Want to take off on a journey alone? Have no worry. Here are some locations very best for travelling solo.
Travelling solo may be an extremely rewarding expertise that teaches you a lot about your self and allows you to to pursue journey wherever you discover it.
But let’s be trustworthy: solo journey can be slightly scary.
I travelled to a different continent solo for the primary time again once I was simply 17… I’ll admit I used to be form of barely extraordinarily terrified. I couldn’t catch any sleep on my flight due to the extreme combine of pleasure and nervousness I used to be feeling. But the journey taught me that I might survive in an odd land simply high quality — and even make a number of mates alongside the best way.
But whether or not you may have a profitable solo journey relies upon vastly on the place you select to journey.
If you’re nonetheless new to solo journey, it’s completely important to choose the appropriate vacation spot, as some are rather more applicable to this journey type than others.
Choosing a straightforward nation first
To be trustworthy, any vacation spot could be a solo journey vacation spot. In idea, there’s at all times a approach you may make it work. That doesn’t imply it will likely be straightforward essentially, however so long as you’re decided sufficient you may journey alone just about wherever (the one exceptions being—to my thoughts—a number of uncommon international locations the place it’s simply not very secure).
Some locations could be a powerful nut to crack for a solo traveller.
Road-tripping via the heartland of the USA could appear to be a enjoyable and even cinematic concept, however in actuality, it’s harder to do by yourself as you may need to remain in resorts and motels that aren’t actually so welcoming to the solo traveller.
Going someplace tremendous loopy and intense like India can be not necesserily the perfect introduction to solo journey. If you need to dive straight into the deep there’s nothing stopping you, however the tradition shock goes to be fairly extreme and also you’ll must take care of all types of trouble every day.
My level right here is that if you wish to flex these solo journey muscular tissues a bit first, there are some higher locations to select from.
Travelling as a backpacker
There are many kinds of journey, however the one that’s merely the greatest for solo journey is backpacking. This is very true in case you’re younger, although one of these journey can be tailored in numerous methods in case you’re older. My personal expertise is principally in travelling as a backpacker, notably in budget-friendly locations.
Some individuals need to journey solo to really get away from all of it, preferring distant locations the place they are going to not often meet anybody else. But if you wish to socialize throughout your journey, the best approach is to remain in hostels in international locations which might be not less than moderately standard backpacker locations.
If you’ve not stayed in hostels earlier than, take a look at my information to what hostels are and the way they work.
What to search for in a solo vacation spot
Anyone decided sufficient can (with expertise) journey solo virtually wherever, however I imagine these three standards are ones to search for in order for you issues to be slightly simpler:
1. Is a rustic pretty well-travelled?
Travelling solo is a bit like displaying as much as a celebration by yourself. If it’s already an excellent social gathering with a number of laughter and many individuals there, it’s straightforward to hitch the enjoyable. If it’s an awkwardly quiet cocktail reception, you may really feel otherwise. The greatest solo journey international locations are like enjoyable events the place everybody’s already having a good time.
If a rustic is well-travelled it’s certain to have a number of backpacker hostels. Staying in hostels will make your journey rather more social and lots simpler, as they usually have a enjoyable communal ambiance and entice many different solo travellers. Once you’re extra snug you don’t have to depend on hostels on a regular basis, however they’re extraordinarily useful, particularly to start with.
2. Easy journey logistics straightforward or a number of trouble?
When you’re by yourself it may be slightly harder to take care of difficult journey logistics.
A primary-time solo vacation spot ought to have loads of transit connections, straightforward visa formalities, relative security, and so forth. Not the whole lot must be very best as typically a little bit of journey can get you to larger rewards, however it’s good to not have to fret about too many issues without delay so you may concentrate on merely benefiting from your time.
3. Is there a decent circuit or an apparent route?
It helps lots if a rustic has an apparent backpacking route or if a rustic is comparatively small. Large international locations just like the United States, India or China are much less very best, as their geographies are wide-open and you’ll at all times go in every single place from any level.
But wherever there’s a extra compact circuit, travellers usually tend to be heading in roughly the identical path at any given time. This makes it simpler to make mates on the path (and to fulfill them once more and even journey collectively). It additionally makes it simpler to get helpful suggestions and knowledge from different travellers about locations to go subsequent.
One of essentially the most excellent journey trails I can consider is the one in Vietnam. Because the nation is so slim, backpackers principally go in simply two instructions: north to south or vice versa. If you begin your journey in Hanoi and meet some enjoyable individuals there, you could possibly keep in contact with all of them the best way to Ho Chi Minh City.
Countries for solo journey
To aid you along with your journey analysis, listed here are a number of strategies for international locations which might be wonderful for solo journey even in case you’re a newbie.
Thailand
Highlights: Bangkok nightlife, seashores and tropical islands within the south, calm and laidback Chiang Mai and Pai within the north, Buddhist temples, mind-blowingly good meals.
Why Go Solo? Thailand is, frankly, the best nation on this planet to go backpacking that I do know of. It may appear to be a distant and unique place that will likely be tough to navigate, however it’s not. Some individuals fear about language limitations, however I assure you this gained’t be a problem in Thailand; many individuals converse English, notably these working within the tourism trade.
Thailand can be such a preferred vacation spot that you simply’ll discover nice backpacker hostels catering to all varieties of travellers in every single place, and it’s one of many best international locations to search out journey buddies spontaneously. Are you nervous about travelling ‘all on your own’? Don’t be, since you’ll inevitably meet others travelling solo identical to you in Thailand on a regular basis. You can learn extra in my Thailand backpacking information.
Vietnam
Highlights: seeing the loopy hustle and bustle of a Vietnamese metropolis, the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay, and rice terraces of Sapa. If you’re trying to social gathering, you are able to do so very nicely in Nha Trang.
Why Go Solo? Vietnam truly has one factor going in opposition to it: typically you may encounter scams and different hassles in essentially the most touristy locations, so it’s price studying up on this stuff so that you’re slightly ready. What it has going for it: it’s stuffed with backpacker hostels, it’s low cost and simple to journey round, and most of all, the nation’s lengthy vertical form makes it very best for a solo traveller. Everyone is both travelling north to south, or south to north.
For extra, take a look at my Vietnam backpacking information »
Peru and Bolivia
These international locations mix nicely, with Peru being the apparent start line.
Highlights: virtually too many to say. The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, lake Titicaca (the most important high-altitude lake), trekking the Inca Trail or Colca Canyon, the salt flats of Bolivia, and far rather more.
Why Go Solo? Peru could seem like a giant nation on the map, and it certain is, however a lot of the motion occurs south of Lima. It has a decent and really well-established backpacker circuit, with most individuals following roughly the identical route. Peru is arguably the preferred backpacking nation in South America, so that you gained’t be the one one travelling there (solo or in any other case). If you need to meet different travellers, an excellent place to begin is Cusco. You can study extra about backpacking in Peru right here.
Southwest Mexico
Highlights: Paradisical seashores within the Yucatan area of Mexico, scrumptious meals and interesting tradition in Oaxaca, and a few nice seashore and social gathering locations. From southeast Mexico, you can too simply dip into Guatemala to see the epic Mayan ruins of Tikal and the beautiful lake of Atitlan ringed by large volcanoes. For extra data, take a look at my backpacking guides for Mexico and Guatemala
Why Go Solo? Contrary to standard perception, Mexico is definitely very secure for vacationers, notably within the particular states the place most travellers go. Transporation connections are low cost and handy, so that you don’t have to fret a lot about easy methods to get from A to B. Beach locations in Mexico comparable to Tulum and Playa Del Carmen are glorious for assembly individuals and making mates.
More data on Mexico »
Western Europe
Highlights: the entire nice cities (Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona, and so forth.), picturesque rural areas of France and Italy specifically, epic landscapes within the Alps, and many dramatic selection between international locations particularly when in comparison with the journey distances concerned
Why Go Solo? I’ve targeted a lot on far-flung locations to date, primarily as a result of I’m from Europe myself and can typically overlook what’s proper at my doorstep! But Europe is clearly an incredible area to journey.
One of the downsides is that it’s actually unfold out and there aren’t any clear routes that everybody follows. It can be dearer than travelling in growing international locations. On the opposite hand, issues of safety are minimal and also you’re prone to have a worry-free expertise.
Europe is large for metropolis journey, so in case you like cities you’re going to adore it. All the main cities have nice fashionable hostels. The Couchsurfing scene can be large in Europe, and even in case you don’t need to keep on individuals’s couches there are common CouchSurfing meet-ups the place you may meet each locals and different travellers. (Though precise couchsurfing has moved over the higher Couchers.org as of late.)
Australia
Highlights: Melbourne and Sydney are clear highlights, in addition to the various browsing/seashore locations, and naturally going into the Australian outback.
Why Go Solo? While it’s a huge nation, you’ll discover that most individuals journey comparable routes alongside the coast within the south and southeast. Australians are HUGE travellers themselves (go to any nation on this planet and also you’re assured to fulfill some Ozzies) and which means they’ve constructed up an incredible backpacker infrastructure in their very own nation.
Backpacker hostels are in every single place and so they’re superb. Something to remember relying in your perspective is that the backpacker crowd in Australia may be very boozy and tends to be fairly a bit youthful than elsewhere. It’s notably standard amongst youthful European backpackers. This could be a good or unhealthy factor relying on what you’re searching for.
Remember: you may meet individuals wherever
While it helps to choose a great place to journey solo, it doesn’t must be a lonely affair regardless of the place you’re going. Most individuals who have travelled solo lots will let you know that they’re not often alone in case you put within the effort.
Want to know easy methods to journey solo and take any of the challenges head-on? Then you should definitely take a look at my e book, Travel the World Without Worries, which covers all of the methods and hacks for profitable solo journey in nice depth. In the e book, I’ll additionally share a number of of the (often embarrassing!) tales from my 20+ years of taking solo journeys. The classes realized will aid you make mates, keep secure, put together on your journey, and easy methods to meet a number of locals and different travellers in every single place alongside the best way.
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