Travelling is one of the best ways to experience the unique cultures and sights of this world. But when it comes to planning your travel, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether to travel alone or with a friend. Both options have their benefits, so how do you choose which is right for you?
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HOW TO DECIDE TO TRAVEL ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND?
- Deciding Whether to Travel Alone or With a Friend
- Benefits and Negatives of Travelling Solo or With a Friend
- Benefits of Travelling Alone
- Benefits of Travelling With a Friend
- Are There More Benefits Travelling Alone or With a Friend
- Negatives of Travelling Solo or With a Friend
- Downside of Travelling Solo
- Downside of Travelling With a Friend
- More Downsides to Travelling Solo or With a Friend?
- What it’s Like For a Solo Traveller to Travel With a Friend
- In Conclusion …
Deciding Whether to Travel Alone or With a Friend
When deciding whether you want to travel solo or with a friend, begin by considering what your goals are for the trip. If your main goal is to disconnect and have some alone time, travelling solo may be the better option. Solo travel allows you the freedom to make all the decisions and to have complete control over your itinerary. This is especially helpful if you’re looking to challenge yourself and step outside of your comfort zone.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a shared experience and the chance to create memories with someone, travelling with a friend may be the way to go. Travelling with a friend can offer a sense of security and companionship that is hard to find when travelling alone. It also means you have someone to split expenses with and someone to share the experience with.

It’s also important to consider your personality and travel style. If you’re an introvert who values quiet time and reflection, solo travel may be the better option. On the other hand, if you thrive on the social interaction with a travel companion, then travelling with a friend may be more your style.
Benefits and Negatives of Travelling Solo or With a Friend
Travelling is an exciting and eye-opening experience that enriches the soul and broadens the mind. However, deciding whether to travel alone or with a friend can often be a tough choice. Each option comes with its own set of benefits, which ultimately depends on one’s personality, travel goals, and preferences.
Before making a decision as to whether to travel alone or with a friend, let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s of each travel styles.

Benefits of Travelling Alone
Solo travel offers a unique opportunity to embrace your independence and step out of your comfort zone. It provides an opportunity for self-discovery, introspection, and personal growth as you interact with people from different cultures and navigate unfamiliar territories. It allows you to set your itinerary, make spontaneous decisions, and take risks that you may not have the chance to do with others. It also teaches you valuable life skills such as problem-solving, adaptability, and self-reliance.
In summary, there are many benefits to travelling by yourself. Is solo travel for you?
- freedom to do what you want, when you want
- alone time for reflection
- push yourself out of your comfort zone
- more apt to socialize with strangers and make new friends
- make spontaneous decisions
- teaches valuable life skills
- learn how to problem solve
- become more self-reliant
- personal growth

Benefits of Travelling With a Friend
In comparison, travelling with a friend can enhance your overall travel experience as it’s an opportunity to share memories, bond, and create a shared adventure. It allows you to enjoy new experiences with a companion, laugh at inside jokes, and rely on each other for support. It also provides safety in numbers, as you navigate foreign lands and overcome language or cultural barriers.
In the alternative, travelling with a friend will also provide many benefits, such as:
- companionship
- assistance with making decisions
- lack of loneliness
- a bonding experience
- provide safety in numbers
- someone to share memories with

Are There More Benefits Travelling Solo or With a Friend
In summary, there are benefits to travelling alone or with a friend. Whichever option you choose, it’s essential to embrace the experience and make the most of it. After all, travelling is about exploring new worlds, gaining new perspectives, and creating lifelong memories.
Negatives of Travelling Alone or With a Friend
Whether you choose to travel alone or with a friend, there are also potential pro’s and con’s to both which need to be taken into consideration. Let’s take a look at the negatives of travelling solo or with a friend.
Downside of Solo Travel
When travelling solo, there can be bouts of loneliness or homesickness, and it can be challenging to handle stressful situations on your own. For the introverted traveller, travelling alone can make it tempting to retreat into your shell and miss out on opportunities to connect with others.
As with many things, in summary travelling alone has some downsides such as:
- loneliness
- nobody to share the experience with
- more difficult if you run into a stressful situation
- temptation to retreat and miss opportunities

Downside to Travelling With a Friend
In contrast to travelling by yourself, travelling with a friend can lead to conflicts and disagreements, which can put a damper on the trip, and ultimately ruin a friendship.
Moreover, travelling with a friend can limit your ability to meet new people and fully immerse yourself in new cultures. It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone and rely solely on your companion for entertainment and companionship.
Like solo travel, travelling with a friend also has its downside:
- can lead to conflicts and/or disagreements
- you have to take some else’s interests into consideration when planning an itinerary
- makes it easier to remain in your comfort zone
- limits ability to meet new friends
Are There More Downsides to Travelling Solo or With a Friend
In the end, it’s about finding a balance between independence and companionship when travelling. Whether you choose to venture out solo or with a friend, staying open to new experiences, people, and perspectives is key to making the most of your travels. So pack your bags, prepare for adventure, and get ready to explore the world on your own terms!

If you are deciding whether to travel alone or with a friend, these articles may help you decide which is best for you.
- The Ugly Side of Solo Travel: Untold Stories
- Best Summer Destinations for Solo Travellers
- 15 Things Every Senior Should Know Before Travelling Solo
- What I Wish I Knew Before My First Solo Trip
- Inspirational Quotes For Women
- Solo Travel: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
- Travelling Solo With a Disability
What it’s Like to Travel With a Friend After 13 Years of Travelling Alone
This is a question that I never really thought I would need to answer. I always loved exploring new places and cultures on my own, but when a friend asked if I would like to join her on a trip to Bora Bora, I found myself eager to give it a try. Afterall, the island of Bora Bora had been a dream of mine since I was a little girl.

The experience was definitely different than what I was used to. For one, I had to consider someone else’s preferences and interests when planning our itinerary. I also had to adjust to having constant company, which was both comforting and sometimes overwhelming.
Just One Tip: When deciding to travel alone or with a friend, it is important to consider the personality of the person you will be travelling with. Ensure that you enjoy the same activities and that you are compatible.
In the end, I discovered that unless I’m travelling with family, solo travel is the better option for me when travelling for an extended period of time.
In Conclusion …
When all is said and done, there is no right or wrong choice between travelling solo or with a friend. It all comes down to your specific goals and preferences. Whether you choose to travel alone or with a friend, remember to be open to new experiences and to enjoy every moment of your adventure.
Let me know in the comments below whether you choose to travel alone or travel with friends. Which is better for you?
SAFE & HAPPY TRAVELS 🙂
Kelly xo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly is a writer and solo traveller who shares her adventures with the world. She is a mom, grandma, and lover of all things wine. Kelly’s passion lies in exploring Canada and other parts of the world and sharing her experiences with others.
As a senior traveller, Kelly aims to inspire others to live their best life and not be afraid to venture out into the world on their own. She encourages solo travel and offers tips and advice on how to do it safely and confidently.

Travel Solo Like a Pro!
AIRFARE:
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HOTELS & ACCOMMODATION:
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ACTIVITIES:
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BIKE AND MOTORCYCLE RENTALS:
♥ BikesBooking.com will find the best prices for bicycles, motocyles, and scooter rentals any place in the world.
CAR RENTAL:
♥ Economy Bookings will provide rental prices worldwide, which making it a one stop shop for the most reasonable car rentals
AIRPORT TRANSFER AND PRIVATE TOURS:
♥ Kiwitaxi is who you want to contact for transportation from the airport or train station. Why not arrange for a PRIVATE CITY TOUR with Kiwitaxi at the same time.
CRUISES:
♥ Cruise Critic not only provides reviews and answers questions, it also offers great cruise deals. If your a cruise lover (like me), I highly recommend that you check it out!
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
♥ Travel insurance these times of natural disasters, travel interruption and baggage loss is no longer a place where you can cut costs. essentials. It has become an essential part of travel. Visitors Coverage will take care of all of your insurance needs.
PIN TO DECIDE TO TRAVEL ALONE OR WITH A FRIEND?
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James
A nice blog post which lays out the questions to look at when deciding to travel solo or with somebody. For me having done both, I enjoy the company but can’t disregard the pros of travelling alone such as being in complete control of where I go and what I do. True that there is no right or wrong way to do it, just do it your win way and enjoy!
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Just One Passport
Yes, cost is definitely a factor when travelling alone. That’s the main reason I agreed to to my Bora Bora trip with a friend. Otherwise, I would have never gotten to see this beautiful part of the world
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Mitch and Colin
We found this post really interesting. We have been together since we were students, so have always travelled as a couple – which itself has a different dynamic. You cover all the pros and cons for travelling with a friend or travelling solo but your conclusion – staying open to new experiences and perspectives and enjoying your adventure – really sums up the best way to travel, whether alone or with a companion.
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Just One Passport
I completely agree. In the past, I thoroughly enjoyed travelling with the my husband (best of times), however, travelling with a friend is just not the same.
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solotravelstory
Thanks for reflecting on travelling with a companion and without. I personally can’t recall a nice experience travelling with someone so for me the solo option is the best. Even tho it can be beneficial to split costs and share experiences together I find travelling with someone too demanding and overall I don’t get much out of a trip where someone just moans all the time. I hope your recent experience travelling with a friend to Bora Bora has kept the friendship in tact.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
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Just One Passport
I completely agree! I’ll be sticking to solo travelling as well lol
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Barry Till
This is a quite comprehensive coverage of all the pros and cons of travelling solo or with someone.
I have done both but have decided I much more prefer going solo, probably for all the reasons you have mentioned. I have definitive, once in a lifetime objectives to do on each trip, so am wary of having to compromise on achieving them. On the other hand the cost of paying full for accommodation is an expense that could be halved and I often miss the security (especially in less secure places and situations) or having a companion.
I’m an avowed solo traveller now, only joining friends on short, repeatable city trips.
Good article that anyone considering the two options would be well advised to read, to get a grounding of what each style entails.
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Just One Passport
Barry, I found your comment interesting. I’ve always wondered what solo travel was like from a male’s perspective. It’s not much different from a female really. After travelling with a friend for a week, I too have decided that it’s solo travel all the way for me (unless it’s with my family).
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Pam
What a great guide! I love traveling with friends but it’s definitely challenging. Solo and group travel both have very different vibes. There are some trips that lend themselves to group travel better than others too! So many people put down group travel, but there are a lot of pros to it as well!
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Just One Passport
I completely agree! I’m actually working on a post now about the benefit of group travel (mainly for us older folk lol)
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Emma
I think you’re right, you need to decide what you want from the trip from the outset to know what’s best for that trip. I enjoy solo travel more but going to places I wouldn’t go solo is better with a friend. Or for a shared experience – this year I’m doing a big hike vacation with a friend. But I also always allow some alone time in the trip – as an introvert I need that
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Just One Passport
Exactly! I agree that there are certain trips I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing solo, but in those cases, I think I’d go with a small group tour rather than a friend.
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Sydney
Great post! It’s taken a while but I’ve started getting better at knowing which trips are good for friends and which are good for a solo adventure.
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Just One Passport
Sometimes it’s a difficult choice, however, I agree that sometimes you need to go with friends (for a weekend lol)
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Melanie
You’ve outlined a lot of good reasons for and against both style of travel, and it’s true that there’s no one answer. I think it’s important to experience both. Also, when I am travelling with someone, I try to keep the solo traveller mindset so that I’m not closed off to meeting other people and I’m still stretching myself to grow.
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Just One Passport
I completely agree. I do the same thing. Since it’s very seldom that I travel with others (other than my family), I tend to talk to everyone and still do my own thing. It surprises a lot of my friends that I do this lol.
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BlondeAroundTheWorld
Without a doubt, traveling solo is my preferred option. I soon got used to traveling on my own and alone as a woman. People don’t always understand the option, but this is how I feel I travel best. It’s a great opportunity to get to know yourself, it’s being able to have much more freedom. I think that everyone should travel the way they feel best, but I definitely think that, at least once in their life, everyone should go on a solo trip.
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Just One Passport
I completely agree with you! My family completely supports my solo travel, however, none of my friends understand it at all. I LOVE
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Just One Passport
I completely agree! Unless I’m travelling with family, I won’t travel any other way now. My family supports my solo travel, however, none of my friends can understand it and think I’m crazy.
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