10 Safe Destinations for Solo Female Travelers
The truth is, solo traveling to another country as a woman is actually not as threatening as it may seem. While there are some countries where a woman traveling alone will certainly draw more attention, in general a willingness to respect local customs and a cautious awareness of your surroundings will see you through.
Sometimes, though, it’s easier not to worry about extreme culture differences. Sometimes you just want to have fun. In these ten destinations, it’s not uncommon to see women traveling alone, so you can feel free to relax without standing out.
Table of Contents
10 Safe Destinations for Solo Female Travelers
Wales
This country in the west of the United Kingdom has an amazing landscape and an even more amazing cultural history. If you’re interested in the King Arthur mythology, you’ll find a number of important sites from those texts. If you’re into outdoor sports, try a solo hike on the Pembrokeshire coast. Cardiff, the capitol, also offers a number of theaters (including the famous Millennium Center), museums, sports arenas, and shopping centers.
For more information about solo travel in Wales, visit Why Wales is a Perfect Destination for Solo Female Travelers.
Canada
Almost all of my trips to Canada have been solo journeys and I’ve always felt extremely safe. In Quebec, you’ll find a huge cinematic and television culture like the Festival of International Short Film, as well as the famous winter Carnavale in Quebec City. Ontario houses the country’s largest city, Toronto, whose theater, music, and comedy venues are comparable in both quality and number to those in New York City.
The number of national parks, from Niagara Falls to Mount Revelstoke’s 1,000-year old forest, will give you plenty opportunities to hike, camp, ski, surf, and star-gaze. Wildlife lovers, like myself, often find Canada to be one of the best places to head out into the wilderness.
From spending the day with wild grizzly bears and getting up-close and personal with puffins to kayaking and snorkeling with whales, I’ve had some of my most magical solo (and non-solo) wildlife experiences in Canada. There’s plenty of tour operators who provide amazing outdoor experiences in this country, so you don’t need to worry about being completely alone in the wild.
For more Canada travel tips (besides the above mentioned wildlife posts), visit: Essential Travel Tips for North Vancouver Island and Alberta, Canada: The 12 Most Beautiful Places to Visit.
Costa Rica
This country is excellent for ecotourists and those looking to learn more about sustainability — also, those looking to enjoy some aquatic fun! Watch and help sea turtles at their nesting grounds in Tortugero National Park or surf amazing waves at Playa Bonita. Costa Rica is also quickly becoming known for its large number of thermal spas, hot springs, and yoga retreats. What’s better than a solo yoga retreat?
For more ideas about what to do in Costa Rica, visit Pura Vida – Costa Rica.
Bali
Though some of the other Indonesian islands can be more conservative, intercultural Bali is a great and accepting place to travel on one’s own. With amazing beaches and underwater exploration sites like the USS Liberty shipwreck, it makes a perfect place for snorkel and scuba adventures. There are many carved temple sites to explore, including the famous Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.
For more information about my travels in Bali, visit these posts: Eat, Pray, Love, and Surf in Bali & The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide.
Nepal
For the intrepid female explorer, Nepal’s wide range of adventure tourism opportunities are perfect. Since adventure and ecotourism make up a large portion of Nepal’s economy, there are lots of opportunities to meet with an adventure tourism agency or hire a local Sherpa to bring you hiking up the Himalayans or exploring the wilderness.
I spent two weeks with a local guide, visiting tiny remote villages such as Dhading and Sankhu, meeting locals who made a bigger impact on me than any stunning vista ever could. I won’t lie, my visit to Nepal was trying at times, but the people were always warm and welcoming.
For more Nepal posts, visit these pages: I See the Light in You & First Impressions of Nepal.
Australia
The large backpacking culture here means hostels, bars, and restaurants are familiar with solo travelers — but if you’re looking for the opportunity to make other traveling friends, this is one of the best places to do so! Surfers will love the continent, but foodies too, especially on the wine trails. There are already several popular backpacking and campervan routes established, so go where the wind takes you!
For more Australia travel tips and stories, visit these posts: How to Take a Road Trip in Australia & Chasing Waves in the Land of OZ.
Bonaire
Fresh fruit, bright sun, soft sand, and 60 to 100 foot underwater visibility: Bonaire is an amazing Caribbean destination. Along with its incredible beaches and dive sites, Bonaire is also known for its Karnival in February, a colorful, island-wide party that lasts almost two weeks!
For more Bonaire travel stories, visit these posts: Learning to Dive in Bonaire & Unforgettable Bonaire.
Scandinavia
Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden have some of the most progressive gender-equality policies in the world, but they also happen to have incredibly low crime rates. Visit the Fjords in Norway, hike and camp without reproach thanks to Sweden’s Right to Public Access, and make sure to book a hotel with skylights while in Lapland so you can enjoy the Northern Lights and glowing midnight sun.
For Sweden travel tips, read 7 Things You Should Know Before You Visit Sweden and my Island Hopping Guide to West Sweden. I’m visiting Norway in less than two weeks, so stay tuned for plenty of posts on travel in Norway!
Thailand
Not only does this country have some of the most flavorful food in the world, but you can also find Thai massages for cheap! Relaxing, right? Thailand is very used to tourists, especially in its main cities like Bangkok and Phuket.
In the north you’ll be able to explore the mountains and Buddhist shrines, while the south offers excellent surfing, as well as some famous Full Moon Parties for the adventurous. Some of my favorite spots in Thailand include Koh Phangan and Kata Beach.
Read more: Here’s How To Meet People On Your Next Solo Trip
Scotland
I explored the Inner and Outer Hebrides on a solo trip just a couple of years ago and loved every second of it. The locals are friendly and always up for a good time. I met so many people on this trip that I rarely ever felt alone.
Edinburg has a reputation for being a perfect place for sailing, surfing, and sea kayaking beginners to get their first taste of the water, thanks to its long-time history as a seaside destination in Great Britain. As Scotland’s capitol, it also hosts a number of cultural festivals like the Edinburgh International Performing Arts Festival.
Have you been to any of these destinations or have any to add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Glad you put Nepal on the list. I think the people of Nepal are the friendliest, kindest on the planet. I did a video on one of the UNESCO sites here in Nepal and you can see how every day is a special day in Nepal. Why go to Nepal? This is the place where 29 million people are waiting to meet you to make a friend.
Come and visit New Zealand!! It should be on your list too.
Totally agree with you about heading to Thailand and Scotland as a solo female traveller! I had great times in both. Now I’m excited to be heading to Canada and Australia for the first time this year 😀 Keep being awesome Christy and Scott 🙂
love that you include Nepal, We people here in Nepal have the saying ” aathiti debo vawa” which actually means guests are like gods so respect them. This is the culture that make us hospitable.
thank you for mentioning Nepal.
Hello Christy, great post! What do you think about Philipines? Also safe destination for solo female traveler?
There are safe areas of the country, for sure! I visited Palawan and felt safe. I highly recommend doing your research first as there are areas that people do not advise travelers to visit.
Great post and awesome list!! I definitely wanted to visit these places by myself. Glad to see there is a list of good locations to go solo. Thank you
Don’t forget Myanmar!
I spent a month hiking solo in Scotland and I can fully agree with your description! An amazing place for a woman hiking/travelling alone.
Great post, Christy. 🙂 While I’m not a female, from what I saw when there (and from what I’ve heard from female travelers), you could also add Iceland to this list (if you’re not already including it in Scandinavia). The crime rate is extremely low, the society is rather egalitarian, and there are an abundance of solo travelers there if you find yourself wanting some company.
Thanks Christy. I agree if we follow and respect the customs, we can freely travel around the globe. Scandinavia and Scotland I like most!
Nice Article!
Thanks for sharing with us.
It is a great post, thanks for sharing this list with us. Now, female
travellers will surely pack their bags for exploring these wonderful
destinations.
Great post. Travelling solo gives me such a complete sense of freedom and flexibility.It also also allows you to be who you really are, without the outside influences of friends or family.
I am pretty sure those are safe and it seems a little obvious!
All female travelers who use travel single must add these places to their bucket list and thanks for sharing this list.
I think Taiwan should be on the list, actually on number 1.. It’s the safest country in the world.
Hi Christy! I’m ‘mature’ female solo traveler and was happy to see your designated list of 10 safe destinations for solo female travelers. Perfect! Costa Rica has been on my bucket list and glad to see it listed. However I’m assuming you weren’t solo, as I read you’d refer to activities etc. that “we” did. Where is a safe tropical destination traveling very solo?
Hi Tonyua. Costa Rica was not a trip I did solo, but I would still highly recommend it. I know a lot of women who have traveled there solo and haven’t had any problems. Bali and Thailand are both great options as well!
Hello, I strongly recommend you to visit Lithuania. It is also a safe place for women. Been there a lotof times. Beautiful nature, many historical places and it is still unseen country for most foreigners 🙂
I have heard a lot of great things about Lithuania. Thanks for the suggestion!
What part of thailand would you suggest for solo travel?
Hi Denise. Southern Thailand is amazing and you’ll run into a lot of solo travelers!
Check out our Thailand tips here for suggestions on where to go: https://ordinarytraveler.com/thailand-travel-guide
Unique ideas
Excellent Article ! This is unique. No one thought about these ideas before. I like to know, did you ever face any trouble while traveling solo and where ?
I haven’t had anything extremely bad happen to me, but there are places where I didn’t feel as safe as a woman traveling solo. I was robbed on a train in Europe (but that could happen anywhere) and was harassed in Amsterdam. I still travel to those places by myself, but I’m more cautious and I never walk around drunk at night by myself.
Oh !! I think Europe and Amsterdam is not unsafe always. May be you were in trouble was an accident. Wish your safe travel all over the-worldwide. 🙂
Yes, I would definitely include Japan! Hands-down safest place I’ve ever travelled. The only place I felt really uncomfortable as a female traveling alone was in India.
Good to know!
We would love to see Greece on this list, perhaps next year? If you come to this beautiful country please visit us at Live-Bio! We are on the Peloponnese, 1h by ferry from Athens 🙂
Maybe! I might be heading there later this year! 🙂
I like the idea of this kind of list! I would add Taiwan and Japan!
I almost included Japan, but I haven’t spent enough time there, so in the end, I felt more comfortable recommending the others. Good to know Taiwan is on the list too!
Love that you included Wales, I feel like it doesn’t get enough attention!
I agree! Thanks for stopping by, Emma.