As a young woman in her twenties, I never thought I’d be a solo traveler. This is the time when we’re expected to be taking on adventures and exploring with friends, but after so many planned trips that never left the group chat and missing out on yet another experience, I finally decided enough was enough and took a solo trip. At first, I couldn’t believe it, mostly because I had been threatening to go on a solo trip for a while if my friends couldn’t get their act together and actually mean it when we said we were going somewhere. I’m not sure what changed this time because up until that point, my threats were always empty. I am so thankful for the change of heart because I enjoyed my first solo trip so much that I traveled solo for the entire year of 2024 and saw five new countries. I almost prefer it to group travel.

Don’t get me wrong, traveling with friends is amazing—you get to form many wonderful memories and have new experiences with people you love. But nothing beats doing things on your own terms. On a solo trip, I don’t have to deal with anyone’s preferences but my own. I get to set my own budget and operate on my own schedule. My favorite part is that the pressure to make sure the trip is enjoyed by everyone is completely gone—the only person I have to worry about is myself. I get to set my own pace and never have to compromise on what I want to do. It’s just me enjoying the world. If you’ve been thinking about solo travel but don’t know how to start, this guide might be able to help you.

Start with Somewhere You’ve Been Before

My first solo trip was to Toronto, Canada. I had been there twice before with friends, so I already had an idea of what to expect, and I knew for sure that I would like it because I enjoyed myself both of the previous times. Going somewhere you’ve been before is great because you are less likely to run into any unexpected mishaps, which can be difficult to navigate alone and away from home. You’ll also probably be more confident since it’s somewhere familiar to you. It was also really easy to plan since I knew which spots I liked, and I was able to visit places that I was interested in before but didn’t have the time to fit in during group travel.

Make Sure You Can Communicate

Don’t let a language barrier get in the way if there is somewhere you really want to visit; however, not knowing the native tongue of a place while you are there for the first time and alone can be pretty scary. If you’re not a person who picks up on languages quickly, it might be a good idea to make sure the place you’re going to speaks the same language as you or that your native tongue is widely understood. In Lisbon, Portugal, for example, the native language spoken there is Portuguese. However, the country is very accommodating to English speakers. It wasn’t hard to find signs and menus that were translated or even people who also spoke English, making the country pretty easy to navigate as a solo traveler.

Make Sure You Can Afford It

One drawback to solo travel is that there is no one to split costs with. If you have a limited budget, it doesn’t mean that solo travel isn’t for you. One way to help offset costs is to visit a place where the currency exchange rate works in your favor; this might help reduce costs. I was able to fit in so many fun excursions, stay in a four-star hotel, and take private transport everywhere I went during my trip to Cartagena, Colombia, because the Colombian Peso favored the American dollar. If the currency doesn’t favor yours, look into places that have a relatively lower cost. For example, the Euro is used in Portugal, but the cost of goods and services there is so low that I was able to spend less on a daily basis on my vacation than I would even at home.

Do Your Research

You should be doing research before a trip, even if you’re going with a group. However, it is essential with solo travel—not just for matters of safety and awareness but also to ensure that you are prepared for anything. You want to make sure that you can avoid any mistakes or inconveniences. I like to search government websites, travel sites, read reviews, and search through social media to see if there is anything I need to be aware of before going to a new country. Doing the proper research beforehand can save you so much time and even money. It also contributes to your overall peace of mind and feeling of safety, which is super important during solo travel.

Make Sure You Can Use Your Phone

Our phones are extremely important during solo travel. I like to make sure that I will, at the very least, have data that I can use. That way, it’s easy for me to navigate using GPS or translate if necessary. Roaming data is sometimes questionable, so look into available eSIM options. It is also important to note that being able to communicate with your network in your home country is essential. Just in case of any emergency, you want to have the ability to connect with them relatively quickly and easily.

Final Thoughts: Just Book the Flight!

Solo travel is such a transformative experience that I recommend everyone do it, even if it’s just once. Besides vacationing on your own terms, the overall sense of confidence and lessons learned from the experience provide so much room for personal insight and growth. It’s okay if you don’t start out internationally at first—you can do a quick weekend trip to a nearby city or explore somewhere new on a layover. As long as you don’t let fear keep you from experiencing something new, you are already taking a step in the right direction. Just do it—book the flight!