Looking for the best places to travel alone? These ten destinations are safe, easy to get around and surprisingly sociable, from Japan and Iceland to Portugal and Bali, with tips on meeting people along the way.
In short
• Best overall: Japan, with safe streets, punctual trains and a food culture built for one.
• Safest: Iceland has been the world's most peaceful country in the Global Peace Index for 19 years running.
• Best value in Europe: Portugal and Prague, with low prices and sociable hostels.
• Easiest to meet people: Bali, Thailand and Mexico, with classes, food tours and group activities.
• Short and safe within Europe: Copenhagen, Prague and Vienna.
The best places to travel alone are Japan, Portugal, Iceland, Thailand, New Zealand, Denmark, Prague, Switzerland, Bali and Mexico. They have the same things in common: low crime, easy public transport and plenty of ways to meet other travellers without having to plan it.
Travelling alone is no longer something you do because nobody else could come. Many people choose it on purpose: you set the pace, eat when you want and talk to whoever you like. But where you go decides a lot about how good the trip will be. Here are the destinations that work best when you travel on your own, and why.
Four things set the best solo travel destinations apart from the rest:
Safety. You should be able to walk home alone in the evening without thinking twice. Travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth ranked 113 countries by risk for solo travellers in 2026. San Marino, Andorra and Singapore are the safest, and seven of the ten safest countries are in Europe, including Austria, Czechia, Estonia, Denmark and Slovenia.
Easy transport. Good trains, metros and buses mean you do not need a rental car or someone to split a taxi with.
Social infrastructure. Hostels with common areas, food tours, classes and guided day trips make it easy to meet others without trying too hard.
A culture of eating alone. In some places it is completely normal to sit alone at a bar counter or a noodle bar. In others, everything is set up for couples and families.
Japan tops almost every list of solo travel destinations, and it is one of the ten most peaceful countries in the Global Peace Index 2026. Trains run to the minute, crime is low and nobody notices that you are eating alone. Ramen bars with single booths and sushi counters are made for one person. Tokyo gives you big-city life and nightlife, Kyoto temples and teahouses, and the Japan Rail Pass makes it easy to travel on.
Portugal is small, safe and affordable compared with the rest of Western Europe, and it ranks seventh in the Global Peace Index 2026. Lisbon and Porto have some of Europe's best hostels, with shared dinners and walking tours. If you want sun and surf, the Algarve and Ericeira are great for meeting people on a surf course.
Iceland has been the world's most peaceful country in the Global Peace Index for 19 years running. Reykjavik is small and easy to navigate, and it is simple to join day trips to the Golden Circle, glaciers and the northern lights. It is expensive, but you feel safe the whole way.
Thailand's tourism industry has welcomed solo travellers for decades. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the southern islands are well connected by plane, bus and boat. Cooking classes, dive courses and hostels mean you have company when you want it, and peace when you want it.
New Zealand ranks second in the Global Peace Index 2026 and has a culture where travelling alone is completely normal. Hop-on hop-off buses and well-marked hiking trails make it easy to plan your own route. The South Island is perfect if you want to hike, bungee jump or simply drive along the coast.
Denmark is one of the ten safest countries for solo travellers in Squaremouth's 2026 ranking. Copenhagen is flat and bike-friendly, with food halls and wine bars where striking up a conversation feels natural. Perfect for a long weekend without much planning.
Czechia is fifth on Squaremouth's list of the safest countries for solo travellers. Prague has a compact centre, cheap beer, plenty of free walking tours and a lively hostel scene. It is easy to continue by train to Vienna, and Austria is fourth on the same list.
Switzerland is expensive, but it is almost impossible to get wrong, and it ranks third in the Global Peace Index 2026. With the Swiss Travel Pass you travel freely by train, bus and boat, and the scenery does the work for you. A great choice if you want to explore mountains and lakes alone, but safely.
Bali is one of the world's most popular places for solo travellers. Canggu and Ubud are full of yoga studios, cafés and co-working spaces where it is easy to find company. Be careful with traffic and riding scooters.
Mexico has a strong culture of food tours and group activities, and Mexico City, Oaxaca and the Yucatán Peninsula are popular with solo travellers. The country ranks 16th on Squaremouth's list of the riskiest countries, so stick to well-known areas, use registered taxis and check travel advice before you go.
A word on South America: Cities like Medellín and Cartagena are popular, but Colombia is among the ten riskiest countries for solo travellers in Squaremouth's 2026 ranking. That does not mean you should stay away, only that you should plan a little more carefully.
You want … | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
City and culture | Tokyo, Copenhagen, Prague, Lisbon | Compact centres, good public transport, lots to do alone |
Sun and beach | Algarve, the Thai islands, Bali | Hostels, classes and beach bars make it easy to meet people |
Nature and adventure | Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland | Safe, well marked and easy guided day trips |
Meeting others | Bali, Thailand, Mexico | Strong culture of group activities and social hostels |
Short and safe | Copenhagen, Prague, Vienna | Short flight from much of Europe, low risk, easy to plan |
Collect the places that inspire you, build a day-by-day itinerary and keep every ticket, booking and note in one place.
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Avoid the single supplement. Choose hostels with private rooms, apartments or hotels that charge per room, not per person.
Travel in shoulder season. Just before or after peak season it is cheaper, quieter and easier to find a room.
Stay somewhere social the first nights. A hostel or small guesthouse makes it easy to find company. Switch to somewhere quieter later if you like.
Book an activity on day one. A food tour, a class or a walking tour gives you both your bearings and people to talk to.
Share your plans. Tell someone at home where you are staying and what you are doing. Always have travel insurance.
Have a plan for the evenings. Know how you will get home before you go out, and use registered taxis or apps.
The best thing about travelling alone is that the whole trip is yours. Create a trip in Travel Outenza, save the places you want to visit and see them together on the map, so you have everything in one place when you land. If you meet someone along the way, you can easily invite them in as travel partners.
Looking for new places to go next year? See also 12 destinations everyone is searching for in 2027.
Iceland, Denmark and Portugal are good first choices: low crime, good public transport and easy guided day trips. Outside Europe, Japan is the safest and most predictable option.
San Marino is the safest in Squaremouth's 2026 ranking, ahead of Andorra and Singapore. Among the bigger destinations, Iceland, New Zealand and Switzerland are the top three in the Global Peace Index 2026.
Bali, Thailand and Mexico have strong hostel scenes, classes and group tours. Stay in a hostel for the first nights and book an activity on your first day.
Choose hostels with private rooms, apartments or hotels that charge per room, and travel in shoulder season when prices are lower.
Japan, Iceland, Portugal, Denmark and Switzerland are considered safe choices. Always have a plan for the evening, share your plans with someone at home and have travel insurance.
Collect the places that inspire you, build a day-by-day itinerary and keep every ticket, booking and note in one place.
Free to start. Save the places from this article to a trip, plan your days and share the trip with your travel companions.
Tokyo, Japan
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