In search of a great city break destination? Looking for the best places for solo female travel? As a female travelling alone it can be daunting heading off to a big city for the first time. How do you know if it will be safe? In the most part, the big cities are generally safe places to visit as they are so busy. That being said, I have compiled a list of what I think are the best cities for solo female travel.
Look at these fab solo female travel destinations and decide which is your favourite!
| London, England |
| New York, United States |
| Singapore |
| Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Bangkok, Thailand |
| Siem Reap, Cambodia |
| Seoul, South Korea |
| Brisbane, Australia |
| Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| Wellington, New Zealand |
London, England
I have to put my home city first right?! And what a great a great one it is. London is HUGE, I have lived in Greater London all my life and still have not seen it all. From free museums, art galleries, green parks, some of the best shopping and nightlife and let’s not forget the architecture of century old buildings.
There is so much to see in London and I think it’s one of the best cities for solo female travel. The tubes are pretty simple to navigate and there is always someone around if you get stuck. There are so many attractions to see, it’s sometimes even better to visit them alone as you can get so much more done in a short space of time.
If you do make friends in some of the many hostels around the city, then London’s nightlife is amazing. From bars with live bands, the traditional English pub, huge nightclubs, buskers along Southbank or underground music venues- there’s just so much on offer.
A lot of the attractions are free and situated close together. It’s not hard to travel around on the tube and with a travelcard, it’s a fairly reasonable price. At night I still feel safe in the main tourist areas, plus remember in summer it doesn’t get dark til after 9pm, which gives you plenty of daylight to explore.
New York, United States
I absolutely loved travelling to New York. I liked it even more than I thought I would, especially as I went at Thanksgiving time. It really is magical. I found New York to be a great city for solo female travel as it was so easy to get around. The subway is easy to understand and the people friendly if you do get lost.
Again, like London there is so much to do, you can’t get bored. When I visit a city, I always like to look around the art galleries and in NYC there are many to choose from. I sometimes prefer visiting galleries alone as you can take as much time as you want, and don’t feel you are rushing anyone.
It would have been nice to have someone to experience the nightlife with or to go ice skating (not that I couldn’t have done that alone!) but really, I had a fantastic time, just me myself and I. If you like photography, then there’s no better place to experiment- another activity that’s good to do alone.
New York is an exciting city and an excellent place to visit solo. There’s so much to see and do that you just won’t have the chance to get lonely.
Singapore
Singapore is one of the safest cities in the world. The people are polite, friendly and respectful of each other. Its so easy to get around on the MRT, everything is in English and the main attractions are situated very close to each other.
There’s a lot to do from visiting the famous super trees at Gardens by the Bay, strolling down Little India and Chinatown and shopping on Orchard Rd. It’s also a great city for a stopover to many places in Southeast Asia or Australia.
The food is delicious and there’s every cuisine you can think of. The architecture is incredible, with green spaces everywhere, creating a garden in a city. You can even take the train to nearby Sentosa island, where you can relax on a pretty beach.
Singapore at night is just as pretty, with light shows at Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay. Also, the shops are open late, so there is plenty to do in the evening too.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is an easily walkable city, perfect for the solo female traveller. You can walk to pretty much all the main sites and attractions, making is very easy (and cheap) to get around. The hostels are all in central places too. Edinburgh has a lot of museums and art galleries which are great activities to do alone.
Just walking around the historic streets, with cathedrals and churches around every corner is exciting. It’s a widely photogenic city. Walk along the Royal Mile up to Edinburgh Castle (well worth a visit btw). There’s plenty to see and do for solo female travel in Edinburgh. The Scots are super friendly too so you can easily make friends in one of the pubs or in your hostel. There are free walking tours available if you would like a bit of company too.
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is one of my favourite cities. It’s vibrant, noisy and full of culture. There are many temples to visit in the city, as well as boat cruises, Thai cooking classes, palaces, shopping, cinema, rooftop bars and the famous Khao San Road (a popular street for tourists).
You can wander around the many markets or indulge in the delicious food. Exploring the temples can be a very tranquil experience in the heart of a big city. I feel safe walking around Bangkok alone, even after dark in the busy places I never felt unsafe.
The transport in Bangkok is amazing, easy to use, cheap, there’s air con and the announcements are also said in English. Its also a very backpacker friendly city so you can easily make friends if you’re travelling solo. If you are looking for a private room, you can find these super cheap and in convenient places- great if you’re a solo traveller.
| More on solo female travel: Solo Female Travel |
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap is the closest city to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. It’s also a very friendly and small place, easy to get around and with a great social scene in the hostels. This makes it easy to find friends to enjoy the fun nightlife.
Travelling around solo is no problem and very safe. You can hire a tuk tuk for a day to explore the nearby temples which are truly stunning. The town has lots of markets with friendly locals you can haggle with for the best price on colourful baggy trousers or handmade souvenirs.
They also have many spas and fish pedicures for a little pamper session. They are very cheap and a great way to chill out after a long day on your feet. You can also take a day tour to explore the surrounding countryside, visit the floating markets or take a cooking class.
Seoul, South Korea
I was so pleased with my visit to Seoul and found it really easy to get around the city. Signs are written in English which helps a lot and its easily navigable, with the attractions not being too far from one another. I also felt very safe here and at night too.
The people can be a little reserved though and sometimes pretend they don’t know much English, which can be untrue as they learn it in school. Although they can be rather quiet, if asked for directions, they are friendly, and most will try and help you as best they can. A small old lady walked 20 minutes with (whilst speaking no English at all) and then pointed at where I needed to be- bless!
Seoul is super fun to explore- try the traditional houses at Bukchon Hanok Village or visit Gyeongbokgung Palace for the changing of the guard. There are also quirky things to do like visit a cat café or find a karaoke room and get your sing song on.
The food is delicious, if not a little spicy, but the Korean BBQ is just to die for. I like the novelty of cooking your own food in the middle of the table. There is also a fun nightlife in Seoul- I went to a hip-hop club with a friend I have over there, which was very funny.
There is also great shopping, museums and art galleries to explore. So why not try Seoul for your next solo trip.
Brisbane, Australia
Brisbane is like Melbourne but with better weather! (don’t get me wrong I do love Melbourne!). I loved exploring Brisbane when I was a solo female traveller here and found the city easy to navigate and very walkable. I also feel very safe walking around and the locals are very friendly and chatty.
Brisbane has a great location, close to the Gold Coast, Australia Zoo and the beautiful hinterland, so a good base to explore further. Take a visit to the Lone Pine Wildlife Sanctuary and have a photo with a koala or a selfie with a kangaroo. There also a city beach with free swimming pool which is great for tourist to chill out in.
You can go shopping, walk or cycle by the river using the city cycle bikes or check out the botanic gardens and sit with a good book. Brisbane has consistently sunny weather year-round so there’s never a bad time to visit. Spring and Autumn are great weather wise. If you love coffee, then there are some great little places here too.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Before I visited Abu Dhabi, I was questioning whether it’s a good city for solo female travellers. After some research and of course my own visit, I have found it to be very safe for women travelling alone. The taxi’s I took were very professional and made me feel very welcome.
I only managed to get to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque on my stop-over visit but there’s so much more to do here. The mosque is spectacular, and you can spend several hours there. It’s intricate and colourful architecture mimics the Taj Mahal in many ways and will take your breath away. If you love photography, then you must pay the grand mosque a visit. The staff are also very helpful and welcoming.
If you have more time then you can visit the huge shopping mall, walk along the waterfront or explore the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a contemporary art gallery with stunning architecture to match. You can also go on a desert tour, visit Ferrari world, check out the city from the observation deck or head to the beach on Yas island.
Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the safest countries for solo female travel and is perfect for the outdoor adventure types. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and a cool city, right at the bottom of the North island.
It’s great for art lovers with many galleries and museums. Probably its most known for its cable car, which takes you up to the pretty botanic gardens. You also get amazing views over the pretty harbour.
Everywhere is easily walkable and there are free walking tours available if you fancy some company. Wellington, as well as all the other cities in New Zealand is a great destination for solo female travellers.
If you liked this you might like: First Time Travelling Alone? Your Questions Answered.
I hope you enjoyed this post on the best cities for solo female travel. Please share this post with your friends or save it to Pinterest for later!
*
