During my travels, I’ve encountered many ‘crises’—you learn how to deal with them in the moment and rely on your instincts. I’ve also found that the local people are often more than willing to help you.
It gives you space and time to reflect
This has been such an advantage of solo travel for me.
Having some time away from your job, your friends and your commitments gives you the space you might need to reflect on your life. It can help you realise what’s important to you, what you want in the future and what isn’t working in your life.
It can be hard to look at a situation from a different perspective while you’re still immersed in, but once you step away it gives you an opportunity to really think. You can move on and leave the negative influences in your life behind.
This certainly happened with my old job. Disclaimer: I loved my job. I loved the people I worked with. It allowed me to travel, and I will be forever grateful. But I wasn’t happy. It wasn’t what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until my career break in 2021 that I realised that.
Travelling solo gave me the time to come to this realisation and also understand that this was not what I wanted my future to be. It gave me the confidence to step away and see what else was out there.
Of course, you might travel solo and realise you love your life or your job. It might make you more grateful for what you have. That’s great! A big advantage of solo travel is it allows you time discover all of this and if needed, take action.
Whatever happens, solo travel will change you.
You learn so much about yourself
This is tied into the above points and is one of the biggest advantages of solo travel. Ultimately, solo travel teaches you so much about yourself—at least it did for me.
I know more about myself than I ever did before. I’ve learnt what does and doesn’t matter to me, and I understand what makes me feel good.
This is all due to solo travel, the amazing people I’ve met, and the unique experiences I’ve had along the way.
It hasn’t all been easygoing. There have been many challenges, and it’s been difficult at times. There’s been tears. There’s been scary moments. There’s been homesickness. But I’m a completely different person to who I was a few years ago and I wouldn’t change anything about it.
Summary: Should you book a solo trip?
In my opinion, solo travel is one of the best ways, if not THE BEST WAY, to learn more about yourself, gain perspective on your life and become more confident.
Whether you travel solo to a new city or spend a year backpacking around the world, solo female travel will allow you to explore all areas of your life.
Honestly, traveling alone is a great way to travel. There is no better way to explore who you are, push yourself out of your comfort zone and learn about new cultures.
Solo travel will change you and it will challenge you. It will give you more freedom and perspective than you can ever dream of, and it will make you a more confident version of yourself.
Are you inspired to solo travel? Check out my solo female guide to destinations all around the world.
- Solo travel in Ecuador. Is it safe?
- Is Guatemala safe for solo female travel?
- All you need to know about traveling alone in Peru
- Is Japan a good destination for solo travelers?
- A guide to solo travel in Iceland
- What you need to know about traveling solo in New Zealand
- Taking a solo road trip in New Zealand, what to know
- A solo travel guide for Argentina
- Helpful tips for traveling alone in Nepal
