The Perks of Traveling Alone

at Enchanted River

I started traveling alone in 2006 after I resigned in a Quezon City law firm wherein I was a partner. I made a major decision. And I decided to become a full-time teacher in Far Eastern University. 

But teaching alone made me think again. I needed an outlet  I need to live my life to the fullest. I must explore, enjoy, and reap the fruits of my labor. I wanted to travel!

Then, the big question came. should I join a group tour or just simply travel alone?

As a teacher, I was given a handful of holidays, semestral breaks, and leaves for my travel. And so, I decided to TRAVEL ALONE.. 

And after ten years of traveling in the Philippines and in twelve countries, I want to share the benefits of traveling alone.

I know it is very difficult to convince people that traveling alone is better than traveling in a group. But let me share first the perks and the reasons why one should travel alone. And here are the reasons why you should.

1.YOU WILL FIND FREEDOM

Yes, freedom. Everybody wants freedom. Freedom from the hassles of life. Freedom from stress. Freedom to decide, to choose, and to explore. You will be the master of your own travel. Nobody will be there to convince, influence or worst annoy you in your travel. 

2. YOU WILL HAVE FLEXIBILITY

The itinerary of one's travel is an important  factor for the success of your travel. You can now decide how long you would  stay in a specific destination. Even though you have an itinerary, if circumstances warrant, you can easily change your itinerary to your satisfaction. You do not have to adjust for your travel, your travel will adjust accordingly.

3.YOU CAN WORK ON YOUR BUCKET LIST

The Philippines offers various tourist destinations and it will work on your favor if you can travel at your phase and on your own choosing. Preparing the bucket list is another must for a traveler. The feeling of fulfillment once you accomplish a particular task is priceless. Now, you can focus on the destinations that you really wanted to explore.

4.YOU GET TO MEET NEW PEOPLE

Chances are if you are in a group tour you will not indulge in talking or mingling with other people or even strangers. But you have no choice when you are traveling alone, you simply have to talk and mingle with other people. Simply asking for directions for your destination is already reaching out to other people. Additionally, you will have plenty of time to experience, observe, and even practice the culture and traditions of the people that you encounter.

5.YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT

Nobody is there to ruin or spoil your activities. You can indulge in spelunking, river rafting, trekking, waterfalls chasing, diving, snorkeling, wake boarding for hours. Simply enjoying your life without someone there to spoil it for you. You do not need to adjust to somebody else's needs. Your own needs is your priority!

6.YOU WILL BE EMPOWERED

The feeling of empowerment is in itself a motivation for you to travel alone. There are so many intangible benefits of traveling alone and probably this is one of the best reasons why you should travel alone. After working for hours, days, weeks, months or years, now you have the authority and opportunity to be responsible for the outcomes of your decision and live with it. 

7.YOU WILL GAIN MORE CONFIDENCE

Traveling alone in Mindanao is in itself a big challenge. It gives you the extra dose of thrill, adventure and adrenaline. After your travel, you will feel more confident and you will crave for more. You survived being alone!

8.YOU CAN STAY WITH YOUR BUDGET

Budget is the primordial consideration for your travel. A backpacker's hotel is the best option for my stay. In my travels in Bukidnon, Sagada, Camiguin and Batanes, room rates vary from P150 to P300. You will not feel that awkward feeling of being left alone or behind or being envious to the accomplishment of another.

9.YOU WILL BECOME A BETTER DECISION MAKER

Along the travel you will make plenty of mistakes. Do not worry. It's normal. But your have to learn from your mistakes and never commit the same mistake on your next journey. On my part, I made a list of the errors that I have committed so that I will not commit it in  my next travel.

10.YOU WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT YOURSELF

Sitting alone either at the top of the mountain watching the sunrise, or in long stretch of the beach watching the sunset or in the hills of Batanes looking at the horizon, you will find time to discover yourself. You will have plenty of time to think about your past, present, and your future. You will learn new things about yourself along the journey. And you will definitely smile and be surprised!  

At Tinuy-an Falls

Now since you are traveling alone. You need to be comfortable in your journey.

Traveling alone needs the proper gadgets and apparel for your travel.

It is important to document your travel. You can bring your own camera, tablet, notebook, cellular phones and other gadgets.

Another important aspect of traveling alone is wearing the best brands of apparel for your travel needs:

      For your bags, jackets and shoes, you can choose from either The Northface or Columbia.

     For your sandals, my favorite brand is Sandugo.

    For your compression wear, Tesla compression wear offers the best and most affordable wear in the market today. Tesla compression wear is available at ZALORA Philippines.



    Finally, take into consideration your own health and safety.


   NOW we are ready to travel!

   Enjoy traveling alone! =)