Top 8 Solo Female Travel Destinations for 2025
(My Personal Picks)

Bell | 5 March 25

Whether you are an experienced solo traveller or venturing out for the first time, 2025 is the perfect year for a solo trip. Here are my top 8 destinations that you need to add to your bucketlist this year.

The first time I travelled solo was almost 10 years ago now. Back then, I was terrified. I had only recently turned 18 and was about to go on the adventure of a lifetime in Australia – and for a whole year at that.

Well, it turns out that trip was only the start of many such adventures. I have now been to 35 countries and learned a ton about travelling alone as a woman. What to look out for, how to prepare, how to meet people and most importantly, how to choose the right destinations.

I always love looking online for inspiration, especially from fellow female travellers, so I thought I’d share some myself. The 8 destinations listed here are ones I would highly recommend for 2025, whether they are up and coming or well-versed amongst travellers.

Table of Contents

Best Female Solo Travel Destinations in 2025

Whether you’re an experienced traveller or this is your first solo excursion, this list is for you. In each of these countries have I felt safe while making the most incredible memories. Also as always, leave a comment with your favourite destinations or experiences 🙂

1. Japan

I am currently in Japan and it is easily one of my favourite places I have ever visited. The people are kind, the food is incredible and there is so much to see and do. I am in Niseko working as a snowboard instructor and the snow here is unlike anywhere else in the world.

That being said, there is more to Japan than just snow. Food, culture, traditions, architecture and so much more.

Japanese people are also extremely respectful and while they may not always understand English, translation apps go a long way here. It is also the country where I have felt most safe in at night. Going for a late-night convenience store run alone is not an issue here.

You will meet many other solo travellers here and there are plenty of great hostels if you want to make friends. A true bucketlist destination and the yen is still weak at the moment, making 2025 the perfect time for a trip.

Check out my guides for Niseko here.

2. Portugal

One of my top countries to solo travel has been Portugal. I fell in love with the culture, easy way of living and beautiful landscapes. Porto in the north is easily one of my most loved cities. I spent over a month there in a nearby surf camp, working for accommodation and enjoying the late-summer swell.

I found the country easy to travel, with most people speaking at least a little bit of English and locals very friendly and open to helping you if required. I also met tons of other solo, female travellers here and spent very little time truly alone.

While Lisbon is now well-known as a spot for expats, Portugal still has plenty of underrated areas to explore. Prices are affordable and there are so many different things to do, from culture to surfing to bit city exploring to the most delicious food.

One thing to keep in mind when visiting is being respectful of locals. Lisbon’s housing market has been overrun by expats which has had negative consequences for locals. Be conscious of this when visiting and try to support local businesses as much as possible while there!

Some of my favourite activities in Portugal:

Surf camps to check out in Portugal

Algarve Surf Camp & Hostel Sagres – This hostel is known for making lifelong friends and memories combined with lots of surfing, yoga and other activities.

Maceda Surf Hostel – located near Porto, I actually volunteered for two months at this hostel about two years ago. It is the perfect mix of wholesome activities (bonfires, crafts, movie night) combined with lots of surfing and great surf coaches.

Sul Surf, Eat & Sleep – with the perfect location right by Lisbon, this camp offers beautiful rooms, great surfing and lots of daytrips/activities.

Peniche Surfcamp – Great for solo travellers, this hostel will ensure you never have to surf alone.

3. Peru

When I first told my family and friends that I was going to visit South America, there was an outcry. Isn’t that unsafe? Why would you go there? However, I had done my research and also talked to several fellow seolo, female travellers and decided that this was my next destination. Especially as Macchu Picchu and Uyuni Salt Flats had been on top of my bucket list for YEARS.

Well, I can now safely say that Peru is one of the countries I would 1000% recommend to any traveller. I solo travelled the majority of it and felt totally safe. There are some “rules” that I followed to ensure I stayed safe which I have writtten about here, though they are very similar to most other countries when travelling alone as a woman.

Peru is a beautiful mix of culture, landscapes, history and people which I have never experienced anywhere else. Everywhere I went was jawdroppingly beautiful, there were so many fun activities (check them out here) and the people were welcoming and kind. Also check out my guide on where to stay in Peru‘s major destinations here.

With more people finally exploring South America, Peru is also becoming more popular for other solo travellers and I met new ones daily while there. Definitely a must-visit in 2025!

4. Albania

Albania was my first country I visited where people showed more concern than excitement leading up to it. I visited 2 years ago when Albania was just starting to make its way on the travel map and there wasn’t all that much information about it availabel yet.

Nontheless, I managed to secure a work for accommodation gig in Vlore and made my way there. I had heard lots of stereotypes and horror stories about Albania before my trip, so I was a little apprehensive. Little did I know that the next 3 weeks would become some of my top travel moments to date.

Let me start off by saying just how incredibly kind and welcoming Albanians are. Possibly the sweetest locals I have met in any of my 35 countries to date. They were happy to help out with anything and excited to learn more about foreigners. Yes, there were stares and when walking along a road, you couldn’t go two metres without being beeped at. However, it was more out of curiosity than anything else and I never felt uncomfortable.

Albania is also STUNNING! It easily rivals Greece, with pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes and stunning architecture. On top of that, everything is still really affordable as the country is only just entering into mainstream tourism the past two years or so. That means there is no better time to head there than this year while accommodation, food and activities are still affordable.

Check out my Albania guides here.

Where to stay in Albania:

Sarande
Hotels: ArtNest Luxury Hotel & Suites, Aquamarine Apartments, Yacht Premium Hotel
Hostels: Saranda Boutique Hostel, Saranda (SR) Backpackers, Central Boutique Hostel

Vlore
Hotels: Valza Boutique Hotel, Abi’s Hotel & Spa, Yacht Hotel
Hostels: Vlora Backpackers Hostel Seaside, Pinegroove Hostel Vlora, Luckyshine Hostel

5. Canada

Canada is one of those countries that is super easy to travel solo as a girl. It is safe, the people are lovely and the nature is incomparable. It is the country where I experienced the Northern Lights for the first time and also saw my first bear only a few metres away. Which is probably the time I felt most scared in Canada 🙂

When staying in the bigger towns such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal I met tons of other female, solo travellers and made such great friendships. I spent my New Years Eve with people from my hostel in Montreal (can’t recommend M Montreal enough) and it is still one of my favourite New Years ever.

I also did my first ski season in Canada as I was there on a Working Holiday Visa (IEC) and it was THE best time.

So, if you haven’t visited Canada yet, 2025 is the year to do so. See the bluest lakes with your own eyes, get up and personal with wildlife and maybe even see the Northern Lights dance across the sky!

6. Thailand

Thailand was my first country where I experienced the so-called “culture shock”. Travelling here felt a little different, more vibrant and Bangkok was probably the busiest place I had ever been to. I was almost scammed within my first day, stupidly following a lady who claimed she could help me find the temple but led me to a boat tour instead.

Once I got over the initial surprise and actually immersed myself in the culture, everything changed. Thailand turned out to be this lively mix of history mixed with modern life, with stunning landscapes, heavenly beaches and bustling cities. And I still dream about the food, it was that good.

I would say Thailand is a little more “advanced” for solo travellers, requiring a little more pre-planning and possibly worth joining a tour for certain areas of the country. I personally explored the north on a group trip with G-adventures.

If you haven’t been here yet, 2025 is your year.

7. Australia

Australia holds a very special place in my heart as the first place I ever solo travelled to. When I was just 18, I left family and friends back in the UK to work and travel through Australia for a year. I lasted 9 months before homesickness got the best of me, but I believe Australia is the start of my travel journey.

Australia is the perfect place for solo, female travellers as there are tons of other travellers, there are hostels in every spot you can think of and the Working Holiday visa is a great way to make money while travelling (wages in Australia are much better than many other places).

Most people start on the East Coast and head up, though my favourite place was actually the West Coast. The nature there was unparalleled to anything I’d seen before and we saw so much wildlife in its natural habitat.

8. Hungary

Budapest is a city I keep coming back to time and time again. It was one of the first cities I visited when I restarted my travelling journey after university and it truly made me fall in love with travelling.

I have personally only visited Budapest in Hungary but have heard it is worth seeing more of the country like Pécs and Eger. Budapest itself has everything one could want in a city. A rich history (the ruin bars for example), stunning views, thermal baths and so many things to do. One thing you certainly can’t miss are the free walking tours to get a local insight to Budapest and its past.

I also always feel very safe here as a solo, female traveller and have met some of my favourite travel mates in the city. Be a bit careful with which areas you frequent at night, otherwise I never had any issues here. Pretty much everyone also speaks English here and the chimney cakes are the best thing ever.

FAQ about Solo, Female Travel

What are the best safety precautions to take in unfamiliar places?

There are a few important safety precautions to take when travelling somewhere new as a solo, female traveller.

First of all you need to research your destination – is it safe to travel to (check government websites), do other people travel there, how much information about it is out there, where are the safe areas to stay in, what are some things you need to keep in mind when there.

Once you have determined this and made a rough itinerary, make sure to share this with family/friends. When I solo travel, I always text someone exactly where I am staying when including addresses. We also agree that I text daily unless I am on tours etc. This isn’t to be obsessive but so someone knows exactly where you are and can alert authorities in case of an emergency. This is a precaution so don’t let it scare you.

When I solo travel I also trust my gut and put my safety above all else. If a situation feels unsafe, I get out of it no matter the cost. Money can come back, your life doesn’t.

In general, I’d say avoid being out alone at night, know which areas are safe and which to avoid (your accommodation can usually give you advice on this) and drink only when with friends or in a safe location.

How do I choose safe accommodations?

The first thing I do when choosing accommodations in a new destination is research the area. Which areas are safe for tourists, especially solo travellers. There are usually lots of resources about these things. If you are unsure, you could also reach out to accommodations for advice.

Second, I usually stay in hostels or hotels that are rated well amongst solo-travellers. This is so I can meet other travellers but also so I know that the location is good etc.

Reviews are crucial!! Check several sites such as booking, Google, Tripadvisor, etc. Some red flags are people talking about stuff being stolen, no women leaving reviews, bedbugs and any negative comments about staff. A huge red flag for me is also when a hotel responds rudely to complaints – it’s unprofessional and will probably affect you if something goes wrong.

How do I deal with loneliness while traveling alone?

When I first started solo travelling, meeting people felt super difficult. Even in hostels, everyone already seemed to be in their little groups and I was struggling. I remember being on week 3 of my Australian East Coast trip and calling my mum sobbing because I felt so lonely.

The more I solo travel, the more I have learned about loneliness and making friends. First of all, I am much more comfortable being with myself now. If I don’t find anyone to hang out with, that is okay. FOMO is sometimes still there, but I always remind myself that I am doing my best.

I usually do meet other people though. A good way is booking hostels with activities as it is SO easy to meet others during say a trivia night or a city tour. Another great way is choosing a female dorm – I often find myself bonding quicker with the girls in there. I also use Bumble BFF. That may sound awkward but I have met some of my now closest friends on there and it has been so great while travelling, especially if I am longer in one place. Finally, Facebook Groups – there are hundreds of travel groups out there and so many other solo travellers just waiting to meet you!

Sometimes though, loneliness prevails. Over the years I have learned that when the feeling refuses to leave, it is my time to go home. It’s a sign from my body that I need a break from travelling and constantly meeting new people. I need familiarity and my family. And that’s okay! Trust me, it took me a while to learn this but stopping a trip early is not failure, especially if it has already been a few months.