I’ve been solo traveling for many years now and always enjoy my trips around the globe. Some of my adventures though have been more legendary than others. Here are my top five favorite trips!
South Africa
I had the fortunate experience of being able to stay in Cape Town with locals. Therefore, I was treated to some sweet homemade meals, authentic to the area and the awesome experience of seeing the sites from a local perspective.
That being said, I did quite a few things solo and had a great time. I went to Table Mountain and hiked around the top, enjoying the gorgeous views. After that, I hung out in Capetown downtown (it’s safe to walk around in the day) and saw the sites. One of the other bonuses of this city is that the currency is great against the Canadian dollar. So, a really nice meal in a fancy restaurant was super cheap.
Next, can we talk about the wine? So good and soooo cheap! I went on a wine tour of Stellenbosh and loved it! I highly recommend picking up some bottles to bring back with you.
Finally, I went on an amazing safari in Phinda Reserve. This was a once in a lifetime experience for me so I went with a bit of a fancier safari. Read all about my experience at Phinda Mountain Reserve here.
With the affordable restaurants and wine, this was a winning trip for me! I highly recommend for solo travelers.
Paris
My first trip to Paris was a in 2007 and I fell in love with the look and feel of the city. It became on of my favourite solo trips and I’ve been back four times since and still am in love. I always stay in the 6th arrondissement. This arrondissement (area of town) is so picturesque and within walking distance to Notre Dame, Lourve, etc. I usually try and pick a hotel or Airbnb that’s close to the subway as I always take the train from CDG. Keep in mind that if you are lugging lots of luggage, the metros tend not to have escalators so factor that into your decision.
To me, Paris is the perfect solo trip as there are so many museums and attractions to keep you busy for days on end. I always try and go to one museum when I’m in Paris. There are a lot of great city museums too that are free so make sure to check them out.
Ok, so for dining in Paris, you shouldn’t be afraid. A lot of the Paris restaurants have inside and outside seating at cafes. The outside seating is my favourite for people watching. You can just grab a chair and sip on your cafe all day if you’d like. Parisian cafes and restaurants won’t rush you eating or drinking and you’ll have to ask for the cheque! For breakfast, make sure you go to any of the boulangeries (bakeries) and ask for a croissant or pain au chocolat. Sometimes they are still warm!
Lisbon
Wow, Lisbon was my most unexpected amazing travel experience. I loved the feel of the town and how affordable it was. I stayed in the centre of town and took the cable car to see the sights. I highly recommend just walking the cobblestone streets and getting to know the town on foot.
So, I don’t know any Portuguese and I would highly recommend you pick up a few words before heading to Lisbon. I had no idea how to order food and ended up eating ham sandwiches for two days while I figured it out. I found that people didn’t speak as much English as in other European cities I’d visited.
It didn’t feel as touristy in Lisbon (although this is changing by the minute) as other European cities I’ve visited so I felt I was getting an authentic experience with the locals. The nightlife is amazing and I recommend you do a bar crawl of the Barrio Alto area. I went with people I was staying with at my hostel but I’m sure there are fun tours you could join!
Lisbon will always have a special place in my heart and I highly recommend it as a great European city to visit!
Australia
One of my favorite trips of all time, Australia is one of the best and easiest trips to do solo. In fact, if you are starting long term travel, this is one of the best countries to get your feet wet.
My recommendation though for a more authentic Australian experience is to NOT start in Sydney. I know this is against popular opinion but you will get sucked into Sydney and I know a lot of people who go to Australia for months and never leave the city. I recommend you start in Perth. I spent 8 months on the West coast of Australia and feel I got the authentic Australian experience.
I traveled the West costa of Australia from top to bottom and I can tell you, it’s amazing. From picking Kiwis in Pemberton to bartending in Broome, I had the time of my life. Even if you don’t have months to travel, the West coast is not to be missed!
If you feel like doing the hostel route, you can meet tons of people to travel with on your journey. There are also a lot of hop on hop off buses that will take you up the coasts. It’s a very travel friendly country that is used to tourists.
Don’t miss the Great Barrier Reef! If you have the time, try and do a live aboard cruise for a few days. These can be done out of the WhitSunday Islands and will get you out to some great snorkeling/diving locations. There are all kinds of different boats so shop around.
I would say, have at least a month in Australia to scratch the surface of what this country has to offer. Keep in mind that the country is huge so the driving distances between cities are many hours. I recommend internal flights if you are short on time. You can find some good deals on internal flights with Quantas.
Beijing
I was super nervous about going to China solo and how safe it would be for me. Turns out, it’s probably one of the safest countries I’ve ever traveled in solo. In China, it’s not uncommon for women to travel long distances alone so I didn’t feel I stuck out too much (well, besides the blond hair).
Since Beijing hosted the Olympics in 2008, the city has been cleaned up and is a lot more travel friendly for English speakers. The metro is super clean and modern with English signs everywhere. I found it really easy to get around the city.
I visited a few parks and museums on my own but to visit the Great Wall, I recommend you do a tour. It’s just easier to have someone else organize the transportation etc.
Don’t be afraid to try the food. Sure, you may not know what something is so try and ask beforehand if you are worried but I found the food to be amazing.
Beijing was my favourite city in China. It is a mix of old and new (with the old being pushed out for more modern buildings). I would recommend you visit the city asap before it changes anymore.
Solo trips
Wherever you go, if you end up loving or hating the destination, it’s still a great travel experience. I grow from each trip and learn more things about myself as I digest my travel experience. What are your favorite or least favorite travel destinations?
Based on the places you’ve mentioned, I think you would absolutely love Tbilisi, Georgia! Amazing history, great (cheap!) wine, stunning landscapes outside the city… I think it’s right up your alley!
I would love to go there! Is it easy to travel around solo?
Yay for Beijing! And I agree about Paris. Look forward to doing South Africa.
You will love it! It’s one of my favourite trips. 🙂
Any tips to avoid single supplements?
Hi Nancie, I never stay places with single supplements to be honest. If I did encounter one though I would contact the hotel/vendor directly to negotiate.
I used to travel solo, but I guess it’s different as a man. I’m currently on my first longtime trip with my girlfriend and I see the differences: what I find better and what is more complicated. Maybe one day I’ll write something about this, it might be interesting (to me at least, haha).
I always say, the only time I would want to be a man is when i’m traveling. I know there are pros and cons but I’d love to be able to experience it.
What a list! Every single one of those destinations is on my bucket list. Also what an experience to solo travel to them all and really get to learn about yourself while immersed in such different cultures!
Thanks Jenny. I hope to inspire others to go travel solo. 🙂
Ah I am from Cape Town so loved reading all about your experience there! The wine (especially wine tastings in Stellenbosh) are out of this world! You just don’t find that anywhere else! I miss the wine so much when I’m gone haha.
Cape Town is so awesome! I am still dreaming of the wine!
I have never travelled solo but your stories are so inspiring. Especially about South Africa, I would never have had that on my radar before for a solo traveller…although I’d be tempted to book flights also for the wine ha!
You should! It’s a gorgeous place to see and so affordable. Obviously, you need to be cautious but it’s worth it.
I travel solo as well, and I’m off to South Africa tomorrow, so it was great reading about your time in Cape Town. I’m doing a safari as well, and I can’t wait!
Wow, great timing! I can’t wait to read about it.
So jealous you got to go to the Great Barrier Reef! What a great way to see it by boat!! While I want to go diving there, boating would be so cool!!!!!! #AddedtoBucketList 😀
It was so cool. I did a night dive which was amazing!
You inspired me with South Africa, I didn’t think I can go there alone, but now it is nice to see that I wouldn’t be the only one to do it! And Australia looks exciting as well, even though it seems like a lot of planning traveling all of this alone
Such a great list of places for solo travel! Portugal is high on my list during the warmer months and I can’t wait to start planning. My partner would much prefer booking a trip to Beijing though first!
I’m currently on my first long term solo trip in South America and loving it! You speaking about Paris makes me wanna go again, its so easy to wander round on your own here, I love it. Lisbon was alright for me but I think it now has become super touristy so I didn’t love it compared to other European cities. Great write up, definitely wanna visit China one day.
Paris was actually my first – and only, so far – solo trip! I had stayed in an Airbnb studio apartment and felt like I was living there. Would love to start doing more solo trips, but maybe I’ll start a bit closer to home first. Amazing how far you’ve traveled on your own.