Pros and Cons of Solo Travel
Ever thought about traveling solo? Does the thought alone scare you into not booking that bucket list trip you’ve been saving up for for months? Our advice - don’t over think it and just do it!
While jet setting alone to a different country might sound like something you would never even consider, solo travel is surprisingly on the rise for most millennials. Think about it, you get to pick each travel destination, build your itinerary as much or as little as you’d like, and even plan tours and sightseeing based on your travel preferences and yours alone. Take out other travelers opinions and travel must-dos and what do you get? To us, it sounds like the most epic trip! I mean, have you seen Eat, Pray, Love before? You could be one trip away from the most life changing experience.
Traveling solo can be a unique and eye-opening experience, but it can come with some challenges. We’re sharing the pros and cons of solo travel below to help you decide if making that big trip alone is the right choice for you or not.
Pros and Cons of Solo Travel
Pros of Solo Travel
Benefits of Solo Travel
Personal Growth
We get it, there can be a stigma behind traveling solo. Whether you are terrified of making the journey alone or afraid you won’t have as much fun without others, your feelings are valid. However, every client we’ve sent (and even from personal experience) on a solo expedition has come back with the most genuine appreciation for travel and for what they’ve learned about themselves along the way. Sometimes, it takes those quiet moments to truly be thankful for the culture you’ve immersed yourself in and to open your eyes to what is right in front of you. No distractions, no other opinions. Growing a personal appreciation for how others live and for the breathtaking landscapes that are out there are just a few of the reasons we highly recommend traveling solo at least once in your life. You won’t regret it - we promise!
Meet Locals
What better way to immerse yourself into a culture than to go out for an evening solo and really take in your views and atmosphere. What’s likely to happen? You will meet other solo travelers or you will make friends with locals who will have the best insight into hidden gems and secret spots that are exclusive to the local community. Our favorite type of travel stories are the stories that start with our clients meeting locals while traveling and discovering some of the best food and drink scenes thanks to friendly locals. When you travel solo, you will be more open to taking up conversations with locals and hopefully make lifelong friends along the way!
Become a Travel Guru
Have you ever traveled with a group of friends and realized after the trip that you didn’t have to map out any directions, plan any meals, or stress about travel timing? Well, one perk of traveling solo is that you will quickly become a travel expert, even if you’ve never been the planner in the past. Traveling alone will force you to become familiar with airline policies and procedures, open your eyes to local languages and cultures, and will ultimately make you a better traveler - all without even realizing you are doing so. Flying solo, renting a car alone, and exploring foreign countries can be intimidating alone, but before you know it, you will become the travel pro in your friend group and have all of the tips and tricks to share with others. Sometimes getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to expand your knowledge and what better way to do it than by traveling to stunning destinations.
Flexible Travel Plans
What better way to travel than to travel completely on your own schedule? Picture this, you wake up at the time you wish to start your day and you get full control over what restaurants you eat at and what time the mimosas start flowing. One major perk of traveling solo is that you get to customize your itinerary based on your travel wants and needs and nobody else’s. We know traveling with others who have strong opinions on the best places to get brunch or what time you must arrive at the airport can be stressful. Travel solo & save yourself the stress and hassle of coordinating with others. Your vacation, your preferences. It’s as easy as that!
Cons of Solo Travel
Disadvantages of Solo Travel
Safety
One of the top reasons our clients are hesitant about solo travel is because of a safety risk. While we scope out each and every property and tour before we send clients to their destination, we understand there can always a small risk of something happening while you travel. This is true for everyone, everywhere. However, there are measures we take when sending solo travelers abroad and advice we give all of our clients.
First, be aware of your surroundings at all times. It doesn’t matter how safe or unsafe you think the destination you are going to is, always always always stay alert and observant while traveling. Another tip we would give clients would be to stay mindful about transportation and tours booked outside of your advisor. We work only with on-the-ground trusted partners when booking all elements of travel. We can’t verify that an excursion you decide to add on during your vacation or a ride you pick up from a local is going to be safe without vetting it out first. Always consult with your travel advisor with any and all travel safety concerns and questions about add-ons you might be interested in.
If you plan to travel solo, always book through an advisor so we can ensure all safety precautions are taken care of and give you custom tips on how enjoy your trip safely.
Can Get Lonely
One aspect of traveling solo is not having someone else (or a group) to share your travel experiences with. Traveling can be quite an investment in time and money and you want to make sure you will thoroughly enjoy every aspect of your vacation. When getting to know our clients, we will always suggest solo travel for some of our travelers but if we don’t think solo travel will be a good fit, we will recommend other types of travel. Just because you don’t have someone who will commit to traveling with you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the trip. At TH Travel Designs, we offer annual TREKs where we send a group of travelers (some friends, some strangers) all over the world and you can hand pick which destination you want to go on. This is a great solution if you are interested in solo travel but worry you might get lonely and want to share the experience with others.
More Expensive
One con of traveling solo is that your trip will likely cost more than if you are traveling with a group. You won’t have others to help split the cost of transportation, hotel rooms, meals, etc. When you work with a travel advisor, we will help find deals on hotels and tours to ensure you get your dream vacation but not one that breaks the bank.
*Tip - opt for shared tours and excursions when you are traveling solo. This will save you money by choosing group activities, plus you will meet other travelers along the way. It’s a win-win situation!
When deciding if solo travel is a good fit for you or not, we recommend talking to your trusted travel advisor who can recommend solo-friendly and safe destinations and tours that will allow you to mingle as much or a little as you please with other travelers.
Looking for more? Check out our Travel FAQs blog here for answers to your frequently asked travel questions.
