HONEST PROS AND CONS OF SOLO TRAVEL
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This post is about the pros and cons of travelling alone
Are you thinking about travelling solo? Is solo travel worth it?
After travelling as a solo mum for 18 years and now my son is grown travelling as a solo female I’m going to share my thoughts on the pros and cons of solo travel.
Solo travel is something that was thrust upon me as a given rather than an active choice I made but plenty of women actively choose to travel solo.
I’ve thought a great deal about the benefits and pitfalls of travelling solo and these are my thoughts about it.
Maybe you are someone who travels with others but you like the idea of solo travel. I’ve grown to love solo travel over the years but there’s definitely been times when things have gone wrong and I wished someone was with me to share the stress or I’ve been lonely when travelling solo.
If you’re thinking of planning your first solo trip but are unsure where to start read this article first about how to book a solo trip.
Planning your trip? Use my favourite resources!
🏨 Accommodation : I recommend Booking.com
✈️ Flights : for the cheapest flights, I use Skyscanner
🚗 Rental Car : I recommend Rental Cars
🛡️ Travel Insurance : for the best deals I rely on HeyMondo
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Is solo travel right for you?
As I mentioned solo travel wasn’t something I actively choose for myself and I understand and have experienced the negatives of solo travel. I wouldn’t try to persuade someone to travel solo if it wasn’t right for them but I do think it’s important to share solo travel experiences so people can decide for themselves if solo travel is for them.
I hope to paint a realistic picture of what solo travel is truly like, to share with you the advantages and the disadvantages of travelling alone and then you can make up your own mind if you think it’s something that will suit you.
In this post, I’m going to break down the advantages and disadvantages into different sections including
Financial
Logistical
Social
Wellbeing
Financial pros and cons of solo travel
Pros
Flexibility in budgeting: When you're travelling alone, you have full control over your expenses. You can choose budget-friendly accommodations, dining options and activities according to your preferences without having to compromise or accommodate someone else's budget constraints. When I travel with others it’s all too easy to go to a restaurant that isn’t really in my budget because my travel companion wants to go or staying out having an additional drink because someone else wants to stay out a while longer than I do.
Opportunity for deals and discounts: As a solo traveller you can usually be more flexible with your travel dates and destinations, allowing you to take advantage of last-minute deals, off-season discounts or solo traveller promotions offered by airlines, hotels and tour operators.
Lower accommodation costs: As a solo traveller you can opt for smaller accommodation options like single rooms in hostels, guesthouses or budget hotels, which are often cheaper compared to larger rooms or suites designed for couples or groups.
Cons
Single supplement charges: Many hotels and tour packages have a ‘single supplement’ fee, which means you may end up paying more for accommodations or activities designed for couples or groups. It’s not always the case though so it’s important to double check when booking that you’re not paying a single supplement charge.
Lack of cost sharing: One of the biggest financial disadvantages of travelling solo is the absence of cost-sharing opportunities. Expenses such as transportation, accommodation and meals are not divided among multiple travellers, resulting in higher per-person costs compared to travelling in a group. To counteract this though you can travel to places with good public transport so transport doesn’t cost anymore and stay in hostels.
Potential for loneliness: While some solo travellers embrace solitude, others may find the experience lonely, leading to additional expenses as they seek out social activities or tours to connect with fellow travellers.
Practical pros and cons of solo travel
Pros
Complete control : I’ll let you in to a little bit of a secret - I am a complete control freak and so, for me, this is the number 1 advantage of solo travel. If someone else does the research about your trip they will probably have different preferences to you. Maybe they love partying and the nightlife whereas you would rather get up at the crack of dawn and catch the sunrise, maybe they want to go to familiar eating haunts whereas you want to discover the local street food. After travelling solo you begin to realise the compromises you make when you travel with other people.
Eat whatever and wherever you want : When travelling alone you have total freedom over what you eat, when you eat and which restaurant you eat at. This is particularly great if you are focused on your diet or have food allergies.
Cons
Getting in your own photos : It can be much harder to take photos of your trip when you travel alone. Well not the taking of the photos - that’s pretty easy, it’s making sure you get in the photos. I spent years just taking photos of what I was seeing rather than ever making the effort to get in my photos and once I did I realised it was so worth the effort. There are many ways of getting in your own photos including asking a kind stranger, selfie sticks, camera stands and self timers. It’s not impossible to make sure you’re in the photos but it’s definitely more difficult when you’re on your own.
Hiring a car : Hiring a car can be a great, time-efficient and cost-efficient way of seeing a destination. I’ve hired a car in many places as a solo traveller and I find myself getting really anxious about doing it alone. There’s no one to help direct me as I’m driving, I have to do all the driving and have to pay for all the fuel. I find hiring a car when I’m travelling with people much less stressful.
No help with planning and booking : Having to book every hotel, flight, bus and tour whilst also researching things to do in each new destination, where to eat and how to get around is pretty tiring. Although I have to confess I do kinda love it and even when I travel with people I’m the one who still does all this (I’m a control freak!) If you travel with someone else who will help with the planning this is no doubt less work for you.
Social pros and cons of solo travel
Pros
Freedom to Connect: When travelling solo, you have the freedom to connect with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds. Whether it's fellow travellers, locals or expatriates, I find it’s often easier to strike up conversations and form meaningful connections with others as a solo traveller.
Personal Growth: Solo travel provides ample opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery. By stepping out of your comfort zone and navigating unfamiliar environments alone, you can develop greater self-confidence, independence and resilience.
Getting alone time : I have no obligation to socialise when I’m solo travelling but I can also book into a hostel and connect with people if I want to. People have different wants and desires and you could travel with someone who constantly wants to be around people and cling to you. If, like me, you need to take a step back from that sometimes to recharge your own batteries it can be difficult.
Cultural immersion: Travelling solo encourages deeper immersion in the local culture and community. Without the presence of travel companions from home, I’ve found I’m more inclined to interact with locals, participate in cultural activities and gain a deeper understanding of the destination I’m visiting.
Flexibility in social interactions: As a solo traveller you have the freedom to tailor your social interactions according to your preferences. Whether you prefer solitary exploration, intimate conversations with locals, or joining group tours and activities, solo travel allows you to choose the level of social engagement that suits you best.
Meet more people : I think you meet a lot more people travelling solo simply because you make more effort. There are so many different ways you can meet people when travelling solo such as staying in hostels, taking tours and doing guided activities such as day trips or cooking classes.
Cons
Feelings of loneliness: One of the most common challenges of solo travel is the potential for feelings of loneliness or isolation, especially during downtime or when faced with language barriers. Without the constant presence of travel companions, travelling solo sometimes means you crave social interaction and companionship.
Limited social support: Travelling alone means you don't have immediate access to the social support and companionship provided by travel companions. This can be particularly challenging during times of difficulty or emergencies when having someone to rely on can make a significant difference. You may have made some friends along your travel journey that you can turn to for support but that won’t always be the case.
Solo dining: I love solo dining and don’t feel awkward at all but I know that lots of solo travellers find dining alone a daunting experience, especially in restaurants or cafes where communal seating isn’t available. I use solo dining as an opportunity for self-reflection or people-watching.
Doing all the small talk : If you’re the kind of person who gets fatigued by small talk you may find that solo travel drains your energy. You know the kind I mean - ‘What do you do, where are you from?’ chats that you have multiple times a day, when you meet new people. That can be really difficult and draining depending on your personality.
Wellbeing pros of cons of solo travel
Pros
Self-development & empowerment : a huge benefit of solo travel is growing and developing during the trials and tribulations that naturally occur. You will learn and develop many skills when you travel including:
Life skills – endurance, problem-solving, navigation and organisation.
Social skills – travelling solo means you are often forced into uncomfortable social situations, especially if you’re an introvert like me. You will grow your social skills by interacting with people of different ages, races, religions and backgrounds during your travels.
New perspectives - many people are scared of spending time alone. It gives you time to think with fewer distractions from others. This can be difficult as it can really open up your eyes to some truths about your life about the things you want or don’t want. That can sometimes feel pretty uncomfortable.
Cons
Safety - solo travel is strange to many people and they just don’t understand it. If I had a £ for everytime someone said ‘oh I don’t know how you do that, you’re so brave,’ when I talk about my solo travels I’d be a very rich lady. Undoubtedly are many places around the world where you’re less safe travelling alone, particularly as a female. But being nervous or a little bit scared even is ok. Do you want to live your life not doing things because of something that may never (and probably won’t) happen.
Not sharing the moment - this is a tricky one for me personally as I totally get it the thought. Sometimes a sunset is best shared with friends or loved ones and many people believe a solo sunset just isn’t as magical. I understand the thought process but many times even when I’ve been travelling with people and I wanted to get up at stupid o clock for sunrise and they didn’t want to, I went on my own and discovered that actually sitting there by myself watching the world wake up is one of the most magical experiences I have. It’s social conditioning that makes us believe that moments are best shared. What helps me is writing this blog, sharing videos on my YouTube channel and sending photos to friends and loved ones. Is it the same? No of course not, but it helps.
No help in difficult times - this one can really raise the anxiety levels. When things go wrong during travel (and believe me they will) it can be difficult to navigate through it on your own. You’ll probably want someone there to share the burden and stress.
Summary of pros and cons
Pros
New perspectives
Self development and empowerment
Meet more people
Cultural immersion
Time on own
Complete control
Manage budget better
Cons
No help in difficult times
Not sharing the moment
Safety concerns
Feeling lonely
Solo dining
Getting in photos
No help with planning and booking
Lack of cost sharing
As you can see from the summary the cons slightly outweigh the pros. That doesn’t mean that solo travel is worse than travelling with others. They’re just so very different and each one comes with its challenges.
Solo travel can be incredibly overwhelming, particularly at first. Life is about taking chances and you have to give it a go as I think you will genuinely learn and grow from your solo travel experiences.
If you still thinking about if you should travel solo check out these other solo travel guides and blog posts :
Destination Solo Travel Guides
Solo womans guide to Copenhagen, Denmark
Solo womans guide to Dubrovnik, Croatia
Solo travel tips and advice
How to research solo travel destinations
Best travel products for solo travel
Must have long haul flight essentials
Solo travel good reads
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Planning a trip? Here are some of the resources and tools I personally use to organise my travel plans to anywhere in world.
FLIGHTS : Find the best deals on flights using Skyscanner.
VISAS : Use iVisa to check if you need a tourist visa for wherever you’re going to and apply for an expedited visa online. Use OneWayFly to obtain proof of onward travel/hotel reservation for your visa application if needed.
TRAVEL INSURANCE : Insure your trip with my preferred insurance for single trip and annual cover HeyMondo
AIRPORT TRANSFER : Pre-book your hotel transfers from the airport.
ACCOMMODATION : Find the best hotel deals on Booking.com.
DAY TRIPS : Find the best city tours and day excursions on your travels on Viator or Get Your Guide.
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