I’m on a plane every week. Sometimes I’m accompanied by my boyfriend who just so happens to be a great photographer and videographer. Other times I’m joined by friends. If I’m really lucky, my mom agrees to jaunt over to Asia with me. To fill in the gaps, I travel alone. Solo. By myself.
A frequently asked question by my readers is “How often do you travel solo?” The percentage of time I travel by myself is only increasing as time goes on. People are busy. Some have full-time jobs and others have routines they can’t up and leave. My schedule is a complete 180 of the traditional 9 to 5, so the reality of the situation is that I’ve learned to enjoy my own company (or company of the Chinese locals, who enjoy blonde hair as seen below.)
In the age of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, female empowerment and presidential candidates, more women than ever are traveling alone. Hell, if Reese can trek the Pacific Crest Trail alone, anyone can. The notion of GIRL POWER isn’t only something that the Spice Girls claimed in the 90s. And then there’s always Queen Bey who asks the critical question ‘Who run the world?’ of which she promptly answers: Girls.
I traveled to China alone and walked the Great Wall by myself. Okay, that’s a lie. I walked it with about 500 other tourists, but still. I train’d from Scandinavia through Germany and down to Switzerland solo. I hiked Canada’s best trails alone. Being at peace with my own company is freeing. While there is something to be said for sharing a beautiful experience with someone while traveling, I’m a firm believer that everyone, men and women, should travel solo at least once in their lifetime. If there’s a place you’ve always wanted to visit, there’s no need to wait on the perfect group to join. You are all you need. Don’t get caught up in the How Tos or the Dos & Don’ts. You will figure it out as you go, but be prepared. Be smart. Ask questions. Smile. Be kind. Make new friends.
Life is an experiment. The more experiments you create, the better. If nothing else, you just might learn a thing or two about yourself.
Top 10 Countries for Solo Travel
1) Canada: Talk about EASY. They speak my language, literally. Zero language barriers exist here (okay, unless you travel to Quebec and need a few French phrases to feel at home..). The amount of wilderness to get lost in or friendly Canadians to befriend are endless.
2) Thailand: From the gentle giant filled jungles of Northern Thailand to the vibrant beaches of the Phuket, perhaps it screams ‘honeymoon’ to many, and as it should. It’s also inexpensive with loads of backpackers and solo travelers throughout!
3) UK: Like Canada, the UK, of course, speaks English. Score. No translator app needed here! Get lost wandering through London or relax in Bath’s Roman spas or take up golf in Scotland. Options are endless.
4) Hong Kong: Who needs friends when you have enough varying cuisines to keep you company? Huge foodies that love a big urban city with an adventurous side: this one’s for you.
5) Australia: I’ve never felt so loved when I was so solo. Befriending Australians is quite possibly the easiest task on the planet. The continent is filled with many transplants from all over the world, too, so there’s that.
6) Switzerland: My favorite thing about Switzerland is that it’s always in season 365 days out of the year. Need a break from life in winter? Ski the Swiss Alps. Inspired to travel alone this summer? St. Moritz is calling your name ever so softly.
7) Germany: I hopped off the train in Germany and immediately met some (very drunk) very fun Germans! It wasn’t too long until I had a giant beer in hand as well. With good beer comes good company.
8) Peru: Ohh Peru. How I love thee. You bring out the best in me from your five-day adventure treks to inspiring Machu Picchu. If you’re looking for a different perspective on life, live like some Peruvian locals for a few days in the Ausangate Mountains.
9) New Zealand: Kiwis are some of the most genuine people I’ve ever come across. Arguably one of the most adventurous and beautiful places I’ve had the pleasure of knowing, both the north and south islands will leave you speechless (mostly from falling out of planes), and with new friends to repeatedly visit.
10) Norway: I started in Bergen and made my way to Oslo solo. I came across all walks of life on planes, trains, ferries and automobiles that made me blissfully aware of time spent alone. Had I been so engrossed in conversation with a travel companion, I may have missed some of those important instances otherwise.
Over to you! Ever traveled alone? Tell us about it!
That’s incredible! All those places sound so wonderful! I traveled to Italy solo this summer but found myself constantly sourounded by other travelers. Still there were many times where I was jumping busses alone and discovering the city I was in. I would like to experience truly traveling by myself at one point! Now is just picking the place.
I also travelled Norway solo. I met friends afterward and we visited Denmark and Sweden, but spent a long weekend by myself. There is so much beautiful nature so not even an ounce of boredom. Your post on Norway and the ‘Norway in a nutshell’ was great inspiration (as are the rest of your posts). As a solo female traveller how do you still make the most of the place you’re in and explore while still being safe?
Ahhh I would love to go to any and all of those places. I’m traveling to Oslo this fall during my semester abroad in Copenhagen (fun fact: it’s known as the happiest place on earth). Though I will have plenty of people with me on that trip, I’m T otally into the idea of solo travel. I haven’t done any alone yet, but I just got back from six weeks studying in Rome and I loved taking day trips by myself – there’s something so luxurious about being on nobody’s time but your own.
– @theroadliztraveled
I would add to your list Ireland, Portugal and Iceland. Thanks for your travel logs. I love them.
Costa Rica is an amazing spot for solo female travel! Just came back from a Yoga Retreat at Anamaya Resort. Highly recommend!
I have to admit, Bali was pretty fantastic alone. The people so charming. The sites amazing. The inlands as well as the beaches were unbelievable. This fall, my second solo trip to Italy. Wish me luck!
1) the alpaca with the knit beret 2) drunk Germans remind me of a certain bar crawl we did in Rome 10 years ago… xoxo
Love the list! Would love to go to each one, solo or husband in tow. Now the question we’re all wondering: who takes your pictures when you’re flying solo? 🙂
I love this post!! For a long time, I didn’t have anyone to travel with so I went with different tour groups that are known for having a lot of solo travelers on them in my age range (30s, 40s). I guess it’s not the same as truly traveling alone but you have the choice to do things with the group or go off on your own. I ended up meeting other solo travelers and now I have a group of people to travel with. But the places I felt safe enough to go back to alone if I didn’t want to do a tour are Germany (I’m biased because I know the country well and speak the language), Iceland, Scotland, Greece. I was alone in Turkey before the hotbed of activity now but at the time, I felt perfectly safe being alone. I couldn’t get enough of Israel. I’m not particularly religious yet I was so fascinated with all the history. Eight days there wasn’t nearly enough and Tel Aviv was fantastic.
Three years ago I did a lot of traveling during my studies abroad when I was 20 years old. I did most of my traveling with a group of friends I met at my University in England but I was more ambitious than most with my travels. One weekend I traveled to Athens, Greece and Istanbul, Turkey. Amazing. The culture, the culture, the culture. I never thought I would immerse myself in so many different cuisines that were foreign to me than I had while I was in Istanbul. Very few cities in the world compare to the history of Athens, it felt otherworldly. I felt very safe in both cities while traveling solo and I would highly recommend checking them out. Another city I visited over a 5 day span was Dubai. Words absolutely can not do that city justice but if I had to choose one: majestic. Of the 20 countries I have visited in my lifetime, no city quite compares to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Anyone that has an interest in travel should take a trip there and put it at the top of their bucket list! From the beach, to the Burj Khalifa, to the Palm, to the worlds biggest mall, there are so many things to see and the possibilities are endless. The only regret that I have is that I didn’t take a day trip to Abu Dhabi. When you go be sure to not make the same mistake I did! It looks like Lesley would agree by the looks of her travels to Dubai! Everyone go and check out it out and see for yourself! Keep up the good work Les!