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In the last few years, solo travel has jumped immensely within the travel industry. More and more people are taking their own travel dreams into their own hands and turning them into a reality, whether or not they have someone to share the journey with. Whether you’re male, female, single, or attached, solo travel is considered the absolute self-indulgence nowadays and has no signs of slowing down in popularity anytime soon. It’s no surprise that along with solo travel on the rise, certain myths and concerns have popped up as well surrounding the topic. I’ve listed the top 5 solo travel myths below that I’ve personally had addressed towards me and debunked them once and for all. Enjoy!
Solo Travel Is Boring
I consider my solo travels to be anything BUT boring. Solo travel gives you the opportunity to break out of your comfort zone, try new things and do it at your own pace. It also gives you the freedom to experience cultures on your own, so you have more of a chance to live, breathe and witness new customs and pay more attention to them while exploring on your own. Doesn’t sound boring to me!
Read more: Why I love solo travel
Solo Travel Is Unsafe
One of the biggest myths surrounding solo travel is that it’s unsafe. If you take the necessary precautions no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be absolutely fine. During any of my solo travels, I’ve never felt uneasy, or unsafe, even while wandering the streets alone at night. The way I look at things is like this: Bad things can happen anywhere, even in your hometown, so how do you plan to live your life? In a box, or outside the box? If you live your life in fear of bad things happening, chances are you aren’t really living. Also, learn to listen to your instincts. The term “Traveller’s Gut” is real and means that if something seems suspicious, or if you feel uneasy around someone, trust your gut and leave. Gut instinct is more spot on than people may think.
Read more: How to stay safe as a solo traveller
Solo Travel Is Expensive
I call bullshit on this myth on so many levels. People may assume that you have an overflowing wallet because you can hop on a plane and travel to amazing locations across the globe on your own. Au contraire, my friends. I wouldn’t say I’m frugal when I travel solo, but I DO look out for deals on accommodations more times than not. I stayed in a nice hotel with a sea view, breakfast and a king sized bed in Malta for, get this…$300 CAD for a WEEK! Yes, you read that correctly…a WEEK. I also try to travel to places within off season to save a bundle of money as well. If you plan on hitting up Europe in the summer, get ready to dish out major cash. Want to go to a tropical destination during the cold winter months? Pay up. There are so many ways around saving money while travelling solo, you just have to put in the work and look for deals.
Read more: How I save extra money for travelling – The not so little things add up
Eating Alone Is Intimidating & Scary
Apparently this topic is a huge one for a lot of travellers. I personally have mastered the fine art of dining alone and to be honest, I prefer it. I do understand though. Eating alone in a country where you don’t speak the language and ask for a table for one can be off putting for more than enough people. It even makes a lot of travellers get meals to go and go back to their hotel rooms to eat. If eating alone gives you an impeding feeling of anxiety, bring a book along with you, so you have something to distract you and keep you busy. Chat it up with the waitstaff, since they can give you advice on where to go off the beaten tourist track to see some lesser known sights. I wrote an entire post based on eating alone while travelling solo and why you should embrace it. Don’t worry about people staring at you and wondering why you’re alone. Chances are that they don’t even notice you and don’t care. Sorry, but true.
Read more: Table for one, please – How to feel confident eating alone while travelling solo
Read more: How to Find Great Places to Eat While Travelling
Solo Travel Is Lonely
“Don’t you get lonely while travelling solo?” This is a question I must get asked every single time I mention that I’m heading on a trip alone. My answer is always the same…NO! When I’m travelling solo, I get to do things on my own time, at my own pace and just because I’m travelling alone, doesn’t mean I’m always alone. Most of the time, I’ll join a day tour here and there, which then has me meeting and hanging out with other people from around the world. I do prefer the alone time, but being social is a part of human nature, so naturally I’ll end up talking to people, getting to know them and hear other travel stories from fellow travellers. I also find that travelling solo makes you more social and opens you up for more conversation with others because a lot of the time if you are travelling with others, you tend to only talk to the people you know.
Read more: Throttle therapy – Exploring the Island of Gozo on an ATV
Now that I’ve debunked some of the most common myths surrounding solo travel, what are you waiting for? Don’t let other people sway your opinion on travelling solo by putting these myths into your head. Have any of you guys wanted to travel solo, but don’t because of any of these points listed above? Let me know in the comments below! xo
Great blog! Love the post, hope to see many more! Thanks for sharing, regards Alastair Majury from Dunblane, Stirling Council, Scotland, UK
Thanks so much:) Glad you enjoyed this post!!