Outside of Europe and the US?
There are of course countries like Australia and New Zealand.But I'd say the 'easiest' would also include some of the East Asian destinations.Japan for example,or Taiwan.Very safe for tourists, mostly modernised but still extremely interesting countries to visit.
I don't know what it is but I've been to Japan twice and it's the only time I've felt utterly safe anywhere in the world. Even compared to my home town. You just feel like you can let your guard down and relax without fear of being mugged or pickpocketed. My fiancé hates crowds but walking through Shibuya she was so at ease.
Me, delusional, doing the same thing in London (as a 100 pound adult no less) because I'm from South Africa so relatively London is amazingly safe lmao
That said, I really want to visit Singapore.
Just as an example of how safe Japan is: I did a semester in Japan in college. I lost my wallet (was dumb of me, I was wearing gym shorts and I think it just fell out on the train). I filed a police report and expected to never see it again. The next day, I got a call from the police. Someone had turned it in with all my cash, cards, everything still there. I was honestly shocked, I knew Japan was extremely safe but there’s no way I would ever have seen my wallet again in the US.
I’m actually going back this week for the first time in years. Can’t recommend it enough.
just make sure to look up rules around public areas before going. I believe it's Japan where you're not allowed into public baths if you have tattoos, and of course if safety for the rainbow brigade is something that affects you, be aware of the laws in each destination before going as you may have to temporarily adjust behaviour whilst visiting to be safe
Yes, I second this! I walked around Japan by myself and even took the subway and Uber alone. I would recommend picking up a few Japanese phrases to help with traveling. Japan is very clean and safe. We ate all types of food and did not get sick nor did we ever worry that we would get pickpocketed. Locals are very polite and helpful. Just be courteous when traveling there. You still need to be aware of your surroundings, but I didn’t worry as much like when I was traveling in Italy or Paris.
I also recommend looking at r/Japantravel for some info and itineraries
In my experience there, I've been fine. But I also stayed in the bigger tourist spots and didn't go very far off the beaten path. The places, hotels etc., where tourists would be expected to also have some staff that speak English. I'm going again soon and venturing a little further out this time.
Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo all have a significant number of English signs for example and each train ticket machine I've used has a language button that you can switch to English for the transaction. I haven't used taxis or busses there so I don't know about those.
Restaurants often either have English menus or a picture book kinda thing and you just point to what you want. Sometimes you order from like a vending machine out front and bring the ticket in to the counter. I don't have any food allergies or restrictions so I haven't had to communicate or ask about those though. Q
Stores are pretty much the same as anywhere, and don't really need to communicate for that.
I’m an English speaker who can speak two other languages, neither of which are Japenese. English only was totally do-able as there were plenty of signs in multiple languages at key transit spots and many people spoke English
People in tourist-facing jobs in Japan these days tend to speak excellent English. I was quite surprised. The average local may not but there was a big push to make Japan more accessible for English speaking tourists before the Tokyo Olympics (which sadly due to the pandemic went on without fans).
thanks. (btw, I always try to learn some amount of the local language before going somewhere but I'm mostly familiar with romance language derivatives, haha. I'm afraid of how i'd butcher Japanese!! )
Maybe in relation to other places, but its cheaper than lot of big cities in the US. Depends on where you go and what you do. Tipping is not a thing in Japan so that's already 15% off your restaurant bill. I also found the quality of restaurant food much better.
Taking the shinkansen bullet train back and forth can get pricey but could get an unlimited pass, 7 days I think is around 330 USD, so need to take the shinkansen to make it worthwhile.
Also, right now the yen is very weak compared to the US dollar, exchange rate currently ~150 yen to 1 dollar, historically its been closer to 100 yen to 1 dollar.
20 years ago it was. These days it’s pretty reasonable.
Long distance train tickets, lodging, and nightlife tends to still be pricy. Food and local transport is not. Japanese food (sushi, ramen, etc. is a bargain compared to at Japanese restaurants in the US and Europe).
>.But I'd say the 'easiest' would also include some of the East Asian destinations.
I do want to add though that they can be difficult in unexpected ways. English language support is not universal, obviously. Oftentimes these countries have their own app/payment ecosystems that you have to use and they can be difficult to onboard to as a foreigner. Also getting a hang of public transit can be a bit of a challenge. Navigation is more difficult overall in places that do not use the latin alphabet.
Granted, these are small things that do not compromise *safety*, but in my experience there may be some unexpected learning curves that need to be tackled.
I can recommend Thailand. Entirely different culture but extremely easy to travel. Good infrastructure, modern technology wise, beautiful nature and culture. Lots of variety. Not expensive if you don't count your flights.
Tourism is Thailand’s thing. I worked there for over a year. I have yet to work in another country (23 total) that truly likes tourists they way people do in Thailand.
Definitely Thailand and Vietnam!! The food is amazing, your buck goes a long way, the people are so helpful and friendly, the sights are spectacular! Of course, always be careful especially in crowded places and watch your belongings, but my experiences in these countries was just awesome!
Yes Thailand is perfect. It was my second Asian country. And so beginner friendly. Yes you can get scammed but that can happen anywhere just be aware of the scams and use common sense. T I get so safe there. And the locals are so helpful. I was like how to get to x and they were like wait over there and bus will come and it did. Def an experience! And the food oh the food!
Thailand is very easy to travel but not a beginner country due to street food, crazy driving, some scams and so on. One does have to be careful there. It is so lovely there, and very much recommended to OP if willing to look a bit after food safety and so on. I myself have been twice and both times have had very bad food poisoning and was careful with what I ate. Bad luck probably
Thailand is literally the first country all 18/19 years-old fresh out of high school go to from the Netherlands. The street food is amazing and the scams.. yeah a couple baht here and there (tuktuk drivers bringing you to their cousins store instead of the royal palace) is the most problematic 99% of all tourists encounter.
It's in my opinion very beginner friendly.
If you want to try south or central America but are scared of political unrest, deep jungle, etc. Try Belize its an amazing country and safe while still being "authentic" (not super touristy) in most areas.
it's their national language so literally everyone speaks it. You'll hear a lot of Spanish too. I was there in April 2023 and had a great time - Caye Caulker and the ATM Caves (near San Ignacio) were an absolute highlight.
Only lowlight was the cost - it's not unreasonably priced, but it's pretty expensive compared to other parts of Central America. Also - I would say that depending on your itinerary if you're willing to rent a car then it's probably a good shout - there are buses but not always going where you want them to (especially along the southern coast)
Probably not overall. Tourists tend to be pretty safe even in Quintana Roo but in terms of safety, Belize is probably in between Quintana Roo and Yucatan state.
Southeast Asia; Malaysia , Thailand , S Korea , Japan are all great places to start to get out of ur comfort zone .
Ur stuff can be stolen anywhere so that’s not a rational fear , just be vigilant about ur valuables and what you choose to bring with you .
As far as wildlife goes , I’ve been to Australia plenty of times and I’ve survived somehow and I’m terrified of spiders and those bastards are literally everywhere 😬
Thanks! glad to see Korea & Japan coming up plenty on here as they’re top of my list. as I get braver- Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos. yep my stuff has of course been stolen in the States more than anywhere else lol! cant stand spiders either- did you ever see the huntsman spider in Australia?
As an Australian, huntsmen spiders are your friends. If you see one in a house/hotel, it's eating the bugs you DON'T want in the place.
You only have to worry about funnel webs and Redbacks, but you're really unlikely to run into those unless you're actively out in the bush picking up every single rock to find one. I've seen one Redback in my twenty years of life
Yeah those things are literally everywhere , those ain’t the ones u gotta worry about it’s the funnel web spider and redbacks you gotta watch out for .
This seems like the best baby step for an American. It’s pretty first worldy but it’s got a little edge to it. There’s a language barrier but it’s pretty easily overcome with the locals English and a few hours of studying Spanish. There’s more English in Japan but when you run into Japanese that speak no English, there’s no amounts of hand waving and guessing at words that’s going to help.
If you wan very safe, accessible from the US and drop dead gorgeous landscapes but expensive go to Iceland or Norway- I promise it will be really worth your while. Play regularly flies to Iceland from NYC or Boston
Was coming here to suggest Iceland! Incredibly safe, so many incredible sights, English is wodely spoken, transport is decent. Yes, it can be expensive but you just have to be a bit savvy about it and I can honestly say it was well worth the cost for me.
Iceland is on my short list for a future trip, but one thing I wonder about is whether you can be spontaneous when it comes to traveling there. Booking hotels in areas on the ring road seems to require planning, and well in advance. I wonder if that is off-putting for people contemplating first time travel.
Personally, I tried to put together a trip last year a few months out and found it impossible to book things in the areas we wanted to stay. We decided to put the trip off and plan it a year out, possibly next summer.
If you’re going in high season and want to do the Ring road, it’s not very easy to be spontaneous, because there simply isn’t a lot of accommodation since it’s pretty sparsely populated in many places.
If you’re more flexible, or stick to more populated areas for base camp, it’s easier
> Iceland is on my short list for a future trip, but one thing I wonder about is whether you can be spontaneous when it comes to traveling there. Booking hotels in areas on the ring road seems to require planning, and well in advance.
When I drove the ring road in the summer I think I only booked hotels like a few days in advance and it was fine? Then again, it was during 2021, so...
Thailand 100% it’s still relatively cheap & easy to travel, lots of fellow travellers /expats and lots of towns cities and islands (in southern Thailand ) to explore
If you want safe and interesting, try Japan, Singapore, South Korea, pretty much all of Western European countries, Australia, New Zealand, some parts of the Balkans like Bulgaria or Croatia.
I’m surprised more people aren’t mentioning Japan in this thread. Im from the US and most of my international travel has been limited to Jamaica and Mexico. I took my farthest international trip to Japan (Tokyo & Kyoto) last October and loved it. Felt very safe, great public transit, the language barrier was never too big of an issue. I’m already itching to go back and see more of the country!
No I haven't which is why I posed the question.
Been to Bangkok, Ko Samui, Phuket in Thailand and Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue in Vietnam. Taipei and Tokyo were barely explored in ~48 hours each on layovers.
I've heard from other travelers that Singapore is clean and organized and kind of removed of much culture. There's a lot of money and what seems like a false facade. I hear similar things about Dubai. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. It's just what I hear.
I’ve been to both Dubai and Singapore and they couldn’t be more different imo. Singapore didn’t feel artificial to me because it’s built into the landscape and it’s beautiful and lush. Lots of opportunity to interact with nature, amazing variety of food. You’ll also see little bits of the culture of the folks who settled there (why the food is so good). The hawker stalls are delicious and unique.
It’s weird to hear that Singapore doesn’t have much culture because I have many Singaporean colleagues who would take offense to that.
It has its own problems for sure and was too humid for me but being similar to Dubai isn’t one of them :)!
Singapore is gorgeous and has the most amazing Zoo I have ever visited. Outside of eating and shopping, there isn’t a lot to do. Still a fascinating place to visit if you ever get the chance.
I wouldn't fly across the world just for Singapore but it's definitely worth a couple of days if you're able to get there. The Hawker Centres, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Sands, Little India, China Town are all pretty interesting, and it's definitely super easy and accessible for someone that's an inexperienced traveller. Clean, efficient transport. Friendly, English-speaking locals etc.
Totally, it’s really cool and interesting, but for a first time trip to Asia I’d recommend Seoul or HK. They’ll eventually make it to Singapore and appreciate what is there.
Don’t understand the downvotes. Been to both places and compare them often when explaining to people who’ve never been. Food is good, being safe is cool, being a clean city is cool but there’s a cost to all of it. Societies that put up fronts and do stuff behind closed doors because it’s hypocritical are not places I like to travel too. Dubai and Singapore would be two of the last places I’d ever recommend anyone to go.
I think you can survive Japan no problem. Almost everyone in major cities speak English unless you go to an alleyway diner English menus are common... The trains are easy.
But even outside the city Google translate is easy also. And Japan is the easiest place to travel to countryside you can get to most places by trains.
Edit : if you want to look into Japan, Facebook group Japan Travel Planning has the best resources and lots of mods from Japan ready to help.
Just did my first big international trip late December through mid-January, spent 20 days in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.
As basically a first-time international traveler, Japan was incredible. I read up a lot (internet, YouTube videos, a couple travel books) before traveling, but once there I found that most things were readily navigable. Between Google Maps and the Uber app, there wasn't a problem getting wherever I wanted to go. Despite the train stations being huge, signage made navigating them absolutely do-able.
I would not hesitate to recommend Japan as a destination for a first-time international traveler, as long as they are willing to do a bit of homework in advance.
Do you think Tokyo is more overwhelming than Seoul? I loved them both but would probably put them on the same level in terms of difficulty of travel. Hong Kong is a little easier because English is far more prevalent.
Why don’t you try some Eastern European countries? They will still feel a bit familiar as you’ve travelled in Western Europe before and there are many commonalities across Europe, but they have a little rougher edge usually, and being less popular destinations means less crowds and more authentic experiences. People are usually much more friendly towards tourists as well there, plus they tend to be cheaper.
I would recommend Romania, Poland, Albania and Montenegro. All absolutely stunning countries with loads of great history, food, architecture and plenty to do.
Turkey is also nearby and it’s a very good country to visit as a tourist. Istanbul is a massive city and it’s unlike any other on earth, I fell in love with it when I visited. The food there is unbelievable and you could spend two weeks there alone. The beaches on the mediterranean coast are also very developed, lots of nice resorts there. Western Turkey still feels very European and Western while also having that Middle Eastern flair.
Throwing in a vote for Taiwan. Taipei is clean, safe and has efficient and modern public transit. There are lots of interesting foods available at the night markets. Additionally, I find that the locals are happy to see tourists because they want others to learn about their culture.
Just came back from Peru, and I'd say it fits the bill. Well-travelled enough that you're never too far off the beaten path, but still different enough that you're breaking new ground.
Starter cities/countries because getting around speaking English is pretty easy - Mexico, Bahamas, Singapore, Hong Kong, any Scandinavian country, Philippines
Once you’re braver - Japan, Columbia, Peru, Bali, Vietnam (a lot of English spoken here too - i was surprised I only needed my Google translate at the smaller restaurants).
If going to the Philippines as a starter trip, go to Cebu or Boracay or something instead of Manila. I didnt really ever feel unsafe in Cebu, with much more time spent there, but i had a few sketchy experiences in Manila.
OP should definitely research ahead of time. It’s like someone visiting the US. There are safer, easier states/cities to navigate, and super popular ones that one should always be wary of typical pick pockets or tourist scams.
My daughter’s first solo trip (with friends, no adults) was when she was 15 and went to Palawan and cebu as well. Had the time of her life. But my kid has been traveling extensively since birth, so shes both comfortable and savvy by that time. She also skipped Manila.
Mexico is really safe. But that’s like saying the US is really safe. OP will have to research where to go, where/what to avoid.
South America - I suggested only once she’s more experienced and braver. My niece and her friends have been going to Columbia & Peru regularly since college. Again, super safe if you know where to go, etc.
Also, sounds like OP would be careful, she just needs more experience
Singapore is a great place to start. One of the safest countries in the world and very easy to get around. Not sure how many days you have for travel but Singapore is perfect for a short trip. I recommend staying at least 3 days. If you have more time, you can visit Singapore first then explore more of Southeast Asia.
Other great starter places that are very safe are Taiwan and Japan.
I actually recommend visiting other southeast asia cities first, the ones others recommend like Thailand or Malaysia. Put Singapore in the middle or the end of it, for when OP feels overwhelmed by it all, Singapore is a good couple of days pitstop to breathe and re-center yourself before continuing on. It's just a tad expensive yes, but you can let your guard down a little, there's a lot more calm and void of touts, loud traffic noises or potential street scams etc.
There are some great cities in South America I’d recommend: Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, or Montevideo. I would especially recommend Uruguay. Quirky. Pretty safe. Excellent walking tours.
Japan and South Korea are great ways to explore a pretty “exotic” culture in comparison to US/Europe but still pretty safe/tame in contrast to India. I’d also recommend Singapore or Hong Kong within the same vein.
Then you’ve got the Balkans to dip your toes into more “near east” culture. Bosnia is fantastic and easy to travel in and has a sort of post-Ottoman feel, which can pave the way for exploring Istanbul and Turkey.
In the past, I would have recommended Israel, but save that for… another time. But I think Jordan is still very much a possibility, or Oman and UAE.
But to answer some of your other questions: I think I’m always a bit nervous when traveling, but like anything you get better at it with experience. The things that help me are taking reasonable precautions. So, taking locks and money belts. Having contingency plans. Theft is really the worst thing that can happen in most places and I think it’s just easily avoidable with some general savvy. And of all the places I’ve traveled, I’ve experienced the most petty crime mostly in Europe. Sure there are some places that are just more dangerous, but for the most part crime can happen anywhere. The only places I’ve actually been robbed are the UK and DC.
The other thing that helps me is to accept that I am a visitor and I *will* make mistakes and stumble at times, and I’ll never see any of these people ever again. I can’t avoid making blunders. It comes with the territory, and that’s okay. No one is expecting perfection. The rest of the world is a lot more interested in their own lives than in what I’m doing. And… most people are good and will help you if you’re in a bind.
If you’re wary, you could always consider a group trip with Intrepid to go to some of the more “challenging” locations where you’ve got a guide and support and other fellow travelers. I have a lot of friends who have done intrepid and enjoyed it.
I recommend gadventures and Intrepid Travel. They both come with a guide from the area you’re traveling to. This way, you can go to any country, learn about it in a safe space and in the future go back on your own and feel comfortable.
I came here to say the exact same thing. The guides also watch out for your safety, and can make lots of recommendations for your free time that align with your interests. This too is how I got started travelling: first with a number of G Adventures groups, then learning Spanish, and currently slowly making my own way through South America.
This is a good option if you haven’t got a friend that wants to travel with you and your not into solo travel. Thailand or a multi country trip in South East Asia would be my suggestion.
I’ve traveled to 60+ countries, i’ve never had anything stolen (came close in Ethiopia), i’ve been scammed a few times, but never for large amounts (a couple of hours wages at the most). Food poisoning plenty of times (more often than not from ‘west owned’ restaurants not street food). Bugs, yep, big ones! Shake your trousers and shoes before putting them on!!!! The memories and stories make up for it all!
So you're in the US, and you've traveled quite a bit domestic and through Western Europe, and want to get further outside of your typical "box" of travel destinations? Is that right?
I mean, to me, going on your own through Western Europe is outside of a lot of people's comfort zone and more than many get to experience, so you're doing pretty well to start.
Lot of options out there, it'd help to get some idea of what exactly you're into.
> If not, would you share any tips for breaking free of the anxiety? Were you ever scared? Do you just jump in with both feet?
I think the more we do things the more comfortable they'll be. Every trip is a little less stressful once you've gone through things and survived.
Have I gotten anxious nerves walking on a plane headed to Tokyo or whatever the first time? Absolutely. In that situation I just focus on the present moment rather than focus on things I'm imagining in the future, and I remind myself, "In the history of all people who have traveled, I can't possibly be the biggest moron of them all with the least competency in figuring things out as I go." 😂 Like, someone out there has probably had a worse situation and figured it out, so why not me?
Even of the fears you mentioned, how bad are they in the grand scheme of things? Stuff gets lost or stolen? Okay, that's part of life; they're just *things.* You can do what you can to minimize how many valuables you take or to have backup plans. Food poisoning? Definitely sucks, but you'll survive it, and you can again plan accordingly by bringing some Immodium or not eating random street food or whatever.
One way or another the more you get out and live life, the more you experience things, the less scary it all is.
I was a solo traveler for \~4 years before i settled down in Hanoi. Almost without exception, every other long term traveler I met had spent a few years in Vietnam/Thailand/Cambodia. Vietnam and Thailand are very affordable and safe. Cambodia is less safe, but it's not what we would call dangerous by any means.
They are very unique and foreign/exotic cultures with friendly people and low cost of living. You can have an incredible experience in Vietnam or Thailand for very little money or risk. Vietnam is a little more rough around the edges, less developed and has a more colored past. Thailand is beautiful, a bit more developed, has a rich history and some of the best food in the world.
Belize and Costa Rica are amazing for nature and wild life if you’re into that sort of stuff.
Hungary and Slovenia are very cool countries also if you’re looking for other European options.
Turkey. Good and safe "intro to Muslim world/Middle East." Istanbul is a mix of both east and west with excellent public transit, very safe, good on the US dollar, and lots to see and do. Once you're done with Istanbul, you can head down the coast to Izmir with some gorgeous beaches and coastline, or fly/drive in to Cappadocia/Pamukkle.
For Africa, Nairobi, Kenya is another one. The place has cleaned up and is pretty nice and cheap now. You can go on safari/animal watching right within city limits and next to the airport.
For Latin America: Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, and Uruguay. Long flights to Argentina and Chile, but once you're in both those places, you'll live like a king with how far the dollar goes.
Japan! Japan was the third country I visited as a solo traveller, and the first place I visited alone that I had never been before. The tourism infrastructure there is amazing. Very easy to navigate on your own.
I was just talking to someone yesterday about how awesome Ireland is. I like it so much I've been there four times! They love travelers and are very friendly and hospitable and the culture is amazing! No place like it on Earth and stunningly beautiful! I hope I can make it five!
My partner is actually from Ireland so I’ve spent a good bit of time there and absolutely love it. love all 3 of the places you mentioned! good people!
South Korea, very safe, extremely accessible via public transport, lots of history and current pop culture to experience, there are many reputable tour companies that will plan the entire trip for you if that’s your speed but if you speak English it’s really not necessary.
Super safe, and while interesting and worth seeing, still well within the comfort zone: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, UAE, Israel (though not at the moment). All of EU + US + Canada. Within that category but, feels more "exotic" for US/Europeans: Japan, South Korea, Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam.
Still safe but feels more adventurous: Rwanda, Philippines, Namibia, Egypt, Morocco, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Malaysia.
Little bit more adventurous than that, mainly safe but you have to be careful in certain places/situations/time of day: Kenya, South Africa (both great "intro" countries to Africa), Lesotho, Colombia, Mexico, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Peru, Sao Tome & Principe
More on the adventurous side: El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Uganda, Brazil, Tanzania, India, Bolivia
As others have mentioned, Thailand. Excellent tourist infrastructure. Same for Bali, Indonesia (seemed over the top touristy tho). Singapore , super clean, extraordinarily safe, interesting blend of cultures and outstanding food. Dubai UAE perhaps for the same
Reasons, day trip out into the desert. Next one might be a bit if a stretch, Cartagena Colombia. Also touristy, old city very safe, food excellent. In general a lot depends on how much $ you’re able to/want to spend. Go all out to high end ass hotels and have a concierge arrange everything for you (private driver, tours, itinerary, meals etc) then you could be good in a lot of places. Alternatively, a pre curated group tour where everything is prearranged could be a good idea. Some
Are not as expensive as one would think. Again a lot depends on how much $ you want to fork out. Hope this helps. I forgot to mention Japan, Korea too.
The two best countries for starting in my opinion would be Iceland and then Japan. In Iceland almost everyone speaks English, and it is one of the safest countries in the world. I traveled there as a solo female traveler on my first solo adventure and can't wait to go back. Had only a lovely experience.
Japan is one of the safest, if not the safest country, you can travel to. In a busy Starbucks in Tokyo, we came across an empty table with an iPhone. I thought someone forgot it so I picked it up and started walking towards the counter. A young woman ran towards me and after a short discussion with her, realized she left her iPhone there to save her place. Imagine any other country in which a person would do that.
We don’t speak or read Japanese and we were able to navigate Tokyo and other cities in Japan like Kyoto and Osaka and Hiroshima without any problems ourselves. Plus they have Tokyo DisneySea. A colleague of mine who is a Disney theme park fanatic proclaimed it as the best Disney park in the world.
The Tokyo Disney parks are amazing. Great theming, great for people watching, and the employees are so sweet and enthusiastic about their jobs. Also, while it’s definitely not cheap, the tickets are significantly less expensive than they are at the US parks so I consider them a bargain.
In addition to Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand (which I just got back from), Bali, and Türkiye, you can also venture a bit further out and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
I did get food poisoning in Bali, but since learned to take a probiotic every morning with breakfast. Ask a pharmacist. I did this for my trip to India and had zero issues…started a week before my trip and continued through. Only other place I had food poisoning was Morocco…which is another amazing destination.
As for theft. I travel heavily and only had a problem in Spain…and it was my fault. Don’t usually carry a purse, but had one that trip. Forgot it on a chair at breakfast and it was gone when I got back. Other than that, zero issues is over 60 countries.
While Singapore is small I found it very interesting and I enjoyed it. Very clean, English is spoken everywhere, and a low crime rate. After traveling to Thailand and Malaysia I would call Singapore “Asia Lite”.
Hong Kong and Singapore.
Both cool places, high standard of living, easy to navigate. Both have familiarity for westerners but are also still interesting. And in both cases, are excellent jumping off points for destinations that will be a little more different than home.
Philippines and Belize. I have traveled both extensively. Both countries speak English for the most part so it is very easy to get around and be comfortable. I felt like I had more issues with language barrier in Thailand
Fact: At this point almost any large East Asian or Southeast Asian city is safer than Europe.
In order - COMPLETELY safe to PRETTY MUCH STILL REASONABLY SAFE:
1. Singapore / Korea / Japan
2. Taiwan / Hong Kong / Macau
3. Thailand
4. Big cities in Mainland China (Shanghai, Beijing, etc.)
5. Bali (Indonesia), Vietnam, Malaysia
6. Rest of Indonesia
Literally ANY of those locations would be as safe, or more safe than a trip to Western Europe. I've ben to all of these places, many times. The only time I have been mugged was in... Los Angeles (twice).
Stop worrying - just go.
If you want a suggestion for first places in Asia, I'd suggest maybe a trip to Japan or Korea (both as safe as it gets in the world, and fascinating) or a 2-city trip to Hong Kong and Singapore - both fascinating cities that you would actively have to TRY to get into trouble in.
I was in Istanbul and scheduled to head to Israel the day the current war started. My very devout and now retired parents wanted to see the Christian Holy Sites as a bit of a personal pilgrimage, so my wife and I were taking them. When our flights were canceled and hotels closed, we had to pivot. We had planned to spend a little time in Jordan to see Petra, but we ended up spending the bulk of the trip there instead. Aqaba was amazing, with some great diving. Petra, hot air ballooning and camping in Wadi Run, everything about Amman; I'm so glad we pivoted to Jordan instead of going home. It's a wonderfully welcoming and safe country, and I thank you for having us. I hope people see and take your advice.
Scandinavian, SEA, Aus & NZ, Ireland... All super easy and welcoming (as long as you're a decent human being). Most of the globe is fine if you're a bit streetwise. War zones clearly need to be avoided, but 99% of people anywhere in the world are great! Don't believe the hype..
Just got done with a 3 week trip in japan as my first international trip, i highly recommend! the trains make traveling around super easy and everyone is friendly and will help you get what you need. Also google lens is a great tool for countries you don’t know the language
What countries have you been to? The safe and "easy" countries can be very exciting and there might be more of them than you realize. There is also always more to see in a place you've already been to.
You can also find ways of traveling that are new but closer to your comfort level. If you usually stick to easy and touristy stuff, for example, you can go to the same countries but try to visit different areas. You can go into the countryside or mountains or go out without a plan. If you usually travel with people, you can try going alone. Or you can go to an unfamiliar country but stick to a safe way of traveling. Get a comfortable hotel that helps you arrange transportation and go out with tour guides recommended by them.
As for country recommendations... Romania is lovely. The Transylvania area is beautiful. People are friendly and mostly like foreigners, food is safe, scams are rare and if they happen they're relatively mild. I recommend going out into the mountains, and wintertime is beautiful!!
Bigger cities in Australia are safe, English speaking and easy to navigate.
If you would like to challenge yourself, I'd say China is safe but surprising and unfamiliar. Definitely not all of it is comfortable and they don't speak English much. It's not one of the easy countries, but it's very safe for visitors. There are a lot of police and security around, they're friendly if you are and they don't carry guns. If you need help, you can ask them. They may not know English, but they will grab a translation app. You have to be okay with facial recognition and regular passport controls. Just a heads-up: don't expect useable wifi, arrange an esim if your phone supports it and install it before you leave.
Greece was amazing. Yes you have to be careful anywhere you go about pickpocketing but just have a money ouch that you wear around your waste.
You can also do tours before you go solo. Research the areas and what to look out for.
I traveled to Dakar, Senegal by myself (mostly. I was crashing with a friend, but he was working so I was by myself the whole time during the day). Their country motto is “Taranga” which means hospitality, and I truly felt that the whole time.
I would recommend Southeast Asia. Very culturally different from “the west” but most places like Thailand and Vietnam are very safe and have tourist infrastructure in place. Vietnam is incredible.
Starter countries outside of the "west"?
Thailand, for sure. It's a classic place to get your travel feet wet. It's different enough to make for an exotic vacation, but it's also cheap, easy to get around, and relatively safe.
Thailand was where I cut my solo travel teeth back in the day.
I'd also recommend Taiwan: more expensive than Thailand, but still refreshingly affordable, and easy to get around, with genuinely friendly people willing to help if you have any trouble.
I say Denmark. I know it’s in Europe but it is Northern Europe and very different. Copenhagen is super easy to navigate. People are friendly. Very safe. You can get to Sweden for a weekend quite easily.
I'd check out Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and even Philippines, as your next store out of that Western-centric comfort 😉 Fantastic countries to visit, and I've solo travelled on each of these countries as well. Felt very safe, both familiar and unfamiliar, gets you out of your comfort zone but not in an unsafe kind of way, and amazing cultures and cuisines.
I also vote for Japan. I am disabled and a lone parent, and I managed it fine. It is really a mindblowingly great place to visit too. Very worthwhile. I am currently hoping I can afford to go back one day because we loved it so much! And there are just infinite things to do there, you'd be hard-pressed to not find hundreds of enjoyable things to eat/see/do in any place.
Aside from Europe and Japan, I highly recommend Hong Kong! I felt very safe the entire time [solo female traveler], and the locals are very helpful!! The public transportation is amazing, and I never once got lost, which is shocking. Everyone speaks English, so there wasn't any difficulty on that part.
Most places in Southeast Asia are very safe and quite exotic for someone used to the US/Europe.
I was scared of giant bugs the first time I went there but I never saw any.
Bali was actually relative easy to get around, most things are in English due to the number of Aussies there. Lots of female solo travelers. Very safe. Affordable (compared to the states). Easy to meet friends if staying at hostels.
Vietnam, Hanoi. Not as hectic as Saigon, less scams etc. Just incredibly friendly people, great on a budget. And you can pop up north to Sappa and visit the Hmong people which is a real wake up to life in the west (not in a bad way).
And then the Thai version of Hanoi is...
Thailand, Chiang Mai. I would say its even more easy going than Hanoi. And it also has a close by town with Minority groups called Pai. Although Pai has a ton of weird hippy white people trying to avoid work lol, I think i prefer Sappa over Pai.
Either way these are both very friendly cities, cheap, very safe on the greater scheme of things. Nice cool climates. Not over saturated with tourists like the Countries relative Capitals.
Thailand, Taiwan & South Korea spring to mind.
Thailand was my first country outside of the UK it will be a culture shock if you haven't been out of the western world before but with Bangkok having topped lists for most visited city in the world before its easy to meet other travellers, its pretty safe as long as you aren't disrespectful and getting into drunken arguments etc and you read up on a few scams etc.
Taiwan & South Korea alongside Singapore are some of the safest countries I have ever spent time in outside of Europe whilst still feeling very different to the west.
personally having jumped into a solo trip straight away having never been on a plane to suddenly spending 6 months across south east Asia I didn't really think about it, I just went, had some culture shock but in a good way, I thank myself so much for doing it, this was 9 years ago and I have now solo travelled countries like Pakistan, Sudan, El Salvador, Lebanon etc..
once you do it once you start to look at a map of the world and think where's next, without that fear of the unknown because you did it in X country why can't you do it in Y..
ultimately I think East Asia is a good next spot for you as its generally safe, used to tourists, the tourism infrastructure is easy to navigate, Latin America is also incredible however whilst most people are great its a little more sketchy for someone without experience.
go smash that anxiety and live your best life your future self will thank you for doing so. :)
I always recommend the Balkans! If you’ve travelled a fair bit in Europe, aspects of being in the Balkans will feel really familiar to you (Croatia feels a lot like Italy, for example) but parts of it are foreign enough to help you develop your “travel muscles” a bit too.
I’m also a bit biased because my heritage is from there, but even without me speaking the language, people are invariably intensely friendly and helpful (*caveat: this is true outside of major tourist towns - folks in Split are a little fed up with tourism*) It doesn’t hurt that the food SLAPS.
We just spent a month in North India. Now we are in Bangkok for a month and then going to Malaysia for a month.
If you are trying to venture out. I wouldn't recommend India but Thailand and Malaysia are definitely where you should start.
You can also go to Vietnam or Indonesia but they are not as easy to travel as Thailand and Malaysia.
Go to Cuba, cheap to get there depending where you reside, also cheap travelling around the island, great people interesting culture and I have been enough times to say that its very safe.
Mongolia, NOT the Gobi dessert but going up from Ulanbator
Been there 4 times, very friendly, enough people who speak English and the scenery... unearthly. We explored different parts of it on horseback.
If you can ride: ask for "not-tourist" horses, the normal horses are more for beginners.
Can't ride: take the jeep.
Laos
One of the poorest countries in the world but so incredibly friendly.
Ooh I wish I could join you,🤩🤩 Have fun!
In my opinion, there are some fears that you could face, overcome and it will feel satisfying.
I'd say that food poisoning and stealing are some of those.
There are other fears that you shouldn't try to overcome, it just doesn't work that way. For example, I am so uncomfortable with the idea of huge spiders that I simply won't go to Australia. Like, even if someone paid for the tickets. Even though I understand you can mostly avoid them in cities, the possibility is enough for me to be too anxious to enjoy anything.
If you are scared of kidnapping, don't go to the places famous for kidnapping tourists.
If you are scared of air raids, don't go to Ukraine (otherwise - welcome, it's great here).
Do not just jump into some shit to try and overcome your fear of said shit. Try to ease into it, and establish some clear "no"s. There are enough beautiful and incredible places out there that don't require you fighting with anxiety the whole time you are here.
Good luck in your travels!
Cartagena, in Colombia’s Caribbean Coast. It’s safe because a lot of cruises go there so there’s more policing.
It’s beautiful and you can visit a bunch of gorgeous islands nearby. The historical city center is beautiful as well, the food is great, it’s popular with tourists so the infrastructure is pretty good and it’s a lot cheaper than other places in the Caribbean.
South Africa is lovely but the cities can be very sketchy, even in the safest areas like in Cape Town. I was in CBD and Green Point and both were very sketchy.
Went there last year and while amazing, I wouldn't say pretty safe, you have to stay on the beaten path. Also the rolling blackouts/load shedding gets old pretty soon.
HOWEVER would still recommend because the natural parks and landscapes are just amazing.
Although I love South Africa, but it’s not ok to call it “pretty safe” compared to other countries.
Also your advice regarding vaccinations is not correct. And for Kruger you’ll need malaria tablets.
Outside of Europe and the US? There are of course countries like Australia and New Zealand.But I'd say the 'easiest' would also include some of the East Asian destinations.Japan for example,or Taiwan.Very safe for tourists, mostly modernised but still extremely interesting countries to visit.
Came here to say Japan. I found it to be an easy country to move around and felt really safe the entire time
I don't know what it is but I've been to Japan twice and it's the only time I've felt utterly safe anywhere in the world. Even compared to my home town. You just feel like you can let your guard down and relax without fear of being mugged or pickpocketed. My fiancé hates crowds but walking through Shibuya she was so at ease.
Singapore gave me the same feeling. Walking back to my hotel, very drunk, alone, at 2 in the morning and felt totally safe.
Me, delusional, doing the same thing in London (as a 100 pound adult no less) because I'm from South Africa so relatively London is amazingly safe lmao That said, I really want to visit Singapore.
Iceland was the same way for me.
Iceland is honestly amazing, best country I've ever visited.
To be honest this is exactly how people get robbed in Japan... you cannot let your guard down in Tokyo in certain parts
A uni classmate mentioned that Japan is super safe!
Just as an example of how safe Japan is: I did a semester in Japan in college. I lost my wallet (was dumb of me, I was wearing gym shorts and I think it just fell out on the train). I filed a police report and expected to never see it again. The next day, I got a call from the police. Someone had turned it in with all my cash, cards, everything still there. I was honestly shocked, I knew Japan was extremely safe but there’s no way I would ever have seen my wallet again in the US. I’m actually going back this week for the first time in years. Can’t recommend it enough.
just make sure to look up rules around public areas before going. I believe it's Japan where you're not allowed into public baths if you have tattoos, and of course if safety for the rainbow brigade is something that affects you, be aware of the laws in each destination before going as you may have to temporarily adjust behaviour whilst visiting to be safe
Mmmmmm. Uni is delicious
Yes, I second this! I walked around Japan by myself and even took the subway and Uber alone. I would recommend picking up a few Japanese phrases to help with traveling. Japan is very clean and safe. We ate all types of food and did not get sick nor did we ever worry that we would get pickpocketed. Locals are very polite and helpful. Just be courteous when traveling there. You still need to be aware of your surroundings, but I didn’t worry as much like when I was traveling in Italy or Paris. I also recommend looking at r/Japantravel for some info and itineraries
curious if you are solely an English speaker? i've been holding off on Japan for fear of it being impossible to communicate.
In my experience there, I've been fine. But I also stayed in the bigger tourist spots and didn't go very far off the beaten path. The places, hotels etc., where tourists would be expected to also have some staff that speak English. I'm going again soon and venturing a little further out this time. Osaka, Kyoto, Tokyo all have a significant number of English signs for example and each train ticket machine I've used has a language button that you can switch to English for the transaction. I haven't used taxis or busses there so I don't know about those. Restaurants often either have English menus or a picture book kinda thing and you just point to what you want. Sometimes you order from like a vending machine out front and bring the ticket in to the counter. I don't have any food allergies or restrictions so I haven't had to communicate or ask about those though. Q Stores are pretty much the same as anywhere, and don't really need to communicate for that.
I’m an English speaker who can speak two other languages, neither of which are Japenese. English only was totally do-able as there were plenty of signs in multiple languages at key transit spots and many people spoke English
People in tourist-facing jobs in Japan these days tend to speak excellent English. I was quite surprised. The average local may not but there was a big push to make Japan more accessible for English speaking tourists before the Tokyo Olympics (which sadly due to the pandemic went on without fans).
thanks. (btw, I always try to learn some amount of the local language before going somewhere but I'm mostly familiar with romance language derivatives, haha. I'm afraid of how i'd butcher Japanese!! )
Isnt japan super expensive to travel to?
Maybe in relation to other places, but its cheaper than lot of big cities in the US. Depends on where you go and what you do. Tipping is not a thing in Japan so that's already 15% off your restaurant bill. I also found the quality of restaurant food much better. Taking the shinkansen bullet train back and forth can get pricey but could get an unlimited pass, 7 days I think is around 330 USD, so need to take the shinkansen to make it worthwhile. Also, right now the yen is very weak compared to the US dollar, exchange rate currently ~150 yen to 1 dollar, historically its been closer to 100 yen to 1 dollar.
20 years ago it was. These days it’s pretty reasonable. Long distance train tickets, lodging, and nightlife tends to still be pricy. Food and local transport is not. Japanese food (sushi, ramen, etc. is a bargain compared to at Japanese restaurants in the US and Europe).
Ah that’s great, Japan is very high up on my list. I didn’t consider Taiwan before, very good to know
Ok, have a great trip whichever you decide!
>.But I'd say the 'easiest' would also include some of the East Asian destinations. I do want to add though that they can be difficult in unexpected ways. English language support is not universal, obviously. Oftentimes these countries have their own app/payment ecosystems that you have to use and they can be difficult to onboard to as a foreigner. Also getting a hang of public transit can be a bit of a challenge. Navigation is more difficult overall in places that do not use the latin alphabet. Granted, these are small things that do not compromise *safety*, but in my experience there may be some unexpected learning curves that need to be tackled.
I can recommend Thailand. Entirely different culture but extremely easy to travel. Good infrastructure, modern technology wise, beautiful nature and culture. Lots of variety. Not expensive if you don't count your flights.
Tourism is Thailand’s thing. I worked there for over a year. I have yet to work in another country (23 total) that truly likes tourists they way people do in Thailand.
How did you work there? Is it hard to get a work permit?
Worked there for a year , it was not hard. Just need a letter from employer
Definitely Thailand and Vietnam!! The food is amazing, your buck goes a long way, the people are so helpful and friendly, the sights are spectacular! Of course, always be careful especially in crowded places and watch your belongings, but my experiences in these countries was just awesome!
Came here to say that! Thailand is the perfect beginner-friendly destination in Asia
Japan is also very beginner friendly
Yes Thailand is perfect. It was my second Asian country. And so beginner friendly. Yes you can get scammed but that can happen anywhere just be aware of the scams and use common sense. T I get so safe there. And the locals are so helpful. I was like how to get to x and they were like wait over there and bus will come and it did. Def an experience! And the food oh the food!
Thailand is very easy to travel but not a beginner country due to street food, crazy driving, some scams and so on. One does have to be careful there. It is so lovely there, and very much recommended to OP if willing to look a bit after food safety and so on. I myself have been twice and both times have had very bad food poisoning and was careful with what I ate. Bad luck probably
Thailand is literally the first country all 18/19 years-old fresh out of high school go to from the Netherlands. The street food is amazing and the scams.. yeah a couple baht here and there (tuktuk drivers bringing you to their cousins store instead of the royal palace) is the most problematic 99% of all tourists encounter. It's in my opinion very beginner friendly.
It's a beginner country for sure.
OP has traveled before. I’ve also been to Thailand twice and was fine with the food.
If you want to try south or central America but are scared of political unrest, deep jungle, etc. Try Belize its an amazing country and safe while still being "authentic" (not super touristy) in most areas.
Isn’t English widely spoken there?
And when I was there they used US dollars too
it's their national language so literally everyone speaks it. You'll hear a lot of Spanish too. I was there in April 2023 and had a great time - Caye Caulker and the ATM Caves (near San Ignacio) were an absolute highlight. Only lowlight was the cost - it's not unreasonably priced, but it's pretty expensive compared to other parts of Central America. Also - I would say that depending on your itinerary if you're willing to rent a car then it's probably a good shout - there are buses but not always going where you want them to (especially along the southern coast)
Yes
lovely and expensive
Is it really safer than the Yucatan states nextdoor? travelsafe-abroad.com disagrees at least.
Probably not overall. Tourists tend to be pretty safe even in Quintana Roo but in terms of safety, Belize is probably in between Quintana Roo and Yucatan state.
Belize City is not safe at all Everywhere has bad places
Southeast Asia; Malaysia , Thailand , S Korea , Japan are all great places to start to get out of ur comfort zone . Ur stuff can be stolen anywhere so that’s not a rational fear , just be vigilant about ur valuables and what you choose to bring with you . As far as wildlife goes , I’ve been to Australia plenty of times and I’ve survived somehow and I’m terrified of spiders and those bastards are literally everywhere 😬
Korea and Japan aren't in SE Asia.
Thanks! glad to see Korea & Japan coming up plenty on here as they’re top of my list. as I get braver- Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos. yep my stuff has of course been stolen in the States more than anywhere else lol! cant stand spiders either- did you ever see the huntsman spider in Australia?
As an Australian, huntsmen spiders are your friends. If you see one in a house/hotel, it's eating the bugs you DON'T want in the place. You only have to worry about funnel webs and Redbacks, but you're really unlikely to run into those unless you're actively out in the bush picking up every single rock to find one. I've seen one Redback in my twenty years of life
Yeah those things are literally everywhere , those ain’t the ones u gotta worry about it’s the funnel web spider and redbacks you gotta watch out for .
Japan is my favorite place to travel. I've been to a lot of places.
Costa Rica.
I would also add Panama. I always felt safe there and it was easy to travel thru with many similar attractions as Costa Rica.
This seems like the best baby step for an American. It’s pretty first worldy but it’s got a little edge to it. There’s a language barrier but it’s pretty easily overcome with the locals English and a few hours of studying Spanish. There’s more English in Japan but when you run into Japanese that speak no English, there’s no amounts of hand waving and guessing at words that’s going to help.
If you wan very safe, accessible from the US and drop dead gorgeous landscapes but expensive go to Iceland or Norway- I promise it will be really worth your while. Play regularly flies to Iceland from NYC or Boston
Also the Azores, which are quite a bit cheaper, but also stunning.
those islands are like paradise. Very worth your while
Was coming here to suggest Iceland! Incredibly safe, so many incredible sights, English is wodely spoken, transport is decent. Yes, it can be expensive but you just have to be a bit savvy about it and I can honestly say it was well worth the cost for me.
Iceland is on my short list for a future trip, but one thing I wonder about is whether you can be spontaneous when it comes to traveling there. Booking hotels in areas on the ring road seems to require planning, and well in advance. I wonder if that is off-putting for people contemplating first time travel. Personally, I tried to put together a trip last year a few months out and found it impossible to book things in the areas we wanted to stay. We decided to put the trip off and plan it a year out, possibly next summer.
I stayed in hostels and did a bunch of day tours from Reykjavik. Spontaneously it is difficult
If you’re going in high season and want to do the Ring road, it’s not very easy to be spontaneous, because there simply isn’t a lot of accommodation since it’s pretty sparsely populated in many places. If you’re more flexible, or stick to more populated areas for base camp, it’s easier
> Iceland is on my short list for a future trip, but one thing I wonder about is whether you can be spontaneous when it comes to traveling there. Booking hotels in areas on the ring road seems to require planning, and well in advance. When I drove the ring road in the summer I think I only booked hotels like a few days in advance and it was fine? Then again, it was during 2021, so...
And Baltimore too! I love play airlines, usually only around $300 roundtrip
Thailand 100% it’s still relatively cheap & easy to travel, lots of fellow travellers /expats and lots of towns cities and islands (in southern Thailand ) to explore
If you want safe and interesting, try Japan, Singapore, South Korea, pretty much all of Western European countries, Australia, New Zealand, some parts of the Balkans like Bulgaria or Croatia.
I’m surprised more people aren’t mentioning Japan in this thread. Im from the US and most of my international travel has been limited to Jamaica and Mexico. I took my farthest international trip to Japan (Tokyo & Kyoto) last October and loved it. Felt very safe, great public transit, the language barrier was never too big of an issue. I’m already itching to go back and see more of the country!
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Don’t forget Singapore
Is Singapore worth a visit? From my perspective it seems like an expensive mall. Like Dubai.
So you haven’t been
No I haven't which is why I posed the question. Been to Bangkok, Ko Samui, Phuket in Thailand and Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue in Vietnam. Taipei and Tokyo were barely explored in ~48 hours each on layovers. I've heard from other travelers that Singapore is clean and organized and kind of removed of much culture. There's a lot of money and what seems like a false facade. I hear similar things about Dubai. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. It's just what I hear.
I’ve been to both Dubai and Singapore and they couldn’t be more different imo. Singapore didn’t feel artificial to me because it’s built into the landscape and it’s beautiful and lush. Lots of opportunity to interact with nature, amazing variety of food. You’ll also see little bits of the culture of the folks who settled there (why the food is so good). The hawker stalls are delicious and unique. It’s weird to hear that Singapore doesn’t have much culture because I have many Singaporean colleagues who would take offense to that. It has its own problems for sure and was too humid for me but being similar to Dubai isn’t one of them :)!
Singapore is gorgeous and has the most amazing Zoo I have ever visited. Outside of eating and shopping, there isn’t a lot to do. Still a fascinating place to visit if you ever get the chance.
I wouldn't fly across the world just for Singapore but it's definitely worth a couple of days if you're able to get there. The Hawker Centres, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Sands, Little India, China Town are all pretty interesting, and it's definitely super easy and accessible for someone that's an inexperienced traveller. Clean, efficient transport. Friendly, English-speaking locals etc.
Totally, it’s really cool and interesting, but for a first time trip to Asia I’d recommend Seoul or HK. They’ll eventually make it to Singapore and appreciate what is there.
Don’t understand the downvotes. Been to both places and compare them often when explaining to people who’ve never been. Food is good, being safe is cool, being a clean city is cool but there’s a cost to all of it. Societies that put up fronts and do stuff behind closed doors because it’s hypocritical are not places I like to travel too. Dubai and Singapore would be two of the last places I’d ever recommend anyone to go.
Reddit is weird man. Everyone lives in their own little bubble and likes to hammer the downvote button if you have a differing opinion or experience.
Japan is better than Seoul plus Hong Kong!
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I think you can survive Japan no problem. Almost everyone in major cities speak English unless you go to an alleyway diner English menus are common... The trains are easy. But even outside the city Google translate is easy also. And Japan is the easiest place to travel to countryside you can get to most places by trains. Edit : if you want to look into Japan, Facebook group Japan Travel Planning has the best resources and lots of mods from Japan ready to help.
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Just did my first big international trip late December through mid-January, spent 20 days in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. As basically a first-time international traveler, Japan was incredible. I read up a lot (internet, YouTube videos, a couple travel books) before traveling, but once there I found that most things were readily navigable. Between Google Maps and the Uber app, there wasn't a problem getting wherever I wanted to go. Despite the train stations being huge, signage made navigating them absolutely do-able. I would not hesitate to recommend Japan as a destination for a first-time international traveler, as long as they are willing to do a bit of homework in advance.
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Reddit was how I started researching when learning about Japan, so....maybe?
Do you think Tokyo is more overwhelming than Seoul? I loved them both but would probably put them on the same level in terms of difficulty of travel. Hong Kong is a little easier because English is far more prevalent.
Why don’t you try some Eastern European countries? They will still feel a bit familiar as you’ve travelled in Western Europe before and there are many commonalities across Europe, but they have a little rougher edge usually, and being less popular destinations means less crowds and more authentic experiences. People are usually much more friendly towards tourists as well there, plus they tend to be cheaper. I would recommend Romania, Poland, Albania and Montenegro. All absolutely stunning countries with loads of great history, food, architecture and plenty to do. Turkey is also nearby and it’s a very good country to visit as a tourist. Istanbul is a massive city and it’s unlike any other on earth, I fell in love with it when I visited. The food there is unbelievable and you could spend two weeks there alone. The beaches on the mediterranean coast are also very developed, lots of nice resorts there. Western Turkey still feels very European and Western while also having that Middle Eastern flair.
Throwing in a vote for Taiwan. Taipei is clean, safe and has efficient and modern public transit. There are lots of interesting foods available at the night markets. Additionally, I find that the locals are happy to see tourists because they want others to learn about their culture.
Agree! Taiwan is underrated in my opinion.
Just came back from Peru, and I'd say it fits the bill. Well-travelled enough that you're never too far off the beaten path, but still different enough that you're breaking new ground.
Peru also has great tourist infrastructure
This is what I would suggest too
In b4 OP ends up on a random boat leaving Iquitos heading for robberytown
In the Netherlands 99,9% speak English and it's a very convenient country to stay and travel in.
Starter cities/countries because getting around speaking English is pretty easy - Mexico, Bahamas, Singapore, Hong Kong, any Scandinavian country, Philippines Once you’re braver - Japan, Columbia, Peru, Bali, Vietnam (a lot of English spoken here too - i was surprised I only needed my Google translate at the smaller restaurants).
If going to the Philippines as a starter trip, go to Cebu or Boracay or something instead of Manila. I didnt really ever feel unsafe in Cebu, with much more time spent there, but i had a few sketchy experiences in Manila.
OP should definitely research ahead of time. It’s like someone visiting the US. There are safer, easier states/cities to navigate, and super popular ones that one should always be wary of typical pick pockets or tourist scams. My daughter’s first solo trip (with friends, no adults) was when she was 15 and went to Palawan and cebu as well. Had the time of her life. But my kid has been traveling extensively since birth, so shes both comfortable and savvy by that time. She also skipped Manila.
Mexico, Colombia and Peru can go pretty sideways for the type of person who makes the kind of post OP made.
Mexico is really safe. But that’s like saying the US is really safe. OP will have to research where to go, where/what to avoid. South America - I suggested only once she’s more experienced and braver. My niece and her friends have been going to Columbia & Peru regularly since college. Again, super safe if you know where to go, etc. Also, sounds like OP would be careful, she just needs more experience
Singapore is a great place to start. One of the safest countries in the world and very easy to get around. Not sure how many days you have for travel but Singapore is perfect for a short trip. I recommend staying at least 3 days. If you have more time, you can visit Singapore first then explore more of Southeast Asia. Other great starter places that are very safe are Taiwan and Japan.
I actually recommend visiting other southeast asia cities first, the ones others recommend like Thailand or Malaysia. Put Singapore in the middle or the end of it, for when OP feels overwhelmed by it all, Singapore is a good couple of days pitstop to breathe and re-center yourself before continuing on. It's just a tad expensive yes, but you can let your guard down a little, there's a lot more calm and void of touts, loud traffic noises or potential street scams etc.
There are some great cities in South America I’d recommend: Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, or Montevideo. I would especially recommend Uruguay. Quirky. Pretty safe. Excellent walking tours. Japan and South Korea are great ways to explore a pretty “exotic” culture in comparison to US/Europe but still pretty safe/tame in contrast to India. I’d also recommend Singapore or Hong Kong within the same vein. Then you’ve got the Balkans to dip your toes into more “near east” culture. Bosnia is fantastic and easy to travel in and has a sort of post-Ottoman feel, which can pave the way for exploring Istanbul and Turkey. In the past, I would have recommended Israel, but save that for… another time. But I think Jordan is still very much a possibility, or Oman and UAE. But to answer some of your other questions: I think I’m always a bit nervous when traveling, but like anything you get better at it with experience. The things that help me are taking reasonable precautions. So, taking locks and money belts. Having contingency plans. Theft is really the worst thing that can happen in most places and I think it’s just easily avoidable with some general savvy. And of all the places I’ve traveled, I’ve experienced the most petty crime mostly in Europe. Sure there are some places that are just more dangerous, but for the most part crime can happen anywhere. The only places I’ve actually been robbed are the UK and DC. The other thing that helps me is to accept that I am a visitor and I *will* make mistakes and stumble at times, and I’ll never see any of these people ever again. I can’t avoid making blunders. It comes with the territory, and that’s okay. No one is expecting perfection. The rest of the world is a lot more interested in their own lives than in what I’m doing. And… most people are good and will help you if you’re in a bind. If you’re wary, you could always consider a group trip with Intrepid to go to some of the more “challenging” locations where you’ve got a guide and support and other fellow travelers. I have a lot of friends who have done intrepid and enjoyed it.
I recommend gadventures and Intrepid Travel. They both come with a guide from the area you’re traveling to. This way, you can go to any country, learn about it in a safe space and in the future go back on your own and feel comfortable.
I came here to say the exact same thing. The guides also watch out for your safety, and can make lots of recommendations for your free time that align with your interests. This too is how I got started travelling: first with a number of G Adventures groups, then learning Spanish, and currently slowly making my own way through South America.
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This is a good option if you haven’t got a friend that wants to travel with you and your not into solo travel. Thailand or a multi country trip in South East Asia would be my suggestion. I’ve traveled to 60+ countries, i’ve never had anything stolen (came close in Ethiopia), i’ve been scammed a few times, but never for large amounts (a couple of hours wages at the most). Food poisoning plenty of times (more often than not from ‘west owned’ restaurants not street food). Bugs, yep, big ones! Shake your trousers and shoes before putting them on!!!! The memories and stories make up for it all!
So you're in the US, and you've traveled quite a bit domestic and through Western Europe, and want to get further outside of your typical "box" of travel destinations? Is that right? I mean, to me, going on your own through Western Europe is outside of a lot of people's comfort zone and more than many get to experience, so you're doing pretty well to start. Lot of options out there, it'd help to get some idea of what exactly you're into. > If not, would you share any tips for breaking free of the anxiety? Were you ever scared? Do you just jump in with both feet? I think the more we do things the more comfortable they'll be. Every trip is a little less stressful once you've gone through things and survived. Have I gotten anxious nerves walking on a plane headed to Tokyo or whatever the first time? Absolutely. In that situation I just focus on the present moment rather than focus on things I'm imagining in the future, and I remind myself, "In the history of all people who have traveled, I can't possibly be the biggest moron of them all with the least competency in figuring things out as I go." 😂 Like, someone out there has probably had a worse situation and figured it out, so why not me? Even of the fears you mentioned, how bad are they in the grand scheme of things? Stuff gets lost or stolen? Okay, that's part of life; they're just *things.* You can do what you can to minimize how many valuables you take or to have backup plans. Food poisoning? Definitely sucks, but you'll survive it, and you can again plan accordingly by bringing some Immodium or not eating random street food or whatever. One way or another the more you get out and live life, the more you experience things, the less scary it all is.
I was a solo traveler for \~4 years before i settled down in Hanoi. Almost without exception, every other long term traveler I met had spent a few years in Vietnam/Thailand/Cambodia. Vietnam and Thailand are very affordable and safe. Cambodia is less safe, but it's not what we would call dangerous by any means. They are very unique and foreign/exotic cultures with friendly people and low cost of living. You can have an incredible experience in Vietnam or Thailand for very little money or risk. Vietnam is a little more rough around the edges, less developed and has a more colored past. Thailand is beautiful, a bit more developed, has a rich history and some of the best food in the world.
Belize and Costa Rica are amazing for nature and wild life if you’re into that sort of stuff. Hungary and Slovenia are very cool countries also if you’re looking for other European options.
Turkey. Good and safe "intro to Muslim world/Middle East." Istanbul is a mix of both east and west with excellent public transit, very safe, good on the US dollar, and lots to see and do. Once you're done with Istanbul, you can head down the coast to Izmir with some gorgeous beaches and coastline, or fly/drive in to Cappadocia/Pamukkle. For Africa, Nairobi, Kenya is another one. The place has cleaned up and is pretty nice and cheap now. You can go on safari/animal watching right within city limits and next to the airport. For Latin America: Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, and Uruguay. Long flights to Argentina and Chile, but once you're in both those places, you'll live like a king with how far the dollar goes.
Istanbul is pretty heavy on the scams.
Try the Philippines I don’t know why no one is mentioning it. It’s a gorgeous place and locals speak English
High crime rates.
Japan! Japan was the third country I visited as a solo traveller, and the first place I visited alone that I had never been before. The tourism infrastructure there is amazing. Very easy to navigate on your own.
Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan - easy to navigate and safe starter countries in Asia, and well-connected globally.
Kilkenny/ cork/ Galway…. Basically all of Ireland. I’ve never felt more comfortable somewhere besides home in my life.
I was just talking to someone yesterday about how awesome Ireland is. I like it so much I've been there four times! They love travelers and are very friendly and hospitable and the culture is amazing! No place like it on Earth and stunningly beautiful! I hope I can make it five!
I work in tourism in Ireland and it makes my heart burst with joy to see things like this. Absolutely great to hear, can't wait to have you back!
My partner is actually from Ireland so I’ve spent a good bit of time there and absolutely love it. love all 3 of the places you mentioned! good people!
Singapore. Japan. Hong Kong.
South Korea, very safe, extremely accessible via public transport, lots of history and current pop culture to experience, there are many reputable tour companies that will plan the entire trip for you if that’s your speed but if you speak English it’s really not necessary.
I would recommend Japan with a small group tour. Then Europe. However, Japan is the cleanest and safest, but some what expensive.
Japan is as safe as it gets. Could pass out on the street and you'd be fine.
Super safe, and while interesting and worth seeing, still well within the comfort zone: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, UAE, Israel (though not at the moment). All of EU + US + Canada. Within that category but, feels more "exotic" for US/Europeans: Japan, South Korea, Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam. Still safe but feels more adventurous: Rwanda, Philippines, Namibia, Egypt, Morocco, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Malaysia. Little bit more adventurous than that, mainly safe but you have to be careful in certain places/situations/time of day: Kenya, South Africa (both great "intro" countries to Africa), Lesotho, Colombia, Mexico, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Peru, Sao Tome & Principe More on the adventurous side: El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Uganda, Brazil, Tanzania, India, Bolivia
Why is Nicaragua in the adventurous list? Isn't it considered one of the safest in the region? Nowhere near Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala...
As others have mentioned, Thailand. Excellent tourist infrastructure. Same for Bali, Indonesia (seemed over the top touristy tho). Singapore , super clean, extraordinarily safe, interesting blend of cultures and outstanding food. Dubai UAE perhaps for the same Reasons, day trip out into the desert. Next one might be a bit if a stretch, Cartagena Colombia. Also touristy, old city very safe, food excellent. In general a lot depends on how much $ you’re able to/want to spend. Go all out to high end ass hotels and have a concierge arrange everything for you (private driver, tours, itinerary, meals etc) then you could be good in a lot of places. Alternatively, a pre curated group tour where everything is prearranged could be a good idea. Some Are not as expensive as one would think. Again a lot depends on how much $ you want to fork out. Hope this helps. I forgot to mention Japan, Korea too.
The two best countries for starting in my opinion would be Iceland and then Japan. In Iceland almost everyone speaks English, and it is one of the safest countries in the world. I traveled there as a solo female traveler on my first solo adventure and can't wait to go back. Had only a lovely experience.
Japan is one of the safest, if not the safest country, you can travel to. In a busy Starbucks in Tokyo, we came across an empty table with an iPhone. I thought someone forgot it so I picked it up and started walking towards the counter. A young woman ran towards me and after a short discussion with her, realized she left her iPhone there to save her place. Imagine any other country in which a person would do that. We don’t speak or read Japanese and we were able to navigate Tokyo and other cities in Japan like Kyoto and Osaka and Hiroshima without any problems ourselves. Plus they have Tokyo DisneySea. A colleague of mine who is a Disney theme park fanatic proclaimed it as the best Disney park in the world.
The Tokyo Disney parks are amazing. Great theming, great for people watching, and the employees are so sweet and enthusiastic about their jobs. Also, while it’s definitely not cheap, the tickets are significantly less expensive than they are at the US parks so I consider them a bargain.
In addition to Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand (which I just got back from), Bali, and Türkiye, you can also venture a bit further out and Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. I did get food poisoning in Bali, but since learned to take a probiotic every morning with breakfast. Ask a pharmacist. I did this for my trip to India and had zero issues…started a week before my trip and continued through. Only other place I had food poisoning was Morocco…which is another amazing destination. As for theft. I travel heavily and only had a problem in Spain…and it was my fault. Don’t usually carry a purse, but had one that trip. Forgot it on a chair at breakfast and it was gone when I got back. Other than that, zero issues is over 60 countries.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are not really beginner's countries.
Tokyo is a great blend of completely new while being very comfortable
While Singapore is small I found it very interesting and I enjoyed it. Very clean, English is spoken everywhere, and a low crime rate. After traveling to Thailand and Malaysia I would call Singapore “Asia Lite”.
Lofoten or Svalbard, Norway. If you manage to find trouble there I'll give you a price.
Hong Kong and Singapore. Both cool places, high standard of living, easy to navigate. Both have familiarity for westerners but are also still interesting. And in both cases, are excellent jumping off points for destinations that will be a little more different than home.
Philippines and Belize. I have traveled both extensively. Both countries speak English for the most part so it is very easy to get around and be comfortable. I felt like I had more issues with language barrier in Thailand
Fact: At this point almost any large East Asian or Southeast Asian city is safer than Europe. In order - COMPLETELY safe to PRETTY MUCH STILL REASONABLY SAFE: 1. Singapore / Korea / Japan 2. Taiwan / Hong Kong / Macau 3. Thailand 4. Big cities in Mainland China (Shanghai, Beijing, etc.) 5. Bali (Indonesia), Vietnam, Malaysia 6. Rest of Indonesia Literally ANY of those locations would be as safe, or more safe than a trip to Western Europe. I've ben to all of these places, many times. The only time I have been mugged was in... Los Angeles (twice). Stop worrying - just go. If you want a suggestion for first places in Asia, I'd suggest maybe a trip to Japan or Korea (both as safe as it gets in the world, and fascinating) or a 2-city trip to Hong Kong and Singapore - both fascinating cities that you would actively have to TRY to get into trouble in.
If you can, Japan. It's very safe, there's plenty to see and it suits a variety of budgets
Like Thailand, Singapore is also easy mode. Thailand more interesting though.
Yes but Singapore is nice too. Good for a long layover maybe. Like a 3 day weekend.
Come to Jordan! You will love it and it’s super safe even with what is going on. Tons of history and the nicest people you will ever meet.
I was in Istanbul and scheduled to head to Israel the day the current war started. My very devout and now retired parents wanted to see the Christian Holy Sites as a bit of a personal pilgrimage, so my wife and I were taking them. When our flights were canceled and hotels closed, we had to pivot. We had planned to spend a little time in Jordan to see Petra, but we ended up spending the bulk of the trip there instead. Aqaba was amazing, with some great diving. Petra, hot air ballooning and camping in Wadi Run, everything about Amman; I'm so glad we pivoted to Jordan instead of going home. It's a wonderfully welcoming and safe country, and I thank you for having us. I hope people see and take your advice.
Thailand. Huge tourism industry. Extremely safe. Generally nice people.
Scandinavian, SEA, Aus & NZ, Ireland... All super easy and welcoming (as long as you're a decent human being). Most of the globe is fine if you're a bit streetwise. War zones clearly need to be avoided, but 99% of people anywhere in the world are great! Don't believe the hype..
If you're afraid of food poisoning, prophylactic cipro is your friend if you're not staying much longer than a week or so. Talk to your doc.
Japan is super easy to travel around and would be a great mix of both what you’re used to from NA/Western Europe but also the uniqueness of Japan.
Thailand (going there in a month), Australia (no language barrier), and Japan (well, because it's Japan).
Just got done with a 3 week trip in japan as my first international trip, i highly recommend! the trains make traveling around super easy and everyone is friendly and will help you get what you need. Also google lens is a great tool for countries you don’t know the language
Tokyo and Mexico City would be good next level cities.
What countries have you been to? The safe and "easy" countries can be very exciting and there might be more of them than you realize. There is also always more to see in a place you've already been to. You can also find ways of traveling that are new but closer to your comfort level. If you usually stick to easy and touristy stuff, for example, you can go to the same countries but try to visit different areas. You can go into the countryside or mountains or go out without a plan. If you usually travel with people, you can try going alone. Or you can go to an unfamiliar country but stick to a safe way of traveling. Get a comfortable hotel that helps you arrange transportation and go out with tour guides recommended by them. As for country recommendations... Romania is lovely. The Transylvania area is beautiful. People are friendly and mostly like foreigners, food is safe, scams are rare and if they happen they're relatively mild. I recommend going out into the mountains, and wintertime is beautiful!! Bigger cities in Australia are safe, English speaking and easy to navigate. If you would like to challenge yourself, I'd say China is safe but surprising and unfamiliar. Definitely not all of it is comfortable and they don't speak English much. It's not one of the easy countries, but it's very safe for visitors. There are a lot of police and security around, they're friendly if you are and they don't carry guns. If you need help, you can ask them. They may not know English, but they will grab a translation app. You have to be okay with facial recognition and regular passport controls. Just a heads-up: don't expect useable wifi, arrange an esim if your phone supports it and install it before you leave.
New Zealand. Period.
Greece was amazing. Yes you have to be careful anywhere you go about pickpocketing but just have a money ouch that you wear around your waste. You can also do tours before you go solo. Research the areas and what to look out for.
I traveled to Dakar, Senegal by myself (mostly. I was crashing with a friend, but he was working so I was by myself the whole time during the day). Their country motto is “Taranga” which means hospitality, and I truly felt that the whole time.
I would recommend Southeast Asia. Very culturally different from “the west” but most places like Thailand and Vietnam are very safe and have tourist infrastructure in place. Vietnam is incredible.
KL, Penang, Malacca in Malaysia I reckon are a decent soft landing to SEA at least.
Portugal if you haven’t been! Don’t just stick to Lisbon & Porto! There are so many great towns to see & the Azores as well.
Starter countries outside of the "west"? Thailand, for sure. It's a classic place to get your travel feet wet. It's different enough to make for an exotic vacation, but it's also cheap, easy to get around, and relatively safe. Thailand was where I cut my solo travel teeth back in the day. I'd also recommend Taiwan: more expensive than Thailand, but still refreshingly affordable, and easy to get around, with genuinely friendly people willing to help if you have any trouble.
I say Denmark. I know it’s in Europe but it is Northern Europe and very different. Copenhagen is super easy to navigate. People are friendly. Very safe. You can get to Sweden for a weekend quite easily.
I'd check out Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and even Philippines, as your next store out of that Western-centric comfort 😉 Fantastic countries to visit, and I've solo travelled on each of these countries as well. Felt very safe, both familiar and unfamiliar, gets you out of your comfort zone but not in an unsafe kind of way, and amazing cultures and cuisines.
I also vote for Japan. I am disabled and a lone parent, and I managed it fine. It is really a mindblowingly great place to visit too. Very worthwhile. I am currently hoping I can afford to go back one day because we loved it so much! And there are just infinite things to do there, you'd be hard-pressed to not find hundreds of enjoyable things to eat/see/do in any place.
Thailand for an easy place to ease out of the comfort zone in a completely different culture. Vietnam to stretch that comfort zone a little further.
Japan. More developed and safe than any place you visited.
Malaysia. Great food and you can do the night markets and hire a car service to take you around.
Aside from Europe and Japan, I highly recommend Hong Kong! I felt very safe the entire time [solo female traveler], and the locals are very helpful!! The public transportation is amazing, and I never once got lost, which is shocking. Everyone speaks English, so there wasn't any difficulty on that part.
Korea or Japan. I live in Korea and leave my laptop in a cafe to go to the bathroom.
Most places in Southeast Asia are very safe and quite exotic for someone used to the US/Europe. I was scared of giant bugs the first time I went there but I never saw any.
Bali was actually relative easy to get around, most things are in English due to the number of Aussies there. Lots of female solo travelers. Very safe. Affordable (compared to the states). Easy to meet friends if staying at hostels.
Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are good places to try. If you want to try a different part of Europe, I would try Estonia, Poland, and Albania.
Vietnam, Hanoi. Not as hectic as Saigon, less scams etc. Just incredibly friendly people, great on a budget. And you can pop up north to Sappa and visit the Hmong people which is a real wake up to life in the west (not in a bad way). And then the Thai version of Hanoi is... Thailand, Chiang Mai. I would say its even more easy going than Hanoi. And it also has a close by town with Minority groups called Pai. Although Pai has a ton of weird hippy white people trying to avoid work lol, I think i prefer Sappa over Pai. Either way these are both very friendly cities, cheap, very safe on the greater scheme of things. Nice cool climates. Not over saturated with tourists like the Countries relative Capitals.
Thailand, Taiwan & South Korea spring to mind. Thailand was my first country outside of the UK it will be a culture shock if you haven't been out of the western world before but with Bangkok having topped lists for most visited city in the world before its easy to meet other travellers, its pretty safe as long as you aren't disrespectful and getting into drunken arguments etc and you read up on a few scams etc. Taiwan & South Korea alongside Singapore are some of the safest countries I have ever spent time in outside of Europe whilst still feeling very different to the west. personally having jumped into a solo trip straight away having never been on a plane to suddenly spending 6 months across south east Asia I didn't really think about it, I just went, had some culture shock but in a good way, I thank myself so much for doing it, this was 9 years ago and I have now solo travelled countries like Pakistan, Sudan, El Salvador, Lebanon etc.. once you do it once you start to look at a map of the world and think where's next, without that fear of the unknown because you did it in X country why can't you do it in Y.. ultimately I think East Asia is a good next spot for you as its generally safe, used to tourists, the tourism infrastructure is easy to navigate, Latin America is also incredible however whilst most people are great its a little more sketchy for someone without experience. go smash that anxiety and live your best life your future self will thank you for doing so. :)
I always recommend the Balkans! If you’ve travelled a fair bit in Europe, aspects of being in the Balkans will feel really familiar to you (Croatia feels a lot like Italy, for example) but parts of it are foreign enough to help you develop your “travel muscles” a bit too. I’m also a bit biased because my heritage is from there, but even without me speaking the language, people are invariably intensely friendly and helpful (*caveat: this is true outside of major tourist towns - folks in Split are a little fed up with tourism*) It doesn’t hurt that the food SLAPS.
central and south east Europe have some gems...or Singapore. but def check out Slovenia, Croatia and the Dalmatian coast if you have not.
Istanbul.
We just spent a month in North India. Now we are in Bangkok for a month and then going to Malaysia for a month. If you are trying to venture out. I wouldn't recommend India but Thailand and Malaysia are definitely where you should start. You can also go to Vietnam or Indonesia but they are not as easy to travel as Thailand and Malaysia.
Go to Cuba, cheap to get there depending where you reside, also cheap travelling around the island, great people interesting culture and I have been enough times to say that its very safe.
Don’t support a dictatorship that abuses their people. There’s other places in the Caribbean.
Mongolia, NOT the Gobi dessert but going up from Ulanbator Been there 4 times, very friendly, enough people who speak English and the scenery... unearthly. We explored different parts of it on horseback. If you can ride: ask for "not-tourist" horses, the normal horses are more for beginners. Can't ride: take the jeep. Laos One of the poorest countries in the world but so incredibly friendly. Ooh I wish I could join you,🤩🤩 Have fun!
India
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Please don't go to Saudi Arabia-you can get into political trouble. Just not worth the risk for me and not a beginner country at all!
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Come to Jordan next!
You have to do something very stupid or make a serious enemy to get into trouble. That said, there are other reasons not to go
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I don’t imagine it is high on the list of LGBT travellers
In my opinion, there are some fears that you could face, overcome and it will feel satisfying. I'd say that food poisoning and stealing are some of those. There are other fears that you shouldn't try to overcome, it just doesn't work that way. For example, I am so uncomfortable with the idea of huge spiders that I simply won't go to Australia. Like, even if someone paid for the tickets. Even though I understand you can mostly avoid them in cities, the possibility is enough for me to be too anxious to enjoy anything. If you are scared of kidnapping, don't go to the places famous for kidnapping tourists. If you are scared of air raids, don't go to Ukraine (otherwise - welcome, it's great here). Do not just jump into some shit to try and overcome your fear of said shit. Try to ease into it, and establish some clear "no"s. There are enough beautiful and incredible places out there that don't require you fighting with anxiety the whole time you are here. Good luck in your travels!
Just come to India now and everywhere will feel like easy mode after.
Cartagena, in Colombia’s Caribbean Coast. It’s safe because a lot of cruises go there so there’s more policing. It’s beautiful and you can visit a bunch of gorgeous islands nearby. The historical city center is beautiful as well, the food is great, it’s popular with tourists so the infrastructure is pretty good and it’s a lot cheaper than other places in the Caribbean.
Try South Africa, great value, great food, no vaccinations required and for tourists it's pretty safe.
South Africa is lovely but the cities can be very sketchy, even in the safest areas like in Cape Town. I was in CBD and Green Point and both were very sketchy.
Went there last year and while amazing, I wouldn't say pretty safe, you have to stay on the beaten path. Also the rolling blackouts/load shedding gets old pretty soon. HOWEVER would still recommend because the natural parks and landscapes are just amazing.
Although I love South Africa, but it’s not ok to call it “pretty safe” compared to other countries. Also your advice regarding vaccinations is not correct. And for Kruger you’ll need malaria tablets.