Therapist explains how 'grief travel' helps you heal

Some travel for pleasure, some for work, some to unwind, and some to process their grief. Remember how Rani from ‘Queen’ set off for her own honeymoon to explore Paris after she got her heart broken by her fiancé? Rejected but not defeated, Kangana’s character Rani went for a solo trip to ease her sorrow and feel independent. This is called grief travelling.

What is grief travel?

Travel, when intentional, can be a powerful healer. Staying in one place traps you in memories, but new sights, faces, and experiences shift something within—helping you carry grief differently, even if it never fully disappears.

Another great example is ‘Eat Pray Love’, where Julia Roberts’ Elizabeth Gilbert embarks on a journey through Italy, India, and Bali after her divorce, seeking healing, self-discovery, and a renewed sense of purpose.

This is “grief travel” the idea that moving through unfamiliar landscapes can help you move through emotional pain. Whether it’s a weekend in Goa after a breakup or a year backpacking post-bereavement, the journey becomes as much about what’s inside as what’s outside the train window.

Why new places can be great beginnings

When you’re grieving, be it a lost relationship, a loved one, or a dream—the familiar can sometimes feel suffocating. So, exploring new places can feel good.

We asked therapist Jyoti Das if grief travel can really help. She revealed that it might, “We live rather busy lives. Getting away from the constant demand and noise of our regular lives can allow us to slow down, hear our own thoughts, connect with our bodies and experience our feelings. If there’s the privilege and luxury of shutting off demands and getting away, it can build the environment to rediscover and build a relationship with yourself. Slowing down and fostering a healthy relationship with self is always the first step towards understanding and holding space for that self.”

If you’re considering a healing trip, think about why you’re going. Do you want to reflect? Connect? Or simply breathe without familiar pressures? Choosing the right pace matters—solo travel for introspection, group tours for companionship, or adventure trips to channel restless energy.

And remember, healing isn’t linear. You might cry on a bus in Santorini or laugh unexpectedly in a Kyoto café. Both moments are valid steps forward.