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February 10, 2025The last decade has given me the opportunity to travel on my own on many occasions, and it has been a life changing experience.
As a child, I would often lose myself in the magical world of Enid Blyton’s stories, exploring new places, meeting interesting characters and learning exciting things, all from the comfort and safety of my beanbag chair. As I got older those worlds expanded to the halls of Mallory Towers and St. Clares and eventually were taken over by the towers and turrets of J.K Rowling’s Hogwarts.
Outside the pages of my books though, travelling has always been a way for me to explore, discover and learn and while I have always travelled with my family, the last decade has given me the opportunity to travel on my own on many occasions, and it has been a life changing experience.
For many, particularly for women, the idea of travelling solo can be daunting, and you may be reluctant to take off on your own without the safety and comfort of a friend, partner or family member alongside, but while any travel is a great way to expand the mind, travelling on your own is an exercise is self-reliance, self-care and adventure.
My own foray into solo travel started just after I turned 30, when I decided that I was done waiting for the perfect travel companion. While travelling with friends can be incredibly fun and fulfilling, it is not always easy or possible to coordinate dates, agree on activities or destinations and even match budgets, making it hard to plan a trip with your besties. Travelling on your own leaves you free to curate your vacation exactly as you want it to be, and can be a wonderful way to learn more about yourself while seeing a great new place, making memories that last a lifetime and meeting interesting people, some of whom may become long term friends.
Train travel, if it’s available can be a great way to save some money, and a wonderful way to see some beautiful countryside along the way.
When it comes to planning a solo vacation, specially your first one, it is important to have as many details worked out as possible. In-depth research is always a good idea and can alleviate a lot of the uncertainty and anxiety that may accompany your first singular journey. Once you have a destination in mind, and a time of year you want to travel, start with a tentative budget, as that will help you eliminate certain aspects of the trip at the outset.
Next up, read about the place you have chosen. Travel guides like Lonely Planet, official tourism websites, platforms like TripAdvisor and blogs can be a great way to learn more about your destination. You can even narrow your search based on your particular interest. For example, if history, museums and art galleries are your jam, you can look for the must-visit list of those as a starting point. Alternatively, if you are an adrenaline and adventure junkie it enjoy doing things outside the norm, look for opportunities to explore your creativity through local workshops or by trying a fun activity.
The next step is getting there. Based on where you live and where you’re planning to go, look into travel options like flights, trains or even buses if you’re travelling locally or live somewhere that is easily connected to where you want to go. Train travel, if it’s available can be a great way to save some money, and a wonderful way to see some beautiful countryside along the way. It’s definitely one of my favourite ways to travel, particularly in and around Europe, where the landscape is breathtaking.
Hotels, hostels, AirBnBs, homestays and more, there is something to suit every budget and preference when it comes to accommodation. As a solo traveller, I personally find hotels most suitable and also the safest, with a number options to choose from, whatever your criteria. Larger chain hotels or even boutique properties are often centrally located, making them accessible to popular attractions, public transport and restaurants, which makes getting around easy and inexpensive.
PRO TIP: When booking a hotel, don’t be afraid to ask for extra benefits including complimentary breakfast, a free or subsidised airport shuttle, room with a view and more. Most hotels are happy to throw in a little something at no extra charge. It may also be a good idea to sign up for any loyalty or points programs or ask about partnerships with airline frequent flier programs and credit cards which may earn you some freebies or a discount on your room rate.
Finally, it’s time to research what you plan to do during your stay. Spend time looking at online guides for your destination and shortlisting those activities that you simply don’t want to miss out on. Use a map to make your days more efficient by choosing to visit locations in the same general area on the same day. Don’t forget to check opening days and hours for museums, churches, mosques and galleries as some may be closed on particular days or at particular times and you don’t want to end up outside a closed attraction!
It is also worth checking the price of admission, and perhaps purchasing your tickets in advance as this may help save some money as well.
Finally, think about whether you would prefer to explore on your own, join a guided group tour or hire a private guide to show you around. In places which a rich history and cultural heritage, it might be worth investing in a guide or a group tour to ensure that you make the most of the destination and the visit. Guides are often able to skip long queues and have access to areas which may be closed off to the general public as well as more pertinent information and details which you may miss out on without them.
You can also look into immersive experiences and workshops that will allow you to learn more about a place and do something entirely different and off the beaten path. For example, taking a pasta or gelato making class in Italy or a mosaic workshop in Turkey is a great way to make some special memories and interact with the locals too!
In short, don’t wait for the perfect travel companion, book that flight and take on the world, I promise you won’t regret it.
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Disha
Disha is a former corporate lawyer with a flair for writing. As an avid traveller, she is always seeking new adventures and loves telling stories about her globe trotting.
