The 12 Advantages of Traveling as a Couple

Traveling as a couple is often seen by solo travelers as a loss of freedom and opportunities; in short: the other is a burden! Some believe that traveling alone is better than traveling as a couple: it allows access to many advantages in terms of personal development that are inaccessible to travelers in couples.

And yet... there are many advantages to traveling as a couple: here are 12 (+ 1 bonus) as good reasons to travel together (or more!).

When traveling together, we talk (a lot!) to each other. This makes it easier to be noticed and approached by travelers who speak the same language as we do.

Ah, you also speak French!

But honestly, speaking your native language on the other side of the world can sometimes take away a bit of the exoticism and pull the traveler out of their bubble.

Conversely, speaking as a couple in the local language presents an opportunity to show off some skills, to be approached by locals happy to see tourists speaking their language, and thus weave connections more easily.

A couple seemingly emanates something reassuring at first glance, and often, women, couples, and families approach us confidently. I have confirmed this theory with other couples, and it is even truer when small blond heads join the group: these adorable children seem to open all doors!

People are less suspicious of a couple or a family than they are of a scruffy and solitary wanderer!

When traveling as a couple, the risks of being approached by the local creep who hits on everything that moves (even if some still don't stop...) or the scammer searching for an easy, isolated target are reduced.

Each person has their areas of preference when traveling. For some, it's the cultural aspect; for others, adventure or extreme sports... A couple allows for the joining of two personalities, two souls passionate about different areas, enriching each other and broadening horizons.

For François, it's primarily about gastronomy! When we go somewhere, he immediately dreams of all the things he can taste on site: mention Italy and he thinks pizza and gelato, Chile brings to mind ceviche, and if you say Cuzco, he drools at the thought of his guacamole!

When traveling, he will enter shops, bakeries, restaurants... in search of the typical. This allows me to accompany him on his culinary discoveries and taste things I would never have tried had I been traveling alone.

Conversely, thanks to my insistence, he accompanied me (among other places) into the Amazon jungle, and he absolutely does not regret it.

Of course, beyond these differences, it's good to find common ground based on shared passions and interests... the basics of any couple.

Being together means having two brains instead of one. Together, we can exchange ideas, debate, weigh the pros and cons of different opportunities available to us, and thus better optimize our movements on-site, better assess options... It allows for stepping back and evaluating possibilities.

It also helps to not (or rather, to forget less!) the important things without having to tie knots in all your handkerchiefs!

Two brains also mean the ability to share strengths and use each other's assets. François has a brain designed to remember numbers, calculate conversions, and exchange rates... And me? No specific brain predisposition to report; I'm still searching...

Having your dear half with you brings a plethora of very practical advantages: being able to take a nap in the middle of a bus station, peacefully, knowing that the other is watching over us and our precious bags.

Or even going to the bathroom: what relief to be able to leave your belongings behind and enter with just the bare minimum to face the world's less-than-clean restrooms.

And speaking of food, my guardian angel sometimes acts as a professional taster. During our trip to Cambodia, to check if things weren't too spicy, he would taste each of my dishes (despite the Cambodians' constant response: >... it depends on who you're asking!) As I have gastritis, I had to avoid eating too spicy as much as possible.

The guardian angel also keeps a watchful eye: mine has pulled me back from crossing the road too daringly without seeing the approaching driver.

Traveling as a couple is proportionately less expensive than traveling alone. For example, for accommodation, a room for two is cheaper than two rooms for one person.

The same goes for drinks (by buying a large bottle of water instead of two small ones) or in restaurants, where we can share the daily menu, which is often very generous.

Facing the hotel receptionist as a pair makes it easier to negotiate prices: simply discussing it together in front of him opens the dialogue.

Taking it a step further, we can even play >, with one agreeing and the other refusing to pay the asked price. This method is also effective in markets:

My wife prefers to find a room elsewhere.

My husband thinks this jewelry is too expensive.

Even if it's not always the same language, it automatically sets up a bargaining dynamic. We create a delay before providing our answer, and for some, just this waiting time will lead them to want to lower the price.

Additionally, being two leads us to compare prices more and avoid impulsive spending.

Are you afraid of spiders? Don't like negotiating? Like in any team, you need to leverage one another's strengths and compensate for weaknesses. Together, we can complement each other and take on particular tasks, or accompany each other to face fears and/or learn.

Just like at the beginning of our first trip to South America: François being perfectly bilingual in Spanish handled all interactions with locals. Fortunately, quite quickly, he stepped back to allow me to try to order at the restaurant or ask the price of an item at the market... allowing me to improve:

When a man is hungry, it's better to teach him to fish than to give him a fish. (Confucius)

Strengths and weaknesses can also be temporary, like in cases of illness. For example, in Bolivia, at the beginning of our trip, we were > (to say that politely) about every three days! How comforting to have someone healthy to go fetch medicine or simply take care of us when we're sick.

Traveling as a couple allows for greater safety. Being two means you're less likely to be targeted by ill-intentioned people searching for an isolated prey.

However, we maintain certain basic safety practices when traveling: do not go out alone at night in well-known > neighborhoods...

This may surprise many, but while traveling, not everything is always rosy. Sometimes fatigue sets in: physical or mental exhaustion, blues due to distance, a little depression > ... There are many occasions when one can > while traveling, even sink into darkness.

It must be a difficult moment to get through when alone. But as a couple, we can support each other. Until now, we have never had these blues at the same time (we organize our down days well!), allowing us to be receptive to our partner's fatigue and to offer them a moment to rest.

Sometimes just a few days of rest without having to pack and unpack our bags every night, a good shower, a good meal, a compassionate shoulder, and a head full of plans can help us sail smoothly over the rough patches.

The last advantage, and not the least, the heart of traveling as a couple in my eyes: sharing.

Often, when we admire something magnificent, we think of what we miss (to feel good, to be happy...). Paradoxically, while admiring a beautiful sunset over a fairy-tale landscape, darker feelings may emerge. Especially if alone. You might feel the urge to look back and see a loved one's face marveling with us at the beauty of the place and moment.

This feeling, the couple traveler does not experience: they turn to see the smile on their partner's face, eyes lost in the horizon.

And upon returning, when recounting their travels, loved ones sometimes cannot understand the emotions we felt or truly share what we have lived.

But the partner can. They will still be there to share this moment of intimacy and say,

I understand you!

They will also be a real memory aid: together, we speak more easily, and what we might forget over time, the other remembers, preventing memories from fading into oblivion.

And as a bonus, traveling together when you are a blogger means bringing your proofreader along! In my case, it's my super IT expert, photo pro, and chief proofreader that I take on the road: the superhero of modern times!

Traveling as a couple, besides all the benefits it brings to the relationship, has many advantages! Of course, as I hinted in the introduction, these advantages also apply to traveling with friends or family.

Rich in personal and relational growth, it is also very practical, safe, and economical.

And you, do you see any other advantages?

To delve deeper, I invite you to read the articles:

The Encyclopedia of Couple Travel: The Three-Time Waltz Traveling as a Couple and the Art of Balancing Traveling as a Couple? From Dream to Nightmare: The 9 Traps Couples Disputes While Traveling: How to Handle Them?