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I'm in my mid twenties, and just got back from a ~3 week solo vacation in Hawaii (international trip for me). Holy moly did 3 weeks fully relying on me, myself and I, really improve my self esteem!! I just wanted to highlight some of the pros (and cons) to solo travel as a young woman, because I really think its a great way to level up, get to know yourself better, and gain the confidence that you can do anything!
Pros:
I met a lot of HV women - specifically other women that were traveling alone or with a few female friends. I met women who had great careers, were in school, were in (seemingliy) healthy romantic relationships...it was just great to meet other women who were doing their thing!
You are fully relient on yourself. I'm pretty extroverted, so I did chat up lots of people and make friends, but at the end of the day, I was there alone and had to make all my own plans - especially things like booking tours and rental cars / modes of travel. The fact that I was able to do this (and with my own money!) assured me that I am a very capable woman.
Going off that, I felt like my problem solving skills were improved. During my trip, I got into a car accident. I was stopped at a red and someone rear ended me - both cars totally undriveable, but no injuries. It was an exhausting day dealing with the insurance company (I was fully covered, so no financial costs to me) and the police (had to file a police report for insurance), but I did it! I figured it out in a foriegn country, all by myself! If I can do that, and not feel like my trip was ruined, I can do anything :)
You can further explore your own interests with no shame or guilt. I am an avid birdwatcher, so most of my outings in Hawaii had to do with birding or wildlife watching. I got to plan out all my days around birds, and there was no one to tell me that I'm missing out on other cool things or my hobbies are silly - I was alone! I could do whatever!
You can be as social or non-social as you like. If you need a break from people, you can really truly invest in yourself through solitude and engaging in things that make you happy. If you want to make friends, solo travel is a great opportunity to be social - and if you meet someone and you dont like them, well you're only there temporarily and then goodbye forever weirdo!
Your trips can be as long or short as you like. This was the longest solo trip I did, because I had time between graduating school and starting work. However, in the summer, I usually go on solo weekend trips every month or so - just book an airbnb or campground 2 hours away and focus on me! Its a nice recharge.
Cons:
Finances. My trip cost me total about ~$3,000 USD, including flights and car rental. I am very frugal, so like I said I only stayed at hostels or camped, and I looked for deals on food and souveniers. I am very fortunate to have good finances, however, I feel like the preperation for this trip also encouraged me to save and budget a little harder, which is a good skill to master.
Safety. I did not feel unsafe anywhere I traveled to. I went on popular hiking trails and campgrounds. I made sure I had cell service pretty much anywhere I went to. I also have a satellite phone, so I could contact emergency services at any time.
I'd love to know your thoughts on solo traveling, and if I missed any of the pro's or con's :)
I love solo travel and also love Hawaii! I rent 3 star hotels for myself as I like privacy so I budget and save for that every year. I like diving, snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, outdoorsy things. I don’t think hostels are a good fit for me, though I know some travelers love them for meeting other people. But those travelers are also men. Maybe they are safer than I realize but it is too big a risk for me. I did once stay in an Airbnb ran by an old couple and they were very kind to me and made me dinner several nights.
Solo travel is a time to explore interests that you don’t otherwise get to pursue. Seeing ancient ruins, beautiful parks and scenery, animals, learning about a different culture, practicing the language, visiting museums, etc. And you can do whatever you want in your own time without answering to anybody. That is nice! I am preparing now for a solo trip that I am excited about. But sometimes I have anxiety about something going wrong that I don’t anticipate. Getting from point A to point B safely is the most stressful part for me
I was going to make a point about finances. I'm about to give up travelling for my next vacation because they charge me a higher price for travelling solo due to the fact that i'd be staying at a single room. And sharing it with strangers is not even an option in the agency i was considering (don't know why, but i asked and they said no). i feel like i need to be rich in order to be solo :( none of my friends - not even LV - can/want to go with me. Some of them prefer to be with their boyfriends, others can't have their vacation at the same time as me, others can't afford it. I want a friend to go with me so i don't pay a higher price and also becase despite enjoying being alone most of the time, i do like having good company once in a while.
I LOVE to solo travel. Been all around the US (seen ~40 of the 50 states) and seen a lot of the Americas. It's a beautiful thing to go to a new country by yourself and navigate it.
The price is annoying, but I eat it because the alternative is to not go and that's just not the way I want my life to be. Especially since I have my puppy dog now, that's at least an extra $250 for her to go with me round trip so we can have our adventures together.
Hm. I'd say another pro is that sleep wise you'll be fully rested. When I travel in groups I somehow always end up with the woman who both goes to sleep early AND snores loudly to bunk with me. 🙄
Thank you, I needed this. I've been nervous to try solo travel but have found myself thinking it's something I should tackle. I did it once when I was in my early 20's and didn't like it, but that was forever ago.
What criteria (if any) did you have while planning your trip?
Do you recommend starting with smaller local trips before embarking on international travel? I've travelled to many places internationally, just never alone
Any advice for an introverted extrovert?
Where did you meet other HV women? On tours or just chatted them up while out eating?
What a great post! Thank you for sharing.
I travel solo a lot and I love it. I can do what I want to do, and I’m always refreshed and enjoy wherever I am. I take myself to nice dinners, wander around and see what I want to see, and sometimes hire a private guide to teach me things I’d like to learn. Sometimes I just lay around and do nothing. It’s nice, no pressure.
While it can be more pricey, I feel as if it’s an investment in my well-being.
I did a lot of solo travelling last year, both for work and vacations and I loved every single minute of it. It taught me to pretty much effortlessly talk to anyone and I'm already reaping benefits of that particular skill. Also the problem-solving part is great, it really forces you to think creatively how to solve stuff. Plus the feeling of freedom of doing/eating/drinking whatever the hell you want is just priceless