Oneika Raymond sits down with solo travel expert Beth Santos, founder of Wanderful, a global travel community for women. Together, they talk about how traveling on your own can be an opportunity for personal growth and share expert tips on how to make the most of your solo travels.

Beth takes a mindset-first approach to traveling solo on your own terms, and recently authored a book that explores her philosophy: Wander Woman: How to Reclaim Your Space, Find Your Voice, and Travel the World, Solo. While traveling solo in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2009, Beth created Wanderful as a travel blog aimed to share the experiences of women traveling the world. Today, it’s a community of over 40,000 travelers.

Oneika learns about how Beth’s first solo trips helped shape her travel philosophy, and how solo travel has made her a more engaged mother and business owner. Beth and Oneika bond over solo travel as a form of self care amidst the many responsibilities of modern life. 

Then, Beth and Oneika dig into their best advice for anyone looking to take a solo trip - from the one item you need to pack, to how to spend your first day on your own, to the questions to ask yourself to figure out where to go on a solo adventure. You’ll also get insider tips on how to meet people on your travels – because solo travel doesn’t have to be lonely.

Ready to book your next solo trip? Find your perfect adventure by checking out Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities. Marriott Bonvoy members earn points on every experience booked through the site.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.