By Bec Milligan.
There’s a particular kind of freedom that only comes with travelling solo. You don’t have to negotiate what sights to see or compromise on where to eat. You simply wake up, decide what you want to do, and go.
If you’re thinking of venturing out alone for the first time or you’re a seasoned solo traveller planning your next trip, read on for the best places to visit as well as a few handy tips.
There are few places that have long been popular with solo travellers (and for good reason):
The trains run on time, there’s a low crime rate, and, culturally, eating and sightseeing alone is not just normal, it’s celebrated. There’s even a word for it: ohitorisama, which means a person who intentionally enjoys doing activities alone.
Warm weather, cheap by European standards, and made for wandering without a plan. The small cities Lisbon and Porto are very walkable (meaning you won’t get lost trying to navigate public transport) and if you’re after some company, there are plenty of hostels filled with friendly solo travellers.
Similar enough to Australia that you won’t feel totally out of your comfort zone and built for road trips and hikes you can easily do on your lonesome. Plus, in smaller NZ towns, people are very friendly and actually say hello, which can take the edge off when travelling by yourself.
It’s cheap, important for solo travellers who can’t split costs with anyone, and very sociable; locals and tourists alike are pretty chatty and friendly in Thailand. Plus, you’ve got options. Hustling and busting cities like Bangkok or relaxed, carefree beach towns like Koh Lanta.
You’ll literally NEVER get judged for sitting alone at an Italian café. But if you’re solo travelling to avoid people and crowds, skip Rome and Positano and instead head to somewhere more tranquil like Puglia or Le Marche.
If you’re worried about isolation, it’s beyond easy to end up in a conversation with a stranger in Ireland. Pub chat is basically a national sport. Plus, there are heaps of wonderful tours that are commonly filled up by solo travellers, like the Guinness Storehouse tour in Dublin.
Great food, real value, and the route from Hanoi down to Ho Chi Minh City all but guarantees you’ll meet other travellers. But fair warning, it’s definitely a destination better suited to seasoned solo travellers or people who want a bit more grit in their trip.
Best for solo travellers chasing nature over nightlife, the rainforests and wildlife are next level beautiful; places like Monteverde Cloud Forest and Corcovado National Park are must-visits.
Dramatic landscapes, very safe, and slow paced. Again, this is a destination perfect for people who enjoy nature, and peace and quiet more than a social scene.
It’s easy to be social one night and completely alone the next in Spain, especially in cities like Seville and Valencia. If you like flexibility as a solo traveller, this is the perfect destination for you.
If we had to pick just one, we’d have to go with Japan.
Weirdly, one of the hardest things about solo travelling is eating out alone and worrying what others think. But, like we said above, that won’t be a problem in Japan. Ramen counters, conveyor belt sushi, single-seat booths… They're all extremely common because plenty of locals eat alone too. Seriously, nobody will look twice at you.
Japan is also one of the safest countries in the world, the rail system is extremely easy to navigate, and there’s plenty of English signage.
Of course, ‘best’ is always subjective. So if Japan’s not quite what you’re after for a solo trip, you could also consider:
Small enough to cross in a couple of days, noticeably cheaper than nearby countries Italy and Austria, and one of the safest countries in Europe with none of the crowds.
Tiny, spotless, and about as low-stress as travel gets. A great first solo trip, or a stopover worth staying in a few extra days.
Not cheap, but it’s got breathtaking better-than-Instagram views and is efficient in a way that makes solo travel feel effortless.
Big, open, and calm in a way that puts most first-time solo travellers at ease. Plus, the cities are as welcoming as the landscape is enormous.
Low crime and genuinely warm hospitality. Not to mention the stunning desert and mountain scenery.
Yes, absolutely! A different kind of fun to what you’d get from travelling in a group, but not lesser fun.
The freedom to do what you like is truly unbeatable. You can change your plans at lunch if you hear about something better. You can spend an entire afternoon in one bookshop and then your entire evening at one bar. You can even skip visiting the famous landmark simply because you’re not in the mood.
The random people you end up talking to is also a serious perk of solo travel. Travelling with a group tends to seal you off a bit. But travelling alone pushes you toward having actual conversations with locals and trying to meet other travellers.
And forget the idea that solo travel means summit hikes and desert soul-searching. You can go to a resort and drink cocktails by the pool. You can chase one specific interest nobody else in your life shares. You can literally do whatever you want.
Of course, as wonderful and fun as solo travel is, it does come with challenges. There will be a dinner out where you feel like everyone’s judging you for eating alone. Or something could go wrong, and you’d give anything for a second opinion or just a shoulder to cry on. But those kinds of moments pass. And working through them on your own is a big part of why people say they grow and change for the better on solo trips.
A bit of loneliness on a solo trip is completely and utterly normal. And, in good news, it usually doesn’t last long.
There are a few things that can help though:
Practical tip: Leave your itinerary with someone at home and make sure you’ve got travel insurance. Travelling solo doesn’t mean travelling unsupported.
There isn’t one, solo travel is for adults of all ages. But the type of solo trip can depend on how old you are.
In your twenties and thirties, you typically have more time and energy than money. So think hostels, long bus and train routes, loose plans, pub crawls, and adventure activities galore.
But when you get a bit older, you’ll probably have a much clearer idea of what you actually like doing and a bigger budget to play with. Older solo travellers usually take slower paced trips with nice hotels or boujee bed and breakfasts and a guided day tour thrown in here and there.
No matter your age, one thing worth planning for is cost. Splitting accommodation and transport is the main reason travelling with someone else is typically cheaper, and the single supplement on tours and cruises is very real. Always make sure you budget and save accordingly before travelling solo.
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