Travelling Alone Help/Suggestions

[CheersMedea]

For tedious reasons this year if I want to have a holiday, I will need to go alone without DH. All our friends are in couples/with kids and I'm not interested in a "with friends" trip of the available options.

I'm perfectly happy on my own and have travelled a bit alone but I hate evening meals by myself.

Has anyone got any suggestions for holidays that are a bit luxurious and would feature a bit of group interaction/activity but freedom to do your own thing?

I'd like to go for about 10 days - 14 days. Don't really care about location - maybe a bit of sun would be nice but really not fussed.

Everything I can find is either (a)purely for singles (b) "student" hardship type things - involving overland vehicles and camping (not my style) or (c) super regimented organised tours. Ideally I'd like something that is not full of couples (so I don't get all "missing-DH-maudlin") but at the same time is not full of party "on the pull" singles.

Is there anything in between? Any other suggestions?

If there is any kind of activity you enjoy then I would do that. Eg yoga holiday (often have lots of free time) or organised cycling, walking. Anything to do with personal development try Skyros.

Thanks Biscuit. The trouble with those types of holidays is that they seem to be very regimented and full on - eg. a cycling holiday is cycling most of the day every day.

I'm looking for something much more half and half or even 80/20.

thanks for the Skyros suggestion I will have a look.

Have you looked at Intrepid (though even their Comfort range may not be luxurious enough for what you're looking for)? Most of their tours seem to be mostly optional extras.

Otherwise Cox&Kings tours often seen to do 50/50 on free time?

In your position I'd probably go somewhere more challenging where a tour can smooth the way (eg Russia - I am now firmly too old to wander the streets of Russian towns searching for our-of-town Romanov palaces). But then, we are opposites - I look forward to eating alone! I really miss solo travel for the adventure/independence on deciding where you're going to go an do on any day.

What about going somewhere where there are lots of possible excursions to do? I've looked at hotels in the Alps before that run various walking/cycling etc days out that you can sign up for or not, depending on how active you are feeling. This summer we are going to Turkey and the hotel attached to our villa runs different excursions. One day we are using another company to hire a boat for a day and if you have a range of dates, the company will try to match you with a group(s) you'll get on with (boat holds 12). I'm not necessarily suggesting the Alps or Turkey, but on that sort of holiday you wouldn't have to be with the same groups of people the whole time.

Neilson aren't cheap but would meet your requirements; everything is included and you do what you want when you want.

the resorts differ; some are good for sailing, some are not. They all offer cycling as you want, tennis as you want, fitness classes etc. Or just sitting by the pool or sea.

there are adult only weeks and they set up tables for lone travellers. You might want to avoid peak school holiday season if you can!

Thanks Jassy, Taz & Special - I will check out all of those suggestions.

I've been to Ibiza Yoga a few times. Most people travel alone. mix of English, German and Dutch i find. Yoga is 3 hours a day at a certain time as is lunch (which is provided) but nothing is compulsory - they're very laid back so if you don't want to participate one day you don't have to. Its in the north of Ibiza, away from the party towns but a bit remote if you don't have a car

Cruising is ideal for people travelling alone, and if you went with Norwegian Line they have studio cabins for those who are travelling solo on some of the ships.

Im doing 2 solo cruises this year, one with MSC and one with Norwegian but not in their studios. I love it, you can have as much companionship as you like and there's plenty to do if thats what you fancy.

Thanks Luna & Weebirdie.

Weebirdie I associate cruising with the blue rinse brigade and families with children running around everywhere. Is that not right?

Cheers, honestly, its not like that. The last cruise I was on I cant recall seeing more than a dozen children and the rest of the passengers were a really good mix of ages.

There really is something for everyone and NCL offers these studio cabins on some of their ships for solo travellers. You even have your own are of the ship to socialise if you fancy it.

www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/cruise-accommodations#oceanview

Thanks Weebirdie - I'll check it out.

NCL are a bit low brow in my opinion. We have been with them twice. Never again.

I think the best holiday we have done where there were loads of singles was exploring the Arctic on board MS Expedition. (G Adventures). It was a fantastic week. Not just the polar bears, but the great comeraderie on the boat and everyone was included. Ok, you will be doing things to a timetable, but it is amazing to go through ice floes and feel that you are on the edge of the earth. We met amazing people and laughed - a lot!

My friend likes Just You but I think the destinations are a tad predictable. Lots of singles go but she says they go in groups, iykwim.

I haven't done NCL yet but if after my Alaskan trip later this year I don't like it I wont use them again, I'll stick to Crystal or Silversea instead. They do very similar cruises to the one you've mentioned including one to the Galapagos Islands which I fancy but they're more upmarket in that they offer me the creature comforts I wont leave home without.