The tourism industry has grown massively during the last decades. People want to see the world, and travelling has become more affordable and accessible to more people. The wonderful world of travelling gives us many ways to see the world, but is it better to travel alone or with someone? 

There probably isn’t a right or wrong answer to this question, and everyone should travel in the way they feel most drawn to. I have been able to travel both with my friends and alone, but I’m now especially interested in getting more experience and feeling more comfortable travelling alone. Even if it still sometimes feels scary, so far, it has always been worth it. I see benefits in both travelling alone and with someone else, but there are big differences between these two ways of travelling that might be good to consider before making a decision and booking your next trip. 

Usually, the first thing that might come to mind about travelling alone is its safety. What if something happens? Will you be safe walking on the streets late at night or sleeping in a hostel full of people you have never met? With this in mind, it’s good to note that there are other options for accommodation than hostels with mixed dormitories. Maybe it would feel safer to book a smaller hostel room? Or a room separated by gender? This way, you can still get the benefits of living in a hostel, such as meeting new people more easily and feeling more comfortable at the same time. 

There are also many Airbnb and hotel rooms available at affordable prices in many cities if staying with strangers doesn’t feel comfortable. Often apartments and hotel rooms are designed to accommodate more than one person, making it more expensive for a solo traveller to stay there alone, not being able to split the costs of the stay. In this sense, travelling with someone may make it more affordable. It’s also possible to stay in a hostel with friends if you want to meet new people, and this way, even staying with strangers might make you feel more comfortable. You can also try a new hostel for one night and then book for more nights if it turns out to be good. Although usually, the biggest thing about feeling safe and enjoying the stay is the people there, whom you won’t know before actually being there.  

With costs in mind, there are also websites such as Couchsurfing, and for example Facebook groups such as Host A Sister, where people offer a place to stay in their apartments for free. This is both very affordable and a great opportunity to meet people and maybe get someone to show you around the area since they probably know all the best, not-so-touristy spots you should see. I have no experience with these sites yet, but using this way of staying in someone’s apartment might be easier if you are travelling alone since often people only have room to host for example one person. But again, this option just might feel even more unsafe than staying in hostels, since if something happens, there is no one you could report the problems to like in hostels, where in my experience, the staff has usually been very helpful. Host A Sister requires your Facebook account to be at least one year old or otherwise you need to send a picture of yourself with your passport picture and your name to them, trying to ensure more safety for other members of the group.

Travelling alone usually forces you out of your comfort zone if you want to meet people. You just have to start a conversation with the people you meet. If you are travelling with someone, it might be harder for other people to approach you, especially if you are speaking in your native language, making it seem more like you are not necessarily looking to find company. In this case, meeting new people might have to rise from yourself, not just wait for someone else to find you. In my experience, other travellers staying in hostels are generally also interested in meeting new people, and despite being alone or with friends, people have usually just started talking with me.

It might seem scary to start travelling alone, or sometimes it can feel awkward when you don’t know what to do, just wandering around, but having someone else with you can make it feel much more comfortable. If feeling uncomfortable doing something alone would make you skip doing something you want to do, travelling with someone might be a good idea. On the other hand, doing the things you want to, lets you find people that share your interests. Travelling alone also allows you to discover new, maybe even surprising things about yourself. After returning home from a trip that was completely out of your comfort zone, you can see how much you have changed during the trip. At least for me, that has always been the case. 

While solo travelling can be the best way to learn new things about yourself, some of the best memories I have with my friends were created when we travelled together. It might also be easier to deal with any upcoming issues if you have someone with you, and at least for me, usually, the challenges during the trip also created some of the best stories to think back with friends afterwards.

Going alone allows you to decide everything about your trip, where you want to go, what you want to do, and you don’t have to make compromises like you often might have to do with friends. It’s also possible to combine going on a trip together, but for example, splitting for one day or one activity, doing solo excursions to see the things each of you want to do, and meeting again in the evening, making these perhaps your first steps to travelling alone, while still having the company of each other and possibly feeling more secure.

I often find myself talking about travelling with my friends and planning a trip together, but embarking on the journey just never seems to happen. You can ask them multiple times, then maybe your schedules won’t meet up, and suddenly someone has no money for travelling or something else comes up, and in the end, you won’t go for the trip. Going alone, you can just decide when and where you want to go and book the flights.

There are many benefits to travelling with others as well as travelling alone. If you’re still not sure which would be the best way to travel, maybe you should try different ways of travelling and find out what feels best for you. But don’t just wait for your friends to book a trip; go by yourself if no one is joining! Discover everything the world has to offer because the world is not waiting for you! 

Alisa Koponen