One of the most common worries is the anxiety of traveling to a new country on their own. Because of the way certain countries are depicted through the media and for those who have never attempted traveling on their own, it has been seen as risky. There are people who have told me that it is a crazy idea for a person to embark on an adventure like Budapest by themselves.

Now, I’m here to tell you they’re wrong! I’ve heard the talk that it is safer to travel with a group, but traveling on your own can be equally secure and enjoyable.

After visiting a number of cities and countries by myself, I’ve encountered incredible experiences and formed connections I wouldn’t have made if I had gone with my family or friends.

There are many good reasons to travel solo but here are the five benefits when traveling on your own.

Top 5 benefits of traveling alone

1. You become more fearless

Prior to my trip to Spain on my own, I was afraid of talking to strangers, particularly with my rusty Spanish. There was no international mobile plan or a data plan on my mobile and therefore going from point A to B, I needed to get up and face my fears.

Traveling alone can instill tenacity in you since it puts the traveler in places where they must push themselves beyond their comfort zone to fully enjoy your journey.

Whether it’s renting a car and driving up Mt. Haleakala in Maui or taking a cliff dive in Negril, after traveling by yourself a few times, you will see how things that used to send chills down your spine become remedial compared to the experiences you had when you were away.

2. You see more

As I walked down the street in Toledo I stumbled across this magnificent cathedral that none of the tour groups was attending. It was stunning! It was awe-inspiring “Gosh it would be so nice to have been able to miss this had I not ventured out by myself.”

So, being on your own provides the chance to escape the path. If you’re walking through Madrid and want to stop, go to El Museo del Jamon and take a bite of Ham and a pint of beer for just EUR1. If you’re in Barcelona you can spend the afternoon wandering around Park Guell, and enjoy your time in peace as you enjoy the sunset view over Barcelona’s Mediterranean skyline.

When traveling alone, you have more freedom to go where the wind blows you.

Special events are going on all over the world, all the time! For instance, around the time that I went to Madrid, they were having a parade to honor their troops. They also had a sidewalk bookstore that stretched two blocks long. That was something I’d never seen back home.

Traveling alone encourages you to follow your intuition and instincts, and often leaves you with incredibly unique stories and memories you wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.

3. You make connections that last for years

When I flew on my first trip myself, I was very alone. It was a time of crying on the plane when the plane took off. “What did I do?” I asked myself. It was only just a few hours and I had already missed my family.

Then, the most bizarre thing occurred. From nothing, I met an Australian woman about one hour after my flight. When we spoke I was invited to a house with a friend to have dinner during my time in Morocco.

It was a 20-hour layover. Why not spend it eating a homemade Moroccan meal at a local’s house? The feast was unforgettable and the food left me and my new Aussie friend stuffed (in a good way)!

It is truly amazing how solo travel puts you in the right places to meet people.

On one of my travels on my own, I had the pleasure of meeting a woman from Sri Lanka who, when she was visiting New York, for the first time treated me to a trip at Madame Tussauds!

I’m not saying the friendships you make on your trips on your own will last forever, but it’s a great opportunity to grow your friends’ list via Facebook in addition to your options are infinite.

4. Way less stress

I’m not even able to begin to speak about the many times that I’ve attempted to organize trips with family and friends members only to be devastated at the end.

“Oh yes, we can travel for a trip to Europe,” said one friend. “Oh no Let’s visit Las Vegas,” said another. Your idea of a wonderful “girl’s excursion” with a group of great buddies turns into a “battle of concepts” but not the trip you’ve always wanted to take. The MAJORITY always rules!

This is assuming you’re able to travel even once! Children who have difficult jobs, or without a job transform the girl’s vacation of the century into an enjoyable trip back home.

Like with family It can be very beneficial, again when you are able to choose the same location to visit. When I decided to visit Hawaii my mom was on board. Then my dad came in. “I cannot endure the long flight,” he said. Then I knew that we were headed toward another Caribbean island that had the same palm trees and beach like the one we’d visited.

Traveling alone takes a lot of the headache out of planning.

You pick the destination. You know your budget. You know for sure that YOU ARE GOING TO GO!

And the best part is you don’t have to argue with friends about the logistics.

5. More time

Have you been on a trip where you’ve spent a lot of time at particular sites but you didn’t take in the sights sites you loved? Perhaps you would like to lounge at a café for the entire day reading a great book, but your tour guide was running you all over the place?

While in Cairo one of the residents recommended the best Egyptian restaurant as well as a luxurious spa for me to visit. The place was something I’d love to visit, but the tour group I was with didn’t have time. With many countries to explore and see, who could have predicted when I would be able to visit Cairo again?

This is yet another huge benefit to traveling alone.

Spend extra time in that museum you always wanted to visit! Or, instead of the 8-day group tour adventure around Japan, hang out for a few more days in Tokyo and do your own thing. Visit a sushi restaurant that was highly recommended. Try on some cute Kimono dresses.

Who’s stopping you? Nobody!