Solo Holiday Experiences

purpleshoes_2

Ive been to Majorca a few times in the last 18 months on my own, twice for long weekends and twice for a week all inclusive. Booked through the site travel republic, hotels and transfers and bought flights direct from the airlines.

Didn't have any issues, was great to get away and get a bit of sun, got a weeks accommodation all inclusive in Majorca in June last year for £31 a night.

FatVonD

I agree with balletshoes that it'll be the making of you.

I went Greek Island hopping in my mid 20s on my own, I'd done it once with a friend a few years before and then went on holiday with another friend who didn't want to do anything other than sunbathe so she'd be brown for her new BF when she got back home.

As soon as I got home I booked to go back later that year on my own so I could do what I wanted when I wanted and that included going to bars and discos on my own and dancing like no one was watching.

I spent one night sleeping on one of the ferries docked at Santorini when there was a massive storm and it couldn't leave (the worst bit about that was the obnoxious Australians on the opposite seat.) I spent my days on another island sunbathing on the rocks while the local bar owner spear-hunted octopus for my dinner :eek:

I'm now fearless about doing stuff, I'll happily walk into pubs, gigs, go waterskiing/whatever on my own. Just do it!

Tuesday_Tenor

Yes, try a short holiday on your own. You might love the freedom!

If you find you need more company, at least on some holidays, try some of the ideas I listed in a response on a similar 'solo holidays' thread.
- Holiday Fellowship
- Renting a cottage, and inviting friends to join you for a few days.
- Activitiy/Interest holidays
- Staying with local people as a Servas traveller
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4715309

basilsauce

If you're not confident about arranging it all by yourself, and/or actually holidaying on your own, try looking at companies such as Explore, Exodus, Intrepid Travel - I'm just about to go on my 9th Explore trip, and have gone on all but one of them on my own. They're always a mixed group of singles, couples and friends, with an age range of roughly 25-70+, and on most of them you can either pay a single supplement for a room of your own, or share with someone, which I have never had a problem with - they may not become your best friend or the person who you spend most of the holiday with, but its a good way of breaking the ice at the start of the trip.

Peater

It's not cheap, but an excellent way to see the world and meet some new people is to join a trip with an adventure/overland company.

I've been on trips with the operators Dragoman & Exodus. They really take care of everything if you need/want them too. It's pretty flexible.

http://www.exodus.co.uk/
http://www.dragoman.com (some good discounts at the mo)

Edit: Just seen above that basilsauce covers most of that!

Hermoine

Another voter for the Explore/Exodus type of holiday - I've done them on and off for many years and they do take the worry out of organising a trip to somewhere a bit off the beaten track. I've met many interesting and fun people by doing so - and even the occasional irritating person can be quite bearable if its only for a week or two - and seen parts of the world I wouldn't have wanted to see by myself.

I've also gone on long weekends by myself mainly in Europe and found that fine, but I did go away for 10 days by myself last summer and found that slightly too long. That was partly because the place I went to was quite empty and pretty low on English speakers so there weren't many other travellers to run into for a chat or even to people watch. So, I found myself getting a bit bored of myself towards the end!

Ettenna

Go for it. I've been to Edinburgh, Inverness and the Highlands on my own in hostels, then travelled to Orlando on my own. I am currently looking at where to go next. It needs to be somewhere reasonably cheap and not too far away! I was thinking of Barcelona for a long weekend. I really want to go to Croatia but not sure if I'm brave enough! I enjoyed travelling on my own - no one to answer to, no one to wait for, you can do exactly what you want and when you want to do it. The only downside is that you don't have anyone to share experiences with.

onomatopoeia99

I've been single a long time and consequently almost always go on holiday on my own. I'm slightly perplexed at the "making of you" comments - I'm not at all a confident traveller but don't think going on holiday alone has changed me at all. My approximate approach is:

Choose destination.
Research what there is to see and try to work out and write down an approximate itineray, so you don't forget places you want to visit - doesn't matter if you don't stick to it, it's only a base to work from.
Choose hotel - finding one with no single supplement is often difficult
Book flights.
Arrange transport to / from airport.
Get local currency.

What I tend to arrange is long weekends in European cities. Language doesn't seem to be a barrier : in Copenhagen, everyone spoke English. In Hamburg, everyone spoke English. In Amsterdam, everyone spoke English. In Paris some spoke English but I also had to use some of my barely remembered French from school many years ago - I muddled through OK. In Bologna, whenever I spoke Italian everyone replied in English! (much to the amusement of the people in my Italian evening class when I recounted this tale).

The Bologna trip was with Friendship travel, who do "no single supplement" city breaks for solo travellers, as circumstances in my life meant I didn't really want to spend time entirely alone so having organised trips and meals with a small group was good. I'm not sure it's something I'd want to do for every holiday but would consider doing something similar again.

pandora205

I've done lots of holidays on my own, though I've mainly booked onto an activity holiday or a course, such as skiing or painting. I've also 'volunteered' with Pueblo Ingles (now Diverbo), which was sociable but exhausting and I'm not sure I'd do it again.

I like the mix of being able to do what I want to do yet having a group with whom to join in with but having the freedom to do my own thing for a few hours per day.

I'm at the stage in life where I like somewhere decent to stay, so wouldn't do hostels but would book into a decent hotel and join a walking tour of a new city but it is possible to go it alone. Last summer I had six hours to kill in Pisa, so jumped on a bus to the centre, met a very interesting lady who was doing the same, and we spent a very pleasant time sight seeing and having a meal in a restaurant.

VestanPance

I go travelling by myself all the time. I love to travel, I'm single and I have the financial resources to do it.

Last year I spent a few weeks travelling around South East Asia on my own, visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. In the past I've went travelling through North America, Australia and most of Europe.

I'm not a beach bum, so I tend to like cultural things to do on holiday. If you are happy to do certain things at home then why not abroad? Travelling and seeing the world is one of life's great joys. Taking in new cultures, food and experiencing a different outlook to the world.

The thought of organised tours bore the hell out of me. I'd rather just sort things out by myself.