Imagine this — as a woman living in the millennial era, you get to be a solo traveller, exploring places on the map without any restraint, jumping from country to country and meeting new people without having to hear the words,
“Will you be okay? You’re a woman. It’s dangerous for you to travel solo.”
“Are you sure you want to travel alone? Isn’t that sad?”
“Oh, really? You travel on your own? Don’t you have any friends?”
What a concept.
There is this idea that when a woman travels, she should be with someone just for her to be secured and to enjoy the trip. Let’s admit it, we face more judgments and issues when it comes to travelling solo compared to men. There are various misconceptions that a woman who travels solo has to deal with. The most common one is that we travel alone because we are broken and lonely.
Let me tell you this — not all of those who wander are lost. There are some women who travel to forget, to catch their breath, to feel again or to heal. But there are also those who travel to experience different cultures, to expand their knowledge, to connect with Mother Nature or to challenge their selves to explore the world out of their comfort zones.
Yes, travelling with friends or family is fun. But travelling solo will definitely open doors for you that you don’t even know existed. Trust me, you will be surprised. Are you still hesitating? Well, here’s what I can tell you — we, women, can travel anywhere we want, anytime we want, on our own. Here are compelling reasons why you should try being a solo traveller.
Also read: Inspiring Filipino Women Who Changed the Travel Scene
1. It will bring you closer to your true self
They say that we have a different “self” that we show when we are with our friends, family and our significant other. As we are used to having people around us, there are instances that we forget who we are when no one is around. Travelling on your own is a great opportunity to connect with your inner self. You will get to know the person inside of you. You will discover your desires, or even realise your true purpose in life. We, as women, should prioritise understanding ourselves better because it will lead us to reach unconditional self-love.
2. It will teach you to enjoy your own company
We are living in a world where there is a stigma in being alone or doing things alone. Have you ever experienced seeing somebody eating alone and you said to yourself — “No one should be eating by himself. That’s so sad.”
I do understand where this is coming from. Women, by nature, are more social beings in comparison to men. I know a lot of women who want to travel but their plans just remained as that — plans. The usual reason is that they don’t have anyone to accompany them. Sounds familiar?
Travelling alone will make you realise that being alone and enjoying your time with yourself is not a bad idea.
3. It will challenge you to get out of your comfort zone
I remember reading one article that says taking risk is a masculine trait, and that men, in general, take greater risks than women. This is also the reason why some women prefer to stay in their comfort zones.
It’s understandable to bask in the comfort of something familiar. But too much comfort will prevent further development of ourselves.
Pushing yourself to experience things outside your comfort bubble is one of the best things you can do. Remind yourself that you should never settle for less. The world is big. You should be exploring everything that it has to offer. Taking a step outside of the world that you are used to will make you more independent and will help you grow as an individual.
4. You will have 100% control
While travelling with other people, have you experienced being held back on where you want to go, where you want to eat or even when to rest? Travelling solo will remove any hassle of following people who are travelling with you. You will get to decide what you want to do during your trip without anyone complaining.
Be the girl boss! Having total control will surely give you more stress-free time. The only person you need to consider during your trip is yourself.
Also read: 15 Precautions Female Travellers Should Observe
It’s okay to feel a little scared when you’re travelling solo. But we must learn to take a step and conquer our fears. So to every woman reading, this is to remind you that you are capable of reaching your heart’s desire. You just need to take a step and enjoy the ride.
