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How to Choose Your First Solo Destination for Solo Female Travelers
So you’ve finally decided to travel solo? Congratulations!
I don’t know what led you here, but I do know this decision rarely happens overnight. It usually takes a quiet battle with fear, doubt, and a hundred “what ifs.” Just getting to this point already shows a huge amount of courage, and that deserves real respect.
Maybe this will be a one-time adventure, or maybe it will become something you return to every year, every few months, or even full-time. However it unfolds, this moment is the first step toward a journey that can change the way you see the world (and yourself).
Now comes the big question: how do you actually choose the right place for your first solo trip? Here are a few pointers to help you figure it out:
Well, duh. This should go without saying. It’s your solo trip, after all. And that’s the beauty of traveling alone—it’s all about you.
So, go ahead and ask yourself what you like most.
- Do you prefer beaches, mountains, or cities?
- Are you looking for adventure, relaxation, culture, or nature?
- Do you want to party or get away from the crowd?
One of the biggest mistakes first-time travelers make is picking a famous place just because everyone else wants to go there.
I once made the mistake of choosing Paris for my first Europe trip, even though I wasn’t big on cities, arts, or museums, and I wasn’t really keen on visiting the “City of Love” so soon after a breakup.
In the end, it turned out to be quite a disappointment. I would still have wanted to visit Paris at some point in my life, but I wish I hadn’t tried to make it the highlight of that trip just so I could impress people with pictures of the Eiffel Tower.
2. Think about practical stuff first
Dreams are nice, but logistics matter more on a first solo trip.
Budget
Take an honest look at your budget, and let that help you decide where to go. Bear in mind that some places may be expensive to fly to but cheap once you get there.
For example, if you’re in Europe, flying to Southeast Asia may cost a lot. But the fare plus travel expenses for a few months in Southeast Asia may still be cheaper than if you were to travel within Europe for the same amount of time.
Distance from home
A 20-hour flight with three layovers can be overwhelming for a beginner. Starting with a destination closer to home gives you confidence without exhausting you.
Visa requirement
A visa is an official permission that authorizes you to visit a foreign country.
Before you book flight tickets, use an online visa checker or official embassy websites, know if your passport qualifies for visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival, and learn the application procedures and processing times, as some visas can take weeks.
Don’t be like silly old me who went to the airport all excited to fly to Myanmar only to be turned away because I didn’t have a Myanmar visa.
Remember that most visas will also cost you money.
So do take this into consideration when choosing your destination. Are you willing to go through a complicated visa application process for your first solo trip abroad?
Vaccination requirement
Health checks and vaccination requirements are real factors for certain countries. Depending on where you’re headed, you may need vaccines like yellow fever or typhoid before entry.
Check WHO or government travel health sites, and allow ample time before departure for doses that take weeks to complete.
Getting around
You’ll want to know how easy it is to get around once you’re there. Great public transport can make exploring cities a breeze, while lack of it can add stress and cost.
I’m a terrible driver so I have no choice but to rely on public transport to get around. When choosing a destination, I look for places with:
- trains or buses that are easy to book
- ride-hailing apps available
- walkable city centers
If moving from A to B already looks like a puzzle, maybe save that country for later.
3. Pick a place with some sense of familiarity
I know, not everyone will agree with me on this. Some people prefer to jump straight into the deep end and start with a country that feels completely unfamiliar. And that’s totally cool.
But if you’re feeling a little scared about traveling alone for the first time, start with a place that’s not too different from what you’re used to, but still foreign enough to give you a feel of what it’s like to be a solo adventurer abroad.
For my first solo destination, I chose Singapore because I knew it to be safe, clean, modern, and organized. Plus, the familiar weather, food, and language meant fewer things for me to stress about.
However, if going to a whole new country still feels like too big a step, it’s perfectly fine to start on your own home turf. A solo trip is a solo trip even if you don’t cross international borders.
4. Know the safety realities
Safety is personal and subjective. There’s no place in the world that’s 100% free of risk, but some places have reputations for being more traveler-friendly, especially for first-timers.
Before booking:
- Check local laws, cultural expectations, and common scams.
- Read recent travel advisories from reputable sources.
- Look at traveler reviews for safety tips.
If you’re a woman traveling alone, searching specifically for female-solo travel safety tips can give you extra peace of mind.
While I don’t discourage you from visiting places that are deemed ‘unsafe’, I’d recommend putting it off until you’re a more experienced traveler, so that you’d be better prepared if you find yourself in a challenging situation.
Final thoughts
Choosing your first solo destination doesn’t need to be intimidating. Instead of trying to find a perfect place, aim for a destination that feels right for you now.
The good news is, it’s not like choosing a spouse. You’re allowed to “choose wrong.” If you don’t love it, you still gain something: confidence, stories, and proof that you can survive on your own.
Ultimately, the destination matters less than the decision to go.
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Love this! I did my first solo trip in 2014 after a friend bailed on me last minute! I was terrified but it ended up being the most incredible two months and since then I’ve been to 50 countries – mostly solo! Really enjoyed this and it’s very informative for future first time solo travellers 😊
Wow, that’s really inspiring, Char! Good thing you didn’t give up on the trip when your friend bailed on you last minute. Sounds like a blessing in disguise. Wishing you more beautiful adventures for this year!
I did a group band tour in high school and got a quick glimpse of a few European countries, and I chose my first solo trip based off that experience. I ended spending a year in Germany – I chose Germany for how safe it felt, for sure. I did branch out to Switzerland and Italy a few times during that year. But there was so much to see and do in Germany! Such an amazing experience. I definitely recommend solo travel to any one who can!
Oh that’s so cool, Clarice! I wish my school had something like that. I also felt very safe in Germany except for some street scammers in big cities. The people aren’t the friendliest in my opinion, but they’re helpful and honest and once you get to know them personally, they’re actually very nice people. You made an excellent choice!
Great post! But somehow I feel that follow your hear might not be the best way to choose your first destination, especially when you have mentioned so many other important tips 🙂
Thank you for your insight, MagicandBliss. I think you’ve got a point there.
What I was trying to convey was that you shouldn’t make your decision based on what’s trending or what other people say is nice if your heart’s not in it. For example, on my first trip to Europe, I chose Paris to be my first destination because everyone was saying that it’s the place to be in Europe and the most beautiful city in the world. Admittedly, I also wanted to impress my friends with pictures of the Eiffel Tower because to many people that’s probably the most iconic monument in the region. But personally, I knew that I didn’t care much for big cities and their buildings; I also didn’t have much appreciation for art or architecture, and would have enjoyed a scenic hike in the countryside more than a day at the Louvre. So, unfortunately, I ended up not enjoying my trip much.
But of course, there are many more things to consider when choosing your first solo destination as mentioned in this article — it’s wise to take a bit of everything into consideration. 🙂
I think these are some amazing tips! For my first solo trip, I chose to center my destinations & timing around festivals and concerts and was really happy I did. I’m sorry you didn’t like Paris much! I often hear that people don’t enjoy it as much as they thought they would. I however, ended up really loving Paris and hope to go back.
Glad to know that your first solo trip was a success, Natalie. Timing your visit around festivals is a good way to experience the local culture, as long as you don’t mind the crowd. Also, it’s great that you enjoyed Paris. I’d love to go again and explore the less touristy parts.
My first solo trip was to Bangkok – all the same reasons as why you chose Singapore.
And I was surprised that Bangkok is very much forward as compared to Malaysia in many ways.
And now I consider Bangkok as my second kampung. Bangkok never fail to excite me and everytime I visits, there are always new findings.
I had the same impression when I visited Bangkok for the first time, Rawlins. I guess we Malaysians are so deluded to think that we are the 2nd most advanced nation in the region (after Singapore). Haha. And now, just like you, I consider Bangkok my favorite city, and Thailand my favorite country.
my First solo trip i went to bangkok. but its kinda unplanned to do solo, so tak well prepared. lepas tu i saja teringin naik bas yang murah tu but penduduk situ taktau speak english. dah macam ayam itik la pulak haha but bestttt. and as your advice, solo travel ni ok je. janji kita prepared
Haha travel macam tu la best, kan Bae. Naik bas local, pergi tempat2 yang tak ramai pelancong pergi. Tentu jadi satu kenangan manis untuk awak.
Travel solo.. teringin juga ke tempat orang secara solo. Tapi saya lebih suka berteman, rasa lebih selamat 😉
I hope you’ll give it a try someday, Maisarah 🙂
Benda yg paling i takut kalau travel ke oversea sorang2 adalah safety. Tapi to be honeat.. i teringin juga jalan sorang2
Memang itu yang kita perlu utamakan, Ayu, terutamanya sebagai wanita, kan. Semoga Ayu ada keberanian untuk mencuba suatu hari nanti.
Woaaa tak pernah pulak tahu ada Hari Nyepi di Bali. Nampak menarik juga konsep tu.
Ya, Farhana. Saya pun cuma pernah dengar je perayaan ni, tak pernah alami sendiri. Sebuah amalan tradisi yang unik, bagi saya.
paris was my first actual solo destination but it was for work, and ko phi phi was my first solo travel destination. wish i read your article when i was first starting out, would hv turned out a lot differently!
Thank you, Grace. I hope everything turned out well for you on both trips. Koh Phi Phi, or Thailand in general, is an excellent choice as a first solo destination.
Very true ahh.. The third point really valid ahh.. I was choosing between Europe and UK during my first solo trip and my friend suggest me to go UK before Euro especially due to language barrier in the EU countries.. Nice tips!
Thank you, Kitkat. I think you made a good call there. Traveling alone for the first time is challenging enough as it is, you don’t want to be further stressed out by language barriers. Anyway, well done for having traveled solo in the UK!
Ummi! Thank you for artikel best ni. Almost forgot masa first time travel solo. Ruby pilih ke Sabah. Masa tu pilih destinasi laut dan hiking. Cabaran memang ada. Risau semua ada. Tapi first time solo is a good trip kalau kita start dengan tempat mudah guna wang tunai. Mudah berkomunikasi dan pakaian musim panas macam di Semenanjung. Hehehe. Next, baru berani ke Jogjakarta, Indonesia. I think pengalaman 10 tahun dulu semua ni. Ummi buat akak rindu travel!
Thank you, kak Ruby! Kali pertama saya travel solo pun lebih kurang 10 tahun dulu, dan saya setuju sangat2 dengan apa yang akak cakap. Cabaran tu memang ada. Risau tu normal. Jadi bagi first-time solo traveler, adalah sangat disarankan cuba tempat yang dekat2 dulu supaya nanti takde la terlalu stres dengan matawang asing, iklim yang terlalu berbeza, dsb. Apa pun, syabas untuk akak kerana dah pernah travel solo. Semoga menjadi inspirasi buat pembaca yang lain.
Betul Ummi, biasa no satu dan dua atas tu kena fikir dulu, baru boleh langkah ke no tiga.. budget tu mesti fikir yang utama..kalau tak, jangan le nak teruskan no tiga hehehe
Haha, betul tu sis. Kalau bajet tak cukup, tak jalan juga, ya tak?
Hope we all can travel again and yes i pernah ada pengalaman travel solo ke Tokyo. I think travel kat situ paling safe dan boleh la berdikari sikit-sikit tengok orang kat sana.
Setuju, Zarin. Negara Jepun memang antara negara yang paling aman dan selamat di dunia. Pilihan destinasi yang bagus bagi mereka yang ingin kembara solo buat kali pertama.
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