Solo travel (as a girl), why and where to go?

Traveling solo as a girl or woman can sound scary and at times it might feel scary, but it’s definitely something everyone should experience at least once, in my opinion. You may think it’s not for you, but you might be positively surprised! How will you know if you don’t give it a try? Even the most shy and introvert people travel by themselves and love it.

Where to travel to?

Lots of people are judgemental and have opinions about countries they have never set foot in. It’s happened multiple times that people told me it wouldn’t be safe after I had told them about my travel plans. Don’t let them scare you or change your plans. It’s all about common sense. I mean, there are probably also areas in your home country where you would rather not go by yourself during the night..

Although I never traveled by myself for a longer period of time, I went on quite a few shorter trips by myself. The first time I went abroad by myself for a longer period was in 2012, I was 20 and traveld to San Diego for a Cambridge English course of 12 weeks. So far there hasn’t been a destination where I did not feel comfortable or safe. I have therefore created a list of destinations where I had a great experience traveling solo.

1. Myanmar
2. Nepal
3. Philippines
4. Cuba
5. Bolivia
6. Chile
7. Georgia
8. Turkey
9. Argentina (combined with an internship)
10. Egypt – Cairo

Reasons to travel solo

Self development

Traveling solo gives you the opportunity to learn how to deal with certain situations you don’t usually have to deal with alone. You will get to know yourself better, learn about your boundaries, your strengths and your weaknesses. You are in full control of your plan and decisions and don’t have to take anyone else’s wishes into consideration. What I really loved about traveling solo is the fact that I could do exactly what I wanted on my own pace. By spending more time alone you’ll have more time to reflect on yourself and think about stuff you usually don’t think about.

Gratitude

If you live in a well developed (first world) country, traveling to lesser developed countries will make you realise how lucky you are. It will also learn you to be more grateful. You will notice people in many of such countries have a positive mindset while they often don’t have access to all basic necessities, let alone the luxurious items we nowadays consider our basic needs. It will change your perspective and let you realise happiness isn’t necessarily in things.

Learning about cultures

When you travel along chances are way higher to get close to the locals than when you’re traveling in a group or with your partner. The local inhabitants don’t always understand why you would travel by yourself. They might even feel sorry for you sometimes, especially because in certain countries people aren’t as individualistic as a lot of westerners are. Meeting new people from various backgrounds gives you the opportunity to learn about their habits, norms and values. It does not only contribute to your general knowledge and understanding of the world, but it could be of great help if you would ever have to work with people of different nationalities. On top of that, local people often get very excited and they might share some of their hidden gems with you.

Tips

Research before your trip

You are obviously going to read about the places you must see, best itinerary, where to stay and how to get there. However, don’t forget to Google the less fun, but very important things such as; common scams in the country you’re visiting (each country has their specialities), areas to avoid, emergency numbers, average prices for transport, local transport/cab apps and the best way to pay and exchange money. If you arrive prepared, it can save you a lot of headache and stress. When I traveled to Argentina in 2014 I was very happy I read about the scams beforehand, since several people I met along the way already fell for one of their tricks.

Disconnect while traveling, or not?

It’s always better to be safer than sorry, I therefore recommend buying a local simcard with some data. You don’t need to be online all the time, but it’s good to have the option if it would ever be necessary. Besides that, it can save you some time on finding the way, getting a local taxi etc.

Where to stay when traveling solo

While traveling solo you will probably not be by yourself all the time. It’s very easy to meet people so there is no need to be afraid of feeling lonely. If you’re open to staying in a hostel, you will easily get in touch with other travellers. This doesn’t mean you need to sleep in a dorm, lots of hostels offer private rooms. There are often common areas where you can meet people and many of the hostels offer day trips and tours as well.

In conclusion, just go and don’t be afraid! Millions of people (girls) have done it and many are currently out there on a solo adventure. I have mentioned it before, but will say it again: enjoy every moment and connect with locals as much as possible!

Did you like this article or do you have any question or feedback? Please let me know in the comments!