Solo Travel: Why it’s Better in Midlife

Let’s be honest, solo travel is the ultimate power move.

It’s liberating, empowering and perspective-shifting. But it can also be genuinely scary. You are in a foreign place, completely alone, with no one to rely on but yourself. It demands that you sharpen your instincts, step outside your comfort zone and really get to know yourself, perhaps for the first time in a long time.

I think everyone should do it at least once. And here’s the thing, it’s not just reserved for youth. Solo travel in midlife is often better, especially for women. You arrive with a quiet confidence that took decades to build, a finely tuned bullshit radar and a zest for life that comes from knowing exactly how precious time actually is.

Choosing your destination…and yourself

Solo travel is often associated with your twenties, a time for adventure, reckless abandon and few responsibilities. The world is your oyster and time stretches endlessly ahead.

In your forties it looks different. Competing priorities, real responsibilities and depending on your circumstances, finding even a few hours to yourself can feel like a luxury, let alone an entire week away alone (especially for women). And yet, we know exactly what we like. We can stay in hotels instead of hostels. We can do precisely what we please without compromise or explanation.

I hadn’t travelled solo for pleasure in ten years. I’d travelled alone for work, explored cities independently while travelling with my partner, but planning a holiday for me, myself and I, was both genuinely exciting and genuinely terrifying.

Setting about choosing a destination, research became everything and I settled on Taiwan. I didn’t know much about it but was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to navigate, straightforward to get around and consistently ranked as one of the safest countries in the world for solo female travellers.

I’ve travelled widely and solo before, including Mexico, Cuba and South America, but the fear this time felt different. More considered. At this age I needed a rough plan and thorough research to feel comfortable rather than just booking a flight and seeing what happened. And so I set about planning 12 days in Taiwan, covering three cities from north to south.

Safety first when travelling solo, especially for women

I nearly cancelled this long-awaited trip. A few days before my flight, a super typhoon was approaching Taiwan and I was quietly panicking. I spent days as a storm chaser watching its path obsessively, trying to decide whether to go or not.

The fears stacked up quickly. Turbulence on the flight, getting stranded in the layover city, spending my holiday trapped in a hotel room. I checked the airline constantly for cancellation news that never came, while the news coverage painted a very different picture.

It wasn’t until the morning of my flight that I made the decision to go anyway. I looked at my options, put a plan B in place, cancelled some day trips and hoped for the best. In reality? The flight was smooth and on time. It did rain a lot in Taipei, but it rains a lot there anyway so I missed very little.

What the typhoon taught me is something solo travel teaches you repeatedly, in that we are more capable and resilient than we give ourselves credit for. Dealing with things as they come, adapting without panic, making decisions alone and trusting yourself. These are not small skills.

As for Taiwan specifically, it’s an exceptional choice for solo female travellers. The food is extraordinary, the people genuinely warm, the transport system straightforward and efficient. Each city has its own distinct character and energy. I walked around freely at all hours of the day and night and never once felt uncomfortable.

That said, keep your wits about you regardless of where you are in the world. Awareness is always your best travel companion. And if you want the full Taiwan guide, I’ve written about it here.

The freedom of solo travel

Choosing yourself, really choosing yourself is a remarkable feeling. Giving yourself permission to roam freely, to follow curiosity without compromise, to spend an afternoon exactly as you please without negotiation or explanation.

In Taiwan that looked like wandering through art galleries for hours because I felt like it. Eating breakfast at 11am because I could. Spending an entire afternoon in one neighbourhood because something caught my eye. Skipping the famous sight because I wasn’t feeling it that day. Eating what you want, when you want it. Shopping for as long as you like or visiting every museum in the city. Walking without a destination. Sitting in a café with a book and nowhere to be.

Nobody to check in with. Nobody to wait for. Nobody to compromise with. That’s the beauty of it. And it’s truly liberating in a way that’s difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it, but immediately recognisable to anyone who has.

Why solo travel in midlife?

Don’t get me wrong. Travelling with friends, family and partners is great too. It’s just a different experience. You’re always having to make compromises and are likely to abandon your own needs for the sake of others, am I right?

Travelling solo in midlife is when you’re in your I don’t care what anyone thinks era. You generally like nice things, want your space and can afford better accommodation. With confidence and life experience on your side, you’re better placed to use your judgement and make rational decisions. It’s not performative, you’re not travelling to prove a point to others, but to yourself. You know your energy, your interests and how to manage it best.

Rediscovering your own company is one of the greatest gifts. I find travel is one of our greatest teachers, giving us time to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. Travel affords us some time to step out of the daily grind to stop and think about our lives, and I’m extremely grateful and feel privileged to be able to do it, and I hope I encourage you to do the same.

How to plan your first solo trip in midlife

It’s not all roses. I won’t pretend solo travel is without its challenges, and I think it’s important to name them honestly rather than sell you a highlight reel, especially as a solo female traveller.

Beyond the usual travel disruptions of delays, waiting around, the logistical grind of moving between places, solo travel has its own specific demands. You are really, truly on your own. Luggage comes with you to the bathroom in transit. Nobody minds your spot in the queue. Every decision, from the significant to the mundane, rests entirely with you.

Decision fatigue is real. Something as simple as what to eat three times a day can become genuinely exhausting, particularly when managing food sensitivities or IBS. Eating alone is often wonderful, a chance to observe and absorb, but it can also feel lonely when there’s nobody to talk to and your phone becomes your dining companion by default.

Finding somewhere to eat that actually works for your gut is its own challenge. Taiwan helped enormously here with Japanese options widely available, convenience stores are genuinely excellent for snacks in a pinch, and the food culture is varied enough to navigate. Night markets are a highlight for most visitors and absolutely worth experiencing, but the food doesn’t agree with me so I largely explore and enjoy the atmosphere rather than eat.

Then there are the magical moments you can’t share. The view that takes your breath away with nobody beside you to turn to. If the alone aspect feels daunting, group tours offer a middle ground to travelling independently but joining others for day trips and excursions. I’ve found this to be the best of both, by bringing together complete day to day freedom with the efficiency and occasional human connection of a group experience when it suits.

Solo travel tips – what actually matters

Planning is key, even for regular solo travellers but don’t over plan. Here’s what actually matters:

Safety: Make sure someone at home has your full itinerary and knows how to reach you. Save your accommodation details on your phone including the address in the local language, it’s invaluable when showing a taxi driver where you need to go. Keep your wits about you, trust your instincts and don’t ignore them.

Accommodation: Location, location, location. Being in the right neighbourhood makes everything easier in terms of walkability, safety, access to food and transport. Don’t sacrifice location for price.

Transport: Know your options before you arrive, not just one option but several. Metro, rideshare, taxi, local bus. Have a backup plan. Things change and flexibility is everything.

Travel insurance: Non-negotiable. Always. No exceptions.

Connectivity: Download an eSIM before you leave home such as Airalo. Your data is active the moment you land without hunting for a local SIM. Google Maps and Google Translate are non-negotiable companions and download offline maps for your destination before you go.

Finding the right destination: Start with what you love. Beach, art, culture, food or all of the above. Research safety for solo female travellers specifically. Choose somewhere that genuinely excites you rather than somewhere you feel you should go.

Give yourself a rough structure and then the permission to abandon it. The best moments of solo travel are almost always unplanned.

Is solo travel worth it in midlife?

Solo travel at any age is worth it, but in midlife it’s something else entirely.

It’s the most humbling of experiences. It allows you to get to know yourself again, to remember who you actually are underneath all the roles and responsibilities you’ve accumulated. It unlocks perspective, compassion and an inner strength that no productivity hack or wellness retreat can replicate.

Taiwan gave me back something I hadn’t realised I’d been missing. My own company, rhythm and the quiet confidence that comes from navigating the world entirely on your own terms.

I encourage every one of you to consider taking the leap. You don’t need to be young. You don’t need to be fearless. You just need to do your research, choose wisely and go. The world is still your oyster. It just tastes better now and like a fine wine, it only gets better with age.

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