Important milestones are usually celebrated with loved ones, but this year, for my birthday, I decided to take a bucket-list trip to Hong Kong and Japan — on my own.
Originally, I’d planned to celebrate at a rooftop bar with friends, but this trip has been on my mind for years. Instead, I cancelled my plans and landed in Hong Kong the day before I turned 29.
It wasn’t the first time I’d spent my birthday alone abroad. The year before, I found myself wandering Singapore solo because friends couldn’t join me. What started as a reluctant plan B changed how I view celebrations altogether.
I spent my first solo birthday in Singapore
Strolling through the airport alone, in a different time zone from family and friends, nobody around knew it was my birthday. At first, that felt strange. Then, as I handed over my passport, a flight attendant wished me “happy birthday,” and suddenly it hit me: I was boarding a flight to Singapore alone because I had chosen to celebrate myself rather than wait for the right time, budget, or destination to suit everyone else.
Courtesy of Sally Seaton.
I could have spent my birthday in my small hometown surrounded by loved ones, but I wanted something bigger. I was nervous about traveling solo and worried it would feel lonely without gifts to open or people around me to celebrate. Instead, I spent the day exploring Gardens by the Bay, getting lost on public transport, and eating my way through Singapore’s famous hawker centers.
It wasn’t perfect. There were moments when navigating a new city alone felt overwhelming, and times I wished I had someone to share the experience with. However, there was something freeing about spending my birthday how I wanted. That evening, I watched the city lights from a rooftop bar overlooking Marina Bay Sands before heading to a ladies’ night event I saw advertised in the Facebook group “Singapore Travel Buddies,” where I ended up chatting with strangers and feeling far less alone than I expected.
I felt content, independent, and excited. It was one of the most memorable birthdays I’d ever had.
Each birthday trip changed how I think about being alone
After my solo birthday trip to Singapore, I decided it would become a tradition. Most recently, I celebrated my birthday with a bucket-list trip to Hong Kong and Japan.
This time, I felt more relaxed. I knew what to expect from spending my birthday alone. Yet the nerves still appeared. No matter how many birthdays I spend traveling solo, it feels strange waking up in a hotel room with no gifts to open and nobody waiting to celebrate. Just me, myself, and my thoughts.
That’s the part people rarely talk about. Spending birthdays alone hasn’t stopped feeling unusual. Birthdays are seen as milestones to be shared, and there are moments when I still wonder if I’m missing out by choosing something different. For my next trip, I’m planning a solo trip to the Maldives, and I can’t wait.
With each trip, I’ve become more comfortable with my own company. I’ve learned that being alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely. Some of my favorite birthday memories come from trying new cuisines, wandering unfamiliar streets, and ticking off bucket-list activities.
Courtesy Sally Seaton.
Solo travel taught me that I don’t need to wait for someone else to do something meaningful. I have gained confidence and feel invincible. The older I get, the more I see these trips as a way of celebrating myself.
