Reflections on Traveling alone

I was scared before I went on my first solo trip to Costa Rica. I had traveled alone in Europe before, but only for a few days, or I combined my trips with language courses where I immediately met a lot of people. My motivation for going to Costa Rica was a yoga retreat led by a yoga teacher I trust very much, and I knew it would be worth going. But since the flight was very long and expensive, I decided to add two extra weeks and travel around the country. What initially felt scary turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.

Planning

When I travel with my partner, we always plan everything in advance, decide on the itinerary, book the hotels, and sometimes even the activities. I like going with the flow when I travel, so this time I decided to book only the first few nights and then decide more spontaneously what to do next. Nevertheless, I needed to get an idea of what I wanted to do and which places spoke to me. So I joined a few Facebook groups, which turned out to be a very good decision because I could ask questions and got some great recommendations. I also watched a few YouTube videos to get a visual impression of the places I wanted to visit.

Luggage

I decided to travel with carry-on luggage only, and I had a few reasons for this. First, I had a very short layover in Madrid—it was only one hour and twenty minutes—and there was a chance that my suitcase wouldn't make the connection. Second, I knew that I would be traveling around without a car, and carrying too many things can be exhausting. Third, having a lot of luggage is also a mental load, and traveling with just your favorite outfits and essentials feels so liberating. I haven't regretted my decision at all because I was able to do laundry everywhere, and I also washed some of my clothes by hand. In my opinion, packing for one week is more than enough.

Challenges

As I just mentioned, it can be hard to make all your decisions by yourself, but it's also an advantage because you can simply do whatever you want. I realized that in my everyday life I rely so much on other people's opinions and decisions that it took me some time to figure out what I actually wanted to do without considering anyone else. One of the biggest lessons of traveling alone is that you really have to find out how you want to spend your days—whether you want your trip to be active or if you'd rather take it slow.

Traveling alone is also more expensive because you can't share the cost of a taxi or your accommodation. Normally, you pay for the room, not for the number of people staying in it. Especially when I travel alone, I want a really nice place where I feel comfortable, and I don't enjoy sleeping in dorms or very basic accommodations. Maybe that's because I'm in my forties rather than my twenties, but one advantage of getting older is that you can usually afford nicer places to stay.

So when I'm traveling alone, I prefer spending a bit more on my accommodation while saving money in other ways. For example, I don't have to eat out all the time and can sometimes prepare something myself. Costa Rica has amazing fruit and plenty of other delicious snacks.

Being with others and being with yourself

I thought traveling alone could feel lonely and that I might get bored, but I was busy all the time and didn’t even manage to read the books I had brought with me. After the yoga retreat, where I had met an amazing group of people and I was never really on my own, I felt that I needed some quiet time to recharge and get my energy back. At the same time I felt lonely, and missed the people I had spent a week with.

I went to Santa Teresa, a small beach town with a great surf vibe. I booked a single room in a yoga and surf lodge, and there were so many solo travelers. The great thing was that I could go back to my room whenever I needed some time for myself, and when I wanted to connect with others, I could go to the more social areas, like the pool. There was also a co-working space where people came together.

During the surf lessons, I also met people I immediately connected with. We had lunch, dinner, or simply spent some time together on the beach. I loved having some quiet time in the evenings, so I usually went back to my room, journaled, read a book, or planned my upcoming days. “There were moments when I felt incredibly free and at peace. One evening, I was sitting on the balcony of my accommodation, eating tacos and journaling, and I realized how deeply I enjoyed my own company. It was such a simple moment, yet it felt perfect.

It was great because I met people from all over the world and had amazing conversations, but these connections didn’t feel as demanding or obligatory. You could enjoy spending time together while still being free to do whatever you wanted.

If you are more interested in meeting people, you should choose accommodations that offer social spaces and activities. If you stay in an Airbnb all by yourself, it can be much harder to connect with others.

Safety and Practical Tips

When you think of traveling alone, you might immediately imagine all the things that could go wrong. What if I get sick? What if I lose my belongings? What if someone steals my phone? These fears were present, so I decided to take a few precautions.

First of all, I took a photo of my passport and saved it in my email account. I also brought my old phone, which still works perfectly. I kept it in my room at all times, and just knowing it was there made me feel more comfortable. Your phone doesn’t have to be stolen, it can simply break. That happened to a fellow traveler whose phone fell into the water.

Before leaving home, I bought an eSIM. I use Airalo, so I knew I would always have internet access for Google Maps or staying in touch with the people at home via What’s app. Nevertheless, I wrote down my accommodations and some important phone numbers in my notebook. In the end, everything went smoothly, but it feels much better to be prepared.

People also told me that Costa Rica could be dangerous for a woman traveling alone. I personally felt safe the entire time, but I didn’t go out alone late at night and I didn’t drink alcohol. And of course, you always have to stay aware of your surroundings and use common sense, just like you would at home.

Learnings

Traveling alone helps you to get to know yourself better, and you can observe how you handle difficult situations and how you interact with others. When I arrived in San José, my suitcase got lost because the shuttle driver had accidentally unloaded it when he dropped off other passengers. I found it back behind a fence and had to discuss the situation with the police in order to get it back. I had also booked the wrong flight, and when I wanted to travel to my destination, my name was not on the passenger list and all the seats were sold out. Luckily, one person didn’t show up, so I was able to catch the flight I originally wanted to take.

I was surprised by how calmly I handled all these situations. If someone had asked me before the trip, I would have said that I would probably have panicked. This made me realize that I am much stronger and more capable than I thought I was.

Being in the rainforest also meant living with lots of bugs, big spiders, and even seeing poisonous snakes. At home, I used to be scared of even tiny spiders, but I was able to handle it completely and got used to these encounters after just a few days.

Another important thing I learned was how much better I got at connecting with people. When you travel alone, you have to approach strangers and create new connections because, although you enjoy your own company, nobody wants to be alone all the time. It teaches you to be more open, interested, and kind, and this openness can lead to the most amazing experiences and encounters.

I also learned what my natural rhythm is when I don’t have to adapt to anyone else. I naturally woke up very early, meditated, practiced yoga, and went to bed early. I nourished myself with healthy food and didn’t feel the need to drink alcohol or go to parties. I discovered that I don’t actually enjoy planning everything in advance and that I like going with the flow much more than I thought.

I also found out that I truly enjoy my own company. I had a great time even when I was alone, and I learned that being alone and being lonely are two very different things.

I consider this trip a complete success and can’t wait to explore more countries on my own. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, I’m happy to help.