Going solo vs. travelling with your bestie

The pros and cons of travelling with or without a friend

Planning a big trip abroad, but don’t want to travel on your own? Secretly worried that your bestie will ruin your holiday and you’ll never speak again when you go home?

Like most things in life, you have to decide what’s most important to you before travelling. When you travel alone, you’re free to do whatever you want without considering other people. Want to spend five hours in a museum. No problem. Feel like clubbing until dawn – or staying in watching Netflix? The choice is yours and yours alone.

Solo travelling is fantastic if you have niche interests that not even your friends are interested in. From trying specific foods to attending obscure art museums, the case for solo travelling is strong indeed.

Image by roger.williams (Flickr/Creative Commons)

But not everyone wants to travel on their own. Many travellers love and need the companionship of a friend to support them. You can share stories, hangovers and eat out together in fantastic restaurants. You also have each other’s backs when you’re out late at night.

So which is better? Here are a few thoughts to help you weigh up the pros and cons (or show it to your friend and let them decide for you).

Pro travelling with a friend

- It’s safer and more secure (watching bags and phones)

- Less expensive to share (you can split costs of hostels, taxis, meals, etc)

- You have someone to laugh and drink with

- You can share the language burden (If your French is not the best, your bestie might be more successful)

- You can take amazing photos to reminisce when you’re older

- Less heavy things to carry on public transport (tents, backpacks, etc)

- Shared memories to last a lifetime

Against travelling with a friend

- You can very easily get on each other’s nerves. Travelling together is a 24/7 experience and that’s very different from meeting for a coffee for two hours once a week

- It’s much easier to be selfish and see and do whatever you want

- You take more risks and won’t fall into a comfort zone of always talking to your friend

- You can meet new people freely and not worry that your friend is on their own

- More time to write, dream, think and do your own creative projects

- You have the freedom to change plans at last minute

What do you prefer?

Do you prefer to travel with a friend or on your own? Whether you prefer travelling solo or want to bring your bestie along for company, you'll meet plenty of new people if you stay in a hostel. Friendly and private, social and secluded - they offer the best of both worlds for the backpacker on the road.

Find the best ones on HostelsClub.com.