A solo trip to Italy in 2017 was the start of the end of Nur Afiqah Mohd Zainal’s marital status as a single woman. The copywriter had gone to Venice in pursuit of epic sights and memorable experiences, but she returned with all that plus more – a once-in-a-lifetime connection.
Nur Afiqah was on a boat tour in the canals when a tall, dark, handsome man caught her eye. That man turned out to be local doctor Julian Rodrigo.
“I first saw Julian on a boat tour in Venice. He looked kind of cute so I decided to talk to him,” Nur Afiqah, 36, said.
It didn’t take long for the two to connect due to their shared interests in arts and music. They talked throughout the day as they sailed past Venice’s top spots like the Basilica at San Marco, and Palazzo Ducale.
After the tour ended, Nur Afiqah and Rodrigo had dinner together before going their separate ways.
Upon returning to Malaysia, Nur Afiqah kept in touch with Rodrigo, 38. They would frequently send text messages to each other. Soon, love blossomed between the pair.
While long-distance relationships can be challenging, the couple pushed through to make things work for them.
“We made it a habit to video call on Skype every Saturday. Even though it’s not the same as meeting in person, I was grateful that I could keep in touch with him that way,” Nur Afiqah said.
The next time the couple met again in person was in 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, when Rodrigo visited Malaysia.
That was also when he decided to propose to Nur Afiqah, and she said yes.
Unfortunately, the pandemic began a few months later and the couple was not able to set a wedding date back then. Once Rodrigo returned to Italy, they continued to connect and keep their love alive, virtually via video calls and text messages.
Now that borders are gradually reopening around the world, Nur Afiqah and Rodrigo have finally started to plan for their wedding, and are excited to see each other in real life again.
The pair’s surprise holiday romance shows that it’s possible for singles to form meaningful and lasting relationships when they travel.
Special connection
Relationships that are formed abroad don’t always have to be romantic, though, and this was the case for Celina Parker, 25.
The Serbian student had attended K-pop super group BTS’ concert in Amsterdam, the Netherlands when she met Justine Jakobsson from Sweden.
“It was as if we had known each other for years. Not even for a second after meeting her did I think that it was awkward. It was one of the best days of my life,” Parker said.
Since they live in different countries, meeting up was difficult. When BTS announced another European tour the following year, the girls immediately booked concert tickets at the same venue so they could reunite.
However, that was the last Parker saw Jakobsson in person.
Due to the pandemic, travelling to meet up more often was not possible. Nevertheless, the two kept in touch via social media.
Today, Parker and Justine have been best friends – or as Parker likes to call it, “soulmates” – for almost four years. And it wouldn’t have been possible if they didn’t travel abroad for this chance encounter.
A case for travel
Meeting someone new – be it a romantic interest or a purely platonic friend – while travelling is definitely an exciting thought.
In fact, falling in love abroad has been the premise of many movies, TV shows and novels. Think Before Sunrise, My Blueberry Nights, Midnight In Paris, Emily In Paris... well, about every other show set in Paris.
American author Elizabeth Gilbert captured the hearts of many when she detailed her travel romances in Eat, Pray, Love. In the bestselling memoir, Gilbert wrote about how she fell in love with a Brazilian businessman while holidaying in Ubud, Bali in Indonesia.
Over the years, many experts have tried to form the causal link between travel and relationships.
Psychologist Dr Holly Parker, in an interview with Vogue, said the uncertainty of travel heightens our senses.
“First, travelling to another destination and culture can bring uncertainty – you’re out of your home territory – and a sense of adventure and excitement, which is arguably physiologically arousing for your body.
“Given that physically activating experiences can heighten attraction toward someone, the physical arousal that travel may bring could also set the stage for attraction abroad,” she explained.
According to Parker, people are more open to the idea of forming new relationships in a new environment.
“I believe travel could allow people to be more receptive to falling in love because it offers certain experiences that can boost the odds of attraction and connection, opening the door for love to take root,” she said.
Aron agreed that being in unfamiliar situations, such as when you’re travelling, can accelerate relationships. At the same time, he also noted the benefit of travel for long-time couples.
“That sense of novelty, excitement and challenge is associated with the person you’re around and doing these new activities with, so it strengthens your relationship. It’s almost like recreating the excitement of first falling in love when you both first met each other,” he told The Telegraph.
While falling in love when travelling is great, Parker stressed that the most important thing is to fall in love with the place you’re visiting first.
“When we travel to a place and a culture we’ve been waiting to see, it’s engaging and brightening, which bring up pleasurable emotions. These cheerful, pleasant feelings are linked with feeling more connected to another,” she said.
If anything, travelling as a single person can be very exciting. And there are many great destinations around the world that offer single travellers a chance to make special connections.
We checked some of these places out.
No stranger to travellers around the world, Bangkok is where one would go to experience something... fun. The vibrant city’s nightlife extends beyond clubs, bars and pubs as there are plenty of interesting night markets that are equally as exciting.
The new Jodd Fairs night market, for example, features open-air bars, scrumptious street food and stalls selling vintage goods.
Besides that, festivals like Songkran (Thai New Year) and the many full moon parties also make Bangkok an attractive place to visit, especially to the younger generation.
And finally, top all that off with Bangkok’s winning F&B scene – from world-class fine dining establishments to uber-cool cafes to award-winning street food fare. Who knows, you might meet a new friend or two while sampling a deletable bowl of tom yum goong.
Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most liberal cities and it’s easy to see why. Famously known for its Red Light District – a popular tourist attraction – Amsterdam’s reputation as a laidback city was further bolstered with the opening of cannabis cafes, or special coffee shops that are legally allowed to sell cannabis to patrons.
(However, Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema has proposed a policy that could see foreign tourists banned from these cannabis cafes, as a way to prevent having unruly “cannabis tourists” in the city.)
That aside, Amsterdam also attracts plenty of backpackers and solo travellers thanks to its rich cultural history, and friendly locals. There are over 100 museums here such as the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House where you can strike up a cerebral conversation with other like-minded visitors.
And if you’re looking for more chances to make friendly connections, consider taking a bike tour around the city. Alternatively, go on a boat ride to explore the picturesque canals.
Despite being Greece’s most popular island destination, Santorini has a relatively scaled down party vibe. This is great for singles looking for a more quiet place to connect by the ocean.
There are many beachside activities here that you can join in, and perhaps make new friends. Cruise the blue waters of the Aegean Sea on a sailing ship or catamaran as you enjoy the island’s gentle breeze, and scenery.
Sun and surfs aside, Santorini is also home to numerous ancient and historical cities. You can explore some old world wonder at the archaeological ruins of Akrotiri, for example.
But if you’re more into the beaches, then there are plenty here to visit. There are thriving beach communities at venues such as Perivolos, Perissa and Kamari on the island’s south-east corner.
Ubud in Indonesia’s famous holiday island Bali has long been a relaxing place for solo travellers even before the travel memoir Eat, Pray, Love launched it to the global mainstream. While the island’s “party” areas of Kuta, Seminyak, Jimbaran and Legian are more popular among younger travellers, those looking for some rest and relaxation opt for relatively quieter places like Sanur and Ubud.
Join a morning yoga class or dine at one of the town’s many vegetarian eateries. There’s also a thriving expatriate community here, who have mostly migrated to escape busy city lifestyles. Thus, you are likely to expand your network across many different nationalities while out and about.
The town is also abound with many cultural sights. Places such as the Gates of Heaven and the Sacred Monkey Forest further underline Ubud’s status as a spiritual centre.
Boracay is a great destination for singles due to its status as a party island. But with that reputation also came the problem of overtourism, which then led to the island being closed for six months in 2018. During this time, the island underwent a massive clean up, public infrastructure was repaired and upgraded, and illegal structures were torn down.
Since its reopening, however, the Philippines government has limited visitor arrival to maintain the island’s environmental sustainability.
Does this mean that Boracay is no longer attractive to single travellers? On the contrary, as the island still holds plenty of appeal – especially if you have an adventurous streak. You can find a variety of water sports activities such as kitesurfing on the east side of the island, for example.
Once you have made some new friends, go on a hike to Mount Luho for a panoramic view of the island. When the sun sets, Boracay comes alive with restaurants and bars. Some venues even operate 24 hours, giving single travellers the chance to connect all night long.
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