Solo Female Travel
Hi I’m Amy, AKA ‘Templeseeker’ and I absolutely adore solo female travel. One of the best things about going solo is the freedom and feeling of independence that you can achieve from a solo trip. One of my goals as a travel blogger is to help other women to build up their confidence to travel solo too.
You hear so many comments as a solo female traveler - ‘oh you’re so brave!’ or ‘I wish I could do that!’ The truth is, it is possible for most women to travel solo, it’s just about planning for your needs and building yourself up confidence-wise.
How did you start your Solo Female Travel Journey?
Let me tell you this – despite being an avid world traveller most of my life and taking many trips in my 20s, I didn’t actually start to travel solo until I was in my 30s.
Growing up and at university, it was always easy to jump on a trip or find travel buddies. When my sister and my friends started having babies, and my partner was busy doing his PhD and working, I realised that if I didn’t travel solo, I would probably miss out.
I had taken trips on my own as part of a group – BSES to Morocco, BUNAC America and voluntary work in Rwanda for my 30th birthday, but as these trips were me going solo but through a group or organisation, I didn’t really count this as complete solo female travel. But what these trips did do was build me up. They prepared me for the real thing!
In the summer of 2016, I travelled solo to Turkey and Bulgaria, flying into Istanbul and out of Sofia. I was 36 years old. The final push for me to just go alone was that I’d been waiting around for people to join me, only to be disappointed each time. I then had quite a bad health scare which made me realise that life on this earth was limited, and I didn’t want to miss the Blue Mosque!
How did you start your Solo Female Travel Journey?
Let me tell you this – despite being an avid world traveller most of my life and taking many trips in my 20s, I didn’t actually start to travel solo until I was in my 30s.
Growing up and at university, it was always easy to jump on a trip or find travel buddies. When my sister and my friends started having babies, and my partner was busy doing his PhD and working, I realised that if I didn’t travel solo, I would probably miss out.
I had taken trips on my own as part of a group – BSES to Morocco, BUNAC America and voluntary work in Rwanda for my 30th birthday, but as these trips were me going solo but through a group or organisation, I didn’t really count this as complete solo female travel. But what these trips did do was build me up. They prepared me for the real thing!
In the summer of 2016, I travelled solo to Turkey and Bulgaria, flying into Istanbul and out of Sofia. I was 36 years old. The final push for me to just go alone was that I’d been waiting around for people to join me, only to be disappointed each time. I then had quite a bad health scare which made me realise that life on this earth was limited, and I didn’t want to miss the Blue Mosque!
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FREEDOM!
When I finally took that first 100% solo trip, wow I felt so liberated! With apps and tours organised through youth hostels and hotels, I realised that it is soooooo much easier to travel these days than when I was growing up. It turned out to be one of the best trips of my entire life.
It was around this time that I started to make some incredible travel friends and my blog really started to take off, securing me free accommodation and tours in some great destinations. When I had truly experienced solo travel, I couldn’t get enough and kept on just booking more and more trips including Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and Thailand.
Do you Travel Solo even though you’re Married?
I often find people surprised that I do engage in solo female travel and I’m married. I don’t always go without my husband you know! I love to take trips with my hubby and also my mom – we have a great time.
But when I am going to a country with my own specific purpose, such as Churches in Italy or temples of Thailand for my blog, it’s often best for me to go alone. I mean my poor husband doesn’t want to be dragged round 5 temples a day, but that’s ok, because he can play Dungeons and Dragons or go snowboarding. I find that having our own interests and some time apart can strengthen our relationship.
I believe that in healthy relationships, it’s about supporting each other and encouraging each other to fulfil you’re dreams. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean that you can’t travel solo
Do you Travel Solo even though you’re Married?
I often find people surprised that I do engage in solo female travel and I’m married. I don’t always go without my husband you know! I love to take trips with my hubby and also my mom – we have a great time.
But when I am going to a country with my own specific purpose, such as Churches in Italy or temples of Thailand for my blog, it’s often best for me to go alone. I mean my poor husband doesn’t want to be dragged round 5 temples a day, but that’s ok, because he can play Dungeons and Dragons or go snowboarding. I find that having our own interests and some time apart can strengthen our relationship.
I believe that in healthy relationships, it’s about supporting each other and encouraging each other to fulfil you’re dreams. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean that you can’t travel solo
What do you Love most about Solo Female Travel?
Why I love the most about Solo Female travel is that you can completely please yourself and stick to your own schedule and interests. There are a few times that I’ve been away with friends or colleagues and the duo trip really hasn’t worked out because of differences in interests, pace and travel habits. A couple of times I’ve ended up having a negative experience of a place or missed something that I really wanted to see. Personally, I write a lot while I’m travelling and some people would get bored waiting around for me to do that, but it’s part of what I do. So my schedule involves an early breakfast, maybe 4 hours sightseeing or a half day trip and then an afternoon in a cafe. I don’t drink too much while I’m travelling either, mainly for health reasons and also to keep my head clear to blog.Solo Travel Destinations I love
What about managing Illnesses and Health Conditions during Solo Travel? I travel with several health conditions including asthma, epilepsy and endometriosis. Due to this, I spend roughly 6 weeks max on a trip and then take a break for rest and health checks. I know my limits and what I can manage. I also research laws about bringing in drugs and medication before I go somewhere. It’s quite easy to get medical help abroad if you have money for private or travel insurance. I had an excellent experience in Bangkok at Simitivej Hospital where it cost me just $50 for antibiotics (UTI) and an orthopaedic specialist to check my sprained ankle from Songkran in Chiang Mai!
What’s your main Travel Style?
I also am an advocate of slow travel and also minimalist backpacking. I love to take things slow and fully explore a destination, getting in the groove of the local culture. City hopping every 2-3 days is just not for me. In fact, my worst nightmare would be a country a day Euro-trip!
Packing light is just so liberating too – you realise how little you actually need when you are on the road.
One pair of jeans – please!!!
Now that I’m my late 30’s I also find that I rough it less and spend more on accommodation. I will hostel it from time to time especially if I want to meet people, but I’m now more likely to splurge on a fancy guest house or more luxurious hotel.
What are your main Tips for Solo Female Travel?
I have written several articles on travelling alone, but here’s a summary of my main tips for solo female travel…
- Build it up! If you are scared to go solo for the first time, build it up with a weekend trip in your own country, then a long weekend abroad and then a longer trip and long haul flight.
- Pre-book hotels using hotels.com and agoda.com. You can download the apps on your phone!
- Arrange airport transfers through Viator travel or through your hotel. Having someone to meet you at the airport really brings down the stress levels.
- You can use the Uber or GRAB app in some countries (check this before you go) so that you don’t overpay for your taxis.
- Get a local SIM or an eSIM from somewhere like Airalo so that you are covered for data while you are travelling.
- Give someone at home your itinerary so that they can keep tabs on you and know that you are safe.
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