Safety First: 8 Extraordinary Travel Destinations for Women Traveling Solo

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By Samantha Collins

Traveling on your own can be invigorating. You get to do whatever you like in your own time, and you have the opportunity to spend time with yourself and your thoughts. It may seem daunting not to have any company for an extended period of time, but once you get used to it, it can be quite amazing—and, in some ways, liberating!

Traveling Solo as a Woman

Happy woman contemplating in a waterfall
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Unfortunately, things are a little different for solo female travelers than for solo male travelers—in the same way that women have different experiences from men in all spheres of life. Females have to be more aware of safety concerns, and as a result, we find that this prevents many women from traveling alone out of fear.

But we’re here to tell you that while these fears and concerns are totally valid, there are some places in the world that are deemed super safe and are specifically suited to women traveling on their own. Another factor that contributes to a country being a good place for solo female travel is how well organized it is and what its transportation system is like.

So, if you’ve always wanted to do a solo trip but have been too nervous to go on an adventure alone, check out our list of the 8 best holiday destinations for female solo travelers.

1. New Zealand

Aspiring National Park mountains, New Zealand
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New Zealand is known for its beautiful natural landscapes and phenomenal scenery, but more than that, it’s actually also renowned for being super safe. This is generally accepted across the board – crime stats are low and crimes against women are also lower than many (if not most) other parts of the world. It’s also a country in which female empowerment is very much supported.

2. Finland

Finland
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Another country teeming with phenomenal natural scenery, Finland has been rated the world’s safest country many times. Crime is fairly unusual in Finland – if anything, you may come across some petty crime like pickpocketing – and policing is quite strict.

Since the country is so safe, it makes it a great destination to be able to explore the natural environment alone without fear of crime. Of course, you still need to be aware of the normal risks of solo exploring, but these things apply pretty much anywhere in the world.

3. Switzerland

Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
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Switzerland is renowned for being a very peaceful place in many respects, and it has very low crime rates too. It’s consistently been ranked one of the safest countries in the world, and since it also has excellent and reliable infrastructure, it’s a great travel destination for female solo travelers.

4. Canada

City Hall and market parking at Stratford, Ontario, Canada - August 5, 2006
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Canada is certainly a safe country, and this is true in almost all cities. Canadians tend to be accepting of all people (generally speaking), so women tend to feel comfortable being alone. However, there are still instances of crime – women just need to be aware of their surroundings and take all the usual precautions that you would anywhere – like avoiding dark alleyways, for instance.

5. Belgium

Bruges-Belgium
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Belgium is known as a very safe country to visit and it’s a popular destination for not only solo travelers (and female solo travelers in particular), but young study-abroad students too. Another bonus is that most of the cities are well-lit and pretty easy to navigate.

6. Uruguay

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY - DECEMBER 15: Plaza indepedencia with the building Palacio Salvo and the statue of Jose Artigas in Montevideo, Uruguay at December 15, 2012.
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Certainly one of the safest countries in Latin America, Uruguay is a great choice for solo female travelers. Not only are the crime rates quite low, but it’s also a pleasant place to travel alone because the locals tend to be laid back and friendly, making it easy to make friends, if that is what you’d like to do.

7. Austria

Kitzbuhel-Austria
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Austria is known for its high quality of life and super low crime rates, making it one of the most popular destinations in Europe for travel – and solo travel especially. Most of the cities are also very well lit, making them easy to navigate and even safer at night. It’s a great place for solo female travelers who want to explore the countryside without fear.

8. Japan

Matsumoto Castle, Japan
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Japan is known for its rule-abiding citizens and strict laws, and this is what makes it such a safe place. There is very little crime – petty crime, if any. It’s also super clean and phenomenally well organised, making it easy (and safe) to use public transport and other public services and facilities.

 

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