Perks of Solo Travel

1. Meeting people from all over the world

When traveling solo, I meet people from all over the world. While traveling in Martinique, I met locals as well as foreigners. I met students studying abroad from Sweden and Switzerland. I met Haitians that bouncing back and forth between Haiti and Martinique to work. In Morocco, I met people from Cameroon, England and fellow Americans. When traveling solo, you will naturally meet people and can discuss many things from politics to their lives in their perspective countries.

• Making my own itinerary

I can do what I want, when I want. I can take an Airbnb tour or simply travel around with locals. I can decide which sites I want to visit on my own time, where I want to eat, and when I want to relax. There’s a certain freedom in vacationing and doing things on your own time without having to consult others.

• Changing plans on a dime without consulting others

However, I can also change my plans on a dime. While I was in Martinique, I had plans to go to Jardin de Balata and some other sites. After meeting a local Martiniquaise woman, I was able to travel to St. Pierre and visit a black sand beach. Altering plans at the last minute allowed me to see Des Salines with the Swedish students and do other things that I wouldn’t have been able to do if I was traveling with a group of people.

• Treating myself to meals at different restaurants

I love to try new cuisines when I travel. Being by myself means I get to pick new places and frequent different restaurants. I can try as many bakeries, shops, or hole-in-the-wall’s as I like. Many times, when traveling with others, they have preferences for food that you may not like or wish to taste. Traveling solo gives you freedom when choosing the cuisine, you’d like to try as well.

• Wandering Aimlessly

Sometimes I like to metaphorically “get lost” and wander aimlessly; traveling as a way of discovery. I’ve wandered through markets, piers, and medinas. I love to stroll in beautiful neighborhoods, parks, or beaches. I’m open to going to many different places and seeing many different things as a way of discovering things I may not have anticipated.

Traveling solo is for the open-minded and has many perks. It’s not something that has to be scary or daunting and can be very fulfilling and invigorating, no matter how one chooses to spend their time.