Guest Post | Lessons in solo travel – what I would do differently next time

Last updated on 5 August 2024

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My solo travel adventures range from a regional flight to visit my best friend as a nervous 15-year-old to a six-week odyssey through Central America (Costa Rica, Mexico, Cuba). Fair to say I’ve had all sorts of experiences during my solo travels, although no major disasters.

Solo travel experiences taught me that I can handle so much more than I realised. That gave me unshakeable self-belief which has helped me navigate so many moments in my life. I recommend it for everyone!

Now you’re inspired to book your first solo trip, here is how I would approach solo travel now.

4 lessons in solo travel: What I would do differently next time

Be ok with going my own pace

I remember being in Mexico, not going to a Cenote and feeling disappointed in myself. I SHOULD have pushed myself to go.

The reality of solo travel is you’re making all of the decisions on where to eat, you’re doing all of the navigation, making sure you get to the train station on time, choosing what sights to see. Throw in being somewhere that speaks a different language and everything takes more energy than it does it home.

Sometimes you simply won’t have the capacity to “maximise” every single second of your trip.

Embrace the level of plan I need to board that plane

I envied my friends who would travel with open-ended tickets and make things up as they went along. I thought it was daring and glamorous and spontaneous.

In reality, I would have never left New Zealand without an itinerary. I needed guardrails to help me on my way.

Remembering the level of decision fatigue that comes with solo travel, I would err on the side of more planning rather than less.

There are no bonus points for not having a plan. What matters is going on the trip. If that means endless research, a spreadsheet and working with a travel agent, then go for it!

Avoid too all-inclusive resorts

They seem glamorous, they look gorgeous in pictures and chilling by a pool sounds like bliss.

Both times I’ve been to all-inclusive resorts by myself, I have felt so out of place. They are teeming with couples or groups of friends. It wasn’t helped by the staff being so surprised that I was solo and took pity on me.

If you want to meet other people to adventure with, a hostel is a better bet. Even getting a single room and making an effort to be in communal spaces and chat to people is great.

If you’re happy on your solo mission and prefer something more upscale than a hostel then choose a hotel.

An in-between option is a B&B. You can chat with other guests over breakfast and voila! New travel buddies. Or even just some social interaction that isn’t a waiter.

Solo travel boosts your confidence

It’s so easy to say now that I’ve done it but now when I solo travel I remind myself that I’m capable of figuring it out. 

When I arrived in Costa Rica on my first big solo adventure, I spent the first three days in full-on nervous system overload. I was panicking and wondered if I could manage the six weeks ahead of me. Well,  I did and it was a highlight of my life!

No matter how organised you are, the golden rule of travel is that something won’t go quite to plan. You’ll miss a transfer or a flight will get cancelled or you’ll get scammed.

And it’s all on you to figure it out.

Don’t let that scare you off. You will surprise yourself with how resourceful you are when you have to be. And you will take that resourcefulness into the rest of your life.

Solo travel is the single most rewarding experience of my life. Where are you going to go next?

 

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Sara Satterthwaite Sara is a life and self-relationship coach from New Zealand, with a love of travel. When she’s not helping women experience meaningful growth and create satisfying lives, she loves to explore the world and has ventured to many countries over the years. Website | Instagram