Vicky, the 30-something London dentist I’m sharing lunch with, says: “This is my seventh holiday with Solos Holidays. I’m single but travelling like this means I can go on walks and tours with company or do things alone — like shopping or visiting the Turkish baths — without feeling like I’m snubbing people. I’m not looking for romance — I just want a companionable holiday.”
John, an 80-year-old retired engineer from Surrey is quick to agree. After losing his wife five years ago he missed travelling but prefers to spend time with other people while sightseeing.
“I like this group holiday because there’s always an eclectic mix of people and it’s much more fun sharing experiences,” he says. “At my age, it’s a sad reality that the number of friends who can come away with me is shrinking.”
They’re not alone. There are a growing number of holidaymakers travelling on their own but as part of an organised group, Solos was the first of this type of travel firm when it started in 1982, but is now part of a flourishing market, which also includes younger adventurers.
Solo travel itself is booming. An ABTA survey last year revealed that more than one in six people now holiday solo — up from 12 per cent in 2017 and up by almost one third since 2011.
Solos says its customers are typically aged 50 to 80 and feel happier travelling with others. Though groups often include widowers or divorcees, not everyone is single: many people want a different type of holiday from their partner or one of the pair is unable to go.
Women generally outnumber men on Solos trips seven to three and there are no single supplements.
Carol Williams, a Solos host in Fethiye, says her most recent guests included a long distance lorry driver, the owner of a business furnishing rental properties and head of IT at a major British bank. One was a widower, one had a wife unable to travel for health reasons, the other had never married.
“With Solos it is very rare you get anyone looking for romance although it does happen. I have only had one couple marry and they are still together,” Carol said.
“Many lasting friendships are formed on these holidays and some groups only meet once a year on them. Making friends is definitely a consideration along with building up the confidence to go alone.”
To get a taste of this single touring life, I’ve flown in for three days. Arriving at Dalaman airport, we’re picked up by shuttle bus for the hour’s journey to the three-star Kayaköy Boutique Hotel, just outside the tranquil and ancient village of Kayaköy, not far from both Fethiye and Ölüdeniz.
The hotel’s accommodation is divided among farmhouse-style villas and my room has a large spa bath, stripped wooden flooring and a balcony overlooking the pool.
There’s a buffet-style breakfast every morning by the pool and some dinners are included, with a chef there who will cook to your dietary requirements. The rest of the time, people tended to eat in organised groups at local restaurants or headed out in smaller groups.
A welcome cocktail on the first night was a great ice-breaker. There are a maximum of 16 people in the holiday group and the small-ish crowd was soon buzzing with chat about where they’d been, who they were and what they wanted to see.
In this part of south-west Turkey, where the Aegean meets the Med, we’re surrounded by pristine beaches, idyllic coves, but also ancient wonders including the 350BCE Lycian Tomb of Amyntas, carved into a bluff overlooking Fethiye town.
A highlight was a trip on a traditional Turkish boat called a gulet, a visit to Turkish baths and watching paragliders over Blue Lagoon.
Others with longer to spend went to the Kaunos Rock Tombs in Dalyan, which date back over 3,000 years; Iztuzu Beach, known as a nesting site for sea turtles, and Fethiye’s Kelebekler Vadisi, or Butterfly Valley, a remote beach only accessible by boat.
The gulet cruise and tour around Fethiye’s ‘Ultra Blue Bays’ was the most memorable activity for me. For just £40 per person we sailed to four coves to snorkel, before an on-board fish barbecue and lounging on the sundeck.
The bays were uncrowded and in September, the water was still warm and crystal clear.
On another day I took a two-hour horse trekking trip through pine forests and foothills for £15. The trek included several first-time riders, with photo stops of the spectacular views of the surrounding coastline. Non-riders can opt for a jeep safari or quad biking.
Ölüdeniz, also known as Turkey’s Blue Lagoon is another must-see because of the pristine aquamarine and turquoise waters. Located near the foothills of Mount Babadağ, it’s around 20 minutes by car from downtown Fethiye.
There are several small restaurants, changing rooms and you can rent a sun lounger and snorkelling gear for a small fee.
But a visit to Turkey wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a traditional Turkish bath or hammam which means ‘spreader of warmth’ and dates back to the Ottoman Empire.
Here a tellak or masseur will soap you up and rub you down with a kese, a horse hair flannel, giving you a thorough exfoliation followed by a short but vigorous massage to loosen muscles and joints. It is a rejuvenating experience and I felt tingly and refreshed afterwards.
But one of the most relaxing ways of spending an afternoon was simply lounging by the hotel pool with a good book, glass of chilled Turkish wine and chatting with fellow guests. Indulging yourself is, after all, what a solo holiday is all about.
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