Whoever you travel with, you don’t come back without some part of you changed. There are many ways to travel, and many possible companions, and we celebrate them all. But there’s nothing like solo travel to make you take a long look at your life and do some self-examination. Perhaps it’s coming in the wake of a major life change, maybe you just need some time to yourself, nobody else’s schedule lined up, or maybe you’re just single and this is how you like to travel. Whatever your reasons, there can be a lot of advantages to solo travel.
First off, solo travel doesn’t have to mean you’re by yourself the whole time. There are plenty of group tours and cruises you can join that offer a group setting of fellow passengers on the same itinerary. That’s a built-in crew of people sharing the experience that you can befriend. That’s one of the joys of solo travel: meeting new people. Often tour operators or cruise lines will have special dates with waived or discounted solo supplements, and those departures tend to be filled with other solo travelers. Soon enough, you have a regular crew of people to go on new adventures with.
Whether as part of a group or going it alone, you’re expanding your horizons and getting out of your comfort zone. That sparks the kind of personal growth that carries over into the rest of your life once you get home. It also adds precious memories that are yours alone and go into making you the unique person you are. Navigating the unknown instills confidence and a sense of excitement within us.