Luxury Solo Female Travel: Where to Go and How Nayara Does It

Jul 8, 2024

Solo travel has moved from unconventional to mainstream, particularly among women seeking independence, restoration and discovery. Nayara combines private spaces, guided experiences, and attentive hospitality from desert to rainforest to reef.

Key Findings

60%

Women represented 60% of solo travelers in Hostelworld’s 2025 survey.

55%

Of women traveling solo cite safety as a concern, compared with 18% of men.

14.6%

Projected annual growth of the global solo travel market from 2026 through 2033.

The Movement

A Growing Movement

In short: Women are leading the growth of solo travel. In Hostelworld’s 2025 survey, 60% of solo travelers identified as female. Nayara pairs private space, guided experiences, wellness and attentive hospitality across Costa Rica, Chile and Panama.

In 2026, more women than ever are choosing to travel alone. What was once considered unconventional has become a powerful expression of independence, curiosity, and self-discovery.

Solo travel is now a major growth segment in the industry. Grand View Research projects the global solo travel market to grow at a 14.6% compound annual rate from 2026 through 2033. Without others to plan around, individuals explore new destinations at their own pace, indulge personal interests, and find opportunities to discover themselves along the way.

The Why

Why Women Travel Solo

For women, solo travel can mean a needed pause from routine, a chance to reconnect with themselves, or the opportunity to explore a destination that doesn't align with a partner's or friend's interests. Some are marking a life transition. Others are proving how capable they are. The freedom to travel on one's own terms is a powerful draw.

Women are a clear force within the category. Hostelworld’s 2025 State of Solo Travel report found that women were more likely to travel solo, with 60% of surveyed solo travelers identifying as female. The same research found that women associated solo travel with self-discovery, confidence and mental refreshment, while safety remained a meaningful consideration. From the Atacama Desert to wellness retreats on Panama's Caribbean islands, women are prioritizing freedom, self-care, and intentional connection with the world around them.

A solo traveler in the rainforest at Nayara — Solo travel, on one’s own terms, across the Nayara destinations.

Solo travel is increasingly shaped by women seeking autonomy, confidence and time on their own terms.

Never Alone

Independent But Never Alone

Solo travel does not mean going it entirely alone. Many solo female travelers find that these voyages make space for deeper, more spontaneous connections with fellow travelers, locals, and themselves. Recent peer-reviewed research links solo female travel with autonomy, competence, confidence and connectedness.

Shared experiences, conversations over meals, or moments of discovery all help create meaningful bonds that form naturally along the way. There is a quiet strength in navigating new places independently.

Women often find that other women, whether locals or fellow travelers, are quick to offer insight and solidarity. It is a kind of kinship that transcends language and culture, revealing a shared understanding across borders.

Solo female traveler at Nayara — Independent travel can still make room for natural connection.

Arenal

Solo in the Arenal Rainforest

For thousands of years, human beings have stepped away from civilization to find balance through connection to the natural world. Nowhere does this feel more powerful than in a personal journey through the rainforests surrounding Arenal Volcano. Arenal Volcano National Park spans more than 12,000 hectares, with trails through flora, fauna and historic lava flows.

A solo journey into Arenal provides distraction-free immersion in nature and the chance to embrace a lifestyle connected to the rhythm of the rainforest. Wake to the call of birds and fall asleep as the sun sets. Consult with Nayara guides to customize tours, hikes, and experiences, encountering tropical birds, mammals, and other species in their natural habitats.

Private villa plunge pool at Nayara Springs in Arenal — A private villa pool in the Arenal rainforest at Nayara Springs.

Atacama

Solo in the Atacama Desert

As dawn breaks on the possibility of celestial tourism, the travel industry continues challenging itself to understand what it truly means to get away. Distance shifts perspective, and with astronauts returning to Earth forever changed, the possibilities of considering the world beyond our own are tempting and endless.

At Nayara Alto Atacama, solo travelers experience an otherworldly adventure in the heart of Earth's driest desert. This remote landscape, often compared with the Martian surface, is part of one of the world’s great astronomical regions. The European Southern Observatory cites more than 320 clear nights per year at its Atacama sites, along with exceptionally dark skies and minimal light pollution.

On solo tours across the rugged, seemingly alien landscape still dotted with vibrant life, or exploring the ruins of the cultures who lived here for centuries, you get as close to otherworldly travel as we have found without journeying into orbit. With a luxurious oasis to welcome you back each day, Alto Atacama provides a glimpse into the future of interplanetary tourism centuries ahead of schedule.

The otherworldly landscape of the Atacama Desert at Nayara Alto Atacama — A million miles away, in the heart of the Atacama Desert.

Frequently Asked Questions

Solo Female Travel at Nayara

Is solo travel at Nayara safe for women?

Nayara is well suited to solo travelers who value structure and support. Resort teams can help arrange transportation, guided experiences and daily plans, while travelers retain the independence to set their own pace. Safety remains an important consideration for solo women generally: 55% of women in Hostelworld’s 2025 survey cited it as a concern.

Which Nayara destination is best for a first solo trip?

Costa Rica (Arenal) is the easiest entry point: rainforest immersion, guided tours, and a social, wellness-led setting. The Atacama suits travelers wanting solitude and otherworldly landscapes, while Bocas del Toro offers warm-water, wellness-focused seclusion on a private island.

Is solo travel lonely?

Rarely. Shared meals, guided experiences, and natural connections with fellow travelers and locals often create deeper, more spontaneous bonds, while still protecting time for solitude when you want it.

What experiences are tailored for solo travelers?

Customized tours and hikes, wellness and spa programming, stargazing, yoga and sound healing, and wildlife encounters, all adaptable to your pace and interests rather than a fixed group schedule.

When is the best time for a solo trip to Nayara?

Each destination has a different seasonal rhythm. Arenal is a year-round rainforest destination, while the Atacama’s high-altitude desert climate produces exceptionally clear astronomical conditions across much of the year. Bocas del Toro remains tropical year-round, with rainfall and sea conditions varying by season.

About the Author

Albert Ghitis

Digital Marketing · Nayara Resorts

Albert Ghitis leads digital marketing at Nayara Resorts, overseeing editorial and newsletter strategy, search and AI discovery, and paid digital media. He is also the host of Nayara Horizons: Beyond Travel, a podcast exploring the people, places and ideas shaping travel today.