Embrace Your Independence! Places To Explore Solo?

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So you’ve decided to try solo travel. You’re probably wondering where should I go? What places to explore solo?

Are there specific places that are best for solo travelers? The answer is that it really just depends.

Even if you go somewhere not particularly well known for solo travel, who’s to say that you wouldn’t enjoy it yourself?

The following is a quick overview of the many countries/places in every major continent. I’ll start the list off from largest to smallest continent.

Key Terms:

Dependent Territories

Dependent territories are areas that aren’t considered part of the main country/mother land (due to their political standing). Some may be governed by another country from another continent (or may be self-governed), and may operate differently than other countries/places within that country/continent (not all dependent territories are countries).

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Table of Contents:

If you want to jump to a specific continent you can use the links provided below.

If you’re new to solo travel or travel in general, I would take the time to read through each section.

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Asia

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If you’re coming from a western cultural point of view, and want to experience something truly different from a cultural point of view, then countries in Asia will be exactly what you’re looking for.

Asia consists of 48 different countries. With 3 territories labeled as dependent territories.

If you were planning to solo travel through Asia you would have plenty of options to choose from.

Popular Countries In Asia:

• China
• Thailand
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Vietnam
• India
• South Korea
• Indonesia
• Singapore
• Philippines
• Cambodia

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Follow The Crowd? Or Make Your Own Way?

When thinking about Asian countries, countries from that previous list are usually the most popular among travelers.

So if you want to travel to Asia and go to the most popular places you can’t go wrong with any of the countries listed above.

If it’s your first time traveling alone it may be a better choice to pick a country that’s popular with other travelers just so you can get a little more experience with solo travel.

If you’re more into carving your own path and want to be a little different than the crowd, you’ll probably want to go to some of the less traveled countries in Asia.

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All Countries in Asia:

So here’s the full list of all 48 countries (and dependent territories) in Asia.

Just to let you know, some countries on the list are right on the border between major continents which, technically, can still be considered at least partly “Asia”.

Clicking on any of the countries listed below will give you information about population and other facts if you’re interested in knowing a bit more about that specific country.

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All information presented in the following tables are provided by www.worldometer.info

#	Country	Subregion
1	India	Southern Asia
2	China	Eastern Asia
3	Indonesia	South-Eastern Asia
4	Pakistan	Southern Asia
5	Bangladesh	Southern Asia
6	Japan	Eastern Asia
7	Philippines	South-Eastern Asia
8	Vietnam	South-Eastern Asia
9	Iran	Southern Asia
10	Turkey	Western Asia
11	Thailand	South-Eastern Asia
12	Myanmar	South-Eastern Asia
13	South Korea	Eastern Asia
14	Iraq	Western Asia
15	Afghanistan	Southern Asia
16	Saudi Arabia	Western Asia
17	Uzbekistan	Central Asia
18	Yemen	Western Asia
19	Malaysia	South-Eastern Asia
20	Nepal	Southern Asia
21	North Korea	Eastern Asia
22	Syria	Western Asia
23	Sri Lanka	Southern Asia
24	Kazakhstan	Central Asia
25	Cambodia	South-Eastern Asia
26	Jordan	Western Asia
27	Azerbaijan	Western Asia
28	Tajikistan	Central Asia
29	United Arab Emirates	Western Asia
30	Israel	Western Asia
31	Laos	South-Eastern Asia
32	Kyrgyzstan	Central Asia
33	Turkmenistan	Central Asia
34	Singapore	South-Eastern Asia
35	State of Palestine	Western Asia
36	Lebanon	Western Asia
37	Oman	Western Asia
38	Kuwait	Western Asia
39	Georgia	Western Asia
40	Mongolia	Eastern Asia
41	Armenia	Western Asia
42	Qatar	Western Asia
43	Bahrain	Western Asia
44	Timor-Leste	South-Eastern Asia
45	Cyprus	Western Asia
46	Bhutan	Southern Asia
47	Maldives	Southern Asia
48	Brunei	South-Eastern Asia

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Dependencies or Other Territories:

#	Territory	Dependency of
1	Taiwan	China
2	Hong Kong	China
3	Macao	China

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What To Keep In Mind When Traveling To Asia?

When planning a solo trip to any Asian country one of the most important things to consider (in my experience) is deciding how you’ll be able to communicate with the locals.

You’ll find that in many southeast Asian countries, and some middle Eastern countries, a good amount of locals already speak English.

This isn’t true for a majority of other Asian countries, especially East Asian countries.

The reason understanding the language is so critical in Asian countries is due to the importance many Asian cultures place on respect and social awareness.

Learning the language works to your advantage in two ways: it shows your level of respect for the country and it gives you a way to communicate

You might even want to consider taking a language class in whatever country you decide to travel to. This is a good way to not only learn the language but to also meet other people.

If you’re dead set on traveling to Asia here’s a couple travel companies to browse through if you’re looking for specific prices on airfare and other services.

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Africa

The oldest inhabited continent on earth. If you’ve ever been curious about traveling to Africa know that the continent consists of about 54 different countries. With 4 areas that are labeled as dependent territories.

Popular Countries In Africa:

• Egypt
• Morocco
• South Africa
• Nigeria
• Tunisia

Here’s the full list of all 54 countries (and dependent territories) in Africa.

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All Countries In Africa:

#	Country	Subregion
1	Nigeria	Western Africa
2	Ethiopia	Eastern Africa
3	Egypt	Northern Africa
4	DR Congo	Middle Africa
5	Tanzania	Eastern Africa
6	South Africa	Southern Africa
7	Kenya	Eastern Africa
8	Uganda	Eastern Africa
9	Sudan	Northern Africa
10	Algeria	Northern Africa
11	Morocco	Northern Africa
12	Angola	Middle Africa
13	Ghana	Western Africa
14	Mozambique	Eastern Africa
15	Madagascar	Eastern Africa
16	Côte d’Ivoire	Western Africa
17	Cameroon	Middle Africa
18	Niger	Western Africa
19	Mali	Western Africa
20	Burkina Faso	Western Africa
21	Malawi	Eastern Africa
22	Zambia	Eastern Africa
23	Chad	Middle Africa
24	Somalia	Eastern Africa
25	Senegal	Western Africa
26	Zimbabwe	Eastern Africa
27	Guinea	Western Africa
28	Rwanda	Eastern Africa
29	Benin	Western Africa
30	Burundi	Eastern Africa
31	Tunisia	Northern Africa
32	South Sudan	Eastern Africa
33	Togo	Western Africa
34	Sierra Leone	Western Africa
35	Libya	Northern Africa
36	Congo	Middle Africa
37	Central African Republic	Middle Africa
38	Liberia	Western Africa
39	Mauritania	Western Africa
40	Eritrea	Eastern Africa
41	Gambia	Western Africa
42	Botswana	Southern Africa
43	Namibia	Southern Africa
44	Gabon	Middle Africa
45	Lesotho	Southern Africa
46	Guinea-Bissau	Western Africa
47	Equatorial Guinea	Middle Africa
48	Mauritius	Eastern Africa
49	Eswatini	Southern Africa
50	Djibouti	Eastern Africa
51	Comoros	Eastern Africa
52	Cabo Verde	Western Africa
53	Sao Tome & Principe	Middle Africa
54	Seychelles	Eastern Africa

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Dependencies or Other Territories:

#	Territory	Dependency of
1	Réunion	France
2	Western Sahara	(disputed)
3	Mayotte	France
4	Saint Helena	U.K.

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What To Keep In Mind When Traveling To Africa?

When traveling solo through Africa most people are usually worried about their safety. They’re worried about terrorist groups, violence, and disease etc.

Which is understandable, but Africa has its good and bad places just like anywhere else. I’ve said it before in some of my other posts,

but if you follow common sense you most likely won’t experience anything more dangerous than what you’d expect from other big cities you might find in other countries.

Africa has 54 different countries! The amount of languages and culture/history you can experience will blow your mind. Do you really think all 54 of those countries are completely dangerous?

Of course, Africa isn’t as well off as some other countries, but if you want to be a well versed solo traveler Africa is definitely worth looking into.

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North America

America! When people think of America they automatically think of the United States.

Which is the most popular country in North America, but there are also other travel worthy destinations in North America other than the United States.

Although, there aren’t as many countries in North America, the United States is the third largest country in the world with Canada ranking in second and Russia topping the list.

North America consists of 2 countries and 3 other territories labeled dependent territories.

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All Countries In North America:

#	Country	Subregion
1	United States	Northern America
2	Canada	Northern America

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Dependencies or Other Territories:

#	Territory	Dependency of
1	Bermuda	U.K.
2	Greenland	Denmark
3	Saint Pierre & Miquelon	France

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What To Keep In Mind When Traveling To North America?

Most people who come to North America usually come to visit or immigrate to the United States.

Which makes sense due to the popularity of the U.S. and American media. Just know that the United States isn’t the only place to explore in North America.

Instead of only traveling to the United States you can try traveling through Canada to see what they have to offer.

Canada is actually larger than the U.S. which could present more opportunities for a unique travel experience (although the U.S. does have a larger population).

With the other dependent territories being areas that could potentially be interesting places to visit since they aren’t as popular as the United States.

You may even discover places that are “hidden gems” that most people may not know about.

But if you do only decide to travel within the United States you definitely wouldn’t run out of places to explore anytime soon.

I may be biased, but I think the United States is actually one of the more “easier” countries for most people to travel through (if you can speak basic English anyway) especially for solo travelers.

the United States may have a reputation for being a country that’s a bit aggressive, with issues and a preference for guns/firearms, but the U.S. is still a first world country with many safe places for solo travelers to explore.

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South America & The Caribbean

South America and the Caribbean have such a diverse culture with a very a laidback lifestyle. Many of the locals are also very friendly and open to talking to people.

South America and the Caribbean consists of 33 different countries with 15 other territories considered dependent territories.

Here are some popular countries and territories in South America/Caribbean.

Popular Countries In South America:

• Mexico
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Argentina
• Peru
• Chile

Popular Countries/Territories In The Caribbean:

• Cuba
• Jamaica
• Bahamas
• Puerto Rico
• Dominican Republic

And here’s the full list of all countries and territories in South America and the Caribbean.

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All Countries In South America/The Caribbean:

#	Country	Subregion
1	Brazil	South America
2	Mexico	Central America
3	Colombia	South America
4	Argentina	South America
5	Peru	South America
6	Venezuela	South America
7	Chile	South America
8	Ecuador	South America
9	Guatemala	Central America
10	Bolivia	South America
11	Haiti	Caribbean
12	Dominican Republic	Caribbean
13	Cuba	Caribbean
14	Honduras	Central America
15	Nicaragua	Central America
16	Paraguay	South America
17	El Salvador	Central America
18	Costa Rica	Central America
19	Panama	Central America
20	Uruguay	South America
21	Jamaica	Caribbean
22	Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean
23	Guyana	South America
24	Suriname	South America
25	Bahamas	Caribbean
26	Belize	Central America
27	Barbados	Caribbean
28	Saint Lucia	Caribbean
29	Grenada	Caribbean
30	St. Vincent & Grenadines	Caribbean
31	Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean
32	Dominica	Caribbean
33	Saint Kitts & Nevis	Caribbean

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Dependencies or Other Territories:

#	Territory	Dependency of
1	Puerto Rico	U.S.A.
2	Guadeloupe	France
3	Martinique	France
4	French Guiana	France
5	Curaçao	Netherlands
6	Aruba	Netherlands
7	U.S. Virgin Islands	U.S.A.
8	Cayman Islands	U.K.
9	Turks and Caicos	U.K.
10	Sint Maarten	Netherlands
11	British Virgin Islands	U.K.
12	Caribbean Netherlands	Netherlands
13	Anguilla	U.K.
14	Montserrat	U.K.
15	Falkland Islands	U.K.

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What To Keep In Mind When Traveling To South America/The Caribbean

Most of the concerns that solo travelers usually have with countries in South America and the Caribbean are similar with the concerns that travelers have with Africa or other “third-world” countries.

Which are usually concerns associated with safety, but again there are many places in South America/the Caribbean that are actually very safe with many tourists.

Some things I’d give advice on is to be a little more careful and self-aware enough not to flash or show off expensive items or large amounts of cash.

Another thing I notice is that some people like taking chances that can potentially put themselves in a lot more dangerous situations.

If safety is your biggest concern, it only makes sense not to take these types of risks.

However, knowing this, some people still take these risks then go on to tell others that specific countries are dangerous.

Couple that with what other people may have seen in the news/media, and it’s easy to have exaggerated stereotypes and misinterpretations of certain countries.

Not to say that nothing dangerous happens, but dangerous things happen everywhere around the world. A little self-awareness and common sense can go a long way.

The last piece of advice I’d give is to try to make friends with locals that seem relatively friendly.

Even if this means trying to learn the language if you can pull this off you’ll have a much better travel experience.

Plus, in my experience, places like South America are much safer when you know someone who can show you around and introduce you to other people (make connections).

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Antarctica

Antarctica is unique in that there are no countries in Antarctica, and no country or government can own any land in Antarctica.

There are, however, tourist companies that allow you to visit Antarctica for different activities.

Popular Activities In Antarctica:

• Cruises
• Scenic Flights
• Yachting
• Camping
• Scuba Diving
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Whale Watching
• Cross Country Skiing

Unfortunately, There aren’t any cities or towns in Antarctica, but there are research stations from other countries stationed in Antarctica. Which tourists are able to visit by taking an expedition cruise from a tour company.

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What To Keep In Mind When Traveling To Antarctica?

Antarctica may not have as many people and activities as the other continents, but it’s that uniqueness that makes it worth visiting especially for a solo traveler.

Visiting Antarctica you’ll be able to experience sites and nature that you just won’t experience anywhere else.

Imagine watching humpback whales swimming through the ocean while passing by giant icebergs on a cruise.

Or kayaking through fields of ice sheets while taking photos of penguins in their natural landscape. Antarctica is one of those few places with a virtually untouched natural landscape.

You might have a similar experience if you traveled to Alaska, but Antarctica is unique due to it being completely remote and too extreme for human life.

That fact alone may scare some people, but I think it’s worth experiencing if you decide to travel the world.

Antarctica is also known for being the quietest place on earth. That calmness and stillness might even speak to some solo travelers out there who feel at peace with that type of atmosphere.

That alone might be reason enough for some travelers to consider a trip to Antarctica.

Almost like a complete getaway from the noise and frenzy of life (sometimes it’s good to just relax and take a step back).

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Europe

Known for world famous art/architecture, historical sites, and museums. Europe sort of has this “old world” charm that many people can’t resist.

This is reason enough for travelers around the world to experience traveling through Europe.

Not saying that other places don’t also have these types of experiences, but Europe tends to be very popular among travelers for these reasons.

Europe consists of 44 different countries with 3 territories labeled as dependent territories.

These are some of the more popular countries in Europe.

Popular Countries In Europe:

• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Spain
• Greece
• Germany
• Sweden
• Netherlands
• Portugal
• Czech Republic
• Switzerland

And here’s the full list of all 44 countries and dependent territories in Europe.

All Countries In Europe:

#	Country	Subregion
1	Russia	Eastern Europe
2	Germany	Western Europe
3	United Kingdom	Northern Europe
4	France	Western Europe
5	Italy	Southern Europe
6	Spain	Southern Europe
7	Poland	Eastern Europe
8	Ukraine	Eastern Europe
9	Romania	Eastern Europe
10	Netherlands	Western Europe
11	Belgium	Western Europe
12	Sweden	Northern Europe
13	Czech Republic (Czechia)	Eastern Europe
14	Greece	Southern Europe
15	Portugal	Southern Europe
16	Hungary	Eastern Europe
17	Belarus	Eastern Europe
18	Austria	Western Europe
19	Switzerland	Western Europe
20	Serbia	Southern Europe
21	Bulgaria	Eastern Europe
22	Denmark	Northern Europe
23	Slovakia	Eastern Europe
24	Finland	Northern Europe
25	Norway	Northern Europe
26	Ireland	Northern Europe
27	Croatia	Southern Europe
28	Moldova	Eastern Europe
29	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Southern Europe
30	Albania	Southern Europe
31	Lithuania	Northern Europe
32	Slovenia	Southern Europe
33	North Macedonia	Southern Europe
34	Latvia	Northern Europe
35	Estonia	Northern Europe
36	Luxembourg	Western Europe
37	Montenegro	Southern Europe
38	Malta	Southern Europe
39	Iceland	Northern Europe
40	Andorra	Southern Europe
41	Liechtenstein	Western Europe
42	Monaco	Western Europe
43	San Marino	Southern Europe
44	Holy See	Southern Europe

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Dependencies or Other Territories:

#	Territory	Dependency of
1	Isle of Man	U.K.
2	Faeroe Islands	Denmark
3	Gibraltar	U.K.

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What To Know When Traveling To Europe?

I notice that many people who want to travel to Europe tend to have a very unrealistic and romanticized view of what they think Europe will be when they get there.

Which isn’t completely untrue, the art, history, and architecture on display in Europe is great to experience if you’re a college student or someone who’s very much interested in those subjects.

The thing is, many European countries work very similarly to other “first-world” countries.

Of course there are differences, but I think it’s important for people who are new to traveling (especially solo-travelers) to understand that many countries in

Europe are more or less the same as other countries like the United States. Not saying everything is just going to be the same, and you shouldn’t visit Europe.

I just think it’s best for new travelers to have more level-headed expectations. So as to not set themselves up for a big disappointment.

That being said, if you go in with that mentality you can gain a lot from a trip to Europe. Let’s say you were looking to move abroad to start a new life in another country.

European countries are on the same level if not better than other “first-world” countries as far as lifestyle and services are concerned.

If you’ve always wanted to live in a different country, but still want to maintain the same sort of lifestyle you had in a similar country, you can by all means do that in most countries in Europe.

To me, the biggest things that make Europe interesting are the small differences in their culture/lifestyle that make Europe a great place to experience.

Also, whatever safety concerns you may have as a solo traveler, Europe is almost the complete opposite of what you might find in other countries in places like South America or Africa.

But everyone’s experience may be different you may or may not run into bad situations in Europe just like anywhere else in the world.

My experience in Europe was great I met a lot of people and had a great time. There were some nasty looks or off-hand comments here and there, but those happen everywhere (not every experience is going to be positive).

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Australia/Oceania

Australia is both a continent and a country which makes it another unique place to travel. Another reason that makes Australia unique is its close proximity to Asia.

Australia can also be classified as part of Oceania which is sort of an umbrella term to describe the islands in the Pacific Ocean and Australia.

So Oceania (Australia included) consists of 14 countries and 9 dependent territories.

Popular Countries In Oceania:

• Australia (of course)
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Fiji
• Samoa
• Tonga
• Micronesia

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All Countries In Oceania:

#	Country	Subregion
1	Australia	Australia and New Zealand
2	Papua New Guinea	Melanesia
3	New Zealand	Australia and New Zealand
4	Fiji	Melanesia
5	Solomon Islands	Melanesia
6	Micronesia	Micronesia
7	Vanuatu	Melanesia
8	Samoa	Polynesia
9	Kiribati	Micronesia
10	Tonga	Polynesia
11	Marshall Islands	Micronesia
12	Palau	Micronesia
13	Nauru	Micronesia
14	Tuvalu	Polynesia

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Dependencies or Other Territories:

#	Territory	Dependency of
1	French Polynesia	France
2	New Caledonia	France
3	Guam	U.S.A.
4	Northern Mariana Islands	U.S.A.
5	American Samoa	U.S.A.
6	Cook Islands	(partly New Zealand)
7	Wallis & Futuna	France
8	Niue	(partly New Zealand)
9	Tokelau	New Zealand

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What To Know When Traveling To Australia/Oceania?

Australia is a good choice for solo travel if it’s your first time traveling on your own, and happen to come from an English speaking point of view.

If that’s the case, then It would be much easier for you to get around due to the language and the similarities that Australia shares with other western countries.

If you also have any interest in traveling solo through Asia or to any of the islands in the Pacific, flights will be much shorter coming from Australia.

So from a first-time solo travel point of view, traveling to Australia could be a great way to ease your way into solo travel

(if you’re coming from an English speaking country anyway). Before making your way solo through Asia or the Pacific Islands.

You may even decide to make Australia sort of like your “home base” while you travel through out Asia and the Pacific.

Another thing to note is that Australia is sort of like a European country that’s a bit more similar to the United States.

A lot of Australians you’ll meet are very direct people many of them also put a big emphasis on sports and an active lifestyle.

This results in a lot of parks around the cities and many people who are more physically fit or not unhealthy, at least compared to places like the United States.

Australia is also considered very safe being one of the safest countries/continents to travel to. Safety in Australia is very similar to other European countries in that sense.

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Last Piece of Advice?

If you plan on traveling solo, but still can’t decide where to go you can check out Where To Go On Your First Solo Travel Experience? which gives a couple ideas on how to decide where to travel for the first time.

Trying to find the best place to travel solo just really depends on the individual. Just because others may label certain countries best for solo travel doesn’t mean it’ll be best for you.

Maybe it will or maybe it won’t, but a big part of solo travel is choosing where you want to go and making your own decisions.

Even if you decide to follow recommendations from other people I just think it’s good to have this mentality before traveling anywhere.

Keeping a level-headed mentality can help you make the right decisions when choosing which path to take when traveling on your own.

Want to learn more about solo travel? From what travel companies to consider and what items to bring for first time solo travel, learn more at Traks&Paks.