Solo traveler on a group trip
Solo Travel vs. Group Trips: Finding Your Perfect Travel Style
Listen! I’m all for solo travel as mentioned in previous blog posts, however when I decided to do a group trip I was not disappointed.
How fitting is it that I’m posting this one year after traveling with this group. Tray Table Seat Back has been an experience that has made a life change for me. I traveled with this group one year ago and still remain in contact with all my Bali cousins!
I can’t recall how or why I started to follow Rahiem, I think it was a post about recently completing the goal of seeing the 7 man-made wonders of the world. This peaked my interest quite a bit as I was on number 5 of 7 and was anxious to complete the list myself.
The Solo Travel Foundation
As someone who has embraced solo travel, I understand the appeal intimately. There’s the freedom to move at your own pace, the thrill of navigating a new city entirely on your own terms, and those quiet evenings of reflection where you process everything you’ve experienced. Solo travel builds confidence and self-reliance in ways that few other experiences can match.
But here’s what I discovered: there’s room for both styles in your travel life, and each offers something the other simply cannot replicate.
The Group Travel Revelation
I want to highlight that going with a group gives you the comfort of not having to plan yourself and using the time on the trip to meet new people. And this wasn’t just any group—on this trip, we addressed each other as “cousin.” It truly felt like a huge gathering of cousins all coming together to enjoy an international trip, and in this case, Bali.
That first photo says it all. There we are on those ancient temple steps at dusk, all of us in our vibrant colors—yellows, purples, blues, pinks—hands pressed together in prayer position. That moment of collective spiritual connection, that shared experience of something sacred and beautiful, wouldn’t exist in quite the same way if I’d been standing there alone.
The Bali Cousin Experience
We had two villas and were paired up in rooms. Our days were used to explore Bali—immersing ourselves in the culture, visiting temples, discovering hidden waterfalls, and embracing everything this magical island had to offer. But it was our evenings that really sealed the deal on what makes group travel special.
Picture this: evenings playing games, whether it was in the pool or card games, just vibing with each other. That second photo captures it perfectly—all of us lounging poolside, a riot of bright colors and genuine smiles, completely relaxed in each other’s company. We weren’t strangers trying to make small talk. We were cousins, catching up, laughing, and creating memories together.
This is very different from the evenings of a solo traveler. Don’t get me wrong—there’s beauty in a quiet dinner reflecting on your day, journaling at a café, or having the freedom to turn in early or stay out late without consulting anyone. But there’s also something irreplaceable about shared laughter echoing across a villa, someone challenging you to one more round of cards, or the collective excitement of planning the next day’s adventure together.
The Planning Relief
One of the biggest perks of group travel that I hadn’t fully appreciated until this trip: I didn’t have to plan a thing. No researching the best temples, no figuring out transportation, no anxiety about whether I was missing the “must-see” spots. All of that was handled. I could simply show up and be present—present for the experiences, present for the connections, and present for the personal growth that happens when you’re not worried about logistics.
As a solo traveler, I’m usually the planner, the researcher, the navigator. It was liberating to let someone else take the reins and just enjoy the ride.
The Lasting Impact
Here’s the thing that really drives home the difference: I’m writing this one year later, and I’m still in contact with all my Bali cousins. These aren’t people I exchanged pleasantries with and forgot. These are genuine connections that survived beyond the trip, friendships that were forged in shared experiences and continue to thrive in our everyday lives.
When you travel solo, you might make fleeting connections—a lovely conversation with a café owner, a fun night out with other backpackers at the hostel. But there’s something about spending concentrated time with a group, living together, exploring together, and yes, playing pool games together, that creates bonds that last.
Each Has Its Own Perks
Each style has its own perks, no question. Solo travel gives you complete freedom, deep introspection, and the satisfaction of depending entirely on yourself. Group travel gives you instant community, shared joy, simplified logistics, and friendships that extend far beyond your return flight.
Being my first group trip, this one did not disappoint. In fact, it opened my eyes to a whole new way of experiencing the world. I’m not giving up solo travel—there will always be trips where I crave that independence and solitude. But now I know that when I want to maximize the joy, minimize the stress, and come home with a whole new set of cousins, group travel is the way to go.
Looking at these photos a year later, I don’t just see beautiful locations and colorful outfits. I see the moment we became family. I see the beginning of friendships that continue to enrich my life. I see proof that sometimes, the best adventures are the ones you don’t take alone.
So whether you’re a die-hard solo traveler or someone who’s never traveled without their crew, I encourage you to try the other side. You might just surprise yourself with what you discover—about the world and about yourself.
