Lonely Planet destination editor Jessica Lockhart in Petra, Jordan.
I have visited every country in the world: all 193 United Nations members and even the two non-member observer states. I’ve also been to Antarctica and all 50 US states. The best part? I have done most of it solo.
While I do not often purposely travel solo, my bucket list is too long to wait for anyone. Perhaps it is an obsession, or maybe an addiction – I stopped trying to figure it out long ago.
What I do know is that I love to travel, and whether or not I have someone to go with has no bearing on my global and domestic adventures.
Solo female travel is steadily on the rise. Women around the world are realising that the world is, in fact, our oyster – so why not go out and see it?
The thing about solo travel is that it builds your confidence. While it may be scary at first – as many new experiences can be – you walk a little taller afterwards because you did something you maybe never thought you would, or something other people told you that you couldn’t.
One of my favourite solo vacations took me to Bhutan, a tiny kingdom in the Himalayan mountains. It was one of my most recent trips, and it was phenomenal from start to finish.
Lonely Planet editor Fabienne Fong Yan practises her horseback-riding skills on the Mongolian plains.
Bhutan has never been invaded, and its culture remains well-preserved – a byproduct of deliberate government action. The country did not have television until 1998. The culture there runs deep, and the nature is beautiful.
When I stepped out of the airport I was met with the purest air that I have ever inhaled and the lush beauty of the mountains surrounding the Paro Valley. I spent the majority of my five days in the country with my guide, Tshewang.
He met me at the airport and, as is customary, greeted me with a bit of rice wine. We became fast friends, and one of our first adventures was an intense four-hour hike to Taktshang Goemba, the Tiger’s Nest, a stunning cliffside monastery.
We completed half of the hike in pouring rain; after trying to wait out the weather under some trees, Tshewang insisted we just go, remarking, “You must just accept it.”
Taktshang Goemba – also known as the Tiger’s Nest – a stunning cliffside monastery.Credit: iStock
In five days, we did it all, from enjoying super-spicy local food (which he tried to warn me about) to trying archery (where he translated advice from some elderly men who were standing by), and exploring dzongs (Bhutan’s fortified monasteries) in blistering heat.
Being solo in Bhutan allowed me to get to know both Tshewang and Bhutanese culture deeply. For me, this is the greatest joy of solo travel: the opportunity to dive into the culture by building relationships with local people. I learn their stories, experience the food, pick up some of the language. I get to know the place in a way I simply can’t when travelling with others.
Travelling simply means leaving your home, so start small. Take yourself out for dinner or visit a museum alone. Attend an exciting event in your city, even if you have no one to go with. Hop in a car or catch a bus and explore a place a few hours from your home that you’ve never been to before.
Think of these activities as your solo travel training wheels. Once you’ve conquered trips closer to familiar territory, take the leap and get that passport stamped.
Lonely Planet senior editor Melissa Yeager in Porto at the start of her hike on the Camino de Santiago.
When choosing your first country for solo travel abroad, think about a place where you will feel comfortable – perhaps a country where you speak the language or where your friends have visited.
When you feel comfortable, you’re more confident, and when you’re confident, you are less vulnerable. So book that trip and walk down the street in that foreign land with your head high. Whether you’re new to solo travel or an OG like me, remember that most people are good.
My journeys around the world were made beautiful by the kindness of strangers. A stranger is just a friend that you haven’t met yet, not someone to fear.
As women, we possess an innate intuition that helps keep us safe. Solo travel helps to hone this. Trust yourself. Trust your gut. Go forth and see some world.
Now that you’ve heard from me, here are 20 more pieces of advice on how to travel successfully as a solo woman from Lonely Planet team members.
Ease into it
It can be tempting to step outside your comfort zone all at once, but doing things alone – solo travelling, or even just going out to dinner or the movies by yourself – can feel intimidating at first. It’s a muscle you build up over time. Start with a day trip or an afternoon wandering a museum you’ve always wanted to see but didn’t know whom to go with.
– Deepa Lakshmin
Start with a solo afternoon
If you’re not quite 100 per cent at the point where you’re ready to dive into solo travel, carve out a day or an afternoon on your own when travelling with your friends or partner (said adventure often involves a croissant and an overpriced latte). Some of my absolute favourite parts of a trip have been wandering alone on a rainy afternoon or taking a good book to a largely empty beach.
– Rachel Lewis
Start your solo journey with a simple activity in your destination. Credit: Getty
Seek out female hosts
If I’m booking accommodation online, I opt for women owners (preferably with pets in their host photos). This is partly psychological, but I’ve also found that women tend to think about things like where to go to avoid crowds, or safer alternatives to more touristy places. It’s nice how protective women are of each other, especially when we’re travelling alone.
– Akanksha Singh
Consider hostels for connecting with like-minded people of all ages
Hostels are a great way to meet people, especially fellow solo female travellers and people eager to exchange travel tips and stories. I truly believe you’re never too old for hostels. Many cater to people of various age groups and backgrounds, and offer private rooms for added comfort. I’ve made lifelong connections with people I’ve met in hostels.
– Sasha Brady
Lonely Planet editor Kerry Walker above Viedma Lake, Argentina.
Book some group activities
If you’re feeling apprehensive about taking a big solo trip, arrange a tour or activity for each day. This way your days will be organised around a pre-planned group event. I made connections from all over the world on a solo trip to Australia in my early 20s – and 20 years on, I am still in regular touch with a Swedish woman I met on a boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef.
– Fionnuala McCarthy
Hop on a boat or a bus
I get my bearings by taking either a hop-on, hop-off bus tour or a boat tour. On my first solo trip to Paris, I decided to take a cruise down the Seine – during which I wrote out my plans for the trip and got to know people by offering to snap their photograph. I also find spending time in local bookstores to be a great way to immerse myself in a destination.
– Brekke Fletcher
Take a book
I’ve cycled and hiked and taken trains all over the world by myself, and I never did any of it without a book on hand. Waiting for delayed trains, sitting down to meals, relaxing in a bar at the end of the day: all of these situations are improved with a book. Reading can also be a useful way to put off any potential unwanted conversation.
– Amy Lynch
Make new friends … or don’t
I’m a total introvert, and I love spending time alone, but I’ve also found that it’s pretty easy to start a conversation if I’m tired of being by myself. I can turn to the person next to me at a restaurant, at a museum, on transportation or anywhere else and just ask a question, like, what do they recommend on the menu? Or I can open my book, pick up my phone or just leave, and I’m back to being on my own.
– Caroline Trefler
One tip: consider booking a tour or day trip with a group like Intrepid.
Download a killer playlist
When I’m travelling solo, I like to listen to music to really set the scene while I’m exploring. And, if you’re like me, you like to have headphones on so that no one approaches (hello, introverts) – even with no music playing. Obviously, be careful – you don’t want the noise-cancelling to overtake your awareness of your surroundings – but oftentimes, it’s a great way to block out ambient noise (like in a museum) and any anxiety you might feel.
– Serina Patel
Be present
Travelling by yourself is a great opportunity to be mindful. With no need to rush or please anyone else, I find myself doing a lot of thinking and reflecting. I try to limit interaction with my phone as well, to really enjoy the quiet. I find some of my most vivid travelling memories have come from solo trips.
– AnneMarie McCarthy
Practise being present.Credit: Lukas Hodon / Shutterstock
Plan rest days
For every seven to 10 days of travel, set aside a day to breathe. Sleep in, treat yourself to a nice meal or just give your legs a break. If you can resist the pressure to program every moment of your trip, you won’t feel like you’re “wasting” your time. This is especially true when you’re travelling solo and not on anyone else’s schedule.
– Ann Douglas Lott
Use apps to your advantage (and with headphones)
When navigating a new city on foot, plug your destination into a map app, then listen to the walking directions through headphones. This allows you to avoid pulling out a map, which is equivalent to waving a flag printed with “tourist”. Most importantly, when you’re making your plans, try to resist fear. Language and cultural barriers can raise discomfort, which will make you hyper-aware of your surroundings. But that doesn’t mean those surroundings are unsafe.
– Jessica Lockhart
Connecting over food in South America.
Go on a food tour
One thing that makes many solo travellers apprehensive is the thought of eating alone. But if you join a food tour, you’ll have dining companions for the evening and the opportunity to try out a bunch of new restaurants – all while learning about the local culture. I joined a food tour of Trastevere while travelling solo in Rome: not only did I get to meet fellow travellers, but the tour included a mix of street-food spots (excellent for solo travellers) and restaurants.
– Alex Butler
Travel with a power bank
Travelling alone, you’ll most likely be using your phone more than usual to take photos and videos, and for navigating. Even if your phone has a reliable battery, it’s always good to know you have a backup, especially if you’re on your own. There are plenty of small and lightweight power banks that you can purchase to slot into your bag when on the road.
– Zara Sekhavati
Share your location
To ensure peace of mind, I make it a habit to inform at least one person back home of my whereabouts using the Find My Friend app, which allows them to track my location in real time. While it can be reassuring for safety reasons, what I appreciate most about it is the tangible sense of connection it provides. My family, in particular, love that they can place me on a map and accompany me virtually on my explorations.
– Sasha Brady
Travelling solo doesn’t mean travelling alone
For me, travelling solo can be a great way to meet new, like-minded people. Join a tour group like G Adventures or Intrepid for an entire trip, book a day tour with GetYourGuide.com, find a class for something you’re passionate about like art or cooking, research some of the digital-nomad meetups, find a bar where they show the games of your favourite team … there are many ways to forge new friendships on the road.
– Melissa Yeager
Don’t wait for a partner
I’ve travelled solo to places like Hawaii, the Amalfi Coast and the Dominican Republic. When I tell these stories, someone will occasionally say something to me like, “Oh, I want to go there on my honeymoon, so I’m waiting to take that trip”. My advice? Don’t wait. If you would like to go somewhere – even a place with a reputation as a romantic destination – go anyway.
– Laura Motta
Don’t overshare
The temptation to share your entire trip via social media can be overwhelming – especially if you’re having a fantastic time. But for safety concerns, it’s best to avoid sharing every movement with every follower until you return home. Not only do real-time posts alert people to where you are during every part of your trip, but they also let people know you’re not home.
– Alicia Johnson
For safety reasons, consider limiting your social media posts until you’re home from your journey.Credit: iStock
Role-play at restaurants
Dining alone can be the best kind of mini-adventure. You can chat with the bartender – often a wealth of local knowledge – or other patrons. You can play at being an international woman of mystery and hunker down with a book or a notebook and pen. And if you’ve had a long day of sightseeing, sometimes it feels good to just sit at a quiet table and fiddle with your phone.
– Laura Motta
Cry when you need to
Especially if you’re travelling alone for the first time. Especially if you’re far away from everything you’ve ever known. Especially if you feel confused or lonely or out of place. I’ve shed tears in more airports than I care to admit. You’re outside your comfort zone, and that’s scary. It’s normal to feel homesick and miss the people, places and routines that feel familiar to you.
– Deepa Lakshmin
Travel can be frustrating. Cry when you need to.Credit: Adobe Stock
Five more great reasons for women to travel solo
It’s empowering: Travelling alone is the ultimate confidence boost and the rewards can be game-changing. Lugging a heavy backpack from place to place, navigating new cities and learning to handle touts and hustlers – all, shock horror, without a male companion or safety in numbers – can reveal strengths you never knew you had.
You’re boss, but no one’s calling you bossy: Even travelling with close friends and partners can be a challenge when your travel styles clash. The joy of independent travel? You get to choose exactly how to spend your day, guilt-free, without fear of judgment. You’re free to stick to your own hour-by-hour action-packed itinerary, or laze by the pool for two weeks.
You’re never really alone: Think solo travellers are lonely? Think again. As a solo woman, people are – rightly or wrongly – likely to perceive you as non-threatening and approachable. This results in the occasional irritating encounter, but it can also work in your favour when it comes to finding travel buddies.
Freedom from social expectations: Solo travel is often thought of as a pastime reserved for carefree singles, but mothers, grandmothers and partnered women also benefit from trips alone. Forget that TV-ad-worthy bubble bath or fleeting moment of peace on the sofa with a slab of chocolate – a solo adventure is the epitome of modern-day “me time”.
Get with the sisterhood: Cultural norms and attitudes towards women vary dramatically around the world, and experiencing these first-hand can be eye-opening. From adopting local dress codes in India to immersing yourself in domestic life at a Guatemalan homestay, connecting with our counterparts abroad gives us the opportunity to learn more about the roles and rights of women around the globe.
Travel writer and photographer Jessica Nabongo is the author of the book The Catch Me If You Can: One Woman’s Journey to Every Country in the World.
This is an edited extract from Women Travel Solo: 30 inspiring stories of adventures, curiosity and the power of self-discovery, published by Lonely Planet, RRP $35.99. See shop.lonelyplanet.com. A version of this article first appeared on lonelyplanet.com.