The One Book You Should Pack When Traveling Solo

There’s something about solo travel that strips away the noise of life and leaves you standing there, face to face with your truest self. It’s a thrilling, sometimes lonely, often healing kind of freedom. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of boarding flights alone and watching sunsets with no one to share them with, it’s this: a book can be the quiet companion you didn’t know you needed.

Not every moment on the road is packed with excitement. There are long layovers in airports that never seem to sleep, train rides through empty countryside, evenings spent in a foreign city where you don't speak the language and no familiar face crosses your path. In those moments, a good book becomes more than a pastime. It becomes your safe place. Your anchor. Your whispering friend when the silence gets a little too loud.

But here’s the catch: not every book is made for the road. I’ve learned that the hard way. On one trip, I brought along a heavy hardcover novel that everyone seemed to love. It was over 700 pages long, weighed nearly a kilogram, and by the third day, I realized I wasn’t in the mood to wade through dense paragraphs and complicated metaphors. I wanted lightness — in my bag and in my heart.

Since then, I’ve developed a kind of sixth sense for choosing travel-friendly books, especially for solo adventures. First rule? Keep it light — physically and emotionally. That doesn’t mean shallow. It just means pick something that flows. Books that don’t demand too much but offer enough. Think under 400 pages, paperback, ideally something that slips into your bag without much fuss. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re walking for hours or hopping between cities.

Second? Choose books that match your emotional landscape. When you’re traveling alone, you’re more open to feelings, more attuned to the quiet world inside. I tend to reach for titles with a warm voice, a sense of movement, maybe a bit of wanderlust or introspection. Books like The Alchemist, Eat Pray Love, or Wild have this magical way of making you feel understood while also pushing you forward.

But don’t be afraid of fiction. Sometimes a well-written story with strong characters can feel like having new travel companions. I’ve laughed out loud on trains reading David Sedaris, felt heartbreak in cafés over Sally Rooney, and wandered back alleys with Haruki Murakami. The best part? You’re never truly alone with a character beside you.

One of my favorite travel habits is to choose a book that connects to the destination. Heading to Japan? Norwegian Wood. Going to Italy? Call Me By Your Name. Even a collection of local short stories or poetry can root your trip in a way Instagram never could. You begin to see things through different eyes, hear the city speak in new ways, and carry more than just memories when you leave.

Oh, and here’s a little tip not many people talk about — always store your book in its own pouch. A cloth bag, a ziplock, anything that keeps it safe from water bottles, sunscreen leaks, or your inevitable mid-trip snack explosion. A book deserves that kind of respect. After all, it’s sharing this journey with you.

And don’t feel pressure to finish it. A book carried across borders, read in bits and pieces under different skies, becomes a kind of travel journal. Each dog-eared page holds a moment, a place, a version of you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t make it to the last chapter. What matters is how it made you feel while you were turning the pages.

Lastly, read what you love. That’s the golden rule. If self-help gets you inspired, bring it. If fantasy lifts your spirits, go for it. If poetry calms your mind after a noisy day, pack it. There’s no “right” book for travel. There’s only the book that speaks to you, that makes you feel seen, and keeps you company in the ways you need most.

Traveling alone is an act of courage, but also of curiosity. You step into the world on your own terms, with your own rhythms, free from compromise. A book doesn’t tie you down — it expands you. It gives you another world to explore when the one around you grows quiet. It gives you comfort, laughter, and even new dreams.

So before you zip up your suitcase, before you check your passport or book your ride to the airport, take a moment to choose your book. Not just any book, but the one you want to talk to when the stars are out and you're the only one awake. The one you’ll open while sipping coffee in a quiet courtyard, or while the city sleeps and your heart beats a little faster than usual.

Choose the book that feels like home, even when you're far from it.