Last Updated
Each year tends to come with its own set of travel trends. One year cruises may be super popular and the next may see vacation rentals surging through the roof.
For 2023, travelers were ready to get out and see the world at any cost, even if that meant venturing off alone.
Travelers are braving the globe despite the judgment, anxieties, and logistical challenges that can come along with being on your own.
In fact, solo travel has never been more popular, and it’s time to award the best solo destinations in the world for Travel Off Path’s Best In Travel 2024 Awards.
These 10 destinations have been awarded as the Best In Travel for solo travelers looking for the perfect escape in 2024:
10) Minas Gerais, Brazil
Perhaps the most underrated state in Brazil is Minas Gerais, and it is more than deserving of being awarded as a top solo destination.
This landlocked region is home to picture-perfect scenery, a laid-back culture, and the roots of all great food throughout Brazil.
The magnificent city of Belo Horizonte is a wonderful place to explore on your own with trendy cafes, bustling markets, affordable long-term stays and friendly locals always doing their best to help, even with a language barrier.
However, the real gem is the World Heritage Site of Ouro Preto – a gorgeous town only 2 hours away.
9) Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town comes with a mixed bag of reviews in terms of safety, but we are sold that solo travelers should feel perfectly safe in this insanely beautiful city.
South Africa’s most recognizable city is among the easiest African destinations to reach from the U.S. to start your solo adventure.
This astounding city checks off all the boxes of what a solo traveler seeks out. They can spend their days immersing themselves in a unique culture, lounge at stunning beaches, or visit otherworldly hiking trails, all while staying on a budget.
There are plentiful fun, comfortable hostels in convenient locations, making this city one of the Best In Travel.
8) Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgia has a reputation for being one of the safest countries in the world, especially for solo female travelers. Locals are renowned for their warmth and generosity and are always willing to help tourists.
This historical city has become more popular as of late but still isn’t mainstream.
2024 makes for a perfect time to go explore this underrated gem full of rich culture, gorgeous landscapes, and an easy, affordable metro to get around all the cool sites.
This super-safe city is home to a variety of top-rated hostels and extremely low prices compared to more popular destinations.
7) Mexico City, Mexico
The largest city in North America is nonstop action for solo travelers. It would be near impossible to be bored with so much to experience.
Whether it’s world-renowned museums, picturesque city parks, Lucha Libre matches, or never-ending taco stands, your travel soul and stomach will be filled to the max.
For such a massive city, solo travelers will be able to stick to their budget with low prices for lodging, food, and transport with a reliable and convenient subway system.
Solo-ers can stay anywhere from cushy hostels to 5-star name-brand hotels while exploring real Mexico.
6) Iceland
While Iceland is not typically for penny-pinchers, solo travelers find a way. Even with notoriously high prices, sacrificing $30 burgers for a bag of chips to afford your hostel is a sacrifice worth making.
There may be no prettier place in Europe than Iceland, even in “bad weather”. Iceland is appealing year-round, whether to see the famous northern lights or to take a road trip around the Ring Road with amazing natural sites for selfies along the way.
Of course, you can’t forget the world-famous Blue Lagoon either. The bottom line is Iceland never disappoints, even when you’re on your own.
5) Abu Dhabi
We’ve all heard of Abu Dhabi, but Dubai tends to steal the shine away. For 2024, let’s change that. Solo travelers will love exploring this desert treasure.
You may want to avoid the scorching summer, but the rest of the year will offer solo trippers a trip of a lifetime.
The UAE is such a ritzy country, yet more affordable than you’d think. Abu Dhabi is a great gateway into the Middle East as it is extremely safe, easy to get around, and has multiple direct flights from the U.S.
Explore Yas Island for a day trip, visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and get lost exploring one of the many vibrant souks around the city.
4) Tokyo, Japan
There may be no metropolis better suited for solo travelers despite high prices. If you think you can never be bored in Mexico City, Tokyo says, “hold my beer”.
Tokyo is impossible to encapsulate in a few paragraphs with such a vibrant, bustling culture, yet such polite people on the other hand.
Equipped with one of the best metro systems in the world, solo travelers will have no trouble getting around, but some say Tokyo is best explored on foot because you never know what you’ll find.
You can spend the night singing endless karaoke with strangers or find a cool izakaya in a back alley. Stays can be quite quirky in a hostel or capsule hotel.
3) Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Oaxaca is both a city and state in Mexico and offers different worlds. The city itself is a phenomenal cultural hub, but further south are Oaxaca’s pristine coastlines – perfect for solo travelers.
Puerto Escondido takes the cake as the top beach destination here, where you will surely meet like-minded travelers.
Home to delightful coastal cuisine, high-end hostels, and a safe, welcoming community to travelers, it’s easy to see why this beach city is worthy of being awarded.
2) Mexican Caribbean
Our southern neighbor is hugely popular for solo travelers, but perhaps no more than for a sun-soaked getaway in some of the most sought-after beach destinations.
Mexico is spoiled with a long stretch of beautiful beach towns all worthy of a visit. Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and more. Although, for 2024, there is perhaps no trendier destination than Tulum.
It’s an exciting year with the grand opening of the Maya Train and Tulum’s new airport. Solo travelers will fall in love with all of these places for some much-needed beach time, fun hostels, and jungle explorations, all a short flight away.
1) Canggu, Bali
Bali is just one of those places that holds on to travelers’ hearts. It’s an ideal escape for solo travelers for a laundry list of reasons.
This Asian wonder is absolutely breathtaking, but one region in particular is the best above all. Formerly a sleepy surfer town, Canggu has taken on a new personality as the top destination in the world for solo travelers.
Brimming with new bars and restaurants, Canggu is trending upward. Despite its small size compared to mega metropolises, travelers will never be bored here either, even at a slower pace.
With postcard-worthy beach sunsets, decadent cuisine, and affordable, world-class hospitality, solo travelers will find no better place on the map.
Read More:
Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans Starting At $10 Per Week
How To Easily Earn Points For Free Travel
↓ Join Our Community ↓
The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Maki
Saturday 13th of January 2024
You have chosen some very expensive as well as dangerous places to send solo traveles. As an avid traveller who has been to many places on ur list, I would not recommend Mexico City as a solo woman nor would my friend who was born there, nor South Africa as they are having electricity and water problems and it is considered very unsafe by South Africans as their economy is not the best atm.