Top Four Benefits of Solo Travel
Published 21st Sep. 2023
Reading time
Solo travel is the ultimate form of self-care – learning to find delight in your own company against the backdrop of an unexplored city brings a new light to both. It’s not often we’re gifted with the time to inwardly and outwardly reflect without the rush of others around us (excited kids and chatty friends, we’re looking at you). Although it may seem daunting to fly solo, we’re here to lay out some of the top benefits of solo travel. Read on to discover what makes spending your precious time alone so worth it...
- A Completely Flexible Itinerary
- Meet New People
- Learn More About Yourself
- Improve Your Language Skills
1
A Completely Flexible Itinerary
Do you like to mooch around art galleries? Or hike through the jungle? Or kick back and people watch from a pavement cafe? Travelling by yourself means you get to decide exactly how you spend your precious holiday time. You could spend the morning absorbing all the ancient history of Athens, then pivot your plans and spend the rest of the day indulging in Greek culinary delights. Without the mixing pot of multiple people’s preferences, your itinerary is as flexible as a circus act – museums, beaches, restaurants, hikes and shopping lay at your feet, ready to be enjoyed in whichever order you desire. It’s one of the main benefits of solo travel – you can be utterly selfish in your fulfillments, and no one will bat an eye.
2
Meet New People
While it’s true that solo travel can be spent – as the name suggests – completely solo, if the thought of being a little too alone fills you with dread, fear not. The world is full of friendly faces and you can often strike up a conversation no matter where you find yourself. Whether you’re at a bar trying to amusingly grapple the meaning of a foreign language joke, or by the pool chatting to someone you just met who it turns out lives two streets away from you back home (it happens!), there’s no shortage of delightful people to meet and conversations to be had. You never know, maybe you’ll even have your own Before Sunrise moment as you arrive by train into charming Vienna...
3
Learn More About Yourself
Self-reflection is scary. It’s why meditation is hard, self-help books aren’t for everyone and therapy can leave you feeling a little too exposed. And yet, it’s one of the best ways to develop as a person. Frustrating, right? But what if you could unintentionally find out how you cope under pressure, how far your patience stretches and how you deal with alone time all while on holiday? One of the benefits of solo travel is that it opens doors into parts of yourself that may have been previously unexplored. Approaching a group of strangers takes courage, navigating a foreign language tests adaptability, and overcoming bumps in the road (we can help there) teaches you to listen to your intuition. It’s why we love solo travel – it teaches you how to truly understand yourself.
4
Improve Your Language Skills
Travelling with a group makes it all too easy to stick with what you know, fumbling your way around in English knowing you have safety in numbers when it comes to translation. But venturing out solo removes that safety net – you have no choice but to throw yourself in headfirst. Ordering something in French, greeting someone in German or asking for directions in Spanish are small but mighty ways to practice a new language. You may receive a questioning raised eyebrow or incomprehensible response, but the fun is in the sheer art of trying.
Written by Evie Buller
You might also like
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
Just Back: Jamie's Research Trip to South Africa
Having recently returned from a research trip to South Africa, our Africa specialist, Jamie, has plenty of stellar advice and up-to-date info for anyone looking to whisk off to the Rainbow Nation. From olive oil and wine tastings in one of Cape Dutch's oldest farms to running past dolphins on a coastal path and walking with cheetahs on an unforgettable safari – she's done it all. So, read on for the inside scoop on Jamie's travels.
7th October 2026 - South Africa Travel Tips
Just back: Charlie’s Research Trip to Nicaragua
Charlie, one of our Latin America specialists, spent six weeks exploring the top spots and lesser-trodden treasures of Nicaragua. He spent four weeks travelling around the mainland before venturing to the Corn Islands – an under-the-radar gem. From hiking around the volcanoes near Leon to kayaking through the mangroves of Las Isleta’s, it was a trip packed with highlights. Intrigued? Read on to find out more about Charlie’s adventure in Nicaragua.
24th September 2026 - Nicaragua Travel Tips
How will El Nino affect travel in 2027?
Unless you've been living under a rock recently, you'll have heard that a strong El Nino is developing in the Pacific, and it is likely to influence weather well into 2027. El Nino occurs when unusually warm Pacific waters alter weather patterns around the world. Some models indicate this edition could become one of the strongest on record. So how will El Nino affect travel in 2027? I’m no meteorologist, but those far better informed than me are saying:
10th September 2026 - Travel Tips