Matthew Lubin prefers celebrating birthdays with solo trips abroad

Matthew Lubin told Businessinsider that he spends his birthdays on solo trips abroad and finds them even better in his 30s and 40s. He says he dislikes organizing parties and finds planning trips for more than two people stressful, so solo travel lets him do what he wants, splurge, and set his own itinerary.

Lubin has celebrated birthdays in places such as China, Barcelona, Tokyo, and Japan; he times some trips around his late-November birthday and the Thanksgiving long weekend, noting that late November is low season in many countries where the holiday isn't widely celebrated, though fares can sometimes be prohibitive.

Traveling alone also makes it easier to change plans on a whim, use a tripod and timer for photos, and meet people — he cites a 4 a.m. sunrise at Borobudur as a favorite memory and recalls meeting Brazilian tourists in Portugal and someone buying him sake in Tokyo. He acknowledges downsides: eating alone can be awkward (he was once the only reservation at a Michelin-rated restaurant in Portugal, where staff later added a candle to his dessert), and solo travel can be pricier because some airlines charge higher fares for solo passengers, hotel rooms for one are costly, and meals can't be shared.

Key Topics

Culture, Matthew Lubin, Solo Travel, Barcelona, Tokyo, Borobudur