When we hear the word “travel”, we often think about who we want to travel with. We get so excited with the memories we’re about to make with the company of our friends and family, but of course, there’s also beauty in traveling alone.
Solo traveling has tons of benefits for an individual, the experience grants them this feeling of peace and fulfillment. They’re not bound by the opinions and distractions that may possibly come from companions, especially a large group of people.
You are your own priority when you travel alone, you are the captain of your itinerary, so needless to say, you are in charge of what happens during your trip.
But what does it truly mean to travel solo? Do the benefits outweigh the negative things you may encounter if you travel alone?
Why Should You Travel Solo?
A person should travel solo because it gives them this feeling of freedom and discovery. It also grants a sense of self-indulgence and control as well, since you alone are in charge of what happens during your travels.
Don’t believe it? Well, there was actually a study conducted to prove that traveling alone truly is beneficial to an individual.
A professor named Constanza Bianchi, who belongs to Queensland University of Technology’s Business School, conducted a study that involved 24 participants, all of whom have traveled alone in a span of nine days.
The results were published in the International Journal of Tourism Research, and it clearly showed how good it is for people to travel solo.
For instance, the percentage of people that traveled solo has increased in number, to be more specific, a 20% growth in solo traveling happened from 2007 to 2011.
She cited some interesting points in regards to the benefits of traveling solo, the statements that stood out was when she said:
“Most participants admitted that although they have family and friends, they chose to travel alone because they enjoyed it,” and “It was a chance to indulge themselves fully.”
Furthermore, there are also other benefits that come with traveling alone and these include a much more seamless way of planning your itinerary (without having to think about the preferences that would be companions might have), and of course, freedom.
Now, it is quite common for people to think that the reason behind traveling alone seems selfish (it is in a way), but beneath that reason, there is something deeper than simply being selfish.
What Are The Benefits Of Traveling Alone?
The benefits of traveling alone are having a sense of control over your life, it gives you a glimpse of how you function as a human according to professor Bianchi.
There is just this feeling that people get when they travel alone, and most often than not, these people all say the exact same things which goes a little something like this, “I feel free, I feel like I’m in control of my life and the decisions I make are entirely my own. I get to do some reflecting and ultimately discover something about myself that I didn’t know about at all.”
Being Selfish Is Valid
Traveling is selfish, period. After reading this rather short but direct statement, people would often think that it has a negative connotation to it.
When in reality, it actually isn’t.
Being selfish when it comes to traveling alone is definitely valid. A person does not have to feel obligated to accommodate the needs of their traveling companions.
This tends to become a bit of a hassle as well since you may not completely agree with their choices but have to agree with it nonetheless to avoid coming off as a rude person.
A solo traveler gets to enjoy being selfish in their travels and get rewarded for it by getting the privilege and freedom to go wherever they fancy.
You Get To Be Exposed To New People
The tendency if a traveler is accompanied by a group of people, whether it’d be friends or family, is having their movements sort of restricted, meaning, they have to stick with the group.
Usually, this takes out all the fun because there are instances where travelers just want to detach themselves from the group because they saw something that caught their attention. They cannot do this because detaching oneself from the group would seem disrespectful to them.
However, when a person travels alone, they do not have to worry about these things! They can freely go wherever they want and meet new people along the way.
This is an excellent opportunity for solo travelers to socialize with the locals in a specific destination and learn their culture and such.
Socializing is also beneficial to one’s health!
You Get To Discover Yourself
Solo travelers would get to reflect on themselves as they wander in various locations, unbothered and at peace.
They get to surround themselves with the ambiance of an environment, get immersed in the peace of the location they are in, and maybe reflect or meditate. It is all up to the traveler on how they wish to explore themselves.
Along the way, solo travelers usually discover something new about themselves. This may be because they have not gotten the chance to do so due to their busy schedules and the fact that they are always surrounded by distractions.
You Won’t Feel Too Stressed Out
Let us be honest here, there will always be drama that goes along with traveling with close companions.
This gets in the way of having fun during travels and it would make any traveler feel uncomfortable and stressed out.
The point of traveling in the first place is to enjoy and unwind, but this idea gets messed up because of drama between families or friends.
Solo travelers would not have to go through this and enjoy their own company. The only drama a solo traveler would have to worry about is the drama they happen to spur up on their own.
You Get To Explore All On Your Own
A solo traveler is the captain of their trip and the itinerary is totally up to them. A solo traveler gets to basque in this kind of privilege where they do not have to think about the preferences of others.
Also, when a traveler explores alone, they get to do it at their own pace, which means they do not have to hurry or slow down for anyone.
You Learn To Become Independent
Traveling solo makes a person grow by themselves. There is just something about doing things independently that molds a person to become reliant only on themselves.
This is a good thing to be developed in a person as it teaches them to not heavily rely on other people. Moreover, travelers would become more and more confident in themselves and would start to feel empowered.
Traveling Solo Is Budget-friendly
This is a no-brainer, one of the most obvious benefits of traveling alone involves saving more money. A solo traveler only has to worry about their own expenses.
The good thing about this is they would not have the need to compromise on their mode of transportation, the location of their destination, the accommodations, so on and so forth.
Needless to say, traveling alone would make a person avail the best of the best and that only happens because they only have to worry about their own budget.
Is It Boring To Travel Alone?
Traveling alone can either be both boring and amusing, it all depends on a person to be honest.
If anything, traveling alone is legitimately fun and enjoyable, but at the same time, it can be lonesome and boring.
At first, people who are used to traveling with a group would start to feel a bit lonely, while that may be true, it would take a bit of time to become used to the loneliness and discover a new feeling that comes along with traveling solo.
As soon as people get used to traveling solo after some time, they would slowly realize that there are a lot of things that they can do on their own and feel joy from it.
But then again, this question is quite subjective, given that not all people will feel the same when it comes to traveling alone. Some may like it while others would abhor it.
How Do You Travel Alone For The First Time?
There are a few things to consider when it comes to traveling alone, and of course, this has something to do about a traveler’s gender.
It is dangerous for female travelers to wander off into unfamiliar places alone, this may catch some unwanted attention from people who have bad intentions.
We will be providing a guide on what to do if a person is traveling alone for the first time, and mind you, this applies for both male and female travelers.
- Choose a location which is safe and comfortable.
- Ensue that your initial travel plan has a backup.
- Book accommodations in advance.
- Booking flights using comparison sights would be more budget-friendly.
- Always inform your family and friends of your whereabouts. This is a safety precaution in case something happens.
- Avoid drawing attention by blending in with the locals.
These are only some basic tips for travelers who wish to travel alone for the first time. There are other guides which offer an in-depth explanation on how to travel solo which would be a big help for travelers.
Best Destinations For Solo Travelers
Have trouble deciding where to travel to next as a solo traveler? Here are some recommendations to help you choose which destinations to explore next!
