People always ask me, why aren’t you traveling with a friend? Aren’t you scared? I can’t believe you’re doing this yourself. The judgements come and go, but you really only have yourself at the end of the day. And that my friend’s is why I will travel alone when the opportunity presents.
It’s not that I prefer to travel alone, I do love a good girls trip circa Barcelona 2023. But I also don’t care to wait for anyone else to be ‘ready’ to travel with me. I wouldn’t hold back my life just because someone else isn’t ready to make the commitment.
I’ve outlined a few pros and cons that I find when traveling alone. I hope this guide helps to give you the courage and leap of faith to get out there and explore the world, if you feel the urge. But just be careful, the travel bug is contagious.
The first time I traveled alone was technically to Australia in 2019. Having been there previously in 2017, I did not consider it ‘foreign’. Although Delta did lose my 2nd checked bag upon arrival, so patience was a lesson in and of itself. A few days later, I woke up to the suitcase in my living room. Thanks Universe?
So I’ll use the first time I felt like I was in a new place by myself. I landed at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in Kuta, Indonesia. More commonly known as Bali. I grabbed my baggage from the belt and I was off to the races to find my pre-arranged taxi ride to my hotel. Then it hit me, hundreds upon hundreds of people with a sign in their hand. Each sign having a name on it. I knew in this moment I must scan 1,000+ signs and hope I find my name. About 500 people in, I finally spotted my name. I made eye contact with my driver Eka, and immediately headed towards him to start the journey. This was overwhelming, for 5 whole minutes. Once I found my driver, I felt like the rest was in God’s hands. Eka later took me around Denpasar to see surrounding tourist attractions, you’re only alone if you choose to be.
Pros of solo travel:
1. Freedom of Itinerary
You can choose where you go, when you go, how long you stay, how you spend your days. This is a huge one for me. If your interests don’t align with the rest of your party, it can get to a place where you compromise. You don’t have to compromise on anything when you’re alone.
2. More likely to get reservations/last minute excursions for 1
This one is pretty cool. Restaurants especially are much more willing to seat a party of 1 last minute than let’s say a party of 5. Especially when there is a bar. This is also true for excursions. You’re much more likely to get a last minute seat on an excursion than if you needed 6 seats on the catamaran.
3. Meeting locals/other solo travelers
This one can go amiss if you’re with your own crowd. When you’re alone, you’re more likely to talk to the local bartender/barista. You are more likely to notice the other solo travelers. Learning about their life and stories can really bring a sense of specialness to your trip. I still keep in touch with some of my wanderlust friends I met across the world, yes I’m talking about you Shadhfa. Everyone from this photo in Byron Bay was born in a different country. So so special.
Cons of solo travel:
1. Cannot split costs with anyone else
The obvious here is when you’re traveling alone, you’re picking up the tab. You can’t split your hotel with anyone. So in some cases, it can be more expensive.
2. Buddy system isn’t at play
You don’t have a buddy you are doing the trip with so you do need to be extra diligent about your surroundings. You can fabricate the truth to anyone that you actually are with family, they’ll never know.
3. Not sharing the experience with anyone else
You have the memories you made with yourself, but you aren’t sharing those memories with anyone else. Which can be looked at as a con, because human connection is so special. The spin on this is when do you meet other travelers, you find a special place in your heart from that interaction.
4. No one to take your photos
The IG boyfriend is not on the clock. So this can be hard, but usually other strangers are more than happy to snap your photo. Maybe just not your 100+ photo shoot…. But that’s what a good tri-pod is for.
There’s no right or wrong way, just your way. There’s room for group and solo travel in your life. Get to know yourself if you don’t spend time alone. You might learn a thing or two.