by Rainier Wong

Created on: January 08, 2011

A person may choose to travel with a tour group or solo. Both solo and guided tours have their advantages and disadvantages. However, solo travel allows the traveler to experience and enjoy more of what a person cannot have while traveling in a group.

If you are a person who is independent. have the courage, and are willing to take up any challenges, solo travel is for you. Before you decide to travel solo, make sure that you know the language of the locals well so that it is easy for you to get what you want. Imagine yourself not being able to buy a sandwich just because you cannot order one in the local language.  

When you travel solo, you can plan your own itinerary. You can decide where to visit and when to visit it . You also have a better chance of going to where you have been longing to see. If you travel with a guided tour group, you will have to go wherever the tour organizer has planned before hand. You may not have the opportunity to see the place that you dream of going. If you can drive, you can drive along the streets for sightseeing.  Some streets have stalls with good food and other interesting stuff including souvenirs. If you love to walk, you may enjoy walking along such streets while sampling the food and trying to get a good bargain.

If you travel with a guided tour group, you have to eat at the eateries chosen by the travel agent and also have to eat at the scheduled time. If you travel solo, you can decide wherever you want to eat and eat at anytime you wish as long as the eateries are opened and have the type of food you can enjoy. To be on the safe side, always eat only at places that looks comfortable and clean. Remember to get yourself immunized before traveling so that you can be protected from any problems that may be caused by the food you are consuming while traveling. When you are in doubt, do not try the food.

If you love to shop while traveling, traveling solo can offer you some advantages over traveling with a guided tour group. As a solo traveler, you have more freedom to choose where you can do your shopping and you may be able to find a better bargain after seeing the prices at a number of places. If you travel with a guided tour group, you will have to usually shop at the places designated by the tour organizer for you.

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