7 Reasons Why Solo Travel Is The Best Way To See The World

In a few a few short weeks I am heading out on a solo travel adventure to Nicaragua for 6 weeks!

There is often a stigma attached to doing things alone. Our first reaction to seeing someone eating alone at a restaurant or sitting by him or herself at the movie theater is that he or she didn’t have anyone to go with. We feel sympathy for them, pity, even.

It should not be that way. A lot of people actually prefer to do things solo.

When it comes to traveling solo so many people balk at the very idea. They think it is dangerous and that they would be lonely. I beg to differ.

I traveled solo through Europe in 2009 and it was an amazing experience. You learn so much about yourself and you will meet people.

7 Reasons For Solo Travel

1. You can do what you want to do, when you want to do it

If you’re traveling in a group, everyone has their own opinions, tastes and preferences. So although you might want to go hiking up a mountain, others in a group might not. Travel alone and you won’t have to deal with this problem.

2. You will come out of your shell and your comfort zone

Unless you genuinely want to be by yourself at all time when on the road, you will be forced to step out of your comfort zone and open up to people you don’t know. Even if you’re the most extroverted person in the world, you’ll find when travelling solo that you’ll talk to others much more than if you were with your friends. And you will probably make some amazing connections with those people that you talk to and do things with.

3. You find out what interests you in the world

If you’re traveling in a group, you’re less likely to stop when something catches your eye. You might fear you’d be holding up your group by making a pit stop. But, when you travel solo, you have the freedom to investigate your intrigue. You get to travel at your own pace.

4.  You become more independent

Some people may not really like this benefit of solo travel. But, when you’re traveling alone, you’re truly on your own. You have to make decisions on where to go, and what to eat and how to get from place to place. This decision making ability comes home with you and should benefit you even when you are not traveling.

5. You can stick to a budget

I am a die hard believer in minimalist travel so staying on budget is a big deal to me. The temptation or peer pressure to get involved in activities that involve a lot of money won’t be as prevalent when you’re travelling solo. You won’t have a friend saying ‘Come out for just one drink!’ or ‘This 3-day boat tour would be soooo cool – let’s do it’ when really it’s not something you ever wanted to do. Instead you’ll have your own minimalist travel budget to help you make decisions and stay on track with your spending.

Related– Minimalist Travel Packing List

    6. You become more observant

Normally, on trips, you spend a lot of time conversing with your travel companions and put your attention on them. Without the disruption of others, all of your focus is on your surroundings, as it should be. Wonderful things happen when you are free from distractions; you see things you might have missed otherwise.

    7. You can be more spontaneous

Doing things at the drop of a hat when you’re in a group is difficult. Even if some of your travel companions might be up for what you want to do, others won’t, which could result in you not doing what it was you wanted to do. Solo travel removes this problem. Do what you want to do when you want to do it.

Related- 10 of the Best Travel Backpacks

After traveling through countries where nothing seems familiar, not knowing a word of the native language and finding your way through foreign streets to a destination, you will realize  there is nothing in this world you cannot do. There is simply nothing you cannot accomplish. You become fearless. You Change The Code.

Are you a fan of solo travel? Please let us know in the comments and please be sure to share this post. Thank you.

“Change The Code. Change Your Life”