I’m just a woman who’s done enough safe & stunning solo travel spots for women trips to have Very Strong Opinions, a couple embarrassing parking-lot cry sessions, and a growing collection of “I did this alone and survived” stories that I tell at parties when people ask why I’m still single.
Solo travel as a woman is this weird cocktail of “holy crap I’m free” and “holy crap I’m alone.” You get to eat gelato for dinner without judgment, stay up late reading in cafes, take 47 photos of the same sunset. But you also get the moments where you’re lost in a foreign city at 11 p.m., phone at 3%, wondering if anyone would notice if you just sat on the curb and cried.
So here’s my current top 10 safe & stunning solo travel spots for women in 2025. Not ranked by any official index . Ranked by “would I go back tomorrow if someone paid for the flight and also brought snacks.” These are places where I (or friends I trust) felt mostly safe, mostly sane, and mostly in awe.
1. Iceland – Sheep judge you less than American dating apps
Did Iceland solo in 2023. Landed Keflavik 6 a.m. jet-lagged to death, rented cheapest car, immediately got lost looking for Blue Lagoon. Never found it that day. Instead found random hot spring in middle of nowhere, sat in it until fingers pruned, cried when northern lights came out because literally no one to text “LOOK AT THIS” except group chat asleep. Iceland is stupid safe. Violent crime basically zero. Reykjavik at night feels like small college town. Everyone speaks English. Nature obscene. Downside? Everything costs eight dollars. Worth it.
2. Japan – You can drop your wallet and someone chases you to return it
Japan broke my brain good way. Three weeks solo 2024—Tokyo chaos, Kyoto temples, Osaka street food, Hakone onsen. Left purse on Kyoto cafe table to run bathroom. Came back—purse there + free matcha candy someone left. People kind. Trains clean, on time. Women-only cars if you want. Harassment very low. Cherry blossoms made me ugly-cry in public. Autumn leaves made me ugly-cry again. Food so good I still dream about conbini onigiri
2. Japan – You can literally drop your wallet and someone will chase you down the street to return it
People are kind. Trains are clean and on time. Women-only cars exist. Harassment is very low. Cherry blossoms made me ugly-cry in public. Autumn foliage made me ugly-cry again. Food is so good I still dream about onigiri.
3. Portugal – Cheap wine and even cheaper pastéis de nata
Lisbon stole my heart and then overcharged me for parking (story for another day). Walked the hills alone at night in tourist areas and felt fine. Locals are warm without being creepy. Porto’s riverside at sunset is stupid pretty. Algarve beaches look fake. Public transport works. English is common. I ate my weight in custard tarts and didn’t die of shame once. Safe, affordable, sunny, colorful. What more do you want?
4. New Zealand – Lord of the Rings views and people who call you “sweetie” when giving directions
Drove the South Island solo in a campervan. Terrified the whole time because left-side driving. Almost killed a sheep. Cried at Milford Sound because it was too beautiful and I had no one to turn to and say “holy crap look at this.” Locals are aggressively helpful. Crime is low. Nature is obscene. Glowworm caves. Penguins. Glaciers. Worth the long flight.
5. Switzerland – Yes it’s expensive but the trains run on time and the mountains don’t care about your budget
Interlaken solo. Took trains everywhere. Felt completely safe the entire time. Clean, efficient, beautiful. Pricey but you get what you pay for—peace of mind and scenery that looks fake.
6. Canada – Basically the US but nicer and with better nature
Vancouver solo. Mountains literally meet the ocean. People are so polite it’s almost annoying. Banff day trip—turquoise lakes, elk, zero fear walking trails alone. Toronto food scene is insane. Safe, easy, English, friendly. Feels familiar but better.
7. Ireland – Green, rainy, pub music, and strangers who talk to you like they’ve known you forever
Dublin solo pub crawl (I lasted two pints). Cliffs of Moher made me dizzy in a good way. Locals will adopt you for the evening if you look even slightly lost. Safe, walkable, green, cozy. Rainy but the rain makes everything prettier.
8. Thailand – safe & stunning solo travel, Cheap, chaotic in the best way, beaches that heal you
Chiang Mai solo—temples at sunrise, elephant sanctuaries, night markets. Islands next. Felt safe in tourist areas. Locals kind. Food unreal. Petty theft happens—watch your stuff—but I never felt threatened. Stunning beaches.
9. Australia – Beaches, wildlife, and people who say “no worries” when you spill coffee on them
Sydney solo—Opera House at sunrise. Melbourne laneways. Great Ocean Road drive (terrifying but worth it). Safe cities, friendly people, unreal nature. Long flights but worth it.
10. Costa Rica – Pura vida and howler monkeys that scream louder than my anxiety
Arenal volcano, zip lines, beaches. Group tours easy. Eco-lodges. Felt safe in tourist zones. Nature insane. Sloths. Monkeys stole my granola bar. Worth it.
