Where to go for your first trip as a solo female traveller?
Travelling solo as a female stamps on so many stereotypes and cultural norms for women. It really is like a f**k you to the status quo. So many people seem shocked when they ask who are you travelling with, and I reply “no-one!” Not to mention travelling in countries where it really is unusual for women to be on her own.
Now I know travelling solo isn’t for everyone. And I’m not suggesting you ditch your boyfriend or hubby either! But at the same time don’t let fear or other people’s judgements hold you back.
Why I started travelling solo…
I’ve been travelling for over ten years, and by travel I don’t mean the package holiday type of travel. I mean booking a flight, packing a rucksack and hitting the road! However, its only the last five years I’ve travelled solo.
At first it was by default- I headed to South America for six months with a friend and we ended up parting ways. Even when we travelled together, she’d go off for a week or so and do her thing, and I’d take a different route and do mine and then we’d meet up and eventually we split for good.However, I realised I loved travelling by myself. I could do exactly what I wanted, when I wanted. it was great!
I’d always been intrigued by the idea of solo travel, and now I genuinely love it. Granted, I do like spending time alone anyway (may as well perpetuate that only child stereotype!)
Why I love travelling solo…
I can do what I want when I want. I am on my own schedule. When travelling, I don’t want to be waiting for someone to do their hair or clean their teeth! I don’t want to wander round a museum I’m not interested in, but rush around the art gallery I want to spend ages in. I don’t want to have to eat when I’m not hungry or wait when I’m starving. When you’re travelling solo you can dance to your own tune. Is that selfish? No, its not affecting anybody but yourself. Is it self indulgent? Maybe, but what’s so bad about that?!
I meet so many new people. Being a solo traveller is like being a magnet for other people. Whether its somebody chatting to me in a cafe, meeting people at a hostel or chatting on a bus I meet a lot more people travelling solo than travelling with others. I’ve met the weird, the wonderful, the crazy, the fabulous. So many characters! And this is one of the main reasons I travel- to meet new people and to learn about new cultures.
I get to have ‘me time’. As an introvert, this is essential or I go mad. I like to hide away with a book, or go on a long walk, or sit with a coffee. Bliss!!
And so with my experiences in mind, here are five destinations ideal for a solo female traveller. I have travelled solo to these places, and have thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend them to solo travellers, even for those just starting out on solo travel…
5 destinations ideal for a first time solo female traveller…
Mexico– Chances are you won’t be alone for long here. There’s a huge, buzzing hostel scene (see my post for amazing hostels in Mexico here). I met so many other solo female travellers. If you’re a first time solo traveller you wouldn’t feel awkward or weird by travelling alone here. There seemed to be many more female solo travellers than guys. Yay girl power!!!
Whether you’re after beaches, diving, rainforests, history, parties, amazing food or culture then Mexico really does have it all! I spent six weeks travelling from Cancun to Mexico City by bus, and yes I did it all on my own. See my ideas for an itinerary here.
I would recommend taking a basic Spanish course or at the very least learning a few basic phrases if you’re planning to head beyond the Yucatan peninsula. See this post for travel tips in Mexico, and this post for tips on packing for Mexico!!
Goa– I know, I know… everyone’s warned you against travelling to India alone as a woman. You’ve heard all the horror stories about women in India being attacked, raped, robbed, getting Delhi belly and god knows what else. And guess what, it happens, I can’t deny that and I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t.
But India is truly a magical destination, it is like no other place I’ve been. However, if you’re a cautious solo traveller, I won’t suggest you jump in at the deep end, and so I suggest you start off with a trip to Goa. Here, you can get a taste for what India has to offer, and believe me you’ll want to see more of ‘the real India’ after dipping your toe in the water!
Goa is a great place for solo female travel- you can meet backpackers and party away, you can relax at yoga retreats, you can lay on beautiful beaches and shop at incredible markets. See my post here.
India is the country that really opened my eyes and mind. Other than a brief stop in Dubai in 2007 (pre Burj Khalifa) it was the first time I’d left Europe. From men shitting in the street to women hitting me with their baby begging for money. From rubbish lining the streets to public bathrooms floors covered in excrement. From bodies being burned by the ghats to women washing their beautiful colored clothes in the river. From lassis to the spiciest samosas in the world. From riding on tuk tuks with the craziest drivers to being treated like a celebrity in the cinema. From sleeping at a rat infested train station to feeling like I was dying after drinking some dodgy orange juice. From riding a camel over the desert to stroking a cobra’s head and watching elephants ride through the city… the list goes on.
I felt like Alice in Wonderland! So much variety, and I barely scratched the surface. It hits every sense in the strongest way possible, from the darkest low to the most extreme high. I really cannot recommend India enough. It is a place like no other.
It has so many amazing places to see, from the desert in Jaiselmer to the stunning lake palace in Udaipur to the temples and forts of New Delhi, to of course the stunning Taj Mahal which blew me away.
However, its the culture and the people that I found most fascinating. Diversity is an understatement, its a continent in itself… you probably need a year there to see it all.
I plan on revisiting it as I really want to visit Kerala in the South and also the Himalayas. They don’t call it incredible India for nothing!!
Beirut- If like me, you’re fascinated and intrigued by the Middle East, a fab starting point is the former Paris of the Middle East- Beirut. Even today you can see remnants of the sophisticated French influence before it was then ravaged by civil war, the bullet holes in the buildings serve as powerful reminders of this not so distant memory.
If you visit Beirut you’re sure to get amazing Middle Eastern food, the hummus here is delicious! The nightlife is buzzing, from glamorous nightclubs where everyone is dressed to impress, to more grungy clubs, and in Gemmayze a more European laid back style with people drinking in bars and on the streets.
The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable without being over the top. As a female you will feel totally safe wandering alone. It s the norm here for women to walk around, and many are dressed like women do in any Western city so you won’t stand out like a sore thumb.
I really enjoyed my city break in Beirut. It is a great taste of the Middle East and by staying at a hostel like Hostel Beirut or Saifi Urban Gardens you’re bound to meet other fellow travellers. I met quite a few solo female travellers in Beirut. It is an exciting city, filled with a raw energy. See my posts here and here on why you should go to Beirut now!
Any European city– London, Paris, Venice, Madrid… take your pick. Any European city is great for a solo traveller. From browsing shops, to perusing art galleries and museums, to sitting with a coffee or chilling in the parks.
Still on my Europe hit list are Berlin, Amsterdam and Barcelona! You can get super cheap flights across Europe with a range of budget airlines. I usually book my flights on Skyscanner for great deals. See my post here on how I plan my travel.
Bruges, Venice, Krakow, Prague and Budapest are amongst my top recommendations of cool European cities.
As I’ve been based in the Middle East over the last few years its been a while since I travelled Europe, but there’s plenty of other solo female travellers who have great blog posts on travelling to European cities solo..
Bruges:
Mariana a solo traveller gives great advice on how she travelled solo to bruges and on a budget too in her post ‘a fairytale weekend in Bruges’. What a lovely post name!
Wheresmollie.com has a fab post on her solo visit to Bruges! She has some amazing travel photography on her blog too.
Budapest:
Sara chose the exciting Budapest, Hungary as her first solo trip, read her blog post here to find out how she got on
Prague:
Read Polly’s post here on why she’s glad she went to Prague solo.
And this post here for 28 useful tips on visiting Prague solo.
Krakow:
See Julia’s post here on why she enjoyed travelling to Krakow solo.
Berlin:
Former model Steph gives some great reasons as to why Berlin is the ideal destination for a solo traveller here.
Irish born Emma also has some great advice for solo travellers to Berlin in her post here.
Madrid:
The Blonde Abroad has plenty of advice in her Madrid guide here.
Barcelona:
After reading this post by Claire’s itchy feet, I want to visit Barcelona more than ever!
This post by Carly of Fearless Female Travels gives advice on the best neighbourhoods for solo female travelers!
Reading all those blog posts by solo female travellers should reassure even the most nervous of solo female travellers! Solo female travel is a thing! Girl power!
Zanzibar- Zanzibar, an island off mainland Tanzania is a stunningly picture perfect beach destination. If you’re looking to relax on a beautiful beach with an Africa flavour, then I recommend Paje, Zanzibar for the solo traveller.
Due to its kite surfing scene, it is popular with those coming for a chilled out holiday. Its also a common stop off destination for those returning from climbing Mount Kili, or a Tanzanian safari.
I spent a week doing little more than drinking cocktails and going for beach walks and it was the ideal spot for that!
Read my post on Paje here
Before going to Zanzibar I really enjoyed reading posts by Helen in Wonderlust
And that’s my top five recommendations for destinations for first time solo travellers! What are yours?
Travelling solo truly is such a rich and rewarding experience, and how can spending time with yourself be a bad thing?!
Not sure where to start?!
Check out this cool step by step guide on planning your first solo trip overseas by ‘The Petite Wanderess’ (what a cute name)
Also check out my post on tips on booking independent travel here
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Thanks for reading!
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