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Self-growth, Solo Travel

The Life-Changing Power of Solo Travel: 20+ Lessons I’ve Learned From Solo Travelling and How It Transformed My Life

read more
  • beautiful beaches near dubai UAE
    Dubai,  United Arab Emirates

    4 lesser-known picturesque and secluded beaches near Dubai

    Did you know that there are secluded and picturesque beaches and beach bars near Dubai that offer a more relaxing and exotic experience than Dubai city? At these beaches, you can enjoy crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkelling, surfing, and other…

  • free beaches in Dubai
    Dubai,  United Arab Emirates

    5 free best beaches in Dubai, UAE (suggested by Dubai expat)

    While many countries have entered the freezing cold winter, in Dubai, UAE you will still get the temperature of 26 to 35 celsius in autumn and winter, which makes Dubai/UAE one of the best winter vacation destinations for so many tourists in…

  • best red dunes desert safari in Dubai
    Dubai,  United Arab Emirates

    Dubai Desert Safari Tour: 10 Things to Check for Finding the Best Tour in Dubai 2024 (Best for First-Time Desert Explorers)

    Want to find the best red dunes Dubai desert safari for an awesome and hassle-free experience, but don’t know which desert safari tour to choose? Look no further! This article will guide you in finding a tour that best suits…

  • aesthetic dubai beach bar and restaurants with alcohol
    Dubai,  United Arab Emirates

    8 aesthetic beach restaurants and beach bars in Dubai UAE that serve alcohol

    Most of the restaurants in Dubai/UAE do not serve alcohol, so finding places to enjoy cocktails outside of hotels with an aesthetic beach vibe is like a treasure hunt. But don’t worry, after reading this article, you will know at…

  • Greece Crete Chania street story
    Greece,  Travel Story

    9 Greece Travel Stories from Crete Island: How Greece Stole My Heart

    It is very easy for people to fall in love with Greece, mostly because of the ocean views, food, sunset, and the people they encountered on the trips. Here are my 6 stories, each one is about people I encountered…

  • Athens Greece cafe bar Boo cafe bar Athens
    Aesthetic travel destinations,  Greece

    11 aesthetic cafes restaurants bars in Athens Greece that will make you fall in love with the capital of Greece

    Athens, Greece is a surprising city with lots of uniquely designed restaurants, cafes, and bars, many of which have amazing aesthetic vibes. If you’re looking for places to eat and drink in Athens, Greece, here are 11 places that I…

  • Lycabettus Hil blue roof church
    Aesthetic travel destinations,  Greece

    10 Best Things to Do in Athens Greece for Aesthetic Seekers

    Are you an aesthetic seekers looking for best things to do in Athens, Greece other than visit Acropolis , Pantheon Athens? Here are 10 best things for you to satisfied your needs! Enjoy! 11 aesthetic cafes restaurants bars in Athens…

  • Balos Beach Grambousa Restaurant traditional Crete food
    Greece

    Balos Beach Restaurant|Grambousa Restaurant: The Best Traditional Cretan restaurant near Balos Beach with Ocean Views and Live Music

    If you are looking for a restaurant near Balos Beach, I highly recommend Grambousa Restaurant. Providing mouthwatering, authentic Cretan cuisine, a stunning garden and ocean views, live music, and a cozy atmosphere, this restaurant is a must-visit Balos Beach restaurant…

  • Hotel Crete Island Balos Beach Hotel
    Greece

    Balos Beach Hotel Review| Enjoy Stunning Ocean and Mountain Views During Your Stay

    Looking for a hotel with stunning ocean and mountain views near Balos Beach? Look no further than Balos Beach Hotel, the closest hotel to Balos Lagoon, located just 9km away. Discover more with photos and detailed reviews in this article.…

  • Elafonisi Beach Pink sand beach in Crete Island Greece
    Aesthetic travel destinations,  Greece

    6 picturesque and must go places in Crete Island: easy to reach from Chania

    If you love unique beaches, amazing seafood, colourful streets, and genuine people, make sure you visit Crete Island! Here are 5 must go places in Crete Island that are picturesque, and easy to visit from Chania, including one of the…

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About Author

solo travel girl

Hello! I’m Samantha, a 152 cm tall Taiwanese shorty who unexpectedly took the first solo trip after finishing my summer job in the USA in 2012, and it greatly transformed my life and mindset. Since then, I have explored 21 countries, attained a Master’s degree in the UK, worked in Palau, Shanghai, and Dubai.

I believe that everything starts with an idea and one step. Therefore, I created this blog to share my journey and tips in exploring the world and self-growth. My hope is to connect with like-minded souls & aspiring solo travelers and provide a little help, inspirations for your next adventures.

As I’m crazy about ocean views, rooftop/outdoor bars/cafes, aesthetic vibes, and hidden gems recommended by locals. You’ll easily find information on all of these in my blog.

Let’s explore, grow and heal together! xx

Contact & Work With Me: [email protected]

Instagram

“The EARTH without ART is just EH” 😬😂 S “The EARTH without ART is just EH” 😬😂 So, here are 2 places in Dubai for people who enjoy artistic vibes👉Courtyard & Alserkal Avenue. Courtyard is small but it’s like a little garden, really cute and has cafe, stores, restaurants & galleries. The best part is, it is so close to Alserkal Avenue where you can find more art galleries, unique vendors, cafes, vintage car store & cinema. Loved walking around both places, and getting surprise by what I could encounter. 📍 @courtyarduae & @alserkalavenue 🧚🏻‍♀️ #streetphotography #arts #dubaitourism #courtyard #travelphotography #travelblogger #streetart #aesthetic #dubaitravel #passionpassport #spicollective #dreaminstreets #sheexplores
“We keep moving forward, opening up new doors an “We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” — Walt Disney . Doors📍 Al Seef & Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 @samanthavoila #doorsandwindows #collageedit #travelreels #spicollective #streetfinder #tdmmag #alfahidihistoricalneighbourhood #art #alseefdubai #collage #bbctravel #collageartwork #dreaminstreets #travelphotography #adventure_culture #doorsoftheworld #doorsandwindowsoftheworld #streetphotography #travelblogger #myvisionprecisely
Be careful what you are thinking because, “Thoug Be careful what you are thinking because, “Thoughts are magnetic, and thoughts have a frequency. As you think thoughts, they are sent out into the universe, and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to the source - you.” ― Rhonda Byrne, The Secret All these quotes were the sharp reminders for me when I was in the low mood and thought things were not great. But the day I read 《The Secret》 again at Seva Experience was the day some energy changed. And I even got everything that I asked for the rest of that day, even just tiny little things like “I need to buy a book 《The Power of Now》because I forgot to bring it” and then I randomly found a kiosk on the street that actually had it 🦋🙀 “Remember that you are a magnet, attracting everything to you” 📍 Seva Experience, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 👉A peaceful cafe with lots of great energy, where you can see people coming here alone to read, sketch, think, and recharge. I thought I was entering a secret garden when I visited! And didn’t think I was still in the city at all🚪 🧘‍♀️ They also have a yoga studio and a little wellness shop. #aestheticcafe #dubai #uniquecafe #thesecretgarden #plantcafe #plantaddict #plantdecor #peacefullplace #peacefulmind #mindsetquotes #thesecretbook #mindsetbooks #wellnesstravel #travelblogger #dubaicafe #wellnesstravel #wellnesstravelblogger
To see is to believe, and we can learn so much by To see is to believe, and we can learn so much by exploring places deeper. Want to point out 5 things I learned about the UAE/Dubai that surprised me the most, let me know which ones you’ve already known.  1️⃣The percentage of the expat living in the UAE is high👇 Approximately 85% of the total population in the UAE are expats, and MAJORITY of them are from Asia (India, Pakistan, Philippines etc) & other middle eastern countries. There are also many British people and Africans living there. 
 2️⃣The gap of the salary is HUGE👇 While there are lots of wealthy people, there are also people earning less than 600 USD/month.
 3️⃣The UAE is only 50 year old in December 2021. 👇 And they’ve already become so well known, advanced, achieved lots and have already attracted so many people going there. I personally believe other than having the natural resources, having rulers that are ambitious, strategic, and really care about the development and the future of their country is a crucial factor in this. 
 4️⃣This place has something for everyone, either they are wealthy people or not👇 I heard stories from expats who earn less than 600 USD/month that they are still able to send money back home, pay the rent (for a room that is shared with 8 people), live in Dubai, and SAVE UP(!!??)And you know what? They are already super grateful for what they have now and happy for the SAFETY, the FREEDOM, the OPPORTUNITY and the SALARY that the UAE can offer them which THEIR HOME COUNTRIES FAILED to provide 🥹
 5️⃣The gap between the quality of people is big, probably the biggest I’ve ever experience for one place👇 There are many super kind, generous, ambitious, smart people, and people with high tolerance and always help others/their families, countries, or work hard on their own business/dreams. BUT there are also LOTS of rude (that called waitress like she is a dog), dodgy or shallow ones (that constantly talk about fancy stuff and gossip). Also some weird men on the street randomly asking girls to be their wife 🤷‍♀️ 
. #dubai #travelphotography #traveldeeper #travelblogger #streetphotography #welivetoexplore #unpopularopinion
🍦The most difficult ice cream to get on earth👉Turkish ice cream!!! Luckily (for him) the ice cream tasted good!! Otherwise …🤔 吼，想吃一個冰淇淋那麼難🤡還好很好吃不然這人就完蛋了！ 📍 Souk Madinat Jumeirah #turkishicecream #turkishicecreamtrick #dubai #soukmadinatjumeirah #culture #travelgram #travelreels #travel_drops #travelreels
Martin Garrix’s music has magic power to cheer u Martin Garrix’s music has magic power to cheer us up and make us incredibly happy! 🤩 Let me just save my Martin Garrix Dubai night here. The night that everyone went wild. The night that made my cheeks, jaw, neck sore because of smiling, laughing & moving too much😹 The night I understood that music has healing power. It even made me completely forgot how tired I was and washed away all my stress. @martingarrix fans anyone? Feel free to listen to it x100 times! I still feel it and have goosebump when listening and watching these raw videos. 🎵 1 & 6: High On Life 🎵 2: Poison 🎵 4: I won’t let you go 🎵 5: Lewis Capaldi - Someone you loved (Martin Garrix Remix) 📍: Coca Cola Arena, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 🗓: 17, Dec, 2021 #martingarrix #top100djs #dubai #cocacolaarena #artist #artheals #musicthatinspires #musiclover #musicforhope #musicforlife #art #liveconcert #happymoment #travelmemories #travelgram
When enjoy a cocktail while dining wasn’t as eas When enjoy a cocktail while dining wasn’t as easy as in other countries I’ve been to, finding places that have licenses to sell alcohol became like a treasure hunt 🧞‍♂️ Other than hotel bar/ hotel owned beach bars, Pier 7 in Dubai Marina was one of our favourite places to enjoy dining & have a bit of cocktails 🍹.  At Pier 7, there are 7 restaurants that provide alcohol, each of them is with different vibe & food. And 💫 Mama Zonia was one of my favourite because of their🦜🌿 jungle vibe/interior design and amazing & diverse food options!! All the food and drinks we tried was perfect, honestly! And that’s why this is the place many of us kept going back while we were there.  Highly recommend it if you visit Dubai Marina and are looking for fusion food, great cocktail & jungle vibe.    For the atmosphere you may need to check their account @mamazoniadxb for it, I forgot to capture it 😅 📍 Mama Zonia, Pier 7, Dubai Marina, UAE 🇦🇪 #dubaicocktails #dubai #dubairestaurants #uniquebar #uniquerestaurant #mamazonia #fusionfood #foodietravel #travelphotography #food #alcohol #travelblogger #pier7dubai #expatblogger #dubaitourism #passionpassport #dubaibars #travelguide #exploredubai #worldtraveler
Dining, drinking at beautiful waterfront restauran Dining, drinking at beautiful waterfront restaurants, listening to live music with a modern Arabic vibe & the view of one of the most iconic Dubai landmarks, Burj Al Arab. There are way too many restaurants to choose from, I only got to try 2 - Maria Bonita 🇲🇽 🌮 & The Meat co @themeatcome. Both got great food, especially the steak at the latter one, if you fancy a steak, you know where to go when you come here.   📍 Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 . . #soukmadinatjumeirah #dubairestaurants #visitdubai #burjalarab #dubai #restaurant #middleeast #travel #travelblogger #dubainightlife #travelphotography #vibe #arabictypography #dubaipics #travelgram #arabicarchitecture
💫 “Life is your mirror. What you see as your 💫 “Life is your mirror. What you see as your outside, always comes from your inside”. 🧘‍♀️ 📍 Kite Beach Centre UAQ, Umm Al Quwain, UAE 🇦🇪 #dailyremindertoself #lifequote #tropicalparadise #innergrowth #wellnesss #sheexplores #quoteoftheday #inspirationalquotes #thoughtsbecomethings #higherconsciousness #traveltogrow #growthquotes #mindsetquotes #innerwisdom #tropicalvibes

Instagram

“The EARTH without ART is just EH” 😬😂 S “The EARTH without ART is just EH” 😬😂 So, here are 2 places in Dubai for people who enjoy artistic vibes👉Courtyard & Alserkal Avenue. Courtyard is small but it’s like a little garden, really cute and has cafe, stores, restaurants & galleries. The best part is, it is so close to Alserkal Avenue where you can find more art galleries, unique vendors, cafes, vintage car store & cinema. Loved walking around both places, and getting surprise by what I could encounter. 📍 @courtyarduae & @alserkalavenue 🧚🏻‍♀️ #streetphotography #arts #dubaitourism #courtyard #travelphotography #travelblogger #streetart #aesthetic #dubaitravel #passionpassport #spicollective #dreaminstreets #sheexplores
“We keep moving forward, opening up new doors an “We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” — Walt Disney . Doors📍 Al Seef & Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 @samanthavoila #doorsandwindows #collageedit #travelreels #spicollective #streetfinder #tdmmag #alfahidihistoricalneighbourhood #art #alseefdubai #collage #bbctravel #collageartwork #dreaminstreets #travelphotography #adventure_culture #doorsoftheworld #doorsandwindowsoftheworld #streetphotography #travelblogger #myvisionprecisely
Be careful what you are thinking because, “Thoug Be careful what you are thinking because, “Thoughts are magnetic, and thoughts have a frequency. As you think thoughts, they are sent out into the universe, and they magnetically attract all like things that are on the same frequency. Everything sent out returns to the source - you.” ― Rhonda Byrne, The Secret All these quotes were the sharp reminders for me when I was in the low mood and thought things were not great. But the day I read 《The Secret》 again at Seva Experience was the day some energy changed. And I even got everything that I asked for the rest of that day, even just tiny little things like “I need to buy a book 《The Power of Now》because I forgot to bring it” and then I randomly found a kiosk on the street that actually had it 🦋🙀 “Remember that you are a magnet, attracting everything to you” 📍 Seva Experience, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 👉A peaceful cafe with lots of great energy, where you can see people coming here alone to read, sketch, think, and recharge. I thought I was entering a secret garden when I visited! And didn’t think I was still in the city at all🚪 🧘‍♀️ They also have a yoga studio and a little wellness shop. #aestheticcafe #dubai #uniquecafe #thesecretgarden #plantcafe #plantaddict #plantdecor #peacefullplace #peacefulmind #mindsetquotes #thesecretbook #mindsetbooks #wellnesstravel #travelblogger #dubaicafe #wellnesstravel #wellnesstravelblogger
To see is to believe, and we can learn so much by To see is to believe, and we can learn so much by exploring places deeper. Want to point out 5 things I learned about the UAE/Dubai that surprised me the most, let me know which ones you’ve already known.  1️⃣The percentage of the expat living in the UAE is high👇 Approximately 85% of the total population in the UAE are expats, and MAJORITY of them are from Asia (India, Pakistan, Philippines etc) & other middle eastern countries. There are also many British people and Africans living there. 
 2️⃣The gap of the salary is HUGE👇 While there are lots of wealthy people, there are also people earning less than 600 USD/month.
 3️⃣The UAE is only 50 year old in December 2021. 👇 And they’ve already become so well known, advanced, achieved lots and have already attracted so many people going there. I personally believe other than having the natural resources, having rulers that are ambitious, strategic, and really care about the development and the future of their country is a crucial factor in this. 
 4️⃣This place has something for everyone, either they are wealthy people or not👇 I heard stories from expats who earn less than 600 USD/month that they are still able to send money back home, pay the rent (for a room that is shared with 8 people), live in Dubai, and SAVE UP(!!??)And you know what? They are already super grateful for what they have now and happy for the SAFETY, the FREEDOM, the OPPORTUNITY and the SALARY that the UAE can offer them which THEIR HOME COUNTRIES FAILED to provide 🥹
 5️⃣The gap between the quality of people is big, probably the biggest I’ve ever experience for one place👇 There are many super kind, generous, ambitious, smart people, and people with high tolerance and always help others/their families, countries, or work hard on their own business/dreams. BUT there are also LOTS of rude (that called waitress like she is a dog), dodgy or shallow ones (that constantly talk about fancy stuff and gossip). Also some weird men on the street randomly asking girls to be their wife 🤷‍♀️ 
. #dubai #travelphotography #traveldeeper #travelblogger #streetphotography #welivetoexplore #unpopularopinion
🍦The most difficult ice cream to get on earth👉Turkish ice cream!!! Luckily (for him) the ice cream tasted good!! Otherwise …🤔 吼，想吃一個冰淇淋那麼難🤡還好很好吃不然這人就完蛋了！ 📍 Souk Madinat Jumeirah #turkishicecream #turkishicecreamtrick #dubai #soukmadinatjumeirah #culture #travelgram #travelreels #travel_drops #travelreels
Martin Garrix’s music has magic power to cheer u Martin Garrix’s music has magic power to cheer us up and make us incredibly happy! 🤩 Let me just save my Martin Garrix Dubai night here. The night that everyone went wild. The night that made my cheeks, jaw, neck sore because of smiling, laughing & moving too much😹 The night I understood that music has healing power. It even made me completely forgot how tired I was and washed away all my stress. @martingarrix fans anyone? Feel free to listen to it x100 times! I still feel it and have goosebump when listening and watching these raw videos. 🎵 1 & 6: High On Life 🎵 2: Poison 🎵 4: I won’t let you go 🎵 5: Lewis Capaldi - Someone you loved (Martin Garrix Remix) 📍: Coca Cola Arena, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 🗓: 17, Dec, 2021 #martingarrix #top100djs #dubai #cocacolaarena #artist #artheals #musicthatinspires #musiclover #musicforhope #musicforlife #art #liveconcert #happymoment #travelmemories #travelgram
When enjoy a cocktail while dining wasn’t as eas When enjoy a cocktail while dining wasn’t as easy as in other countries I’ve been to, finding places that have licenses to sell alcohol became like a treasure hunt 🧞‍♂️ Other than hotel bar/ hotel owned beach bars, Pier 7 in Dubai Marina was one of our favourite places to enjoy dining & have a bit of cocktails 🍹.  At Pier 7, there are 7 restaurants that provide alcohol, each of them is with different vibe & food. And 💫 Mama Zonia was one of my favourite because of their🦜🌿 jungle vibe/interior design and amazing & diverse food options!! All the food and drinks we tried was perfect, honestly! And that’s why this is the place many of us kept going back while we were there.  Highly recommend it if you visit Dubai Marina and are looking for fusion food, great cocktail & jungle vibe.    For the atmosphere you may need to check their account @mamazoniadxb for it, I forgot to capture it 😅 📍 Mama Zonia, Pier 7, Dubai Marina, UAE 🇦🇪 #dubaicocktails #dubai #dubairestaurants #uniquebar #uniquerestaurant #mamazonia #fusionfood #foodietravel #travelphotography #food #alcohol #travelblogger #pier7dubai #expatblogger #dubaitourism #passionpassport #dubaibars #travelguide #exploredubai #worldtraveler
Dining, drinking at beautiful waterfront restauran Dining, drinking at beautiful waterfront restaurants, listening to live music with a modern Arabic vibe & the view of one of the most iconic Dubai landmarks, Burj Al Arab. There are way too many restaurants to choose from, I only got to try 2 - Maria Bonita 🇲🇽 🌮 & The Meat co @themeatcome. Both got great food, especially the steak at the latter one, if you fancy a steak, you know where to go when you come here.   📍 Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 . . #soukmadinatjumeirah #dubairestaurants #visitdubai #burjalarab #dubai #restaurant #middleeast #travel #travelblogger #dubainightlife #travelphotography #vibe #arabictypography #dubaipics #travelgram #arabicarchitecture
💫 “Life is your mirror. What you see as your 💫 “Life is your mirror. What you see as your outside, always comes from your inside”. 🧘‍♀️ 📍 Kite Beach Centre UAQ, Umm Al Quwain, UAE 🇦🇪 #dailyremindertoself #lifequote #tropicalparadise #innergrowth #wellnesss #sheexplores #quoteoftheday #inspirationalquotes #thoughtsbecomethings #higherconsciousness #traveltogrow #growthquotes #mindsetquotes #innerwisdom #tropicalvibes
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