There are lots of good reasons to travel alone. My first solo trip happened because a friend had to drop out of our travel plans. But I’d had the travel bug for a while, so instead of waiting for a time that worked for us both, I decided to go on my own. To be honest, I didn’t give it much thought. I just knew I needed to travel–and soon. I planned out my agenda, made some reservations, and flew to Bogotá, Colombia to start my first international solo trip.
Even though traveling with friends, family, or anyone you already know has advantages, traveling solo is an invaluable experience. Once I went on my first solo trip I just kept wanting more. So, here are my top five reasons to travel alone and why you should too.
1. Practice language skills
If you want to learn a language, the best way is to be immersed in it. When traveling with another English speaker, it’s easy to revert to the native language for comfort and efficiency. One reason I chose Colombia for my first solo trip was to improve my Spanish speaking and comprehension skills.
I studied Spanish from 6th grade through college, but after graduation my skills fell off and years have passed without enough practice. At home, anxiety often gets in the way of me using my Spanish, but in Colombia I wouldn’t have a choice.
To maximize my learning time, I enrolled in a week of Spanish classes at Nueva Lengua Spanish School in Bogotá. Even though I only had a week, classes gave me the opportunity to practice in an educational setting in addition to speaking with natives.
2. Meet new people and make friends around the world
Sure, you can meet new people when traveling with friends or family, but it’s more difficult and just not the same. We tend to interact less with strangers because it’s more comfortable to stick with people we know. When it’s just you and no social crutch, you’re forced to interact with people you may never speak with otherwise.
Traveling solo doesn’t only lead to more interactions, but often to more meaningful ones. If I return to Bogotá, I won’t hesitate to get in touch with the people I bonded with the most. Since students at the school were from all over the world, I’ll also have friends in Hamburg and Brasilia.
If I had traveled with a friend, I wouldn’t have spent much one-on-one time with anyone else. Simple things like sitting and having a great conversation over drinks can create some of the longest-lasting connections.
3. Do whatever you want
One of the best parts of solo travel is the ability to make your own itinerary and change it on a whim. One day in Medellín, I was feeling a bit sick and still tired from traveling. Instead of doing a walking tour as planned, I had breakfast in the hotel, slept in, and found a cafe where I could relax and people watch. If I was traveling with someone who was set on checking off the itinerary or not willing to go out on their own, it would be a problem.
4. Self-care
However you feel about the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, you can’t deny that you felt jealous of the author’s adventures. We could all use a long vacation to recalibrate when life gets hard. Part of the reason I was so quick to book a solo trip was because I had gotten out of a toxic relationship less than a year before, had then gotten myself into another one that ended quickly and painfully, had career frustrations, and was dealing with family issues all at the same time. I was itching to get away from daily reminders and spend time doing what I love to do with nothing to focus on but enjoying myself.
While in Colombia, I treated myself very well. I went on a “date” with myself to at least one upscale restaurant in each city. I ordered whatever I wanted, including a bottle of wine for one (no shame!) and visited a Cartagena spa. Most importantly, I paid attention to how I was feeling at every step. Did I want to go on an adventure or have quiet time to relax?
Even though I traveled between three cities, I connected with nature in each one. Those were some of my favorite experiences. I visited big cities, small towns, mountaintops, waterfalls, and beaches. All of them provided much-needed self-care in different ways.
5. Challenge yourself and gain confidence
It’s one thing to be independent and self-reliant when you’re at home. It’s another when you’re in a new country with an entirely different culture, language, and way of life. You can and should do plenty of research beforehand, but some things have to be learned as you go. Traveling alone not only gave me a sense of accomplishment, but it reinforced the feeling of being able to manage whatever situation is thrown my way.
Luckily, nothing disastrous happened while I was in Colombia, but I did have to improvise and find my way with little to no help. Navigating the multiple bus lines to find my way to small towns outside of Bogotá and Medellín was exhausting. But I was determined to visit the salt cathedral in Zipaquirá and Santa Fe de Antioquia, so I figured it out. It’s when things didn’t go smoothly, but I still managed to work it out, that I became more confident in my ability to make my own way in the world. That’s a valuable lesson to bring home.
There are plenty more reasons to travel alone and I believe everyone should try it at least once. What are your top reasons to travel alone? If you haven’t yet, what’s holding you back? Comment with your thoughts below!
If you liked this post, check these out:
Bogotá, Colombia: How to Explore the City in 7 Days
The Magic of Cartagena, Colombia
5 Self-Care Apps You Need to Try
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