There is a moment on every woman’s first solo adventure when something inside her shifts. It might arrive quietly, like the soft glow of sunrise spilling across a balcony in Cambodia. Or it might strike with full force as you step off a plane into a city where no one knows your name. Somewhere between airports, alleyways and unexpected conversations, you discover a version of yourself you didn’t realise was waiting to be found.
For me, solo female travel is a reclamation of time, of space, and of identity. For many women, just the simple act of booking a ticket for one becomes an act of confidence as powerful as any career milestone. And this is something, I personally, have come to understand and it’s why I recently launched Women Love Travel.
Travelling alone means trusting your instincts, making decisions for no one but yourself, and realising you’re capable of far more than society often suggests. With every new place I discover as a solo female traveller, I find myself emboldened. Every border I cross, every moment of uncertainty I am forced to handle on my own. And the real power of this is you slowly start dismantling outdated ideas about what you can or can’t do.
And then there’s the freedom. For me, it’s a rich feeling that in a sense is indulgent, and yet unapologetic at the same time. Those days that open like blank pages are my favourite, and that’s because it’s up to me to write my story however I see fit.
Sleep in or rise early? Drift through bustling markets in Phnom Penh or spend an entire afternoon wrapped in the luxury of the sublime Rosewood Spa nearby. Eat when I’m hungry, explore when I’m curious, rest when I need to. Is this starting to sound heavenly to you? Well, it is.
There are no competing preferences, no negotiations, no subtle judgments labelling you “bossy” for leading the way. Your rhythm becomes the only rhythm, and there’s something deeply restorative in that. And I’m saying this a woman who has been happily married for thirty years this year. So it’s not a reflection of my relationship but rather a realisation that my yearning for foreign adventure may be greater than my hubby’s and as a digital nomad, my time is also more flexible. And that’s fine by both of us, and does not preclude us travelling together either. In fact, we are busily organising Christmas in San Fransisco for a family get together.
What I love is that for many of the women I’ve spoken to, especially since launching Women Love Travel, solo travel has been nothing short of life-changing. It’s truly transformative. Just look at Colette Gallagher’s journey through Morocco or Valerie Orton’s adventure from Cape Town to Botswana. They both left their jobs and rewarded themselves with their own adventures. It’s stories like these that I love publishing because they are so heartfelt and authentic stories of the magic of travel.
Despite the name, solo travel rarely means solitude. In fact, women travelling alone often find themselves forming connections more easily than they do at home.
At its essence, solo female travel is all about time for yourself. Letting your hair go natural. Skipping the makeup. Redefining your style. Or reinventing yourself completely. Whatever it is, travelling alone is the perfect opportunity for a reset — a chance to simply be yourself….at the whim of no-one else except for yourself.
Going Solo. Do yourself a favour. Try it.