Traveling the World Alone Makes You a Bad Ass: 10 Benefits of Solo Travel

Traveling the world alone. Sounds daunting, right? For those who have never done it, “solo travel” may seem unattainable, scary, even dangerous. The thought of solo travel, for many, brings up so many what if’s that you just may scare yourself out of taking the solo travel leap altogether. Don’t.

Here’s the thing. Solo travel is more attainable now than ever before. Wiggle your fingertips at the crest of a keyboard, and you have all the digital tools at your disposal to find the best places to travel solo, book everything you need, and head off next Tuesday.

Indeed, traveling the world alone has never been easier, and your ability to make a positive impact while you travel is stronger than ever before. In fact, in less than a week I’ll be setting sail with Fathom on their Caribbean cruise, a culturally immersive travel experience and, incidentally, the perfect setting for solo travel. More a journey than a cruise, per se, Fathom offers the chance for strangers to come together with the common goal of making a positive impact on the places you visit. The inherently collaborative style of Fathom trips, with the chance to cooperate with other travelers and work with locals to benefit their communities, makes them some of the best vacations to take alone and reap some of the many benefits of solo travel.

So, what exactly are the benefits of traveling the world alone? Read on to know what I believe are the 10 most important benefits of solo travel.

10 Benefits of Solo Travel

1. You’ll find your inner explorer.

Traveling the world alone teaches you to learn to love the companion-less wander. As I wrote in my list of Millennial Travel Tips (but applies to all ages), familiar people are safety blankets, and can have the effect of insulating you from your unfamiliar environment. So get out there on your own! One of the benefits of solo travel is that it teaches you to explore freely, to appreciate the art of getting lost, and to navigate your own way relying solely on your inner explorer.

2. It’s a huge confidence-builder.

Nothing like a little solo travel to make you feel good about yourself! The act of putting yourself out there into the world, relying on yourself, and (yes!) showing yourself that you survived it all is an incredible achievement that will continue to benefit you long after the solo trip ends.

3. You’ll learn to solve problems like a pro.

There is one absolute truth about travel: there is no such thing as perfect. Problems happen, but that doesn’t mean they have to ruin your trip. Missed flight? Shampoo explosion? Leeches?!? The beauty of solo travel is you’ll practice confronting these problems head on, and grow in your problem-solving ability at large because of it.

4. Your trip won’t be ruined by arguments.

Even the best of friends may get into arguments under the rigors of travel. The beauty of traveling the world alone? You’re in charge of your own solo trip. Your own choices, your own decisions, your own solo trip ideas. From the planning (how many “best places to travel alone” articles can you read?!), to the embarking of the solo trip itself, you won’t have to make any compromises to satisfy others, and thus, there will be no little tiffs to get in the way!

5. Oh the things you’ll see!

And without anyone else to please, you’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll be able to see! When I venture on solo travel, I tend to walk faster, dawdle less, and am able to soak up so much more of my travel destinations because of it—just one of the many benefits of solo travel.

6. And the people you’ll meet!

It takes a very curious and imaginative person to leave behind everything and everyone they know and embark on solo travel. And the wonderful thing? You’ll be able to meet others who have the same traits! Whether it’s locals or other solo travelers you bond with, traveling to a new place opens yourself up to new human connections, rather than bringing along familiar ones.

7. And the money you’ll save!

Travel may be more accessible than ever before, but it’s still not necessarily the cheapest thing in the world. With solo travel, you’ll be responsible for budgeting your own trip and can thus limit how much you spend. You may also choose to take advantage of hostel dormitories, saving money while being able to meet a bunch of new people! Looking for cheap flights for your solo travel? Don’t miss our guide to doing a cheap flight search like a pro.

Booking.com

8. You’ll step outside of your comfort zone.

Going on your own solo travel expedition is a plunge in and of itself. One of the benefits of solo travel? When traveling the world alone, you’ll have no choice but to rely on yourself to engage with the world around you, forcing you to try things you never thought you would. Meeting new people, seeing new things, navigating in new ways—these all have influence over you and your comfort zone, and will continue to benefit you even after you return home!

9. You’ll surprise yourself.

And with a wider comfort zone comes greater achievements. The things you accomplish on your solo travel will give you a well-earned sense of pride. You can build confidence and even learn to manage anxiety while traveling solo.

So go on, try it! Leap into something new. You never know what you could end up accomplishing!

10. You’ll get the chance to know you.

Liberty Hyde Bailey wrote, “When the traveler goes alone he gets acquainted with himself.” He. She. Whatever. Despite this botanist’s singularly gendered pronoun usage, the man’s got a point. Traveling by yourself forces you to take responsibility over yourself and your awareness of your surroundings, as well as your place in it. It’s a wonderful lesson in travel, and in life itself.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fathom and Her Campus Media. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Television of Nomads possible!

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What do you think are the best places to travel alone?

Tell us in a comment below!