Feel like sitting on a net over the sea in Maldives. You can if you go it alone. Photo / 123rf
Close your eyes. Imagine your dream destination and imagine discovering it all on your own terms. Here’s how to have that perfect solo holiday, writes Carrie Hutchinson.
It had been a busy couple of days working in Bangkok, so the aftermath was about relaxation.
Hua Hin, a pretty beach town a couple of hours’ drive south, beckoned. Once I’d settled into my room, which was actually a villa with a plunge pool, at the Movenpick Asara Resort and Spa, I set off to explore the town. On my return, a sign in the lobby caught my eye. Floating breakfast? “Can I book that for tomorrow morning?” I asked the woman at reception and it was done.
At 9am the next morning it arrived: a huge wicker platter loaded with pastries, fruit, toast, sausages, sticky rice, coffee and juice. Of course, it was enough for a couple, but I awkwardly lowered it into the water and then splashed in after it. Sitting on the step of the pool, sun beaming through the trees, that basket became my floating lazy susan. I read my novel and grazed for an hour. Not a single croissant went for a swim. Then I had a nap. It was so indulgent, I felt like a Hollywood star.
Twenty years of solo travel had quelled my anxiety about whether someone on their own should do that, whatever that was. It requires a switch in thinking to accept that anything good enough for a couple is equally as acceptable for the individual. Travelling solo is enriching. It helps you grow. Most of all, it’s fun. Whether your ideal trip is a beach break or an African safari, make sure you never miss out on a thing.
Butterflies are completely normal before setting off on your own, so ease yourself into it with a small group tour somewhere exotic. Countries like Morocco, Cuba or Egypt can seem difficult to traverse solo, so go another way. A country that had always fascinated me was Iran, so I joined Intrepid Travel’s Women’s Expedition. As we explored Shiraz, Isfahan, Yazd and Tehran there was a sense of camaraderie, but there was also time to head out on our own. It was the perfect blend of companionship and independence.
For me, the icebreaker was Rodriguez at Nashville’s mother church of country music, the Ryman Auditorium. Listen, if you’re halfway around the world and see Bruce Springsteen/Lizzo/Skrillex/insert your favourite musician here is playing a gig, book it. Think going to a concert on your own will be no fun? You’re 100 per cent wrong. It’s different, sure, but everyone is there for the same reason. You’ll find yourself chatting at the concession stand, the merch line and at your seat. Plus, it could be the greatest three hours of your life.
Some people get the icks about eating alone and end up spending a week in Tokyo or Paris not taking advantage of the amazing eateries. Don’t be that person. Michelin star? Not an issue. The fancier the venue, the more accustomed the wait staff will be catering for single diners. Take a baby step by finding a lauded restaurant with bar seating or a chef’s table, where you’ll feel less conspicuous. Take a book if you worry about the gap between courses. You won’t need it though. The people-watching is always superb.
Get your mind out of the gutter. That’s not the direction this is going. Imagine yourself in Lake Como or the Maldives or Santorini. On your own. The image these destinations have is of honeymooning couples in a bubble of love, but after a long year at work, you deserve complete indulgence, too. Organise a glorious villa, spa treatments, reading by the pool, exquisite food and the occasional excursion, whether that’s snorkelling with manta rays at Anantara Kihavah Maldives or riding Como’s corso battello (regular ferry) to see the most beautiful lakeside towns from the water.
Forget your preconceptions. If you choose the right company, cruises and solo travellers are a magical match. Expedition cruising to a destination like the Galapagos Islands or Alaska will put you in close surrounds with other adventurers. Ponant often has no-single-supplement offers, while Oceania Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines have ships with solo cabins. When it comes to activities and onboard fun, Virgin Voyages, which enters the South Pacific market this summer, has so much to do – and eat – you won’t ever want to get off.
Some of the most interesting people you’ll meet anywhere are locals so invested in where they live, they want to tell everyone about it. In Harlem, I joined community leader Savona on her Airbnb Experiences walking history tour that focused on the area’s social movements. Before dawn in Honolulu, I jumped in Mac’s van to do a sunrise Oahu Photography Tour. With English expat Joanna Wivell of Insider’s Travel, I supped on Madrid’s finest tapas favoured by locals. Wherever you are, this type of tour offers a deeper insight into a destination.
Forget what your mum told you… The best way to gather both new friends – even if only for a few hours – and good intel on the place you’re visiting is to strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know. It can be scary, but most people are happy to talk; a faraway accent never hurts. The perfect environment is a local bar with food. Ask the person next to you what they’re eating, offer to buy them a drink, hit up the bartender for tips on what they’d do if they had tomorrow off. Equally abundant hunting grounds include cafes, hotel lobbies and trains. As a certain sportswear brand would tell you: Just do it!
If you do yoga three times a week or go to a pottery studio on Saturday afternoons, don’t let your habits slip. Finding local classes will put you in the immediate vicinity of other people who share your interests. Result? Instant conversation. Equally, learning something you’ve always thought about – hello, scuba diving or pasta making – gives you a skill you can take home with you.
While points one to eight have all led you to a single’s vacay with layers of interaction, there is also the option of complete solitude. You don’t need to go full Cheryl Strayed, but solo hiking encourages reflection and contemplation. A self-guided tour, whether on the Moselle Trail in Germany or the Kumano Kodo in Japan, offers the option of having your luggage transported between accommodations. Too much walking? In Australia’s Whitsunday Islands, Scamper Camping can drop you and your gear on a deserted beach for a couple of days. Start with a road trip not close to home to discover whether you’re made for splendid isolation.
Travelling with family and friends can be fun, but the best thing about going it alone is discovering your thing and doing it. Feel like sitting on the beach for the day, watching surfers and reading your book? Done. Over museums and crave a movie? There’s no one to stop you. Had enough of Hanoi and want to try on Hoi An for size? Book a flight. Forget about what you should do, and instead do what your heart desires. That’s the real joy of solo travel – you only have yourself to answer to.
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