The prospect of solo travel might scare some people, being out in the world with no one to help navigate, to lean on in a pinch or simply to share the moments of discovery. Others love being alone on the road, free to take any detour or linger in any village shop, liberated to do exactly as he or she wishes.
Such was the case with a seat mate I met on the Alaska Railroad in March. He said he had visited Fairbanks alone because his wife wanted to lie on a beach somewhere and he wanted to cross-country ski. So even those who are part of a couple partake in solo travel, and it seems that more people are getting comfortable with the idea. The small-group travel company G Adventures (gadventures.com), for example, reported a 134 percent increase in single travelers using its services since 2008.
So for those who want to take the solo plunge, we queried experts in the field of solo travel for their tips on great places to go it alone. Generally the idea is that these places are safe for single travelers yet offer options for adventure and chances to share the experience with those met along the way.
One caveat: Just because a place generally is safe doesn’t mean a person should take ill-advised chances by walking alone at night or advertising the fact that he or she is alone. Listen to your gut.
Here’s a look at where solo travel experts suggest going and why.
Marybeth Bond, founder of The Gutsy Traveler website (gutsytraveler.com): Bond was a serious traveler with her family as a youth, and in her 20s lived in Paris and the Pacific islands of New Caledonia. At 29, she began journeying alone. She has visited more than 100 countries and, now past 50, lives in Marin County, Calif.
Bond’s favorite solo cities include Boston; Montreal; San Francisco and Santa Barbara, Calif.; Seattle; and Paris because they are walkable, bike-friendly, have good public transit and great museums and restaurants.
For singles wanting a group expedition with like-minded souls, Bond recommends a bicycle or walking tour in Vermont or coastal Maine. Good resources for that are Inn to Inn (800-838-3301, inntoinn.com) and VBT (800-245-3868, vbt.com).
Her other international picks include Perth and Rottnest Island, Western Australia: Perth is safe and female-friendly, Bond said. Rottnest Island, about a 45-minute ferry ride from Perth, offers great snorkeling and bicycling. Info: westernaustralia.com and rottnestisland.com
For a Spain-like experience without crossing an ocean, she suggests San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Info: tinyurl.com/spaininmexico
Gary Arndt, award-winning photographer and blogger at Everything Everywhere (everything-everywhere.com): In March 2007, at age 37, Arndt sold his house in Minnesota and became a wanderer. He since has visited more than 140 countries and has no permanent home. He suggests three places where mingling is easy for solo travelers.
One of the more unique because of its isolation is the island of St. Helena, a British territory not quite midway in the Atlantic between Africa and South America. Until the island’s first airport opens in 2016, the Royal Mail Ship St. Helena is the only way to get there. During the five-day boat trip to or from St. Helena, you can’t help but get to know other passengers; the ship can hold only 156. “On the island you will bump into the people you met on the boat several times,” he said. “Great place to make friends.” Info: sthelenatourism.com and rms-st-helena.com
There are about 30 small, village-owned resorts along Fiji’s Yasawa Islands archipelago, where you can hop off the boat. “Island life makes it easy to start up conversations, because you are all pretty much stuck on the same island.” Info: tinyurl.com/yasawa
Even though Berlin is Germany’s capital, low rents draw creative souls and give the city a vibrant culture. A large expat community makes it easy to meet people. Info: visitberlin.de/en
Janice Waugh, Toronto-based publisher of the travel blog Solo Traveler (solotravelerblog.com): Waugh began traveling at age 15 and by her late 40s had visited 12 countries with her family and husband. She began traveling alone after her husband died in 2006. Now 59, she has visited 15 countries solo.
Her picks include the friendly, walkable, food-laden city of Montreal, which finds itself at the top of many solo bucket lists, plus four other destinations.
The Lake District of northwest England is “friendly and relaxing, with beautiful scenery. I stayed in Ambleside and met many locals,” she said. Info: golakes.co.uk
Hiking Torres del Paine National Park in the Patagonia area of Chile “is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and everyone doing so knows it.” Info: tinyurl.com/patagoniahike
Volunteering at the Sundance Film Festival in January at Park City, Utah, offers a unique opportunity to schmooze with people while traveling alone. The small town comes alive during the festival, Waugh said. Volunteering “throws a solo traveler into a community. And find time to ski too.” Info: visitparkcity.com and sundance.org/festival/volunteer
Paris is a natural pretty much any time. “An iconic city for its beauty, it’s also a friendly city if done right. Make sure you take advantage of the Paris Greeter program and one of the sites that let’s you book dinner with a local,” Waugh said. en.parisinfo.com
Jodi Ettenberg, author of the Legal Nomads blog (legalnomads.com): Ettenberg quit her legal job in 2008 at age 28 and began roaming the globe alone. She has visited 60-plus countries and is a G Adventures Wanderer in Residence. Now 34, she is based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. “Many women write me, afraid to travel solo, and ask for advice,” she said. “I often recommend that they join an organized tour first and then keep on after alone.”
Not surprisingly, she recommends Ho Chi Minh City. “The city is fast-paced but intent on savoring its meals, and the street food abounds. Locals are thrilled when you try new foods, and I’ve been invited to family meals and festivities just because I wandered by alone and started asking questions.” Info: tinyurl.com/viettour
She also likes Montreal. “Montreal is a great city — though it’s my hometown, so I’m biased — with a great summer scene. After the cold and long winter, everyone is outside, eating at terraces, wandering the streets, sitting in the parks.” Free concerts at the famed Montreal International Jazz Festival and similar events make the city a fit for almost any budget. Info: tourisme-montreal.org.
Portland, Ore, is friendly, and it’s easy to meet people at the many activities indoors and out and also at the street food stalls and microbreweries. Info: travelportland.com
Bob Diener, a co-founder of the website Getaroom (getaroom.com): Because of his business, Diener knows the habits of solo travelers. “Men tend to go to sporting destinations and mountains year-round, while women tend to go to larger cities. Colorado is No. 1, winter and summer, for men, who favor Vail and Aspen,” he said, and solitary females visit Las Vegas, New York City and New Orleans, in that order.
Las Vegas has good prices on single show tickets and great shopping, he explained, and New York offers shopping, theater and ease in meeting people. New Orleans caters to all ages, he added, though young women revel in the French Quarter, and older women flock to festivals.
Internationally, Southeast Asia is popular. “All the Buddhist countries tend to be pretty safe, and women tend to book Southeast Asian tours that often start in Thailand. Top spots include Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand; Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in Cambodia; and Vientiane in Laos. Though Vietnam is not a predominantly Buddhist country, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also are very popular because crime is so rare,” Diener said. Info: tourismthailand.org
Bottom line: Solo travel is a great way to explore the world — and maybe oneself.
