What you can learn and gain through solo travel – and how it can enrich your life

Liberating, exhilarating, life-enhancing and inspiring are just some of the ways that solo travellers have described their experiences of holidaying alone.

It’s not hard to see the benefits of going where you want, when you want. For a start, going it alone actually means you’ll never be short of company. Whether it’s sharing a meal at a communal table, joining a group tour or quizzing the locals on what’s best to see, travelling as a single person forces you out of your comfort zone. You meet lots of new people and, if you’re lucky, make lifelong friends.

The self-reliance of solo travel can increase your self-confidence and independence and make you better able to face the world, whether that’s while you’re on holiday or back at home. You’ll be surprised at your abilities, and it will also teach you to be happy in your own company.

Travelling alone? You’re not the only one

Recent research suggests that more and more people are enjoying the benefits of solo travel. For instance, it is estimated that one in four people travelled by themselves on their last holiday while eight of out ten single travellers said they were planning another solo trip within the year.