Whether you’re single or in a relationship, there’s no reason you shouldn’t plan and take a solo vacation. Sure, it’s great to travel with friends, family, or a partner if you have one, but there’s nothing quite like seeing the world on your own. Here’s why solo travel needs to be on your bucket list.
- It empowers you as a woman and a person. Traveling alone isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and many people only do it for work or other unavoidable tasks. It’s a shame since it’s freeing in so many ways. Not only do you get the plan the entire trip from start to finish all on your own, but getting away from your everyday life and the people in it is refreshing and can work wonders for your self-worth.
- You get to do what you want to do without having to think of anyone else. There are no aunts and uncles on this trip who just have to visit that boring museum. There’s no husband or partner who wants to bungee jump even though you’re terrified of heights, no kids begging to include a trip to the zoo or the water park. Traveling solo means your days and nights are truly and exclusively yours and it feels great.
- You don’t waste money on stuff you’re not even interested in. Vacations are expensive affairs, especially when you travel as a family or in an extended group. You have to fork out money at restaurants someone else wanted to eat at or spend cash on tickets to shows or museums you never wanted to see in the first place. On a solo vacation, you’re free to scrimp or splurge as you choose. Stay at a five-star hotel if you can afford it or budget and stay at a hostel so you can spend your money elsewhere. It’s totally up to you.
- You become far more self-reliant. When you travel alone, everything’s on you, and doing it as a woman means you have to be more careful about your safety and security as well. You have plan it all out, buy your own tickets, schedule your days, etc. This makes you even more of an independent and fearless spirit, which can only be a good thing even when you’re back to the daily grind.
- It opens up more of the world to you. Traveling with someone, whether it’s your friends or your partner, can be a challenge when it comes to choosing where you’ll actually go. Sometimes you end up going somewhere you’re not interested in at all. Likewise, your dream destination might be somewhere only you’re into checking out. On a solo vacation, you get to go where you want to go and no one is around to judge or berate you for your choice.
- You can take a deep breath and really enjoy the experience. When you’re alone with no familiar bubble to protect you, you feel everything a lot more. When you travel with other people, your attention is divided and you often miss out on things that are right in front of you. On a solo vacation, you experience everything more keenly, see everything with a clearer eye, and make indelible memories like never before.
- You have a chance to meet some different, interesting people. When traveling alone, you end up meeting many more locals, be it during meals, while asking for directions, or out sightseeing. Being alone makes you seem more approachable and people tend to talk to you more than if you were with someone else. Of course, this means people are free to hit on you too, but by now your self-reliance should kick in to brush off any unwanted advances.
- There’s no such thing as a bad trip when you’re alone. If you plan a trip and pull in others to go with you, there’s always the risk of things going seriously wrong and you feeling guilty because of it. If the trip or the destination sucks, you’ll blame yourself because you planned it. When you’re solo, you don’t have the guilt of a bad vacation. So what if it wasn’t that great? There’s always next time. Going solo means going guilt-free.
- You get to know yourself on a deeper level. When was the last time you really spent some time on self-care and self-reflection? Traveling alone gives you time to reconnect with yourself and indulge in a little introspection too. That’s a good thing – before we know others, we need to get to know ourselves.
- You’ll appreciate those at home even more when you return. It’s exciting to travel alone. Once you get over the fear, somewhere in the middle of that solo vacation, a new kind of satisfaction will emerge. The best part, however, is that you’ll also look forward to the end of the vacation because that’s when you can get back to everyone you love and regale them with the tale of your adventure. It’s a thing of beauty, so feel free to take a little pride in it.
