50 Benefits of Female Solo Travel
Solo travel among women is increasing leaps and bounds, whether they are single, married, or in relationships… As a member of various female travel groups on Facebook, I see a huge number of women from all over the world sharing insights, questions, and experiences about traveling solo.
The statistics show that 72 percent of American women are traveling alone. It has been found that females outnumber males when it comes to solo travel among older adults. Road Scholar reports that 85 percent of their solo travelers are women.
A 2019 non-gender specific study found that 76% of travelers had gone on a solo trip or were considering going. Among women, the interest in solo travel is growing rapidly.
So, if you are ready to jump in and start solo traveling as a woman, then this blog is for you.
If you are still on the fence and unsure whether solo travel is for you, then you might want to consider these 50 benefits and then perhaps you will feel ready to take that leap of faith and book your solo trip.
In this blog, I am sharing my top benefits of female solo travel. So, let’s get started…
50 Benefits of Female Solo Travel for women traveling alone.
You can still travel by choosing to travel solo when you want to travel and you have nobody to go with you
You want to choose some “alone-time” and “me time” to recharge away from people whom you know
You get to know yourself through time on your own as there will be fewer distractions that drain your energy and take your attention away from focusing on yourself
You learn to love yourself by getting to know yourself through time on your own and in new surroundings
You honor your own desires and preferences on your trips instead of putting your own needs to the side to please others (this can be a particularly powerful benefit for “people pleasers”)
You lavish yourself with the kind of trip that you want to have (for example, massages, facials, saunas, waterfalls, museums, shopping, cultural visits, etc.) rather than the kind of trip that others want you to have
You can set your own schedule and go at your own pace without interference from others
You get to fulfill lifelong goals and dreams of visiting places that you have always wanted to explore, yet you had not done so previously due to obligations, relationships, expectations, etc.
You learn to conquer the fear of being alone by becoming more comfortable with yourself and your own company
You learn to be afraid and do it anyway by taking action, as they sayings go: “Just do it” and “Do it afraid”
You get to exercise your autonomy and assert your independence by making decisions on your own rather than being coerced and influenced by outside interference and expectations
You build self-confidence by proving to yourself and others that you are capable of dealing with new and unexpected situations
You gain knowledge by learning about new cultures, customs and countries on your own without the distraction of limiting your attention to your travel companions
You build self-worth that you are worthy of the investment of time, money and energy to take trips that nurture you and your personal interests
You learn to be more courageous by dealing with new and unexpected situations
You learn to manage your anxiety and fear by stepping outside of your comfort zone and expanding your horizons (like going ziplining or surfing) rather than remaining stuck in a rut of a repetitive cycle of day-to-day life
You learn new languages by visiting countries where other languages are spoken
You learn new expressions in your own language (for example if you are an English or Spanish speaker, you learn local expressions in your language in countries where English or Spanish are also spoken)
You learn new life skills that are far too many and far too nuanced to list here and these new life skills will be specifically suited to you on your life journey
You learn more awareness that you perhaps would not have if you are with others on a trip upon whom you rely to stay aware of your surroundings on your behalf for your safety
You can explore and honor your own likes and dislikes without feeling the need to compromise through the influence and constraints of others traveling with you
You learn more about your own resilience when faced with challenging situations
You can practice playing “big” with people who do not know you, instead of shrinking and playing “small” like you might be doing due to pressure and criticism from those who know you
You learn to set boundaries by saying “no” to problematic people who want to join your solo trip and potentially spoil your plans and the enjoyment of your trip
You learn to listen to your intuition without the outside noise and interference of others since you are the only person you will hear if you listen/pay attention to yourself carefully and quietly
You choose how much time you spend alone versus how much time you spend with others; (when you want time with others you can go on a day trip, a group tour, a retreat activity, etc.)
You get to rest yourself at your own pace by waking up and sleeping at times that nurture you
Your learn to trust yourself since you will not have anyone else on your trip
You learn to forgive yourself when you make a mistake and you have nobody else to blame but yourself on a solo trip and that is okay
You learn to shower yourself with loving-kindness without outside interference or name calling like “selfish”, “self-centered”, etc.
You learn to give and receive self-compassion when you need it without relying on others to do that for you when they are perhaps incapable of doing that for you
You cultivate wisdom from the experiences that you have on your trip and you can apply that wisdom to many aspects of your life
You learn gratitude for the wonderful experiences and life lessons you have on your trips
You discover awe and awesomeness in different parts of the world that were previously unknown to you
You satisfy your own needs instead of neglecting your own needs for the sake of the needs of others
You take responsibility for yourself by making your own decisions without relying on others to make decisions for you
You can learn new skills in a new place (such as traveling for a yoga teacher training or a raw vegan chef training in another city/country)
You broaden your perspectives by meeting new people with new ideas, lifestyles, cultures and customs
You discover new foods that you may not have tried if you were traveling with others who are not as open to exploring as you are
You reduce the number of regrets in your life by no longer postponing or not doing what you want to do (such as traveling)
You gain a fresh perspective on your life by taking some distance from your day-to-day life to allow new ideas, solutions, and possibilities to be considered, away from the noisiness, busyness, distractions and fast pace of your regular routine and responsibilities
You can experiment with new ways of doing things away from home and away from people who might interfere or criticize you
You can relieve some stress by distancing yourself temporarily from a challenging situation that requires time and space to find a solution(s)
You can explore a potential future home in the places you visit if you decide to relocate someday
You can make new friends without the limitations of only spending time with your existing relationships if they had traveled with you
You become an example to hush, shush, quash, quell and quiet the naysayers who tell women “Don’t go” and “Wait to go with someone” (and all sorts of other discouraging remarks), by being an inspiration for other women who are afraid to travel solo (in other words, if you can do it, they can do it too)
You become a resource for solo travel tips for other women who have not yet taken the same trips as you have
You can transform your solo travel skills into a new career and/or hobby
You get to choose how you live your best life and that includes awesome solo travel
You gain all of the above-mentioned benefits (and SO MUCH MORE) that you can then apply to your everyday life skills and experiences to create an even more magical life for yourself
To learn about how to travel safely as a female, read my blog More Than 50 Safety Tips for Female Travel and watch on YouTube.
Let me know your thoughts about the benefits of female solo travel that I have shared in this blog. I would also really enjoy hearing about the benefits you have discovered along your solo trips! Happy travels!
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Best wishes,
Angel
Certified Raw Vegan Chef & Yoga Teacher
Wellness Lifestyle Coach & Author
Meditation & Retreat Leader