The Transformative Power of Solo Travel

As many of you already know, this summer I spent two months in Portugal. Part of this time was spent on fun adventures with family and friends, but for over a month, I was on my own. If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience the transformative power of solo travel in a world larger than your knowledge of it, I highly recommend it.  

In the familiar and comfortable surroundings of home, my habitual self is happy and content. Despite daily yoga and meditation, deep introspection is limited and transformation is unlikely surrounded by the busyness of my everyday life. Getting away creates space for me to access and delve into the new evolutions of my personality. The unknown and unfamiliar world outside becomes a mirror for the terra incognita within. I find myself best while getting lost. 

“Getting lost was not a matter of geography so much as identity, a passionate desire, even an urgent need, to become no one and anyone, to shake off the shackles that remind you who you are, who others think you are.” 

― Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost

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I’ve been hearing the call from a new part of me - my elder self. As the time span before me diminishes, imagining brand new horizons and pursuing them is less appealing. It feels like it’s time to shift my perspective - time to put down all the efforting to simply be fully alive with what’s present every moment. 

On retreat, the voice of my emerging self is clearer. Each new day, each new city, each new landscape, each new challenge calls my new self into being. Because everything is unfamiliar, the familiar voices of my habitual self take a back seat, and this new transformation is free to inform me what she wants to see, to eat, to look at, to discover. Alone in the stillness of a foreign country, I am free to delve into her energy, to embody how she responds differently. By the time I return home, this new part of me will have become a natural part of my personality and feel normal. 

I have come to rely on the transformative power of solo travel and its unique blend of freedom, self-discovery, and empowerment. The luxury of traveling solo is having time to just be still and be with our inner selves. 

“How will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?" (Plato)  The things we want are transformative, and we don’t know or only think we know what is on the other side of that transformation. Love, wisdom, grace, inspiration- how do you go about finding these things that are in some ways about extending the boundaries of the self into unknown territory, about becoming someone else?” 

― Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost

Loneliness vs. Solitude:

You might think that a woman who travels alone has no other options. You probably imagine she suffers from loneliness and isolation. While loneliness is a reality of life on the road from time to time, it is also a reality of life wherever you are. I witnessed couples sitting in fancy restaurants, or on the beach, arguing or in uncomfortable silence, families where everyone interacts with their screens instead of each other. Loneliness is pervasive in our society.

As a solo traveler, loneliness is not as common as you might expect. It’s easy to meet people in hostels, on local tours and guided trips, or even on public transport, and you may find that you’re hardly ever on your own. As a solo woman, people are, rightly or wrongly, likely to perceive you as non-threatening and approachable. Whenever I felt lonely, I was able to acknowledge it, embrace its normality, and ride the wave of it. I have also come to see that the discomfort of loneliness can signal the need to take time to untangle my thoughts and reflect. 

Unlike loneliness, solitude is a sanctuary.  It is holy and not hollow.  A woman who is at peace with her own company learns that silence is the opposite of emptiness, it is a canvas for her own creation.  In the quiet of her own company she discovers her magic, she relishes her inner world, is free to dance in the living room, sing in the car, laugh out loud at her own jokes.  She is her own best friend, her own safe place, her own greatest adventure.  In solitude she hears whispers of her own spirit and finds answers no one else can provide. A woman comfortable in solitude is at peace, radiant, self-possessed, and unbothered by anyone’s approval or disapproval.

Solo travel is often thought of as a pastime reserved only for carefree singles, but mothers, grandmothers, loved-up ladies, and wives also benefit from taking leisure trips alone. A solo adventure is the epitome of modern-day "me time," giving women a break from traditional caregiving roles and part of the trends of individualism and independence bubbling up since the 1960s and ’70s, and part of every generation of women since then.

According to Solo Travel Statistics (2023), there has been a 42% increase in people taking solo trips over the last two years. Solo travelers make up 11% of the overall travel market, and 84% of solo travelers are women. In 2019, 76% of all travelers had gone on a solo trip or were considering going, while most who travel solo once go on to repeat the experience. The average age of the solo traveller is 47.

A 2015 report by the International Journal of Tourism Research found that internal feelings of freedom, escape, and bravery were the strongest motivators for female solo travelers. Another recent study on what motivates people to travel found that transformative experience, freedom, and flexibility, along with anticipated self-discovery, inspire potential solo travelers (Ling Yang, 2021).

Benefits of Solo Travel

Empowerment and Confidence:

Taking a city that feels scary, strange, and unfamiliar and transforming it into a welcoming and known landscape dotted with friends and acquaintances gives me tremendous joy. This process of taking the unknown and making it my own feels profoundly creative. I love criss-crossing the maze of streets, making mental notes of the landmarks, the shops, the faces, the dress, the activities, and blending myself into the energy of the city.

Traveling alone compels us to step out of our comfort zone, make quick, independent decisions, and solve problems. This builds unshakeable confidence and a sense of self-reliance, and trust in our own abilities. Problems will inevitably arise, plans will go astray, and simply asking for help, out loud, can be a radical step forward. I’ve found assistance to always be close at hand, and when I’m dependent on my own resourcefulness, I invite the universe to co-create the outcome I most desire. Solo traveling allows you to feel secure in your ability to take risks and go after exactly what you want, even when you return home.

“Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one thing that is going to require the most from you.”

• Caroline Myss

Freedom and Flexibility:

Regardless of your choice of traveling companions, nobody has your same sleep patterns, eating habits, or travel desires. Do you want to stay another night or two somewhere? Do you want a day of complete rest, and lay about reading? Have you already been to the top of the Eiffel Tower and want to skip it and head to explore another art museum? Do you like to party? If you are solo, you are free to choose.  

Freedom and flexibility are the primary advantages of solo travel. You have total control over your budget: You decide exactly how to spend your hard-earned money. You have complete itinerary freedom: Want to take a cycling trip? Book it. Interested in a cooking class? Go for it. There’s no waiting on others. How many times have you been annoyed by having to wait on someone else? One of the benefits of traveling alone is that this problem is completely eradicated. Equally, you will not have to worry about keeping others waiting. When you stumble upon a fascinating art exhibit, for instance, you can take as much time to explore it as you like without feeling any guilt for throwing off someone else’s schedule. 

You don’t have to share your gelato. You don’t have to share anything! You’ll have your own room (unless you opt otherwise, such as staying at a hostel), your own itinerary (or none), and follow only your own interests. There's no one looking over your shoulder to make sure you ticked off the list of sights to see.

Eat what you want, as much or little as you desire. Not a breakfast person? Skip it. Love a hearty meal to fuel up for a day of exploration? Have at it. There’s no one to judge you! Spend as much or as little as you want. If it's a budget trip you have in mind, you can decide where to save and where to spend. If treating yourself to a luxury trip is what you're after, lucky you–go for it! There's no balancing the budgets of a number of travelers, feeling obligated to spend more than you want or worrying that others can't shoulder their fair share. 

When traveling solo there’s an ocean of time ahead of you. Anything is possible and you can go in any direction. You are free of your companion’s baggage and free to work on your own. You do everything on your terms.

Personal Growth and Self-Discovery:

Traveling alone means you have plenty of time to focus on one very important relationship: the one with yourself. You learn to trust yourself more as you navigate through new challenges. You can take pride in being self-sufficient and in building lifelong skills, like communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. You’ll have lots of time to sit with yourself and self-reflect or engage in meditation. There will be moments to just breathe and feel inner peace.

In a new place, no one will judge you for being a little bit different; no one here knows you as the person you have created yourself to be. You can experiment with new ways of being. You’ll be able to get comfortable in your own company and enjoy time with yourself and all the voices in your head. You can practice accepting yourself just as you are and loving the person you’re becoming. 

This time is about learning to listen to your own thoughts, feelings, and preferences without the influence of others. When traveling alone, I find myself really tuning into what I need and, without anyone else to check in with, building on the ability to respond to those needs in the moment. As a people pleaser, this is something I often neglect in order to put others' needs first; however, self-soothing is something I not only got much better at while away, but I have been able to carry this skill into my life since returning.

Escaping Social Expectations:

From the moment we’re born, we’re funnelled down the same path. Go to school. Go to university. Find a job and keep it for 40 years. Buy a house. Get married. Have children. Retire. And die.

We live life on autopilot because we don’t question these expectations and ask whether it’s something we truly want. But… if you’re proactive enough to go on that solo trip, you’ll have the space to figure out if that life is for you. You can move on and leave the negative influences in your life behind and design a life that aligns with your values and vision.

A solo female traveler is nurturing no one but herself. She’s at the top of her own list of priorities, which is subversive even in today’s Western society.

If you’re tired of oppressive beauty standards and considering a change, long-term travel is a great opportunity to test out a different look: go low maintenance and leave the razor, hair straightener and make-up at home, or get that sleeve tattoo you always wanted. Opting out of the insidious body shaming, diet culture, fashion and fitness trends that tend to inhabit our everyday lives means there’s more room to simply be yourself – or find out who you really are.

You can dance like nobody's watching, go topless at the beach, do something completely out of character, get a little naughty, or just let loose and indulge yourself, guilt-free. It all stays with you and doesn't have to be shared with anyone else. You can do something outrageous, and no one else in your circle at home will ever know. You can discover if those actions make you feel more constricted or freer and more whole.

Meeting New People and Expanding Horizons:

Without a companion to chat with, your orientation will be outward. You’ll notice more details, remember more experiences, and stay more present. This will open you up to meeting new people and make you more approachable. You’ll learn to navigate different social norms, communication styles, and customs. You’ll be forced to enhance your communication skills across language barriers. 

You will have the opportunity to experience the beauty and surprising depth of fleeting friendships. While I am one of those people who embraces solitude when I travel, I invariably also meet people along the way. There is something meaningful about travel relationships. Whether you chat with a fellow traveler for the length of a train ride, enjoy dinner at the home of a local, or bond with a stranger in a time of distress, beautiful things can happen when people are thrust together for a short time.

I’ve consistently found that people take extra care of solo female travelers, ensuring we have safe transportation back to accommodations, offering their homes for security, or connecting us with trusted friends to ensure smooth journeys. In Portugal this summer, one friend arranged a whole series of lunch dates with her friends for me! I had a wonderful time staying by myself in her beautiful home and imagining how my life would be in her shoes. 

My favorite part of foreign travel is being stretched by diverse perspectives. People in other places live differently. They do things differently. Never a better or worse comparison, the differences end up being part of a rich observation on how our lives are part of something much larger, and that there are hundreds of ways to do anything. Questioning our generally accepted beliefs opens the mind to amazing possibilities. The deeper your cultural immersion, the more adaptable and flexible you become.

Living in the Moment - Awareness/Presence:

Because you alone are responsible for everything when you travel solo, you appreciate your surroundings more intensely. Senses are heightened when you travel alone. To me, colors seem brighter, I notice unfamiliar scents, I eat unfamiliar foods, and I hear sounds that would fade into the background if I were traveling with others. I notice the graffiti, the advertising signs. I watch how people relate in their daily activities. It’s a deeper experience all around. You can dedicate your whole mind to what you're seeing and doing in a way that is rarely possible when you're with other people.

“...to be lost is to be fully present, and to be fully present is to be capable of being in uncertainty and mystery. And one does not get lost but loses oneself, with the implication that it is a conscious choice, a chosen surrender...” 

― Rebecca Solnit, A Field Guide to Getting Lost

Developing New Skills:

From navigation and communication to handling unexpected situations, solo travel fast-tracks growth in decision-making, resilience, and adaptability. Every challenge faced and overcome adds to your toolkit for life back home and beyond

Lasting Memories and Sense of Accomplishment:

When traveling solo, you are forced to step outside your comfort zone, and this can be extremely liberating. When you return to your day-to-day life after traveling, you are likely to feel a sense of empowerment that influences all areas of your life. Along with all the unforgettable memories and experiences you will return with proof that you can handle most anything life throws your way.

“The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it” - John Ruskin

Cautions/Concerns:

Now that you’re all excited to book that solo trip, be advised that solo travel is not for everyone. If you are one of those people who cannot tolerate being alone with yourself for even ten minutes, solo travel is not for you. If you are planning on traveling solo, I encourage you to first do some inner work.

The downsides to traveling by yourself are feeling lonely and awkward when eating alone, having to handle all the planning and logistics by yourself, and not having someone to laugh with and share memories with years later. You’ll be asking strangers to take your picture, and you’ll be responsible for keeping track of all your belongings and your schedule.

Dining alone?: check out this post for more ideas: Eating Alone Is Easy When You Know How.

Essential Safety Tips/Tricks to Minimize Risk Traveling Alone:

• Check out groups like SOLO TRAVELER WORLD. for top tips and continued support throughout your trip
• Share your itinerary with trusted contacts
• Stay connected with people at home, letting them know you are safe (My family tracks me 24/7 on Life 360)
• Keep emergency contacts and important documents accessible
• Keep your money, credit cards, passport, phone, and other valuables secure. Invest in an anti-theft cross- body handbag or backpack 
• Do not carry large amounts of cash, expensive jewelery or anything irreplaceable.
• Figure out how to use Apple Pay
• Store your money in several different places.
• Utilize the safe in your hotel room
• Travel with a power converter and a portable backup charger for your phone and purchase an eSIM card so you can utilize Google Maps. (I carry a portable wi-fi device)
• Always take out travel insurance just in case you need to get home in a hurry.
• Never advertise the fact that you’re traveling alone. Have a script practiced in case someone asks you if you’re alone. I always say that I’m waiting for my friend or my friend is arriving in a few days.
• Research your destination thoroughly beforehand
• Learn some of the local language
• Learn about the laws and cultural expectations
• Check out the crime ratings for the area along with any local government advice.
• Never leave baggage unattended or trust a stranger to watch it for you
• Be alert; use padlocks, store belongings in front of you, or in your hotel
• Use trusted taxi apps like Lyft and Uber
• Trust your instincts about people and situations. Consider tuning in to you and ask yourself: does my body feel safe in this environment?
• Book at least your first night’s accommodation in advance.
• Some places may be less safe at different times, i.e., at night. It might be worth considering visiting during the day or going as part of a group tour
• Don’t stray into unsafe areas in foreign cities during the nighttime. Ask your hotel concierge where it is safe to go to eat and drink in the area near your hotel.
• Be careful of what you eat or drink. Many countries do not have safe tap water for drinking. Be very cautious when eating street food or food that has not been refrigerated. Also, limit alcoholic beverages and never leave a drink unattended.
• Check and double-check your travel itinerary, your flight departure times, train or ferry timetables, and be totally prepared and alert.
• Join day tours or short multi-day excursions - for a little extra connection.

Getting Started:

Ready to experience these benefits of solo female travel yourself? If this is new to you, start with these steps:



1. Choose a safe, welcoming destination for your first solo trip.
2. Start small with a weekend getaway or short domestic trip.
3. Connect with other solo female travelers through online communities.
4. Research female-friendly accommodations and transportation options.
5. Trust yourself and take the leap!
6. Look into women’s overseas health retreats. These are available in a host of countries like Bali, Japan, and Sri Lanka.
7. Teaching English overseas with organizations such as TEFL or voluntary work overseas is a great way to experience a new country or culture.
8. Look for semi-guided holidays, like cycling or walking tours, where your itinerary, transport, and accommodation are organized by a tour company.
9. Consider a female-only tour or group trip if you want to meet like-minded travelers. Flavours Holidays specializes in painting retreats for women with no single supplement. Intrepid’s woman-led, women-only trips celebrate and support women-owned businesses and communities in the likes of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Support exists online too: Facebook groups such as the Solo Female Traveler Network, the Blonde Abroad Female Travel Tribe and Solo Girls Travel Guide offer advice, tips, and a friendly community at the swipe of a smartphone.
10. There are travel companies that either don’t charge a single supplement or charge a lower fee. Check out SOLO TRAVELER WORLD. Some of the travel companies listed include: Riviera River Cruises, Encounter Travel, Overseas Adventure Travel, Active Adventures, Adventure Canada, and To Italy With Love Tours. While other well known travel companies like Trafalgar, Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, and Exodus Adventure Travels offer specials with no single supplement.
11. Otherwise, some travel companies like Insight Vacations offer a paired solo option where you are matched with another traveller of the same gender so you can share a room. So if you’re not concerned about sharing a room then this is a great option for you to save money.
12. Plan your own travel itinerary and go solo. I have traveled alone through Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Burma, Japan, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Brazil, and Portugal, and felt completely safe and secure in my own company.

“The wonder and the joy of being completely alone in a foreign city is like no other feeling that I have experienced. It’s like unwrapping a sweet surprise and then devouring it bit by bit – not rushing or being on a timeline, but simply enjoying every little morsel”. ~ 50 Shades of Age – Kathy Marris.

People Lose Their Minds When I Tell Them I'm Traveling Alone

The safest countries to travel to are the Scandinavian countries, such as Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. The most peaceful countries in the world include: Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Portugal, Slovenia, Australia, Japan, and Malaysia. So I would start with some of these if you’re feeling at all insecure about traveling solo. With proper research, preparation, and planning, many countries in the world are also safe for solo travel. It is a matter of using common sense and following your instincts. If someplace doesn’t feel safe, then change your itinerary and travel elsewhere.

Below are some books that might inspire you:

“Wild” by Cheryl Strayed – A transformative 1,100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail that became a journey of healing and self-discovery. Perfect for understanding how solo travel can help you overcome life’s biggest challenges.

“Tales of a Female Nomad” by Rita Golden Gelman – An inspiring memoir about leaving conventional life behind to explore the world without a set plan, highlighting the beauty of connecting with people from different cultures. Shows how solo female travel can completely transform your life.

“Wanderlust” by Elisabeth Eaves – Follows a modern international woman traveler through exotic locales over 15 years, from Cairo and Yemen to the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Perfect for understanding the emotional aspects of solo female travel.

“A Woman Alone: Travel Tales from Around the Globe” – A collection of stories by women who have ventured solo across the world, featuring relatable and inspiring adventures from every continent. Great for diverse perspectives on solo female travel.

"A Field Guide to Getting Lost" by Rebecca Solnit - draws on emblematic moments and relationships in Solnit's own life to explore the issues of wandering, being lost, and the uses of the unknown. The result is a distinctive, stimulating, and poignant voyage of discovery.

When we travel solo we are free to decide how much time we spend in one place and do not need to worry about another person and their needs. It is possibly the only opportunity where we are released from obligations and expectations from others. You can rest without feeling guilty, take a nap when you want, spend 8 hours in an art gallery (or 10 minutes if you prefer!) and change your mind at any time. You have complete freedom and flexibility to build your own schedule and go at your own pace. You can join groups and tours or head to hostels if you are feeling sociable but equally, if you prefer total solitude, it is your choice to have it.

Also, in not being distracted by a second person or a group, you have access to more thoughts and sensations that may normally be blocked by others. This is important because it allows you to be more self-aware and attuned to yourself and your needs.

Traveling alone will give you more opportunities to engage with locals and to immerse yourself in and appreciate the culture. This is probably because understanding the local culture and how people relate to each other requires the sort of attention that can be difficult to gauge in the presence of others. You may even be better able to build on language skills, making it even easier to connect with local people. Locals tend to chat to you when they see you are on your own, which could also lead to unexpected invites to share food, visit their family, or show you around the town. 

Solo female travel isn’t just about visiting new places—it’s about discovering the strong, capable, adventurous woman you truly are. The world is waiting for you to explore it, and you have everything you need to start that journey today.

Take that first step. Book that ticket. Trust yourself. The transformative benefits of solo female travel are waiting for you to discover them.

Sometimes an old photograph, an old friend, an old letter will remind you that you are not who you once were, for the person who dwelt among them, valued this, chose that, wrote thus, no longer exists. Without noticing it you have traversed a great distance; the strange has become familiar and the familiar if not strange at least awkward or uncomfortable, an outgrown garment. And some people travel far more than others. There are those who receive as birthright an adequate or at least unquestioned sense of self and those who set out to reinvent themselves, for survival or for satisfaction, and travel far

- Rebecca Solnit “A Field Guide to Getting Lost”

Whether you’re an established artist seeking new horizons or a budding creative looking to elevate your work, I hope I have inspired you to consider solo travel as a way to connect with your inner artist self. When you paint with passion, you ignite your flames and inspire others to do the same.

Perhaps I can invite you to join my artistic “circle,” where I can generously share all I know to support your creative development. Don't hesitate to contact me if you want my mentorship, guidance, and advice in exploring your artistic path. It makes me happy to share my insights and my knowledge with you.

If someone shared this newsletter with you and you'd like to subscribe, please reach out to me below with your email address. I promise, no spam, no overloading your inbox, just the good stuff.

 I welcome the opportunity for connection, conversation, cooperation, collaboration, and commissions. 

Live heARTfully,

Susan Convery

Sources:

NY Times Travel

Rebecca Solnit, “A Field Guide to Getting Lost” 

“Fifty Places to Travel Solo” written by Chris Santella and DC Helmuth

"Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself" by Dr. Joe Dispenza

https://ginaonaplane.com/female-solo-travel-ultimate-guide-for-your-first-trip/

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/why-solo-travel-is-great-for-w-u4t9Qsv5TcWwFEQ2p6Saig?0=r

https://modernadventure.com/magazine/why-do-women-travel-solo-more-than-men/

https://journeybybackpack.com/solo-travel/10-advantages-of-solo-travel-from-a-solo-female-traveller/

https://www.travelbugtonic.com/blog/women-solo-travel

https://christinaintheclouds.com/reasons-why-every-woman-needs-to-solo-travel/

https://safeandhealthytravel.com/benefits-of-solo-female-travel/

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-reasons-to-travel-alone-for-women

https://thetravelpsychologist.co.uk/benefits-of-travel/f/what-are-the-psychological-benefits-of-travelling-alone/

https://www.50shadesofage.com/2025/03/21/why-solo-womens-travel-is-becoming-popular/

https://solotravelerworld.com/unexpected-benefits-of-traveling-alone/

Quote:

“Her solitude is a garden, wild and lush, where she plants new dreams and pulls up old roots. She waters her soul with self-respect, sunlight, and boundaries. The weeds of self-doubt have no place here. She blooms unapologetic and untamed, visible to those who look closely.”

- Steve De’lano Garcia

Sketchbook Prompt:



Create a collage of images representing a journey your mythical goddess self would take.  Where would she go?  What would she see?  Who would she encounter there?  What treasures would she find?

Title: Croatian Kerfluffle

Media: Watercolor

Size: 36"x 28"

Frame: Gold

Price:$1111

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