The Benefits of Solo Travel (& Why You Don’t Have to Go It Alone)

You’ve seen the photos. Someone standing on a cliff edge at sunrise, backpack on, no one else in frame. It looks like freedom. Honestly? It is.

Solo travel has gone from niche to mainstream for a reason. More young people are choosing to book that trip alone rather than wait for friends to align on dates, budgets, or the courage to actually commit. The solo travel market is projected to hit $1 trillion by 2030, and the people driving that growth aren’t retirees on bucket list cruises. They’re people in their 20s and 30s, done waiting for the right time or the right travel buddy. If you’ve been sitting on the idea, here are eight reasons to stop thinking and start packing.

1. Discover Yourself – You Finally Figure Out Who You Are (Without the Noise)

Most of us spend our lives surrounded by people who already have an idea of who we are. Family, friends, coworkers; they know your personality, your habits, your role in the group. Solo travel strips all of that back.

When there’s no one to perform for and nowhere to be except wherever you decide, something shifts. You start making choices that are actually yours. You find out what you find interesting when no one else has an opinion. You get comfortable with your own company in a way that’s genuinely hard to replicate at home.

Abdulrahman, who travelled solo with OLA in the Philippines, described it like this:

“Traveling solo, even within a group, forced me into discomfort. Sitting alone at times, observing, not distracting myself — and realising I’m actually okay with that. More than okay. Stronger, more grounded, more self-aware.”

That’s not a side effect of solo travel. That’s the whole point. 

Also worth a read: Discover Yourself Somewhere Else – Travel Changes You

2. Your Confidence Goes Up (and Stays Up)

Not the kind of confidence that comes from getting likes on a post. The kind that comes from figuring out a train system in a city where you don’t speak the language, handling something going wrong and being fine, eating alone at a restaurant and realising it’s actually kind of great.

It’s practical confidence. It compounds. Unlike most things that are supposed to build character, solo travel is genuinely fun while it’s happening.

Studies show that many solo travellers report significantly increased confidence after their trip. OLA guests say the same thing. Alice, who took OLA’s South Korea tour solo, said:

“I was a little nervous before going… but it really helped my travel confidence. The experiences and sights were unbelievably beautiful, things I could have only dreamed of before.”

James, heading into his first solo group trip with nerves:

“Was nervous at first but Jordan was really nice and helpful — just made the trip so much better. Would 100% do it again.”

The nerves are normal. They don’t last long. What stays is the confidence.

3. You Meet People Who Actually Get It

Your home friends are great but not all of them want to spend two weeks hiking through rice terraces or eating street food at midnight. On a solo trip (especially a group tour) you end up surrounded by people who do.

The friendships that form when you’re travelling together are different from most.

You’re sharing new experiences in real time, out of your comfort zones, with no shared history to fall back on. It moves fast and it goes deep.
Myles, who joined OLA’s Japan tour solo:

“I came into this trip solo hoping for an adventure. I’m leaving with memories I’ll be replaying for years. And better yet, a group of people I’m genuinely grateful to have shared it with.”

Tracy, also on the Japan tour:

“Our group was small and we became like a little family which made the trip even more special. It was my first solo tour alone but won’t be the last with One Life.”

These aren’t the superficial connections you make at a hostel bar. They’re the kind where you’re still in the group chat two years later.

4. You Stop Waiting and Actually Go

The number one reason people don’t travel solo isn’t money or safety. It’s waiting. Waiting for a friend to commit, for schedules to align, for the “right time” that never quite arrives.

Booking alone removes all of that. You pick the destination, pick the dates, and GO.

No group chat that goes quiet for three weeks. No one dropping out two months before departure. No compromise on where or when.

Some of the best trips people take are the ones they eventually got tired of waiting to take with someone else. How exhilarating just finally doing it. No more barriers.

5. It’s More Affordable Than You’ve Been Told

The “solo travel is expensive” narrative mostly comes down to one thing: the single supplement. Hotels charge extra for solo occupancy, and when you’re splitting nothing, every cost lands on you alone.

Here’s the reframe: on a small group tour, accommodation, transport, and experiences are bundled and shared. The logistics you’d spend hours planning — and sometimes overpaying for — are handled. Many solo travellers find a well-priced group tour works out equal to or cheaper than the same trip planned independently, with a fraction of the stress.
The price of not going is higher anyway.

6. You Really Connect With the Place You’re In

When you travel with people you already know, there’s a gravitational pull back to your existing dynamic. The group becomes its own bubble. You see the sights, but you don’t always feel them.

Solo travel pulls you out of that bubble. You talk to people you wouldn’t otherwise talk to. You wander into places that aren’t in any guide. You pay attention differently because you’re not half-listening to a conversation you’ve already had a hundred times.

Abdulrahman noticed it happening almost without trying:

“Life there moves differently. People are open, warm, and present in a way that’s hard to find in more ‘developed’ places… It made me question things — where I am, how I live, and what actually matters.”

That’s the kind of travel that changes how you think about things when you get home.

7. It’s a Lot Safer Than the Narrative Suggests — Especially for Women

The safety concern is real and worth taking seriously. Not dismissing. The honest answer is that solo travel, done with a bit of thought, is significantly safer than most people imagine. For women especially, a small group tour changes the equation entirely.

Eva, who did OLA’s Morocco tour solo:

“As a woman traveling, I felt safe at all times, which made the experience especially enjoyable and relaxing.”

Erin, who booked OLA’s India Snapshot as her first ever solo travel experience:

“This was my first group travel experience, coming as a solo female traveller. I could not have asked for anything better.”

Poppy, on the same tour:

“I felt safe, and like I could fully relax in exploring a new country.”

The combination of a trusted guide, a vetted itinerary, and a small group of like-minded people removes most of the practical risks that make solo travel feel daunting without taking away the freedom that makes it worth doing.

If you’re a woman thinking about travelling solo and you’d prefer to only be with other gals, our Females Flying Solo tours run women-only versions of OLA’s popular trips. It’s a good place to start. Alternatively, all of our regularly run adventure tour options are just as good with in unisex setting.

8. You Come Home a Different Person

This one is hard to explain before you go. It sounds like a cliché. It isn’t.

There’s something that happens when you spend time somewhere genuinely unfamiliar: navigating it alone, connecting with strangers, making decisions without a safety net of people who know you. It recalibrates things. The stuff you thought you needed starts to feel optional. The stuff you’d been putting off starts to feel urgent.

Abdulrahman summed it up better than we could:

“This trip wasn’t just a holiday. It was a reset.”

That’s the one. That’s why people keep coming back.

Solo Travel With One Life Adventures

More than half of our travellers join OLA solo. For most of them, it’s the first time they’ve travelled alone. For most of them, it’s also not the last.

Our small group tours are built for exactly this: the freedom of solo travel, without the parts that make people hesitate. Expert local guides handle the logistics. The group handles the rest.

All you need to do is book and show up.

Over 12,000 five-star reviews. Small groups. Real experiences.

“I would encourage anyone considering solo travel to take the jump and book one of these tours — you will feel comfortable and safe.” — Tamia

“It was my first solo tour alone but won’t be the last with One Life.” — Tracy, Japan Classic

If you’re ready, here are some places to start:

Japan Group Tours
South Korea Group Tours
Philippines Group Tours
Sri Lanka Group Tours
See all tours

Also worth reading: Solo Travel vs Group Tours — What’s Right for You?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is solo travel safe for women?

Yes — and a small group tour makes it significantly more so. You’ve got a vetted guide, pre-arranged logistics, and a group of like-minded people around you from day one. Hundreds of OLA’s solo female travellers consistently name safety as a standout part of their experience. Our Females Flying Solo tours are built specifically for women travelling alone that would prefer to travel only with other solo travelling women.

Is solo travel lonely?

Less often than people expect. Solo travellers tend to be far more open to connection than those travelling in a group and the friendships you make on the road tend to be the kind that stick. On a small group tour, you’re with like-minded people from day one and in a group chat for life shortly after.

Is solo travel more expensive?

It can be when travelling independently, mainly because of the single supplement on accommodation. A group tour largely solves this by bundling pricing, shared logistics, and no hidden costs make it a genuinely smart option for solo travellers.

What’s the best first solo trip destination?

Japan and South Korea are consistently at the top because they are safe, incredibly well-connected, endlessly interesting, and ideal for first-timers. The Philippines, Bali and Sri Lanka are close behind, if not equally matched. Browse our full tour list to find what fits.

Can I join an OLA tour if I’m travelling solo?

Yes! It’s how more than half our guests travel with us. You’ll join a small group of like-minded travellers with a local expert guide running everything. Most solo guests leave with friends they didn’t expect to make. Start here.

| Original article published: 10th January 2024.

| All reviews quoted in article are from credible Tour Radar reviews about One Life Adventures tour experiences