Don’t want to miss any future posts? Are you subscribed to email updates? Click here!
I’ve had a love-hate relationship with solo travel over the years, but after a spontaneous weekend away in Maui back in February, several realizations have occurred to me:
- I will forever be a summer baby/beach girl – I tried getting into seasons when I moved to Milan, to the point where I was actually excited to wear a winter coat after 20+ years in California where seasons were practically non-existent. However, my patience wore thin quickly after my first January in Italy. All of this to say that I thrive in environments that hover within the 60-80°F range, and that I prefer warm over cold. Hawaii—especially Maui—absolutely fits the bill.
- If you are mentally craving alone time, that’s normal and should be honored – Until recently, I saw my independence/ease with doing things alone as a strength, but also as something I had to do because the people in my circle wouldn’t cooperate with me as much as I with them. In the latter part of my stay in Italy and in the early months of my move to Austin, I was trying (too) hard to avoid being alone, and to make sure I was always doing something with someone, even if it was a one-time meeting and I never heard from the person again (Bumble BFF shenanigans…). But lately? I don’t give a damn. In fact, I’ve been craving alone time, to do anything and everything I want without negotiation or compromise…maybe it is subconscious retaliation after trying so hard to control things that I just will never be able to control (i.e. flaky people 🙄).
- The place where you choose to be alone absolutely matters – I got bored easily in Sweden and Vancouver, Canada. Freiburg felt like a relief, but I visited at a time when I was beginning to feel jaded with Europe (similar with Porto and Budapest—these cities were amazing, but the environment wasn’t enough to distract me into having blissful fun). Hawaii however has been a place that has effortlessly transformed my perspective and mood—first in Kauai with my sister, and then in Maui on my own. Maybe it’s the weather, the laid-back attitudes of the locals, the fresh food, the water, the time zone so distant from everyone else on the planet, or all of the above, but Hawaii hands-down is one of the few places I’ve visited on this lonely planet that makes me feel happy no matter what.
I’ll preface this recap to say I was far from feeling happy prior to the trip. I had a rough start to 2024, though not as difficult as prior years had been. Sudden changes at work, feeling misunderstood after events that occurred in late 2023, and the sudden drop in temperatures all contributed to my feeling stressed and angry. Womanly hormones and PMS/PMDD did not help either.
Maui came to mind when my mind harkened back to six months prior, lounging on a Kauai beach with my sister. I figured, why not head out to Hawaii again and why not check out a new island? If I wanted to do it, nothing was stopping me.
And that’s another thing—when you have the privilege of being free (be it in a financial-context, from family commitments, having a flexible work schedule, etc.), it really does feel more exciting to venture out alone. It also helps if the trip serves as a stand-alone adventure, and not necessarily a distraction from life’s challenges.
————————————————– 𝕊𝔾𝔻 ————————————————-
Of course, I was busy with work up until the very last minute before my trip, and I had doubts as to why I even planned the trip! I had to time my layover just right to be available for a time-sensitive call on the Friday I was traveling. I was fortunately able to make it work, thanks to the Capital One Lounge at the Denver Airport, where I helped myself to complimentary cappuccinos and churro custard cups before boarding my flight to Maui.
When I arrived to Maui seven hours later, I actually didn’t feel too worn out! My Friday immediately became longer, and it’s as if being on island soil was the solution I had needed all along to melt away the stress that had been plaguing me for weeks.
Knowing I wanted to take it easy while away and on my own, I kept my planned itinerary light with just one major thing planned per day. Depending on how I felt, I would decide what I would do for the remainder of the day—if I had a jolt of energy, I’d be down to explore some more, otherwise I had no issues taking it easy and yes, sleep if I wanted to!
Landing at 4pm meant picking up my car (or should I say mini- van…that’s all they had left when I rolled in!) and grabbing dinner since Hawaiian establishments are notorious for closing up “early”. While I wanted to check out a vegan food truck that Google reported was in the area, I ended up with a tray of cheesy fries from a gyro truck because the vegan food truck in question was indeed closed.
Still, I couldn’t complain too much: gobbling up cheesy carbs in 75°F weather with other hungry Hawaiians and tourists on a Friday evening was quite enjoyable.
Driving over to my Airbnb room rental in the charming village of Paia (Pai-ee-ah) was only made gorgeous by the sunset that was occurring around 7pm. After checking in, I made my way to the small town’s “center”, bought myself a cup of ice cream, and proceeded to walk to the nearby beachfront.
No free falling coconuts. Just a cool ocean breeze and quiet for miles and miles.
I went to sleep soon after, since I had a 7 mile run planned before heading out to volunteer with a local organization the next morning. The run reminded me of my early morning wake-up calls when I lived in LA and Orange County. Somehow I had the stamina to wake up at 5am to squeeze in a 5-7 mile run before showering and going to lab. Now living in Texas, I struggle with having to wake up before 7am—I want to believe it’s my body responding differently in various time zones, but who knows!
After the run which was mostly run in pitch-black darkness, I got myself a coffee and then drove to Lahaina where the volunteering event was taking place. I had the opportunity to volunteer with Maul Cultural Lands, specifically by showing up on the Saturday morning I was in Maui to participate in one of their Maintenance Participation Days in Honokowai Valley.
Back in 1999 (lol), it was found that beneath extensive foliage, there were a vast number of archaeological sites that included homes, farms, trails and places of worship (heiaus) in Honokowai. Honokowai most likely vanished due to a shift of the islands’ economy to sugar plantations, and stream water was diverted for cultivation of sugar crops. Without fresh stream water to sustain the community, the village perished, and families had to abandon the valley. The founder—who I got to meet and work with, Ed Lindsey— founded Maui Cultural Lands to facilitate the restoration of cultural sites including Honokowai. The volunteer program is open to locals and visitors alike, so I met a fair mix of all ages and genders. I even met another female solo traveler visiting from Tampa, Florida!
The ride up to the valley was like being in Jurassic Park—a bunch of us hopped onto the back of a pick-up truck and were literally rolling around because of the unpaved roads covered in boulder-like rocks. It was an adventure for sure!
At the top, we spent the next two and a half hours going over safety protocol and getting to work. After pulling weeds, tagging indigenous plants that the group has been trying to promote the growth of, and getting a nature lesson from Ed, we were treated to lunch. It was a nice moment to relax and chat with everyone who had spent their morning working on a unified goal. My friend from Tampa and I exchanged numbers and were able to meet later that evening, so it was another situation where traveling solo without any pressure led to unexpected company.
I left that morning feeling fulfilled and proud that I got to engage with locals in a natural way, while contributing to a great cause. This volunteer activity was one of the anchoring pieces of my solo itinerary. In my opinion, “volunteering on vacation” makes the time away so much more memorable, especially if you are traveling alone. It’s a great way to meet others and bond quickly, since volunteer projects usually bring together open-minded and empathetic individuals. I mean, when’s the last time anyone saw a tech bro helping out at the food kitchen 🤷🏽♀️?
You can learn more about Maui Cultural Lands here, and even sign up to volunteer.
————————————————– 𝕊𝔾𝔻 ————————————————-
I did spend that evening with my Tampa friend—a fun event in itself as we were trying to catch a hula show not realizing they’ve been cancelled since the fires—and we made the best of the night by walking over to Whaler’s Village which had tons of shops and restaurants. We settled on a poke restaurant (she had never had it before!) and we chatted about our careers, solo traveling, and even astrology on the long drive back to Paia in my soccer momma mini-van 😂.
I appreciated this new-found companionship, but I also relished the time I spent alone earlier in the day post-volunteering. I was able to select a lunch spot of my choosing without having to cater to others’ preferences. So, it was a GO for vegan!
As much as traveling with others provides convenience and some sort of comfort, I will never take for granted being able to type in “vegan near me” in Google anywhere I am traveling solo. It most often leads to delicious, nutritious, and filling veggie bowls with savory proteins, or “knock-off pulled pork” sandwiches made with shredded seitan drenched in BBQ sauce.
I also enjoy sipping on local kombuchas and probiotic sodas. Finding new food and drink brands and having the chance to try them will always keep my the foodie in my heart happy.
If you are someone who lives to eat (like me, lol), I’m sure you can understand the beautiful freedom that comes with being able to pick what you want to eat when going out or traveling, or traveling with others who also agree with your palate. Not having the guilt the accompanies being on the “winning side” of a compromise is such a relief.
The next day brought about another fair mix of solo and group activities, however the latter still ended up feeling like a solo adventure. I first got my long run of 15 miles out of the way, mixing in steep Paia hills as well as beach views. I then made my way to Wailuku for my first snorkeling experience!
The company I picked was the first one that popped up on Google (Maui Snorkeling, lol) and overall, they were efficient from start to finish. It was about a three-hour trip in total: one hour sailing to Molokini Crater, snorkeling at Molokini, and sailing back. In this time, we were educated on safety protocol, got a crash-course in snorkeling, and even had a simple sandwich lunch on the way back.
I didn’t particularly bond with anyone in this group, though there were two other female solo travelers (one was a hippie-like local, lol!). There was a family of four (with two adult children) who were obnoxious beyond belief. Hey, there are some moments during solo travel where it’s best to just stay in your lane and not even try with some people.
I had a sliver of anxiety at the beginning, diving into cold water and figuring out how to breathe with the thingamajig in and around my face, but I eventually found my rhythm. While it’s not something that excites me as much as vegan food, I’m glad I had the chance to try it, and I’m even more glad that it was something I was able to tackle solo.
Of course I ended the evening with vegan food (that “pulled pork” sandwich from above).
My final planned event for my solo trip was a photoshoot with a local photographer. I found Michael on social media, and he was happy to take some fresh photos for my modeling portfolio. He was easy to work with, and not feeling nervous helped with the final product: I ended up with awesome photos to update my comp card with! Traditionally, he does family, couples, and wedding shoots, but Michael’s flexibility in helping me carry out my vision for a solo/modeling-oriented photoshoot made me feel genuine excitement for my solo trip to Maui…something I had never experienced before.
————————————————– 𝕊𝔾𝔻 ————————————————-
Being solo in Maui in February, at a time when the rest of world was in the doldrums, was the best gift I’ve given myself this year. It’s now an example of what I would like my future solo trips to look like, although not everywhere I travel to can have temperate weather, ocean views for miles, and can keep me happy for no apparent reason.
I didn’t feel like this in Sweden or Vancouver, or even Porto, and I think it’s because I allowed myself to have a plan consisting of things I know I’d enjoy, while not fully committing to anything if I didn’t feel like it. I don’t think I have the secret formula for planning the perfect female solo traveler trip, but this one right here is getting me pretty dang close…
What was your most memorable and fun solo trip?