All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. You need to give yourself a break from the rat race. And what could be a better idea than exploring your true self while traveling? You must travel solo to find yourself. A short trip either with friends or family is indeed relaxing. But have you ever wondered how enthralling it would be if you traveled solo? Also, why traveling solo is exciting in the first place? Not many have experienced how it feels to travel solo, but it is way more exhilarating.
Like the Nomads Travel Solo to Find Yourself
The concept of traveling solo came into existence during the times of Nomadism. The Nomads never settled in one place. They lived their lives by traveling from one place to the other. All right, you don’t have to live a nomadic life to travel solo. But yes, you can plan your vacation alone and explore the world.
According to Statista, it is estimated that the percentage of travelers and solo travelers will soar by 54% in 2024-2025 globally. So, are there any motivating factors that intrigue these solo travelers? Of course, there are! Let’s have a look at the reasons why you should travel solo to find yourself.
You Get to Exploit your Freedom
I love exploring places and that’s how I started traveling alone. The best part about going solo is doing what you like. My purpose of traveling alone was to enjoy my “me time”. It is fun and invigorating to embark on a journey all alone.
In terms of exploiting freedom, I mean, you have the liberty to choose a place of your choice. All you have to do is pack a sack, spread your wings, and fly away. Travel solo to find yourself as it makes you self-reliant and gives you the power to make your own decisions.
You can Plan the Itinerary without any Adjustments
Yes, the other best point of traveling solo is, that you don’t have to compromise on anything. For instance, if you wish to travel by flight to a particular location, you don’t have to seek any approval. Just book a flight ticket and land at your favorite destination.
When too many people travel together, you have to adjust according to their choices. Some travel partners don’t like spending too much, some hate flying, while some don’t like local food, etc. But when traveling solo you won’t have to consider others’ choices. In short, travel solo to find yourself and cut out the distraction.
Once you begin to Travel Solo to Find Yourself there Won’t be any Interference
It is somewhat similar to the aforementioned point. Travel partners also have their own conditions. They make you change your itinerary at the last moment (most of the time). Some come up with detours and change the entire trip’s purpose.
I don’t know how others gracefully accept changes in travel plans, but I dislike changes. If your travel partner wishes to visit a place, he must plan it. Or, if in case, you learn about a new location while traveling, then you must include it at the end of the trip.
If the new location is on the way, then it is fine. But I certainly do not like any last-minute changes. That’s why traveling solo is always my first preference.
You Spend Money Only on Yourself
Why traveling solo is also beneficial to your pockets? You spend limited money. It is because you spend it wisely on yourself. Unlike traveling in a group, you have to contribute everywhere, right from food to hotel accommodation.
Although contribution saves money you also have to adjust to many other things. When traveling solo, you just have to spend on your food, stay, commute, and tickets, no other expenses. So, travel alone and save money.
Travel Solo to Find Yourself and the Opportunity to Make New Friends
Isn’t it obvious? When you visit new places, you get to meet new people. It is an amazing experience to meet new people on the go. You learn new things from new people. Especially, if you find like-minded people on the journey, your enthusiasm multiplies.
Look you can make new friends even when you are in a group. But can you bond well if you do not spend time together? When you are traveling alone, you won’t have any restrictions.
You get to Live the life of Local People
It is not possible to stay in a community if you already have a group. When you travel alone, you can explore different remote locations as well. Remote locations are the places where you will find local people.
These locations are not necessarily village areas, but they can be far from main cities. For instance, you will find Thailand’s diaspora in the south-eastern part of the country. However, a majority of the tourist locations are around the central part of Thailand.
So, if you are not only into exploring the major attractions, you can catch up with the locals over there. Some locals also allow you to stay with them at a nominal charge. But believe me, you’ll be fascinated to explore their lifestyle and cuisines.
Travel Solo to Find Yourself and Unwind at Your Pace
Mostly traveling to exotic locations means, you wish to lay around on a beach and enjoy sunbathing. But when you travel solo, you can chill and relax as per your choice. You may also start painting, build some artifacts, or discover the craftsman within you.
You can pick up a hobby or just engage in your existing hobby. Practicing a hobby in a new place is a great way to calm your mind. I often love painting in a park or an open area. I also love reading books while lying on the seashore. So, if you are someone who loves to do things your way, then you must travel solo.
Just Enjoy your own Company
This is one of the primary reasons why traveling solo is preferred by most young adults. Earlier only men used to travel solo. But these days even working women enjoy traveling solo. According to some research, there has been a 59% increase in solo women travelers in the past five years.
Traveling solo means you cannot be dependent on anybody. You are on your own. The finance, food, conveyance, and stay all have to be managed by yourself. But it doesn’t look like a task if you prepare things in advance. It is ideally fun to be alone and to wander around like a vagabond.
Connect with your Destination While You Travel Solo to Find Yourself
So, when someone says, he loved the food of another country, it means he loved the customized dish of that country. If you talk about the authentic food of a particular country, you’ll find that dish only in that country where it has been originated.
Chow Mein, for instance, is customized to suit your taste buds. Authentic Chinese food is somewhat bland and soupy in taste. Normally, someone who has the habit of eating spicy food, won’t like eating Chinese food.
But, if you visit the countries to explore their cuisines, you can learn how delicious their food tastes. It is not just limited to food, you can explore their history, culture, and lifestyle as well.
You Won’t be Time-bound and Can Extend your Stay
I have always found myself making decisions instantaneously when I am alone. When you travel in a group, you are tied up. You have to make decisions that suit your pals. Also, you are asked to follow the time restrictions.
Whereas, when you travel alone, you are not levied with any restrictions. Also, you can stay for a few more days, if you wish to. That’s why traveling solo is the best because you won’t have to seek anybody’s consent to spend money for the extra stay.
You can Learn More When You Explore
When you travel alone, you are clear about the purpose. Some travel for fun and some for business. The reason for the growth in the world economy is that our ancestors traveled across the globe to trade.
When you step out to visit another nation, you get to explore the culture over there. Their lifestyles, their languages, their fashion, etc. fascinate you. Traveling solo makes it even easier to learn such captivating things.
You Get to Carry Limited Luggage
If you travel only to relax and unwind yourself, then you won’t carry too much baggage. Unless you are a travel vlogger or blogger, you may have to carry a camera and other equipment.
But a solo traveler just packs a rucksack and ventures out. That’s why traveling solo has always been enrapturing to me.
You’ll Find it Easy to Face Challenges
Life teaches you a lot of lessons. But the best lessons are learned when you face them alone. Likewise, when you travel solo, you may have to face many challenges. The most common challenge one faces when traveling to a different country is not knowing the native language.
Not all countries have English as their official language. Or even if they have, not all the natives speak the English language. And it becomes a challenge to communicate in their local language. But most locals help the tourists with hand gestures. And also guide them by using the language translating apps.
Travel Solo to Find Yourself and Get Inspired to Travel More
Ideally, when you travel a lot, you will invest more in future travel plans. It is because traveling enriches your mind. You start learning how to be on your own. This turns even more interesting when you fall in love with a particular destination.
For instance, Santorini and Mykonos in Greece are some of the few destinations that will overwhelm you. Try visiting these places solo, you won’t feel like coming back. They are expensive locations, but worth the money to explore.
It will Boost your Confidence to Be on your Own
You may be wondering how difficult can it be to travel solo. But in the first few attempts traveling solo can be quite challenging. It is because you may not have any idea how to book the best accommodation, how to look for your regular meals, how to start exploring a place, safety concerns, etc.
Of course, you can take the help of other solo travelers. Many apps like Solo Traveller, Backpackr, Meetup, Eatwith, and Travello help you to connect with other solo travelers. Once you establish a good relationship with other travelers, you will become confident to go on other trips.
Conclusion
Traveling solo is a unique experience. If you wish to live a different life for a few days, you must travel alone. It will also help you in discovering your true self. For some, it may be scary, but it is worth taking the risk. Try looking for the safest places first and learn how to manage things. Once, you gain the confidence to travel alone, then you can move on to take higher risks.
