What are the Benefits of Travelling Solo?

Solo travel is on the rise. More people find going solo is the ticket to happiness. Why is this? As someone asked me while I was on my round-the-world travels, what are the benefits of travelling solo?

• Is it being able to choose what you do without worrying about someone else’s opinion?

• Is it the people you meet?

• Or the feeling of freedom and adventure?

I had to stop and think. Of course all of these have been important elements in creating what has been an incredible trip. But if I had to choose one to show the benefits of travelling solo, what would I pick? Read on to find out.

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Amazing activities around the world

One of the main benefits of travelling solo is not having to worry about what someone else wants to do. It means you can indulge in all your interests or do nothing if you feel like a rest. No pressure!

Yoga and mediation

For me, I chose to do yoga and meditation in beautiful yoga studios around the world.

Highlights included taking a Thai yoga massage workshop in Bali and unexpectedly enjoying Bikram hot yoga in Sydney.

This helped me stay fit and maintain balance in my body, heart and mind while I was travelling.

In India, I got closer to the stillness of mind needed to meditate in Goa.

Read more about the yoga and meditation I did while travelling here.

Cycling

In India, I cycled round ancient temples in Hampi. And in Bali, I did a cycling tour around the rice paddies in Ubud, which was a great way to meet fellow solo travellers.

You can book your Ubud cycling tour of the rice terraces in advance.

Scuba diving

I learned to scuba dive in Malaysia, qualifying as an Open Water diver. It was an amazing experience to learn here, as the sea life is so rich.

This qualification later allowed me to explore the colourful depths of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Book your Great Barrier Reef scuba diving your here.

Other activities

In Borneo, I watched orangutans eat their breakfast and spotted nocturnal creatures on a nighttime jungle trek.

In Bali, I climbed a volcano at sunrise. In New Zealand, I went white-water rafting and hiked over the active volcanic terrain of the 12 mile (19 km) Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

In Chile, I visited a famous winery. In the Atacama desert, I went star-gazing, tried sand-boarding and even climbed a small mountain. In Brazil, I went hang-gliding over Rio de Janeiro.

In Argentina, I learned to tango in Buenos Aires, and got drenched in a small boat under the thundering waters of one of the modern natural wonders of the world, the Iguazu Falls.

I did so much on my solo trip around the world. I made so many memories I will treasure for the rest of my life, particularly when I’m back working in an office every day.

Book your tour of Chile’s San Pedro and Atacama desert here.

Meeting incredible people from different countries

As for the people I’ve met, I won’t name them all here, but I have been lucky enough to meet wonderful people at every stage of my trip.

Several are now friends who I stayed in regular contact with, as we shared our slightly offbeat travelling lives. Some new friends I met up with later on in a different country, which makes the world feel like a very small place indeed.

Sometimes there were friends from back home who I was delighted to see again on the other side of the world.

All have played an important part, as our paths crossed on our respective journeys, and I’m over the moon to have shared it with them.

When you embark on a trip like this by yourself, you find yourself drawn to other people, and often they are in a similar situation themselves. We help each other, learn from each other, share travelling tips and tales and, sometimes, become travel partners for a while. It’s a joy to be able to share your newfound experiences as you explore unfamiliar places together.

Freedom and adventure like never before

The sense of freedom and adventure is a huge one for me. An escape from routine of the 9 to 5 (and beyond) job, and to get a different perspective on life from the consumerist, celebrity-obsessed culture I was used to in the UK. And also, of course, to appreciate how good we have it back home.

Personally, I find travelling an energising and nourishing experience which inspires me like nothing else. It breaks open your expectations of yourself and of your life, as you explore the wonders of the world in all her beauty. To have this freedom is an absolute joy and a privilege. Taking yourself out of your comfort zone, without anything to really define you, can be unexpectedly satisfying for the soul in ways you can’t anticipate.

Final thoughts on the benefits of travelling solo

As you’ve read, there are many benefits of travelling solo. They all make a solo backpacking trip so memorable. On reflection, the one thing that really made my trip special and memorable are the connections I made with people.

People from all over the world, some travellers, some local, have all made my journey extra fun and insightful. And for me this is what it’s all about.

Whatever you are doing, the people you spend time with elevates an experience in so many ways. You can forge bonds quickly when you’re travelling; you support and encourage each other – a loving friendship can be created, even if you only spend a couple of days in each other’s company.

And then to come home. Going on the trip is special and coming home is something else, too. There is something both faintly unnerving and comfortingly reassuring about how easy it is to be reacquainted with life back home after such a long time away.

Wherever I continue my travels, I know that this love and this happiness from my home life will still be in my heart, wherever I am. Just as, wherever I end up, the spirit of freedom and adventure will be there, even once I return to the 9 to 5 daily routine. Whether travelling or at home, it’s the people that really matter.

Next up, discover more about the surprising benefits of travelling.