See the Northern Lights on a solo trip to Swedish Lapland.
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If travel lights you up and makes you happy, make room for more adventures in 2024. Even if you have to go it alone. Solo travel isn’t just a fad. It opens your eyes to the world and allows you to travel deeper while deepening your introspection and self-awareness. Traveling from point A to point B on your own not only challenges you outside of your comfort zone, but also lets you decide when and where to go. Whether you want to sleep in until midday, wake up early and fill your day with sights and attractions, or spend the day lazing around at the spa with almost no planning, do it. You are the boss.
Traveling solo can also mean joining an organized group tour where strangers become friends. This option is perfect for making your dream vacation a reality without being responsible for all the arrangements and planning. Check off destinations from your bucket list, broaden your horizons, see beautiful landscapes, discover new sights, explore vibrant cities, and make genuine connections with others.
Whether you’re swimming with manta rays in Hawaii, horseback riding in the south of France, hiking through Ireland’s diverse landscapes or discovering how art and spirituality come together in Thailand, here are seven destinations guaranteed to bring you joy and boost your confidence as a solo traveller.
Horseback riding in Provence, France
Provence is famous for its lavender fields, so take a horseback ride to see the beautiful scenery.
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If you love horse riding and dream of an exceptional getaway where horse riding is the main activity (rather than just an hour-long add-on), consider Active Riding Trips, the global experts in horse-focused guided adventures. Whether you’re a beginner or professional rider, you’ll find an experience that’s just right for you.
The diverse and fascinating landscapes of Provence, France, will enchant you for an entire week as you ride past olive groves, lavender fields, pine forests, vineyards and onion farms in this southeastern region bordering Italy and the Mediterranean, an hour north of Marseille. You’ll truly bond with your horse as you travel together through the rolling hills, riverbanks and charming villages of this sun-drenched destination. You’ll discover the magic of slow travel as you experience the countryside on a fun-filled horseback adventure like no other. And, of course, you’ll eat your body weight in cheese and thick, buttered bread and sample a variety of local wines. This is France, after all.
Hiking in Ireland
Tour Ross Castle in Killarney on your Irish hiking trip.
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If you love getting active in natural places and hiking through unique landscapes with lush grasslands, waterfalls, rocky hills and lush woodlands, travel to Ireland on a guided adventure with Wilderness Ireland. On this small-group tour, you’ll stay in comfortable inns and small hotels, where finding a pint of Guinness won’t be hard, and meet new travelers.
One of the best itineraries includes Counties Kerry and Clare. This week-long West Coast adventure will have you exploring Killarney National Park, the Beara Peninsula, the Cliffs of Moher, and much more. Put on your hiking boots and don’t forget to bring a rain jacket; the Emerald Isle awaits.
Ride a tuk-tuk in Thailand
Riding a tuk-tuk at night in Bangkok is a wild experience.
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There’s a lot going on in Bangkok, one of the world’s most visited cities. Motorbikes and cars zigzag through traffic, food stalls line the sidewalks, and there are more colorful temples than you could ever see in one trip. See Wat Arun, featured on Thai banknotes; Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; and Wat Pho, Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha.
But aside from seeing beautiful architecture and cleverly designed temples, one of the best things you can do on a solo trip is order street food from a cart attached to a motorbike and enjoy a Singha Thai beer while soaking up the hustle and bustle around you. Khao San Road is worth a visit just to see and experience the dizzying, raucous atmosphere, but stray from the popular tourist route and experience the city by tuk-tuk. They’re easy to find and well worth the fee to experience the sights, sounds and smells of Bangkok.
Watching the Italian sunset
Visit the Villa Medicea di Artimino (also known as La Ferdinanda Villa di Artimino) in Tuscany. [+] countryside.
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From pasta-making classes to vineyard tours, gourmet meals and strolling through nearby traditional Italian villages for gelato, a Tuscan countryside getaway will satisfy your soul in so many ways. Tenuta di Artimino, part of the Meliá Collection, is located an hour west of Florence in the rolling hills of Carmignano. On-site, you can tour Medici Villa La Ferdinanda, a historic residence of the Medici family and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s nothing quite like sipping a glass of Tuscan red wine as you watch orange and yellow hues light up the sky before sinking below the horizon.
Drinking coffee in Vienna
Easily explored as a solo traveller, Vienna is one of Europe’s most famous capital cities.
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Vienna is a dynamic city that’s best explored on foot. The public transport system is excellent, fast and clean, making it easy and stress-free to get from one end of the city to the other. During your stay in the Austrian capital, be sure to see top attractions such as Schönbrunn Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna State Opera, Belvedere Palace and Kucchermarkt.
If you need a break, stop in at a restaurant and try a Wiener schnitzel and a Sachertorte or Punschkrapfen, but don’t miss a visit to the “Grandma Café”, a pension that employs elderly people to make coffee, bake cakes and teach the younger generation how to bake bread.
Explore Hawaii’s National Parks
Volcanoes National Park is worth a visit even if only for itself.
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From black, white and green sand beaches to water activities like snorkeling, parasailing, deep sea fishing and swimming with manta rays, Hawaii Island has a lot to offer solo travelers. If you love state and national parks and are looking for an exciting place to visit, plan a visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Stop by the Kilauea Visitor Center to find out where to go that day and if there are ranger-guided activities available. Hike to the top of Pu’uhuluhulu Cinder Cone, walk across the lava fields to see the petroglyphs, through the lava tubes and walk the Crater Rim Trail, which is full of natural beauty.
Driving a dog sled in Sweden
Dog sledding is one of the most enjoyable activities in Swedish Lapland.
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Swedish winter destinations like Lapland are one of those destinations that stay in your memory long after your adventure is over. From Kiruna, Abisko and Gällivare above the Arctic Circle to Luleå just below the Arctic Circle, this borderless region that stretches from neighbouring Norway to Sweden, Finland and Russia, and where the indigenous Sámi people traditionally lived, offers an enchanting experience to intrepid travellers from all over the world.
Here, you can enjoy big adventures like seeing the Northern Lights, joining a dogsled team, and staying in an ice hotel, but also little ones, like shopping for handmade botanical jewelry by local artist Lynn V. Anderson at the market or sampling “coffee cheese,” coffee-soaked cubes that slide out of the simmering soup into your mouth and squeak between your teeth.
When you visit, you’ll quickly notice that people thrive when the sun hides and a blue light sparkles on the snow. You want to thrive too, even when it’s dark and cold outside. Spend a night in a heated tent and meet Lennart Piccia, a Sámi man who grew up reindeer herding and now runs Sápmi Nature Camp. Or dive into the chilly waters of the Lule River at Arctic Baths, an award-winning floating or frozen hotel and spa (weather permitting). Want to try your hand at snow foraging? Contact Eva Gunnar at Essence of Lapland. The options are wild and endless.
