10 Hidden Disadvantages of Travelling Alone No One Tells You

I was wildly unprepared for the disadvantages of travelling alone. My first time travelling alone was in Italy, which was so wonderful and culturally rich. However, halfway into my trip, I felt really lonely and homesick, which I hadn’t expected. And then I got sick! I spent the last 3 days of my trip wanting to just go home.

Everyone talks about how amazing solo travel is, but you rarely ever hear the negatives (which can make solo travel suck). Which is crazy because every solo traveler experiences the downsides, but it’s not glamorous to share. Everyone shares the highlight reels but not the real, sometimes unflattering, dark sides of solo travel.

Knowing the downsides of solo travel beforehand would have made my first solo trip much smoother. So, I’m sharing them with you so that these 10 disadvantages of travelling alone do not blindside you. I wish I had known these before, so hopefully, it will help you have a great solo trip.

1. Loneliness

If it’s your first time solo travelling, you are 100% going to feel lonely on your trip.

It might be your first time away from friends, family, and familiar people. You’re also getting used to having a lot of free time by yourself. Being uncomfortable with time alone is a part of the process, and it won’t be for the whole trip, just parts of it.

You’ll notice people being happy with their family and friends, which will make you long for companionship.

Know that loneliness is normal and expected!

On my first trip, I felt really guilty about feeling lonely because I really wanted to go on this solo trip, and I purposefully put myself in this position. So, shouldn’t I feel happy?

You might feel guilt, embarrassment, and sadness and hesitate to share unhappy emotions with people from back home.

Luckily, loneliness in solo travel is very counteractable.

Here are some ways to combat loneliness when solo travelling:

• Meeting new people: It’s ironic, but making connections makes you feel less lonely; who would have thought? My favorite ways to make friends while traveling solo are by going on short tours, booking local classes, or chatting with strangers.
• Talking with friends at home: real friends will support your feelings because they are valid. It’s normal to have an experience that is less than ideal, and connecting with friends from home will help you feel less alone, even if they’re not there in person.

2. Paying More

It’s ironic, but going solo means paying more for things, which might make your trip more expensive.

You have to pay for all the costs yourself. For example, if you get a taxi or Uber, you have to pay the entire fare versus splitting the cost with someone else.

Hotels are also more expensive because most prices are for two people, not one person. So it’s more financially advantageous to book hotels with more people because the price stays the same regardless of how many people are staying. You also can’t take advantage of group discounts for attractions.

In the grand scheme, it’s not too much of a loss, considering there are plenty of advantages to travelling solo, but solo travel can be more expensive than traveling with another person.

How to save money solo travelling:

• Book budget stays: Hostels are a popular cheap accommodation for solo travelers. You can also stay with a friend (or friend of a friend), or find a work and housing trade with a farm or volunteer office.
• Cook: Eating can get expensive during travel, especially when constantly eating out. Buying groceries and cooking is a great way to save money on food, especially if you have access to a kitchen or kitchenette.
• Using student discounts: If you’re young and are in school or university, use your student ID card for huge discounts on attractions. Sometimes, you’ll even get free admission!

3. Sharing Experience With Someone Else

Expanding on the point I made previously, you’re bound to feel lonely when you travel alone.

You’re going to miss having someone to share your amazing travel experience with, and telling someone about your experience is not the same as experiencing it together. We’ve all had times telling someone about our travels and seeing their attention wander—but who can blame them?

You’ll especially miss companionship when you’re tired or stressed and want support or comfort.

Sometimes, sharing the experience with someone makes it that much more special. Luckily, you don’t need someone to share travels with to make it memorable.

How to stop missing a companion:

• Accept that your friend isn’t coming: No matter how much we wish for our friend or family to be there with us during our travels, they aren’t coming.
• Find activities you love: Do something you love and can enjoy by yourself. It could be visiting a museum, going to a cute coffee shop, checking out a nearby park, and the list goes on.

4. Eating Alone

Eating alone is a huge pain point for a lot of solo travellers, especially during your first time.

It’s not something you think about until you start thinking about what to eat.

If you’re used to eating with people, eating alone for the first time can be nerve-wracking, especially when you’re somewhere new and not confident exploring around.

You might think people are judging you or feel bad for you that you’re alone. But don’t worry!

Eating alone might seem scary, but it’s actually not as bad as it seems.

Truly, no one cares more about the fact that you’re alone than you do. Everyone is preoccupied with their own lives, and restaurants don’t care as long as you’re a paying customer. So have fun with it! Lean into it.

The more you practice eating alone, the better you get at it.

And truthfully, you get used to it after the first couple of times. You simply run out of f*cks to give haha.

How to confidently eat alone:

• Gradually eat alone: You can start eating alone by grabbing takeout and sitting at a park or bench, then make your way up to a restaurant.
• Make a reservation: This is a great hack if you’re in a foreign country and don’t know the language that well. Lots of restaurants take reservations online, so it’s easy to book one even if you don’t know the language.

5. Struggling to Get Good Photos of Yourself

It’s a struggle going through your photo album after a solo trip and realizing that all the photos you have of yourself on this trip are all selfies… and not great selfies.

It’s hard to get photos of yourself when you don’t have someone to help you take photos of you, and propping up a camera takes time and practice.

Asking strangers to help you take photos can feel awkward, especially if they speak a different language. Also, no one wants someone to walk off with their phone.

But there are ways to get great photos of yourself travelling alone:

• Using a tripod: Yes, it’s another thing to carry, but it’s a great way to get beautiful shots of yourself when you’re alone. Plus, you’ll get a great angle of yourself that’s not a distorted angle.
• Hiring a photographer: Honestly, it’s so obvious that it’s not obvious. Hiring a photographer during your trip is one of the best ways to get good pictures of yourself while traveling solo. They’re an expert in the best photo spots in the area, take great photos, and direct your poses. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s one of the best souvenirs.

6. Getting Sick

Getting sick while travelling always sucks, but it sucks a little more when you’re alone.

When you travel with someone and one of you gets sick, the other can help you: get medicine, find out information about what you have, get someone to help you, water and food, etc. And if you’re both sick, you have each other to keep you company.

But when you’re alone, you have to take care of yourself, which is more difficult because you may not have the energy or mental capacity to get up, feed, and bathe.

When I got sick in Italy, I stayed in bed all day and desperately wanted my mom there to comfort me. I was also so sad that I couldn’t go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather or visit new attractions.

It can also be less safe because if you pass out or something happens to you, there’s not someone immediately there to help you. There’s comfort in knowing someone is there to help.

Being alone while sick is not good for your mental well-being as well—easy to spiral into negative thoughts.

How to get better when you’re travelling alone:

• Let your accommodation know you’re sick: it always feels better knowing someone is looking out for you, even if they’re strangers. Especially at hotels or Airbnb, your host or staff will look out for and take care of you.
• Rest: Trust me, even if you feel like you’re okay enough to explore, it will always bite you in the butt. Rest and fully recover before starting your travels again.

7. Less Safe

It’s not a new idea that travelling alone can be less safe than travelling with others.

Solo travel itself is safe as long as you exercise common solo travel safety tips.

Traveling alone vs. travelling in a group has its own pros and cons. Groups attract more attention and are more challenging to coordinate, especially when people have conflicting interests.

However, travelling alone is more unsafe when drinking or walking at night.

When you’re with other people, you can rely on other people when you drink alcohol, given that you’re both not intoxicated at the same level. But when you’re alone and intoxicated, you’re more vulnerable to people with bad intentions.

Walking at night alone anywhere is less safe than in the day, but especially when you’re alone and if you’re a woman.

So, you’ll have to exercise more caution when you’re traveling alone.

Here are some tips on how to stay safe when traveling solo:

• Never post in real-time: Even if your social profiles are private, never post your real-time location or any information about your accommodation until after you’re gone. You never know who is watching your posts or stories.
• Research scams: In popular tourist areas, you’ll find lots of scammers trying to take advantage of tourists who don’t know better. A quick Google search will tell you what to look out for and how to protect yourself and your valuables abroad.

8. Social Anxiety

Travelling alone can increase social anxiety, even if you’re an extrovert and love people.

There are certain barriers that can make it more difficult to connect with people when travelling alone. For example, a language barrier that makes it hard to communicate, like ordering on a menu, asking for help, etc.

Cultural barriers can also complicate communication. Things that are considered not rude in your hometown might be rude at your destination. For example, in Japan, people will move seats on the metro if seats open up. This could be considered rude in America, but in Japan, it’s a cultural norm to respect personal space.

Meeting locals and making friends becomes more challenging, especially since you are different. However, it’s easy to meet other travelers, though.

How to relieve social anxiety when traveling alone:

• Be kind to yourself: Don’t beat yourself up if you feel anxious when traveling alone. It’s completely normal and a part of the experience. Prepare as much as you can, especially if it’s learning foreign phrases, and 99% of the time, people are receptive to tourists who put in effort.

9. Decision Fatigue

When you solo travel, you have to make all the decisions: where to go, where to eat, when to go, etc.

While it’s freeing to do whatever you want, a hidden disadvantage is that you get decision fatigue fast. Since everything is new, you’re not sure what is good, the best itinerary, where to eat, etc.

Decision fatigue sets in especially fast when decisions require a lot of research, including big tours and expensive attractions.

It’s definitely easier to leave the decisions to someone else once in a while, but it’s not an option when you’re alone.

How to combat decision fatigue:

• Don’t overthink: Sometimes, we have to pick an option and not think too much about it. My rule is that if it’s taking me 10 minutes to decide between two options, just pick one without looking back.
• Book tours: Tours handle everything from start to finish, and you don’t have to decide a single thing. You just show up and enjoy!
• Visit local tourist centers: This is the best hack for travel planning! The staff will give you recommendations that are well-researched and high-quality. They know more about the destination than you do! Work smarter, not harder.

10. More Responsibility

Responsibility is a double-edged sword for solo travel.

You get more responsibility and the opportunity to become more independent. With responsibility comes great power.

However, it’s tiring being responsible all the time, especially when you do it a lot.

Sometimes, it’s nice to imagine yourself as a kid whose sole purpose is to follow your parents and have fun. You might find yourself wondering, would it be so bad to just go with the flow and not plan anything?

But someone has to plan it in order for smooth travel.

There will be days when you’re just tired of planning all your activities, paying money for it all, etc. And that’s very normal.

How to feel less overwhelmed with responsibility:

• Take a break, seriously: when you feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and decisions, take a break. Stay in, relax, and just exist! Not all days need to be packed with activities and exploration.
• Pay for a local guide: Local guides are a great way to turn your brain off and enjoy the destination. You can find guides driving you around while explaining the culture and history. It’s money well spent.

Don’t Let These Downsides Scare You

There are so many benefits of solo travel that outweigh the disadvantages of travelling alone:

• Boost Self-Confidence
• Become More Independent
• Become More Resilient
• Meet People You Would Never Meet
• Appreciate Your Own Company
• Practice Risk-Taking
• And so much more.

But it’s important to know the whole picture of solo travel so you aren’t blindsided. It’s always good to be prepared, even though nothing ever goes to plan sometimes.

Have An Amazing Solo Trip

Now that you know the disadvantages of travelling alone, you’re truly prepared for anything that will happen on your solo trip. You’ll be resilient against the downsides of solo travel, which is more than what I can say. Even though the downsides sound intimidating, it’s better to know than not know so that you can enjoy your trip to the fullest. Happy travels!