The first time I traveled alone, I spent three days in my hotel room, unsure of what to do, paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes.
I told myself I was “adjusting to the time zone.” I told myself I was “planning my itinerary.” The truth? I was terrified of navigating a foreign world without a safety net, of making the wrong choices, of looking foolish.
Six months later, I found myself sitting on a cliff edge in Bali at sunrise, overwhelmed by a sense of freedom I’d never experienced before.
That moment changed everything. It wasn’t just about traveling alone. It was about finally being alone with myself.
The Solo Travel Paradox: Why We Fear It
Somewhere along the way, we’ve convinced ourselves that experiences are better shared. That meals taste sweeter with company. That sunsets are more beautiful when witnessed together. That the world is too big, too complex, too overwhelming to navigate alone.
This conditioning runs deep:
- Childhood: “Don’t wander off alone” (but don’t be dependent either)
- School years: Group projects, team sports, social validation through belonging
- Adulthood: Couple vacations, family holidays, business trips with colleagues
No wonder the idea of solo travel feels like swimming against the current.
But here’s what nobody tells you: The very things that make solo travel terrifying are exactly what make it transformative.
The First Solo Trip: Breaking Through Uncertainty
My first solo trip wasn’t to Bali—it was a weekend in a nearby city. Just two nights. Three days.
I arrived at my hotel and immediately felt exposed. No one to talk to, no one to share the experience with, no one to hide behind.
The first day was filled with uncertainty. I ate lunch alone, feeling like everyone was watching. I walked through the city with my phone clutched in my hand, scrolling through social media to avoid eye contact with strangers, terrified of making a wrong turn or choosing the wrong restaurant.
Then something shifted.
I ran out of data. My phone died. I was forced to actually be in the moment.
I sat on a park bench and watched people. I noticed the way the afternoon light filtered through the trees. I heard snippets of conversations in languages I didn’t understand. I felt the breeze on my face.
For the first time in years, I wasn’t performing. I wasn’t worrying about making mistakes. I wasn’t second-guessing every decision. I was just… there.
That evening, I went to a restaurant alone. No phone. No book. Just me and my thoughts.
The server asked, “Just one?”
I said, “Yes, just one.”
And for the first time, it didn’t feel like an apology. It felt like a declaration.
Why Solo Travel Is a Spiritual Journey
Solo travel isn’t just about seeing new places. It’s about seeing yourself in new places.
When you travel with others, you’re constantly negotiating. Where to eat? What to see? When to rest? You compromise. You adapt. You sometimes suppress your own desires to keep the peace.
When you travel alone, there’s no compromise. Every decision is yours. Every experience is unfiltered. Every moment is yours alone.
This creates space for profound realizations:
You Discover Your True Preferences
Without the influence of others’ opinions, you learn what you actually enjoy—not what you think you should enjoy.
I discovered that I love solo museum visits, lingering in front of a single painting for twenty minutes. I discovered that I hate crowded beaches but love hidden coves. I discovered that my idea of “adventure” is very different from what travel blogs suggest.
You Build Unshakable Confidence
Every solo traveler knows the moment: You’re lost in a foreign city, your phone is dead, you don’t speak the language, and you have to figure it out.
And you do.
You ask for directions. You use hand gestures. You find your way back to your hotel. You survive.
That moment changes you. You realize: I can handle this. I can handle myself.
You Learn to Be Your Own Company
The hardest part of solo travel isn’t the logistics—it’s the silence.
When there’s no one to talk to, you’re forced to confront your own thoughts. The fears you’ve been avoiding. The dreams you’ve been postponing. The parts of yourself you’ve been hiding.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s challenging. It’s necessary.
The Bali Awakening: Where Solo Travel Became Spiritual
My Bali trip wasn’t planned as a spiritual journey. I just wanted to see rice terraces and drink coconut water.
But Bali has a way of revealing what you need, not what you think you want.
I spent a week in Ubud, staying in a small guesthouse surrounded by jungle. Each morning, I woke to the sound of roosters and gamelan music drifting from a nearby temple.
One day, I decided to visit Tirta Empul, a sacred water temple known for its purification rituals. I arrived at dawn, before the tour buses.
The temple was empty except for a few local devotees. I watched them perform the ritual: wading into the sacred spring, bowing beneath each water spout, praying in a language I didn’t understand.
I felt an overwhelming urge to participate.
I rented a sarong and sash. I approached the spring. I had no idea what I was doing, but I followed the movements of a local devotee beside me.
Cold water poured over my head. I closed my eyes. I felt something shift inside me—not a religious conversion, but a spiritual awakening.
I realized: I wasn’t just a tourist passing through. I was a human being connecting with something larger than myself.
That moment changed my relationship with solo travel forever.
The Solo Travel Mindset Shift
Here’s what I’ve learned after years of traveling alone:
Fear Is a Sign You’re Growing
Every solo trip starts with fear. The flight anxiety. The arrival panic. The first night alone.
This fear isn’t a sign that you shouldn’t be doing this. It’s a sign that you’re stepping outside your comfort zone—and that’s exactly where growth happens.
Solitude Is Not Loneliness
There’s a profound difference between being alone and being lonely.
Loneliness is the pain of being without others. Solitude is the glory of being with yourself.
Solo travel teaches you to embrace solitude. To find peace in your own company. To realize that you are complete on your own.
Connection Happens When You’re Open
The paradox of solo travel: You’re never more alone, and you’re never more connected.
When you travel with others, you’re in a bubble. Closed off. Self-contained.
When you travel alone, you’re open. Available. Present.
I’ve had more profound conversations with strangers in solo travel than in years of group trips. A Balinese grandmother who shared her life story through gestures. A French artist who showed me their favorite hidden beach. A Japanese traveler who taught me how to properly eat sushi.
These connections happen because you’re not hiding behind your companions. You’re fully present, fully open to whatever the world offers.
Practical Tips for Your First Solo Trip
If you’re considering solo travel but feeling uncertain, here’s how to start:
Start Small
Don’t book a month-long international trip for your first solo adventure. Start with:
- A weekend trip to a nearby city
- A solo staycation in your own city
- A day trip to a place you’ve never visited
Build your confidence gradually.
Choose Solo-Friendly Destinations
Some places are more welcoming to solo travelers than others:
- Bali, Indonesia: Warm culture, established solo traveler community, affordable
- Portugal: Safe, English-friendly, excellent public transport
- Japan: Incredibly safe, solo dining is normal, efficient transit
- New Zealand: Adventure-focused, solo traveler-friendly infrastructure
Plan, But Stay Flexible
Have a rough itinerary. Know where you’re staying your first night. Have emergency contacts saved.
But leave room for spontaneity. Some of my best solo travel experiences came from saying “yes” to unexpected opportunities.
Embrace the Uncertainty
You will feel unsure. You will feel uncertain. You will worry about making mistakes.
This is not a sign that solo travel isn’t for you. This is a sign that you’re growing.
Lean into the uncertainty. Journal about it. Meditate on it. Use it as fuel for self-discovery.
Remember: Making mistakes is part of the journey. Getting lost is how you find your way. Not knowing what to do is how you discover what you love.
The Ultimate Solo Travel Goal
The perfect solo travel experience? You forget you’re alone.
You’re just exploring. Just experiencing. Just being present.
Maybe you talk to someone. Maybe you don’t. Either way is fine.
Because you’re not “traveling solo” anymore. You’re just traveling.
And in that space—between fear and freedom, between uncertainty and confidence—you find something precious:
Yourself.
Why Solo Travel Is Worth the Uncertainty
Looking back at that terrified traveler in that hotel room, I want to say: It’s going to be okay. Better than okay. It’s going to be transformative.
Solo travel isn’t for everyone. But if you feel that pull—that quiet voice saying “I need to do this”—listen to it.
The uncertainty is temporary. The growth is permanent.
The fear is fleeting. The freedom is lasting.
The discomfort is momentary. The self-discovery is lifelong.
Your solo travel journey might start with uncertainty, but it ends with something far more powerful: the realization that you are stronger than you thought, more capable than you believed, and more complete than you ever imagined.
Ready to Begin Your Solo Travel Journey?
The world is waiting for you—not the version of you that travels with others, but the version of you that travels with yourself.
Start planning your first solo adventure →
Have you traveled solo? Share your story in the comments below.
