There are reasons some people prefer to travel alone. Travelers who swear by solo travel claim it’s the only way to live completely in the moment, without compromise or distraction – the only way to have complete control of your trip – the freedom to do whatever you please, whenever you want to.

Meeting people on the road—fellow travelers and locals—is one of the high points of any travel experience and while it may seem counter-intuitive it enables, if not straight up forces you to reach out and connect.

Here are some of our favorite resources out there for the solo travelers (in alphabetical order):

AllSinglesTravel.com – It’s not the prettiest booking site out there, but AllSingles specializes in tours and cruises for single travelers.

Solo Friendly – Gray Cargill shares her experiences traveling on her own and tips for destinations that are solo friendly.

Solo Traveler Blog – Solo travelers Janice Waugh and Tracey Nesbitt share their advice for how and where to go on solo trips.

What’s the Bottom line for would-be Solo Travelers?

If you’re having trouble finding someone to travel with on your round-the-world journey, just take the leap and go by yourself. Sure, there will be lonely moments, but those moments will pass and  it’s inevitable the experience of traveling solo will change you for the better.

Besides, you’ll meet plenty of interesting people on the road, and if you really end up not liking solo travel, you can always join a group tour.

So get out there on your own. You may even find a courage and resourcefulness you didn’t know you had before.