The best destinations, the practicalities and the things worth knowing — for first-time and experienced solo travellers.
Solo travel has grown enormously over the past decade — driven partly by changing demographics and partly by the increasing recognition that travelling alone, on your own terms, at your own pace, is one of the most rewarding ways to see the world. The challenges are real but manageable with good planning.
Some destinations are significantly better suited to solo travel than others. Japan tops almost every solo traveller survey — safe, easy to navigate independently, interesting at every turn and a culture that is comfortable with solitary dining and exploration. Portugal, Iceland, New Zealand, Thailand and Colombia (particularly Medellín and Cartagena) are all outstanding. The common thread is safety, ease of navigation and a culture that doesn't make solo dining feel uncomfortable.
Solo travellers typically pay a single supplement at hotels — typically 60–80% of the double room rate for one person. Some boutique hotels and guesthouses are better about this than others. We advise on accommodation categories that minimise the single supplement and often find boutique properties that offer single rates. In some destinations, private villa rental shared between solo travellers is worth exploring.
The safety considerations for solo travel are largely practical rather than dramatic. Tell someone your itinerary. Keep copies of all documents. Share your location with a trusted contact. Book the first night's accommodation in advance in every new destination — arrival in an unfamiliar place without a confirmed address is unnecessarily stressful. Use established, reviewed transport options rather than informal arrangements.
Solo travel doesn't mean solitary travel. Day tours, cooking classes, multi-day trekking groups and group activities are all excellent ways to meet people when you want company. The freedom of solo travel — to extend a stay somewhere you love, to leave somewhere that doesn't excite you, to change your plans entirely based on a conversation with a stranger — is something that no other form of travel quite replicates.
Solo female travel is extremely common and the vast majority of solo female travellers have positive experiences. Destination matters — Japan, Iceland, Portugal, New Zealand and most of Western Europe are considered very safe. Parts of South Asia, the Middle East and Central America require more specific precautions. We always provide destination-specific safety briefings.
Solo travel carries a single supplement cost at most hotels and removes the ability to split car hire and accommodation costs. The practical premium is typically 15–30% above the per-person cost of the same trip for two people. We work to minimise this through accommodation selection and itinerary design.
For UK and European travellers, we most commonly recommend Japan, Portugal or Iceland as first solo destinations — all safe, easy to navigate and rewarding. For US travellers, Europe generally and Japan specifically are outstanding first solo choices.