• By: RIYANKA
• Mar 25, 2026
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A Decade of Being A Solo Female Traveller And Here’s What I’ve Learned

Back in 2014, my journey as a solo female traveller began, unaware of how deeply it would shape my life. At 24, I never imagined that the next decade would transform my passion into a full-time profession.

It started in 2014 with a quiet decision and a heart full of curiosity. I did not know then that choosing to become a solo female traveller would shape the next ten years of my life in ways I could never have imagined. What began as a personal escape slowly became a way of living, of seeing the world, and eventually, of building a life around it.

Over the years, my journeys have taken me through the golden deserts of Rajasthan, the lush landscapes of South India, the mountains of Nepal, and the serene coastlines of Sri Lanka, where I celebrated my 30th birthday on my own. Each place gave me stories…but more importantly, it gave me people.

Because if there is one thing that has defined my travels, it is this. The kindness of strangers has followed me everywhere.

I have met the most beautiful souls on the road. People who had nothing to gain from helping me, yet chose to do so anyway. Auto drivers and taxi drivers who not only gave me discounts but also went out of their way to help me reach places I was unsure about.

I still remember landing in Chennai on a sultry afternoon in August 2016, and taking an Uber to Guindy Bus Stop, from where I had to catch a bus to Pondicherry. The Uber driver and I did not share a common language. Our conversation was stitched together with a few English words and a lot of guessing. Yet, he stayed back for almost twenty minutes, making sure I got my ticket and boarded the right bus. As the bus pulled away, he simply smiled and waved. That moment has stayed with me longer than many destinations have.

While I was travelling from Ooty to Coonoor, my auto driver stopped for a smoke break and came back with a cup of tea for me. He refused to take money for it. He said I reminded him of his daughter, who lived far away. There was no transaction in that moment, just a quiet human connection.

There were also times when restaurant owners offered me meals on the house. Mostly when I took ‘a table for one’, they would ask if I was waiting for someone, and when I said I was travelling alone, their curiosity often turned into warmth. Some offered their best dishes, asking only for a small Zomato review in return.

These moments shaped my understanding of the world far more than any itinerary ever could, and here’s what I learned from my journeys as a solo female traveller.

[Also Read: Solo Trips vs Couple Travel – What’s Better?]

1. The world is kinder than you think

One of the first things solo travel taught me was that the world is far kinder than we are often made to believe. As women, we grow up hearing so many warnings about what could go wrong if we choose to travel alone. And while being careful is important, what my journeys have shown me time and again is that kindness exists in the most unexpected corners of the world.

I have found it in the smallest, simplest moments. A chai-seller in India once looked at me, noticed how exhausted I seemed, and quietly handed me a steaming cup of tea without letting me pay for it. In Cambodia, a tuk-tuk driver made sure I reached my Airbnb safely late at night, refusing to leave until he knew I was inside. In Kenya, I found myself volunteering at a childcare centre alongside complete strangers, and what started as a brief experience turned into one of the warmest, most unforgettable chapters of my travels.

These moments may seem small in general, but when you are on the road alone, they stay with you. They remind you that even in unfamiliar places, there is goodness. That people can surprise you with their generosity, their care, and their quiet willingness to help without expecting anything in return.

If there is one thing I have learnt over the years, it is this: the road may be unpredictable, but it is also full of beautiful and warm moments. And often, it is not just the places you remember, but the kindness you receive along the way.

2. Intuition is your compass

The most valuable thing solo travel has taught me is to trust my instincts. When you are travelling alone, there is no one else to lean on for every little decision. You become more aware, more observant, and far more in tune with that quiet inner voice that tells you when something feels right, or when it doesn’t.

There have been moments on the road when I have changed my plans for reasons I couldn’t fully explain at the time. In Nepal, I remember turning away from a busy market street simply because something about it didn’t sit well with me. Later, I heard there had been a scuffle there. In Nagaland, I once decided not to take a cab because the driver seemed a little too insistent and instead chose to hop on a bus. It turned out to be not only the safer choice, but also a far more memorable and enjoyable one.

Over time, I have realised that intuition is one of the most reliable travel companions you can have. Guidebooks can point you towards places, and maps can help you find your way, but your instincts often do a much better job of keeping you safe. As a solo female traveller, learning to trust that inner nudge has been one of the most empowering parts of the journey. Sometimes, all it takes is listening closely to yourself.

3. Freedom is addictive

Solo travelling blesses you with a sense of freedom! The kind that feels almost unfamiliar at first, and then becomes something you never want to live without. There is a quiet joy in waking up each morning and knowing the day belongs entirely to you. No compromises, no fixed plans unless you want them, and no need to explain why you feel like changing course halfway through the day.

During my solo trip to Galle in Sri Lanka, some mornings began with long walks by the shore, the kind where you keep going until your feet ache and your mind finally slows down. There was no agenda, no rush, just me, the sea, and the luxury of moving at my own pace.

I felt that same sense of freedom on my first solo trip to Thailand, too. I remember spending entire afternoons wandering through Bangkok’s street markets, stopping whenever something caught my eye or smelled too good to ignore. Mango sticky rice, pad kra pao, fresh fruit, iced coffees, random little snacks I couldn’t even pronounce properly, it all became part of the joy of simply being there with nowhere else to be.

And then there was Australia, where I rented a car and drove along the Great Ocean Road on my own. I stopped whenever a stretch of coastline looked too beautiful to pass, whenever I wanted to take a photo, sit in silence, or simply stare at the ocean a little longer. That is the thing about solo travel, it allows you to honour your own rhythm.

Some days you want adventure. Some days you want stillness. Some days you want to do absolutely nothing and just exist in a new place. And when you travel alone, you can let your days unfold exactly as they feel right to you. That kind of freedom changes you. It teaches you what you enjoy, how you like to move through the world, and what it means to live life on your own terms. And once you have tasted that, even briefly, it becomes very hard to let go of it.

4. Solitude is not the same as loneliness

One of the most unexpected gifts of solo travel has been learning the difference between being alone and feeling lonely. Before I started travelling on my own, I think I carried the same fear many of us do, that being by yourself for too long might feel empty. But somewhere along the way, I discovered that solitude can actually be one of the most beautiful parts of the journey.

I remember being in Kenya, sitting quietly under an acacia tree, watching giraffes move across the horizon with such calm, unhurried grace. There was no conversation, no distraction, no need to fill the silence. It was just me and that moment, and somehow, it felt complete.

I felt something similar in Singapore too, sitting by Marina Bay long after the city had lit up for the night. The water shimmered under the lights, people passed by in the distance, and I just sat there, still and content, letting the city exist around me without needing anything from it.

That is what solo travel slowly teaches you. Solitude is not something to fear. It can be deeply nourishing. It gives you space to breathe, to reflect, to notice things you might otherwise miss. It lets you be fully present in a place, but also fully present with yourself.

And in a world that constantly asks us to be busy, connected, and surrounded, there is something incredibly grounding about finding comfort in your own company. Some of my most peaceful travel memories have come from these quiet, in-between moments. The ones where nothing much was happening, and yet, everything felt enough.

5. Confidence comes from doing

If there is one thing solo travel has taught me with absolute honesty, it is that confidence does not arrive all at once. It is built slowly, in the smallest and most ordinary moments, often when you are just trying to figure things out on your own.

At first, those moments can feel overwhelming. Standing in the middle of a crowded Indian railway station trying to decode train schedules, navigating an unfamiliar city in Vietnam without mobile data, or attempting to negotiate a tuk-tuk ride in Colombo when you are tired, sweaty, and just want to get to your hotel. None of it feels glamorous when you are in it. In fact, it can feel exhausting.

But every single time you manage, something shifts within you.

I still remember exploring Cambodia’s Angkor complex before dawn, walking through the stillness of ancient ruins as the sky slowly began to lighten. At one point, I found myself taking trails that weren’t clearly marked, and for a moment, I felt that familiar flicker of uncertainty. But I found my way back. And it is funny how even something as simple as that can leave you feeling stronger than before.

I remember that same feeling in Thailand too, when I had to figure out the right local bus on my own, in a place where almost no one around me spoke English. There was no dramatic breakthrough, no applause waiting at the end of it. Just me, quietly realising that I could do hard things without needing to panic.

That, I think, is where real confidence comes from. Not from always knowing what to do, but from learning that you can handle yourself even when you don’t.

Solo travel does not make you fearless overnight. You still get nervous. You still second-guess yourself. You still have moments of uncertainty. But with every little challenge you navigate, you become more resourceful, more adaptable, and more self-reliant. And honestly, that kind of confidence is far more powerful than fearlessness. Because it is real. It is earned. And once you have built it on the road, you carry it back with you into every other part of life.

6. You carry home within you

One of the quieter truths I discovered through solo travel is that no matter how far you go, you never really leave home behind. You carry it with you in ways you do not fully understand until you are standing in a completely unfamiliar place, suddenly missing something as simple as the sound of your mother tongue, the comfort of a home-cooked meal, or the ease of being around people who know you without explanation.

There were many moments during my travels when I missed home deeply. Not always in dramatic ways, but in soft, unexpected ones. A certain smell from a kitchen, the way evening light fell on a street, a familiar spice in a dish, or a song playing somewhere in the background. These little things had a way of catching me off guard.

But over time, I realised that home is not always tied to one address or one city. Sometimes, it appears in the warmth of strangers. Sometimes, it is found in the way people make space for you in places where you should technically feel like an outsider. And sometimes, it is something you discover within yourself.

I remember being in Vietnam when a café owner served me a steaming bowl of pho and then, instead of walking away, simply sat down beside me and began asking questions about India. It was such a simple interaction, but there was something so grounding about it. For a little while, the unfamiliar did not feel so unfamiliar anymore.

I felt this in Australia too, when an Indian family I had only just met invited me over for dinner. There is something deeply emotional about eating familiar food in a foreign country, especially when it comes with warmth, laughter, and that unspoken sense of belonging that only certain moments can bring. It reminded me that home has a way of finding you when you need it most.

And in my own little way, I think I have always carried home with me quite literally too. Over the years, I have made it a tradition to wear a saree wherever I travel. Sometimes it is on a quiet street in a new city, sometimes by a landmark, and sometimes in places where it stands out beautifully against the unfamiliar backdrop. It has often become a conversation starter with strangers, curious smiles turning into warm exchanges. People ask about it, admire it, want to know where it is from, and in those moments, I feel like I am carrying a piece of my identity, my culture, and my roots with me wherever I go.

That is perhaps one of the most beautiful things travel has taught me. Home is not just a place you return to. It is also something you carry within you. In your memories, in your rituals, in your language, in the clothes you wear, in the way you connect with the world.

And somehow, that makes even the farthest corners of the world feel a little less distant.

7. Saying ‘yes’ can change everything

Some of the best moments I have experienced while travelling were never part of the plan. They did not exist on my itinerary, they were not bookmarked on Google Maps, and they certainly were not things I had imagined before the trip began. They happened simply because, at some point, I chose to say ‘yes’.

That, I think, is one of the most beautiful things solo travel does to you. It opens you up. It teaches you to loosen your grip on plans just enough to let life surprise you.

I remember being in Nepal and, almost on a whim, agreeing to join a small group of fellow travellers for an impromptu hike. It was one of those decisions made in passing, with very little thought and no expectations. But the next morning, there we were, standing together in the crisp mountain air, watching the first light spill across the peaks. The mountains slowly turned golden, and for a few quiet moments, it felt like the world had paused just to let us take it all in. If I had stayed back or chosen comfort over spontaneity, I would have missed one of the most magical memories of that trip.

I felt something similar in Vietnam, too, when I said ‘yes’ to joining a local coffee-making class. At first, it sounded like a simple activity to fill an afternoon. But it turned into so much more than that. I left not just with a better understanding of Vietnamese coffee, but with stories, laughter, and conversations shared with people from completely different parts of the world. For a few hours, we were all strangers brought together by curiosity, and by the end of it, it felt like we had known each other much longer.

That is the thing about saying ‘yes’ while travelling. Sometimes it leads you to breathtaking views, and sometimes it leads you to people, to conversations, to moments that stay with you far longer than any sightseeing checklist ever could. Of course, not every spontaneous plan turns into something extraordinary, and solo travel has also taught me to be discerning. But when something feels right, when curiosity gently pulls you towards it, saying ‘yes’ can open doors you did not even know existed.

8. Saying ‘no’ is equally important

While solo travel often rewards you for saying ‘yes’, it also teaches you the importance of saying ‘no’. And honestly, that lesson is just as powerful. When you are travelling alone, especially as a woman, there will be moments when you need to trust your discomfort, decline an invitation, or walk away from something that simply doesn’t feel right. Not every plan deserves your yes, and not every opportunity is worth your peace.

I remember being in Singapore once when I turned down a late-night invitation to a bar because something about it felt off. It was a random one! Instead, I spent the evening taking a quiet walk along the river, watching the city lights dance on the water. It turned out to be exactly the kind of night I needed.

Solo travel teaches you that setting boundaries is not rude, but it is necessary. Sometimes, the most empowering thing you can do on the road is to choose yourself without guilt.

9. The journey is as important as the destination

Over the years, I have realised that some of my most cherished travel memories are not always tied to the places I had pinned on a map. More often than not, they come from the journey itself, the in-between hours that are so easy to overlook, but somehow end up becoming the heart of the experience.

I still remember long, rattling bus rides through the Indian countryside, where the roads seemed endless, and the scenery kept changing outside my window. Little villages, roadside tea stalls, women in bright sarees walking past mustard fields, children waving at buses as they sped by, these small, fleeting glimpses of life often stayed with me far longer than the destination waiting at the end.

There were also the slower, more uncertain parts of travel. Hours spent waiting at a border crossing in Cambodia, with no real sense of urgency except the shared patience of everyone around me. It was not glamorous, and certainly not something anyone dreams about when planning a trip, but there was something strangely grounding about it. Travel, I realised, is not always polished or picture-perfect. Sometimes it is just about waiting, observing, and learning to surrender to the pace of the road.

And then there were the train journeys across Vietnam, the kind where time seemed to stretch in the gentlest way. I remember sitting by the window, watching unfamiliar landscapes unfold, while snippets of conversation, shared smiles, and the quiet rhythm of movement filled the hours. There is something intimate about long journeys like these. You may not know the people around you, but for a little while, you are all heading somewhere together, sharing the same road, the same delays, the same passing views.

These in-between moments carry a kind of magic that is hard to explain unless you have experienced it. A conversation with a stranger you will never meet again. A shared packet of snacks on a bus. A smile exchanged without language. Even the silences can feel meaningful. Solo travel has taught me that arriving is only one part of the story. Sometimes, the road itself gives you the most beautiful chapters. And often, it is not just the places you remember years later, but the feeling of getting there.

10. You return changed every time

A decade of solo travelling, and one thing has remained true: I have never returned as the exact same person who left.

Every journey, in its own quiet way, changes you. Sometimes the change is obvious. You come back feeling stronger, more confident, more certain of yourself. Other times, it is much softer and harder to put into words. You return more aware, more patient, more open to people and to life in general. But something always shifts.

That is perhaps what makes solo travel so powerful. It is never just about the places you see, the food you eat, or the photographs you bring back. It is also about who you become as you move through the world on your own. The version of you that learns to navigate unfamiliar streets, trust her instincts, sit with solitude, ask for help, make decisions, and find joy in her own company.

When I look back at all the places I have travelled solo over the years, from the deserts and mountains of India to Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia, I realise that every single journey has left something behind and taken something new with it. Some trips taught me courage. Some taught me softness. Some taught me resilience, while others reminded me to slow down and simply feel.

And maybe that is the real beauty of travelling alone. You may leave in search of the world, but somewhere along the way, you keep meeting newer versions of yourself. Each journey becomes a quiet transformation. And long after the trip is over, a part of it stays with you.

Travelling solo across India and beyond has meant far more to me than simply collecting destinations or ticking places off a list. It has been a journey of becoming. Of growing into a version of myself I may not have discovered otherwise. A version that is braver, freer, more self-aware, and far more open to the unknown than I ever thought possible.

If there is one thing these years of solo travel have taught me, it is this: the world may be vast and unfamiliar, but so is your ability to find your way through it, on your own terms. And perhaps the most beautiful part is knowing that I am not alone in this feeling. Solo female travel is no longer something unusual or niche. It is a quiet, powerful movement that is only growing stronger. More and more women today are choosing to travel alone, not just to see the world, but to experience freedom, independence, healing, adventure, and self-discovery in a way that feels deeply personal.

You can feel that shift everywhere now. Women confidently set off on their first solo trip. In the growing number of hostels, stays, curated experiences, and communities designed with solo travellers in mind. In the way conversations around travel are slowly changing, from “Is it safe?” to “Where are you going next?”

And that shift matters. Because for so long, women were taught to wait. To wait for the right company, the right timing, the right circumstances, or the right permission. Solo travel gently unlearns all of that. It reminds you that you do not need to put your dreams on hold just because no one else is ready to go with you.

So if you have been sitting on the edge of that decision, wondering whether you should take that first solo trip, consider this your sign. Start small if you need to. Stay cautious, but do not let fear decide everything for you. There is a whole world waiting to be experienced, and so much of it opens up when you choose to trust yourself.

The road can be uncertain, yes. But it can also be kind, transformative, and deeply rewarding. And sometimes, all it takes is one solo journey to realise just how much you are capable of 🙂

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