Since becoming single I have learnt a lot about solo women’s travel. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that if you don’t get out there and do it then life will simply pass you by. So although it does take some courage, extra planning and preparation, it is extremely rewarding to travel solo. In this article I look at why solo women’s travel is becoming popular and how to make it happen.
Since I’ve travelled solo overseas on several occasions, many of my friends have asked me “how did you get up the courage to travel alone”? My reply to this is always, “life is too short waiting for opportunities or waiting for a travel companion. Just go do it! It will be one of the most liberating and exciting things that you can ever do for yourself”.
Since women have read inspirational books like: “Eat, Pray, Love” – the story of a divorcee who travels overseas solo to find herself and eventually finds love, these true stories have made an impact. Other books that come to mind are “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail”, “Tracks: One Woman’s Journey Across 1,700 miles of Australian Outback”, and “Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman”.
I must confess that I have also watched movies such as “Under a Tuscan Sun” and “Shirley Valentine” that have inspired me to travel solo. But in addition to these inspirational stories, there are now a whole new breed of women blogging about their solo travel adventures or taking women of a certain age on guided group holidays. The mindset for women over the age of 50 years tends to lean towards seeking new adventures and experiences in their lives via overseas travel.
However, inspirational travel books and movies aside, women in my age group tend to be more adventurous and desiring to travel to tick off their bucket lists. They are no longer satisfied sitting around knitting or watching daytime soap operas. They are wanting more fulfilment out of their lives and looking outwards to travel to exotic destinations. The demand for solo women travel groups is burgeoning and now there are many choices that make it possible for setting off on that much anticipated trip.
There are many opportunites these days to take off on that much awaited adventure alone. You can start with organised women’s group travel tours and then gradually learn to fly solo. I think this is how I did it. My intital solo women’s holidays were on a couple of women’s health retreats in Bali, Indonesia. But following my marriage separation I made the decision to take off on a couple of holidays completely alone. I must admit it was reinvigorating and liberating to be travelling by myself.
Types of solo women’s holidays include:
The additional charge called “the single supplement” always raises its ugly head when researching solo travel holidays. Most travel companies charge an additional fee if you’re travelling solo and this can be a barrier for some travellers. I had the experience recently of being told the holiday I was looking at was not available for single travellers. I instantly felt as though I was being discriminated against.
Whenever I see an advertisement for “no single supplement” or “solo travellers welcome” I immediately look at their prices. I was delighted to see that many cruise ships now offer single staterooms or cabins on their cruises. Although these cabins are a lot smaller than standard ones, there are communal areas adjacent to the cabins where you can hang out with other solo travellers.
I have managed to find a website that lists some of the travel companies that either don’t charge a single supplement or charge a lower fee. Check out Solo Traveler World. Some of the travel companies listed include: Riviera River Cruises, Encounter Travel, Overseas Adventure Travel, Active Adventures, Adventure Canada, and To Italy With Love Tours. Whilst other well known travel companies like Trafalgar, Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, and Exodus Adventure Travels have also got on board.
Otherwise some travel companies like Insight Vacations offer a paired solo option where you are matched with another traveller of the same gender so you can share a room. So if you’re not concerned about sharing a room then this is a great option for you to save money.
My tip is when you’re looking at travel companies look for solo travel deals where the single supplement is either not charged or at a lower charge. I would also advise when booking accommodation online book for two people, as you will find that you will get a better room. My experience in France on my holiday last year proved that because I booked as a single, I was given the smallest and worst rooms in the hotels I stayed at.
I have recently read a book titled “Fifty Places to Travel Solo” written by Chris Santella and DC Helmuth. This beautiful book features a list of 50 solo travel destinations from travel experts all over the world and is an essential guide to the best and the safest places to begin your solo adventure. I highly recommend this book for some travel inspiration.
For a comprehensive list of the safety status of countries in the world check out Smartraveller. If you’re going to a country that the Australian Government has marked as “Do not travel”, it’s likely the destination is unsafe, so don’t venture there.
As of January 2025, these are the countries that are categorised as being extreme or high risk to travel: Mexico, Haiti, Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Somalia, Syria, The Gaza Strip, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Myanmar and Papua New Guinea. So don’t even think about visiting these countries.
Alternately, the safest countries to travel are the Scandinavian countries like Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Finland – being top of the list. The most peaceful countries in the world include: Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Portugal, Slovenia, Australia, Japan and Malaysia. So I would start with some of these if you’re feeling at all insecure about travelling solo.
With proper research, preparation and planning, a high number of countries in the world are safe to travel to. It is a matter of using common sense and following your instincts. If someplace doesn’t feel safe then change your itinerary and travel elsewhere.
I have personally travelled solo to Bali on a couple of occasions mainly to indulge in health retreat type experiences; to Japan on a media trip; to France on a solo train journey; to Saigon and Hoi An in Vietnam; and most recently to Ghana in Africa where I did a private tour. Although, the majority of these countries are not on the “safe” list, I did feel safe in these places and didn’t encounter any problems at all.
Whilst I have been travelling solo I have only ever felt unsafe when I’ve been in crowded places like train stations and popular tourist attractions where there tends to be pickpockets and thieves roaming around.
My advice is to always travel with caution and ensure yourself and your possessions are always secure. Here are my top tips for keeping safe when travelling solo:
“Traveling in midlife, especially over 50, brings a whole new level of awareness. You move through the world differently—not rushing, but absorbing. Not just seeing, but feeling the shifts within”. ~ The Time Shift of Travel: A Mindset Transformation – Joanna Filmer.
“Because it makes you feel invincible. Whether it’s figuring out the complicated subway in Tokyo, successfully bargaining for handicrafts in the Andes, or walking across the top of Spain to Santiago de Compostela, solo travel leaves you feeling like you can achieve anything”! ~ Fifty Places to Travel Solo -Kate McCulley.
“When you travel solo, you don’t have anyone else to rely on, only you. You learn a lot about yourself. Also, nothing holds you back from anything you want to do”. ~ Rocky Travel – Michela Fantinel
“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”. ~ Lonely Planet: Women Travel Solo -Jessica Nabongo.
“Then I booked a trip two continents away. I jumped off cliffs (literally), pondered how to simplify my life, and contemplated my ‘next bit’. I needed to discover if I still had it, an edge, if there was more to me than the weight of everyone else’s needs on my shoulders”. ~ A Grown Up’s Gap Year – Monique van Tulder.
I would add to these inspiring quotes by other solo globetrotters and say that: “The wonder and the joy of being completely alone in a foreign city is like no other feeling that I have experienced. It’s like unwrapping a sweet surprise and then devouring it bit by bit – not rushing or being on a timeline, but simply enjoying every little morsel”. ~ 50 Shades of Age – Kathy Marris.
Women Travel Solo features a powerful and inspiring collection of 30 personal and unique stories from women who have ventured across the globe on their own terms. This latest release from Lonely Planet is set to redefine solo travel and highlight resilience, courage, and the transformative power of travelling alone.
From seeing France with a baby in a bike trailer or adventuring while pregnant in Morocco, to hopping aboard a container ship in Athens or staying sober in Ireland, this book brings together the voices of women from diverse backgrounds with diverse interests, each sharing their unique experience of travelling alone. $35.99 RRP. Contact shop.lonelyplanet.com.
