I am early 40's and single. I am off to Margarita Island on the 30th, and happy to go alone.
To be able to sit by the pool/beach and be undisturbed to read some books I never seem to find time at home to read will be bliss.
No one to dictate ANYTHING for 2 weeks

Since my husband stopped wanting to go away long haul around 25 yrs ago I have taken lots of solo holidays, I have at times booked tours when visiting countries where I thought I might have difficulties but on the whole I am quite happy to do my own thing. As previous posters said you don't have to consider anyone elses needs and I have met some really interesting people on my travels. I do at times travel with a friend but after a couple of weeks of 24hrs a day togetherness we need a break from each other so we usually wait a couple of years before booking another holiday together.
I have a friend recently widowed who wants to travel but is very apprehensive about going solo, I have advised her to look at one of the tour companies who do tours specially for singles, try one of their tours, all arrangements would be made for her and there will be other single travellers to talk to but she could spend time on her own if she wanted. Organised tours may be the way to start travelling on your own for someone who is nervous.

I think I could actually do a tour along the lines of what we've just done in India but not sure if I could do a beach holiday. I'm quite shy really and would find it difficult to strike up a conversation. ( some might find that difficult to believe )

Fiona

I have only done a beach holiday on my own once, in fact it was one of my first solo trips and it wasn't as successful as my tours. It was to Tenerife and the weather was mixed and one day it rained and I was sitting in the hotel lounge and a group of four people asked if they could join me at the small table and sofas where I was sitting. I tried to strike up a conversation and the men joined in but I got the cold shoulder from the women and one of them was quite rude. They moved away when some chairs were vacated near by. I came to the conclusion that they thought I was after one of their men. no way, I certainly don't need another one the one I've got is enough for me. :P. It put me off a bit from travelling on my own, but since then I have made friends with single people and married couples on my travels. I often find it hard to strike up a conversation with strangers but quite often people will start talking to me and then you are OK. I think a tour with a good company might be the answer for you if you have to go it alone. It does take a lot of the stress out of travelling.

I'm not really seriously thinking about it- yet. I think it is a very interesting topic and do wonder if a lot would love to try it but are unsure about it. My sister is moving to Cyprus sometime towards the end of next year so I would always have somewhere to visit
The point you made about the women being unhappy- I wonder if men encounter similar problems? I note we have 3 replies from solo women travellers but only one from a man. Are women more adventurous?

i am quite happy being in my own company and travelling alone does not bother me.
it is nice not to have to go shopping every day(at least that was what my other half called it; it seemed like just walking round every street in the resort looking at the same junk to me, but then i'm a man and we see things differently)
only problem i've come accross is with men being suspicious if you talk to their wife or partner(its worse if the women talk to you).
the only downside i had was in spain last christmas where they had gala dinners and set lunches where the hotel allocated you a table for your stay and seemed too put all the single people onto tables where 3 people who were together were already sitting which made me feel like i was intruding into their private party.

I've travelled alone a few times now. I've done 2 totally solo, the first of which was to Dominican Republic when I was only 24! I just wanted to try it out and I'd split with a boyfriend so I went for it. It was great.

If you do fancy going solo but are worried about things like eating out at night etc. then a caribbean all inclusive resort is ideal. Although I haven't tried it - Le Sport in St Lucia and La Source in Grenada I know both have lots of solo travellers and they even have dining tables specifically so anyone travelling alone can have company - the point is IF you want it.

I have travelled also with Friendship Travel and TravelOne who both have the same concept. It's basically holidays for those who are travelling alone but wish to be able to join in with others IF they want to. There is no 'touring' or herding around in a group but most of the hols they do always involve getting together for dinner in the evening at the hotel. Sometimes this might be for 5 nights a week so you suit yourself what you do for dinner the other nights.

I've made lots of friends doing this - done a few gulet cruises with total strangers now and whilst friends always worry 'what if you hate each other being stuck on a boat with them?'. Well, it's never happened. People who travel knowing that they are going to hook up with like minded others tend to be very easy going.

The age groups have always been broad too. Typically from early 30s to 60s and 70s.

The problem is if you go totally alone you can get better deals by DIYing. Singles hol firms advertise no supplements but they are still pricey cos you are paying for a double/twin room for one person - the 'no supplements' thing is a tad misleading as it kind of makes you think that you're not going to be paying a premium but you are. But you are aware of that, you can't expect to have a double room and only pay for one person in it.

I've been regularly travelling on my own for some 30 years now and love it. Not that I don't also enjoy going away with family and friends which I also regulalry do too but I enjoy just being able to please myself without having to think of the needs of others.

Where do I go? Well it depends on the purpose of the holiday. Tunisia has long been a favourite of mine for chillout winter sun because the hotels are usually such good value for money and single supplements are either low or non-existent. A couple of days lazing around the pool with a good book and then I'm feeling relaxed and wound down ready for getting out and about. I've never felt intimidated as a lone woman and enjoy just meandering around the medinas and souks. I usually go in either November or February when the hotels are usually relatively quiet and there are often other singleton travellers around. It never bothers me to sit on my own in a hotel bar having a drink and I usually find that I end up being approached by other women on their own asking if I mind them joining me. If they're good company I'll sit and chat - if they aren't I'll make polite excuses and go and read in my room but that's very rare.

The other sort of thing I do on my own are special interest holidays. Whilst not set-up for singles they do tend to be popular with people travelling on their own so you can be pretty confident that you won't be the only singleton amongst a load of couples. At first it was walking holidays in the Alps with Ramblers Association but latterly it tends to be dance holidays. As SandC says, people who go on these sort of holidays tend to be quite easygoing, knowing that they'll hook up with people who share a common interest. They know that even if they don't make friends whilst away that they'll still enjoy themselves because of the activity. But if nothing else you know that you'll have something that you can talk with others about. Also, most such groups tend be small enough for everybody to get to know each other but big enough for you not to feel that you've got to spend all your time together as a group. I've also made some longstanding firends this way and I've been back to Cuba so often I now know that I'm bound to know at least some of the others in the group! I'm seriously thinking of taking up sailing again and thought that going on a mixed crew flotilla holiday in the Greek islands might be good way of getting back into the way of things.

The one place I've travelled on my own to and decided that I would be reluctant go back to on my own again, was The Gambia. With friends, yes, but on my own, no. This wasn't because of the bumsters which do put a lot of people off but a lot more to do with the fact that I ended up in a hotel which was frequented by a number of single European men who were essentially sex tourists and had very unhappy and uncomfortable local 'companions' staying with them. It wasn't the prostitution as such that put me off but the way these men treated these literally poor girls like dirt with no respect whatsoever for them. I hated being put in the position of being forced to watch them behaving abominably. At one point I was about to actually say something when I realised that the young woman was terrified that I was going to interfere. When he went off to the bar she thanked me for my concern but made it clear that she and her family needed the 'tip' that she'd get at the end of the week if she kept him happy.

I wasn't bothered by being constantly approached on the beach by people trying to sell me fruit, nuts and trinkets etc but I did get fed-up with being approached by young men who had nothing to sell but themselves. I had no interest in taking up with a 'companion' but there did seem to be the assumption that any woman sitting on her own was looking for just that. And a number of the single women in my hotle were. The result was that I did end up spending more time in the company of other guests than I would have normally chosen to do, especially since they understood what was happening and saw themselves as offering me 'protection'. I didn't want to upset well meaning, kindhearted people who genuinely thought they were doing me a favour but it meant that I didn't get the sort of lazing-around-chilling-out-with-a-good-book holiday that I'd planned and probably gained myself a reputation for being a bit anti-social as a result of falling into the habit of coming down late for breakfast and retiring early to my room!

I also, regularly do city breaks on my own too. That way it doesn't matter how long I choose to linger in an art gallery or dither over exactly which pair of shoes I'm going to buy. Or more to the point, there's nobody there to point out to me that I hardly need another pair of shoes in the first place! A good map, a comfy pair of shoes to walk around in for hours and the plastic are ll I need - if you feel uncomfrtable eating out on your own there's always room service and a good book.

So Fiona and anybody else wanting to dip their toe in the solo travelling pool, I'd say go for it but perhaps start off by going just for a weekend first and even better, one with a 'theme' of activity focus whether it's dancing walking or watercolour painting - whatever floats your boat whilst he's away running yet another marathon :-)

SM

Have read these posts with interest. Was wondering if anyone can recommend a good 'solo' company for my dad (70 ish!). We lost my mum 3 years ago and up until that point they always holidayed abroad at least once sometimes twice a year. My dad has commented that he would like to go abroad again but understandably not anywhere he visited with my mom (that rules out spain and the islands, and also greece). He's commented that he'd like to try Malta, somewhere I've never fancied personally, but I wondered can anyone recommend any companies that don't charge a fortune for single rooms and where there'd be other lone people travelling. I don't think he'd want organised tours but just other people around who wouldn't think it odd that he was on his own.

Thanks for any replies

NicJW

Saga holidays may fit the bill. They specialise in hols for over 50's and though they usually charge a single room supplement at certain times of the year they have hols without charging a supplement. http://www.Saga.co.uk

Travelsphere also do holidays for singles http://www.justyou.co.uk

Although Saga don't charge a supplement as such for many of their holidays, like most other companies catering for solo travellers their prices are usually considerably higher than you would pay if you were prepared to bite the bullet and travel independently. People are generally friendly and you usually find people to talk to. I always make it a rule not to attach myself on other people, as those on holiday with their partners or friends don't always want to have odd singles around, but when I said this to a couple once who had asked me to join them for a day out I was promptly told that if they hadn't wanted me they wouldn't have asked and we are still friends after many years.

One amusing story though. I was told by a local taxi driver here that he and his wife had taken pity on an elderly gentleman who was staying in their hotel in Italy and talked frequently of his late wife, Margaret. They obviously thought his loss had been recent until the morning he came down to breakfast and put an urn on the table, saying "This is Margaret, I take her everywhere with me" He then tried to explain this to the waiter.

put an urn on the table, saying "This is Margaret, I take her everywhere with me"

So, technically he wasn't on a "solo" holiday

Robby

NicJW I've travelled with Friendship Travel and Travelone and on both of those there have been a couple of people in their seventies, although I would say the most popular age group is 40-60. I, being younger, did not feel left out, in fact the variety of ages was a big plus for me - I can spend time with 30 somethings any time I want, on holiday it's great having so many people from different walks of life of different ages to chat to.

Hi NicJW,

Does your Dad by any chance do ballroom dancing? I ask because if he does the ideal holiday for him could be to go crusing as a 'taxi' dancer! P&O and Swan Hellenic tend to attract greater numbers of older women travelling on their own than men, so in order to try and redress the gender balance for the dancing they offer quite sizeable discounts for men travelling on their own in return for the commitment to act as a 'taxi' dancer, that is someone who will make it their 'job' to work their way round the ballroom getting up women without a partner onto the dance floor! Forming a particular friendship with just one or two is frowned on and so that is his ideal get-out if someone latches on to him that he'd rather not! Could even be worth his while to start lessons!

We're a dance mad family and we've always joked that should my Dad be left on his own then becoming a gigolo, in the old fashioned sense of a dance partner for hire, could be the ideal second career for him :-) It's not widely known that the cruise companies popular with an older clientele do this this but it's a win-win situation for everybody - the women travelling alone know that they're not going to end up as 'wallflowers' the whole evening and if they're happy then the cruise company is happy and the male 'taxi' dancers not only get a good holiday at a bargain price but know that they are guaranteed company with the perfect excuse to move on to the next dance partner without any hard feelings on either side! And he won't just have the company of the women - there'll be the other male 'taxi' dancers around too.

SM

I love your logic Robby.

Yes, I have spent several holidays on my own. The first time I did this was back in 1982 when I went to Fort Lauderdale. Never been on an aeroplane or abroad before, so I really enjoyed it.

I've been to Malta and several Greek Islands on my own.

The 'Pros' are that you can do what you like whenever you like without the 'oh what shall we do today then' bits.

The 'cons', well eating out alone in the evening can be a bit lonely, but the biggest problem, and it IS a drawback, is being ripped off with single room supplements for inferior rooms.

Also the singles companies, you do not get inferior rooms but because you're occupying a double or twin as a single then you are paying a lot.

I can get reasonable value for a fortnight but trying to go away on one for a week is proving very pricey.

Okay so yesterday I was looking at singles group tours in Cuba but got to thinking these things are too 'organised'. Also you don't spend any more than 3 nights in one place which I don't really want to do.

So I get to searching around and find that Kuoni do some good deals for single travellers, no supplements for certain places etc.

So I'm pretty much set on booking myself two weeks in Cuba next late June/early July. I know it's 'the rainy season' but I don't really want to take a fortnight break early or late in the year, plus it usually only means a few downpours rather than day after day of downpours (from what I've read - and that was my experience in DR).

This will cost me not much more than a fortnight in Turkey in a boutique hotel on half board and I'll be getting two weeks all inclusive in Cuba!

Bring it on! Also, with them having offers on singles I'm sure that means there will be others in the same boat.

plus it usually only means a few downpours rather than day after day of downpours

Cuba is a large island so whether this is true or not will depend on where you are going. In late June/early July you're right, you won't get continuous rain but it will be very humid, even more so on the south coast compared to the north. The southeast around the Santiago area will be hotter and much more humid than the northwest around Havana. It's also important to remember that this humidity can result in it being very hot but quite overcast for much of the day.

I was in Santiago in mid-July this summer and most mornings started off sunny but by mid-day the sky would start to cloud over, the humidity would build up and most days by mid-afternoon the sky was black and there would follow torrential rain for up to an hour. After this the sky would be clear and there would be a pleasant couple of hours before the temerature and humidity started to build up again through the evening and there were days when it would increase so much to the point that there would be another downpour. It didn't bother us too much - we weren't there for a lying around in the sun type of holiday but afternoon dance rehearsals were exhausting becasue of the combined heat and humidity.

If you are going to that end of the country be prepared to get into the same routine as the locals. That is, do anything that requires you to be moving around out of doors as early as possible in the morning - though remember that it won't get light until going on for 8am local time - and retreat to an air-conditioned space for a siesta in the afternoon heat - and start your night-time socialising as the sun starts to go down (around 8ish again). One of the things that I still can't get used to is the comparatively short daylight hours in Cuba at that time of year compared to where I live in Scotland!

Cuba is wonderful, though very different and whilst I appreciate that you don't want to go on a tour of the island with a few days only at each place, it would be a shame to travel all that way to a country that is not like any other I've ever been to and not see a bit more of it. A few days in Havana at the very least will repay the effort of getting there as would a few days in Santiago which is the original capital of Cuba and the birthplace of the Revolution. As colonial as old Havana but without the crowds of tourists and some of the firendliest people you're likely to meet. And of course it really is the music capital of Cuba! it's where most of the Buena Vista Social Club original members hailed from and you can still hear better music there on any night of the week than you'll find in Havana these days. There's a wealth of info on the Cuba threads in the Caribbean forum so have a read of them and enjoy your trip.

SM

PS Forgot to say to remember to pack an umbrella - it makes a good parasol to protect you from the sun when it's not raining :-) I discovered that brightly, lightly coloured ones make very popular presents for that reason! The older, local women especially are never without one if they care about their complexions, especially as lighter, fairer complexions are still highly prized.