Choosing a destination for solo travel can be tricky, especially if it’s your first time. You’ll likely find yourself with a list of possible options, and making the right decision is important to make sure you get the best from your trip. Between 2020 and 2024, I’ve taken several solo trips and each destination has its own merits, as well as a couple of downsides. Below I’ve rated each destination based on 3 key factors: affordability, safety and ‘solo-friendliness’ (how well suited the destination is for solo travel). I hope this goes some way in making your choice that little bit easier!
Copenhagen, Denmark
Affordability: 3/5
Whilst Denmark is one of Europe’s more expensive destinations, Copenhagen has a strong choice of hostels. The city is very walkable too, meaning you can save big on two of the main costs.
Safety: 5/5
Copenhagen is regularly ranked as one of the world’s safest cities. Crime levels are generally low, so other than keeping an eye on your belongings, there’s little reason to be worried here.
Solo-Friendliness: 3/5
Copenhagen has a lot to offer, especially for a weekend solo trip, but isn’t particularly well known as a solo-traveller hotspot. There is a good hostel scene across the city though, and this is a good first stop to meet other solo travellers.
New York City, USA
Affordability: 2/5
New York City doesn’t come cheap. There aren’t many hostel options here, and hotels are very expensive. But if you’re willing to tackle the fierce NYC winters, you’ll find lower prices available in January. And you can always save a few cents by dining out in the city’s iconic pizza joints.
Safety: 3/5
I was admittedly nervous visiting New York for the first time. This is a big city that is home to a LOT of people. But I mostly felt pretty safe. Do a little research on neighbourhoods, use common sense, trust your gut and you’ll be fine.
Solo-Friendliness: 4/5
NYC has endless things to do for solos, couple or groups. Museums, famous sights and group tours are numerous and dining solo isn’t an unusual concept. How successful you are in meeting new people will depend on how much you put yourself out there. New Yorkers have a reputation for being rude or unfriendly, but their frosty exterior often hides a warm personality if you can catch them when they’re not in a rush.
Vancouver, Canada
Affordability: 2/5
Similarly to New York, Vancouver is not a budget destination. Accommodation in particular can be pricey, but I do recommend YWCA Hotel. It offers basic but comfortable accommodation at the more affordable end of the price bracket.
Safety: 4/5
On the whole, I felt very comfortable in Vancouver and was happy to explore alone during the day. Be wary of Downtown Eastside, especially if you are a newbie solo traveller. Whilst nothing untoward happened to me here, there are well-known social issues in this area which may cause you to feel less comfortable if you’re travelling alone.
Solo-Friendliness: 4/5
Vancouver offers plenty to do for the solo traveller, particularly with so much stunning nature on the doorstep. Locals are friendly but there isn’t a huge solo traveller community here, apart from a couple of party hostels in Gastown. Solo dining doesn’t seem common either, so you may find yourself eating a lot of take-out, if dining alone isn’t something you’re comfortable with.
Jasper, Canada
Affordability: 3/5
Jasper has so many free and affordable things to see and do. Accomodation here is mostly hotels, but Jasper Downtown Hostel is a good choice if you’re looking to keep to a strict budget.
Safety: 5/5
Jasper’s vibes are incredibly relaxed and you’ll feel completely safe here. The only real concern is the wildlife, especially if you venture outside of the town centre. Just make sure you’re bear aware and don’t go hiking alone!
Solo-Friendliness: 4/5
Whilst most visitors are travelling as couples or groups, a fair number of solo travellers pass through Jasper, on solo road trips or on trans-Canada rail journeys. You’re unlikely to be the only solo in town. There are plenty of local tour groups to join if you want to get out of the townsite and go hiking but don’t have a buddy with you.
Dubai, UAE
Affordability: 2/5
Dubai isn’t known for being budget-friendly. But as you can see from this post, it is possible to have an affordable trip here. By being flexible on dates and travelling in shoulder season, you can find reasonable accommodation rates. And if most of your exploring is along the metro line, transport costs will remain low too. When it comes to food, Dubai has some of the best supermarket deli counters I’ve seen, where you can pick up a picnic lunch.
Safety: 5/5
Dubai is very safe for tourists and crime rates are low. Ensure you respect the local customs and dress codes and you will have no cause for concern.
Solo-Friendliness: 1/5
There is so much to see in Dubai and certainly enough to keep a solo traveller busy. That said, this city is not built with the solo traveller in mind. Arabic culture is based around community and family (which is positive), but this means things like solo dining in particular are a rare concept and hostels are thin on the ground. If you’re looking to meet other solo travellers, group day tours are your best bet.
Singapore, Singapore
Affordability: 4/5
This may come as a shock, but Asia’s most expensive city can be very affordable! Accommodation will be your biggest challenge, but there are some great hostel options here. And once you’ve got somewhere to stay, transport and food is easy. Public transport is super wallet-friendly, with each trip costing around 2 SGD, and the city’s beloved hawker centres will feed you excellent food for just a few dollars.
Safety: 5/5
Singapore is the only place in the world where I’ve wandered alone late into the evening. Of course, be reasonable and trust your gut. But honestly, you are unlikely to feel a need to check over your shoulder in this city. Crime levels are incredibly low here, especially against tourists.
Solo-Friendliness: 4/5
Many travellers pass through Singapore on their way to or from solo trips around South East Asia or Oceania. There are so many great hostels here where you’ll likely meet them. And dining solo isn’t an issue. You’ll see many tourists and locals alike eating alone in the casual environment of hawker centres.
My Top Recommendation?
If you’re a first time solo traveller, my top destination recommendation would have to be Singapore. The solo traveller community seems to be growing here really quickly and the super safe environment means you can truly relax and enjoy yourself. And to top it off, it’s just a short flight to other popular solo travel destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. So don’t hesitate and book a flight to the Lion City now!
