Pros and cons of solo travel in 2023
Pros and cons of solo travel. Each person decides for himself how to organize his own vacation. Someone plans a vacation in advance, buys a ticket from a trusted tour operator, while others prefer independent travel.
An independent trip can become a real fairy tale or turn into a disaster – it all depends on the preliminary preparation of the traveler. Before setting off on a “free float”, you need to take into account both the advantages of independent travel and their disadvantages, because it’s not in vain that they say: “Forewarned is forearmed”.
Pros of solo travel
Traveling independently has a lot of advantages.
Complete autonomy
You are absolutely independent – you are not afraid of any organizational overlays, problems with the tour operator. You are absolutely independent, you can and should rely only on yourself. While the group goes on the excursion included in the tour, you have the opportunity to choose the place you are interested in and go there at any convenient time.
Freedom of choice
You choose absolutely everything:
The time of departure for the trip and the period of its duration. This item is especially important for families traveling with children. Indeed, with a baby, it is sometimes very difficult to manage to leave at the specified time, adjust to the deadlines set by the travel agency. And as we all know, time is money, moreover, extra nerves are a bad companion during the holidays.
Free choice anywhere in the world. Your legal right is to go wherever your heart desires. You yourself make up the trip itinerary, taking into account only your own interests and wishes, without relying on the preferences of the guide. Another significant advantage is the ability to change the destination at any moment, to make adjustments to a pre-planned route.
The freedom of action. You can do whatever you want – check out of the hotel at any moment and go live in a tent on the sea coast. During an independent holiday, no one orders you, not a single living person can tell you what to do, where to go. You don’t owe or owe anything to anyone.
Holidays on your own can be much more economical
You do not have to choose any tour with a fixed price. You independently calculate the travel budget. If you are planning a budget trip, then there are plenty of options to have a great rest at a low cost: pre-order plane tickets at the lowest price; find a little-known hotel with positive reviews from experienced tourists; do not pay for the services of guides, translators.
Cons of solo travel
Everything in this world has a downside, and independent travel is no exception. The organization of recreation with one’s own hand has a number of disadvantages:
Drawing up a well-thought-out plan. If you want to have a good rest, you will have to think carefully and study a lot before setting off. After you have decided on the country and city, you will have to draw up a route of movement on the map, choose a hotel yourself, having previously “shoveled” a lot of reviews.
Visa processing, air tickets booking. It is worth remembering that you can buy profitable tickets only in advance. It may happen that the hotel will also need to be booked in advance. If you do not take into account all these nuances, the trip will cost you a pretty penny.
Unknowing of the language. Undoubtedly, this is an argument, but not so weighty as to give up your dream. Modern applications in a smartphone can solve this problem, and almost everyone knows English at an elementary level.
Safety. It is clear that no one is immune from the vagaries of nature, but there are a number of nuances, in addition to natural disasters, that you must take into account. First, you need to take out health insurance. Secondly, be sure to find out what kind of vaccination you need to do before traveling to an exotic country.
Only on an independent trip you can feel the country, visit the most non-touristic corners. Believe me, the devil is not as scary as he is drawn. One has only to start preparing an independent trip, and you are unlikely to want to buy a ticket from a tour operator.
Few questions which cames in our mind
What apps can you use to buy air tickets?
Remember that buying cheap air tickets is not a matter of one day. It is advisable to start looking after them a month before the planned trip. Apps such as Aviasales and Skyscanner allow you to see and compare price variations for the same flight.
How to calculate the budget for independent travel?
When you go on a trip, you should not take a suitcase of money with you on the road. If you have already decided on the destination, then you can roughly calculate the travel budget. We suggest creating an Excel spreadsheet, where you can sort out the following items of expenses: the road in both directions, movement within another country, spending on housing, food.
What to do if you get sick abroad?
It is worth thinking about this issue while still at home. Many European countries require tourists to have medical insurance, but even if one is not required, it is still better to purchase it. The TCD policy is a guarantee of your safe vacation, because even if you suddenly fall ill, you will be given proper assistance, and insurance will cover the costs. The only condition for receiving payments is to keep all doctor’s prescriptions and checks from pharmacies.
Your documents were stolen abroad: what to do?
First, don’t panic, losing your documents isn’t the end of the world. Find the nearest police station, where you will be given a certificate of loss or theft of documents. With this document, you need to go to the consulate, where you will receive a certificate for entry into Russia. Based on this certificate, you can apply for a new passport at home.