What do famous travel bloggers say about the solo travel trend?

Three years later, this format began to become a trend, experiencing significant annual growth and capturing 11% of the travel market. Between 2016 and 2019, the growth rate of searches related to the keyword "solo travel" increased by 131% on Google.

This form of travel allows solo travelers to visit different places alone, where every aspect of the journey, from choosing destinations to services and activities, is decided by the individual based on their own needs and preferences. However, each travel blogger offers a different definition of solo travel, based on their perspective.

Ly Thanh Co - Learning to be strong when you're alone

Since 2014, Ly Thanh Co has been traveling solo to Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and spending a month in Europe. Ly Thanh Co is drawn to solo travel because it allows him to experience the people, culture, and countries of foreign nations on his own.

"I think the Solo Travel trend started a long time ago. Solo Travel originated from the desire to explore new lands," Ly Thanh Co replied when asked about the origins of the Solo Travel trend.

Through his solo travels, Ly Thanh Co believes he has gained a lot. He has become more courageous and self-aware, able to plan his trips better. In addition, these trips have given him life lessons and many new friends. However, along with these changes came feelings of loneliness and sadness from facing difficulties alone.

"I once got lost on a train, and I felt very lonely because I was all alone in a strange city with no one who spoke English. Every time I got sick, I had to buy medicine and take care of my health myself," Ly Thanh Co shared.

Despite facing many difficulties, Ly Thanh Co always received help from the locals. He also had many funny and embarrassing experiences. In particular, during his time in the Netherlands, Ly Thanh Co wanted to find a place to sleep. He found a place in Amsterdam where the owner had a strange hobby: a 60-year-old judge who liked to be naked. His rule was that anyone entering the house had to remove their clothes before being allowed to stay.

"And I accepted the rules because the room rates were too expensive that day, so I just took the risk," Ly Thanh Co shared, visibly flustered.

Ha La La - Solo Travel is possible in every country.

Ha La La is an architect and travel blogger, currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City. About 5 years ago, she took her first trip abroad. It was a trip she planned herself, booked her own trips, and researched travel experiences on her own. For Ha La La, planning a trip is crucial, especially for solo travel.

"Actually, solo travel doesn't necessarily mean you'll save more compared to group travel, and vice versa. The cost depends on your needs," Ha La La said.

Specifically, if you choose solo travel to countries with well-developed public transportation systems, it will help save on travel costs. While traveling in a group might be dependent on the destination and needs of the group members, splitting the cost won't be too expensive. On the other hand, solo travelers on challenging routes and in rugged terrain will have to hire jeeps and guides, resulting in significantly higher expenses.

"Besides that, solo travel can also save a lot if you can stay in dorms or ask to stay with locals. Therefore, there's no single rule for spending," Ha La La shared.

From Ha La La's perspective, before deciding to travel solo, young people should plan carefully. Next, equip yourself with problem-solving skills and map reading abilities. After that, young people should plan a self-guided trip within the country first. If you don't feel confident, ask a group leader to plan a trip for your friends first and observe them.

"Once you're more confident, try solo traveling to domestic destinations first to improve your skills, build confidence, and develop problem-solving abilities," Ha advised. She also suggested that young travelers should choose solo travel in Southeast Asian countries, as these regions share similar cultures with Vietnam.

Tran Dang Dang Khoa - Why is Solo Travel so appealing?

For Tran Dang Dang Khoa, a famous travel blogger who has traveled around the world by motorbike, Solo Travel gives him complete freedom. When traveling alone, his schedule is not bound by anyone else. He can eat whatever he wants and experience whatever he desires.

"In this 4.0 era, information can be found everywhere, and inspiring travel stories are also appearing frequently on social media, so young Vietnamese people should just pack their bags and go," Tran Dang Dang Khoa shared when asked about the Solo Travel trend in Vietnam.

With the support of technology, a wide range of travel service applications have become popular worldwide. From booking flights, hotel rooms, and restaurants to renting cars and purchasing tour tickets, everything can be done on a mobile phone. This reality has indirectly impacted the development of travel applications; more specifically, the simple and quick payment process on mobile phones has greatly contributed to increasing the number of people who can easily plan their own trips.

"There are so many apps on phones now. People can just go online and find apps for translation, maps, weather forecasts, and then prepare for their journey. Self-confidence is what's important," he said with a smile.

Thanh Hang - Solo Travel helps introverts become more extroverted.

Thanh Hang is currently a travel blogger and editor for the travel magazine Travellive in Ho Chi Minh City. She manages her work schedule to balance her job with frequent travel. Notably, Thanh Hang has previously traveled solo to Indonesia, and most recently to Nepal.

For Thanh Hang, solo travel means traveling independently, without friends or family. In today's world, it's very difficult to arrange a trip with friends or family because everyone has different jobs, and those jobs often have completely opposite natures and schedules.

"My job allows for flexible hours, I can work remotely, but my friends are all office workers, and they only get one day off a month, so how can we possibly plan a long trip together?" Thanh Hang shared.

In addition, many introverts, although they don't like interacting with others, still have a need to explore the outside world. They feel comfortable discovering themselves and learning new things on their own, so they can also become solo travelers.

Through her solo travels, Thanh Hang has learned many life skills and awakened skills that she thought she would never have discovered if she traveled in a group. One of them is the ability to converse with strangers and make them like her, prioritizing her.

"I'm not a very good communicator and I don't usually shop at markets, but when I travel alone, I somehow always manage to chat comfortably with locals and even convince them to significantly reduce my prices," Thanh Hang shared.

Anh Thi