The rise of the ‘singlemoon’

Your friends are either too broke or too busy. Nobody can agree on dates, destinations, activities or where to stay. Getting the trip out of the group chat is a miraculous achievement in itself; never mind that one pal who bails after you’ve paid the non-refundable deposit.

But what if you took everyone else out of the equation entirely? Welcome to the ‘singlemoon’, where you can go exactly where, when and do what you want – albeit with a touch of luxury. 

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Solo travel is nothing new. But what was once the reserve of pre-university students hostel-hopping on ‘gap yahs’ in Southeast Asia has recently become even more prevalent for middle to golden-aged travellers. Skift’s State of Travel 2024 found that 27 per cent of travellers in the 55-65 age group are solo leisure travellers, compared to just four per cent of Gen Z and 16 per cent of Millennials. 

Searches for ‘solo travel’ doubled in 2023, compared to numbers from 2018, according to the travel industry platform. Meanwhile, insights manager Dan Doherty at Away Resorts has anticipated ‘an even bigger surge’ this year in ‘me-mooning’. 

Travel companies are already cashing in on the craze. Tour operator G Adventures recently launched Solo-ish Adventures, to ‘help travellers travel for themselves, not by themselves.’ Flash Pack has filled a gap for high-end group tours for solo travellers in their 30s, 40s and 50s. WeRoad’s Collection tours include private rooms in four and five-star hotels in luxury destinations like the Maldives and Japan. SevenTravel, meanwhile, curates tailor-made luxury holidays for the solo traveller. 

There’s clearly a rising trend among travellers looking to treat themselves to a blow-out trip. But how did solo travel go from low-cost to luxe – and why now?

‘Singlemoons’ are a lesson in self-care

Since solo travel has become more mainstream, has been touted as the aspirational ideal of independence, self-discovery, and now, self-care. Seeing the world alone used to be reserved for the brave few, but it’s now almost seen as a rite of passage – especially for women, who all too often put their own needs on the back burner. 

‘I started going on solo trips when I had postnatal depression,’ mother-of-two Bharti Lim tells Time Out. ‘It kick-started my recovery, actually. It was how I found myself again.’ 

Lim’s baby was 11 months old and her eldest child was three when she took her first solo trip to Cyprus. Despite other parents calling her ‘selfish’ for taking a ‘singlemoon’, it gave her the confidence she needed in her family life, and beyond. 

I started going on solo trips when I had postnatal depression. It was how I found myself again

‘My husband says he could see that I came back different. I then went to Colombia to backpack and on solo weekends in the UK,’ she says. ‘I absolutely crave solo breaks. My husband is so supportive of me doing this for my mental wellbeing. Life is busy but I know that this time alone is so important for me - without anyone demanding anything of me.’ 

Florence Achery, founder of Yoga Retreats & More, has also noticed that her clients are becoming increasingly aware of their self-care needs. Her guests are mainly solo women travellers who are often middle-aged. 

‘What I hear is that their partner or family aren’t interested in these types of holidays,’ which often include one-to-two yoga sessions a day, plus visits to cultural sites and downtime. She says her clients would rather travel solo if it means prioritising their own needs.

‘What has changed in the last few years is their mindset’, she adds. ‘They appreciate that time is precious and they feel the need to do what they have to do to look after themselves. Years ago, wellness retreats were seen as an indulgence, but not anymore.’ 

Why wait for the right person to come along?

Travel organisation Road Scholar found in a 2024 report that up to 85 percent of the company’s tour participants who travel alone are women, and at least 60 percent were married, but choose to travel without their spouse.

Anna Waletzko, a senior behavioural analyst at Canvas8, has noticed this ‘cultural shift’ unfolding. ‘Solo travel, particularly luxe solo holidays or singlemoons, is surging in popularity, especially among women. 

‘Women [now] embrace the idea of travelling alone, not as a sign of isolation but as an act of empowerment, self-love, and exploration,’ Waletzko tells Time Out. ‘Solo adventures aren’t just about being alone; they’re about returning home with new perspectives, stronger self-esteem, and an even deeper appreciation for the relationships temporarily left behind.’

Although adding a ‘moon’ to anything makes it more sellable (hello, ‘babymoon’ and ‘minimoon’), the ‘singlemoon’ represents a departure from seeing marriage and relationships as the ideal (which also feeds into the dreaded single traveller supplements). Instead, it has welcomed the idea of being able to enjoy all the perks of a ‘honeymoon’ without waiting until you’re partnered. 

Elişa Roche, a chef-come-food writer, describes herself as an ‘expert serial singlemooner’. After she overcame cervical cancer in 2015, she quit her job to travel around Bali for six months, and her love of the ‘singlemoon’ was born.

‘During lockdown, I stayed in a honeymoon resort in the Maldives,’ she tells Time Out. ‘I was the only single person on the island. It was hilarious staying in a couples’ villa on stilts in the middle of the ocean with rose petals strewn all over the bed.’

Roche has since pledged to take herself abroad on a solo trip every year - even if she were to meet someone romantically. ‘My annual solo trips are sacred, and even if I met a partner I would still advocate for going it alone. My confidence has soared, and I think you have more adventures this way.’ 

I stayed in a honeymoon resort in the Maldives. I was the only single person on the island

Mayah Riaz took ‘the holiday of a lifetime’ during a ‘singlemoon’ to Cape Town, South Africa. ‘None of my friends wanted to come with me, so I decided to go myself and make a real luxury trip of it,’ she recalls.

In a honeymoon-esque holiday, Riaz headed on her first-ever safari tour, explored Robin Island, went on a solo helicopter ride and even climbed her first-ever mountain, Lion’s Head, alone. She even stayed in a suite and flew business class. ‘It was magical. I didn’t want to go on a budget holiday just because I was alone.’ 

And globetrotters shouldn’t have to. If there’s a lesson to be learned this year, it’s that life is too short to wait around to see the world – especially when you’re in the best company there is: yourself.