First-Time Solo Travel:
Choosing the Safest Destinations

No place is perfectly safe, not even home - nor are dangerous places always absolutely dangerous (with notable exceptions for countries at war or whose laws discriminate against women).

But solo travel has its challenges so it's best to be forewarned - and prepared. Not all places are created equal, and some places are safer than others.

Safest travel destinations for women

I'm often asked where it's safest to travel, especially by first-time or beginning solo women travelers...

I, like most other travelers, have my own opinion about what constitutes the world's safest destinations for women, although my list can change almost daily depending on what's happening in the world.

Safety and danger come in different shapes and can range from outright physical danger - weather, crime, wildlife or war - to social dangers like corruption or discrimination against women. I have been much closer to an anaconda (very big snake) than I care to remember but fortunately I saw it before it saw me.

And remember, safety is subjective - what I consider dangerous, a woman from that region - or you, for that matter - might consider absolutely safe.

For example, I have no issue with wolf whistles as I was brought up in Spain and don't even notice them, whereas some women will feel angry or downright scared if a group of men start catcalling. Similarly, countries in conflict are not safe places to travel - but if you're a development worker or journalist as I am, that won't stop you from going. Even in the safest places, there are some no-go areas - inner-city neighborhoods, deserted roads and countryside, parks after dark.

I've also been known to disregard embassy travel warnings in favor of a story or an adventure - Beirut and Afghanistan come to mind. I traveled through Nigeria, have backpacked in Algeria on my own, and know my way around Johannesburg and Lagos.

With a bit of preparation and caution, there's no limit to where you can go! In the end, safety is a judgment call only you can make for yourself.

Although this list can't guarantee your safety, it can point you towards places many women travelers consider as safe as possible.

Those considered the safest destinations:

• Northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden)
• Some Western European countries (Malta, Monaco, Switzerland, small towns in most countries)
• Canada and USA (easy for solo women travelers but not evenly safe throughout - think huge empty expanses and dodgy neighborhoods
• Australia and New Zealand - apply the same provisos as Canada and USA
• Cuba - one of the safest countries I've been to
• Hong Kong and China
• Bhutan
• Bahrain
• Japan - often your biggest danger is getting lost, due to the lack of English
• Singapore
• Panama (an unusual pick but I've rarely felt so safe in a Latin country)

Most of these places are relatively easy to visit, although if you don't speak or read the language, China (though not Hong Kong) and Japan can both be a bit of a challenge. Still, people will help when they can, and there's little to worry about in terms of petty crime or harassment if you're a woman traveling on your own (although Japanese trains and subways at rush hour do have a reputation for grope-happy men).

These next countries may be perceived as less safe, but are mostly perfectly fine on your own as long as you keep your wits about you:

• Most Western European countries (the vast majority of each country would qualify as absolutely safe but there may be a few regions or city districts where you might be a tiny bit cautious)
• Malaysian mainland and resorts (some women might consider places like Borneo a little less that totally safe)
• Thailand (depending on the state of civil unrest)
• Laos
• Turkey (stay in the West or on the beaten path in the South - it is a tremendously hospitable country)
• Morocco (though sexual harassment - usually verbal - is quite common)

I've backpacked in each of these countries on my own and have felt perfectly safe. They may not be at the top of the list of safest destinations, but with a bit of research and planning there's no reason a trip to these - slightly more exotic - countries shouldn't be perfectly simple and pleasurable.

The least safe or most daunting:

Photo: hdptcar via Flickr

• Any region at war or in conflict, like Afghanistan, Darfur or Iraq - no ands, ifs or buts - just stay away
• Countries facing a natural disaster - Aceh in Indonesia right after the tsunami, Bangladesh during floods
• Central Asia (certainly not for the first-timer)
• Burundi, Central Africa, the Niger River Delta, Zimbabwe (this used to be one of the world's safest destinations but no more)
• Sudan, Somalia
• Large African mega-cities like Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg (these can be daunting if it's your first time out)
• Saudi Arabia (you'll never get a visa unless you're on the Hajj pilgrimage), Lebanon (depends on the month), Yemen
• Pakistan
• North Korea (don't count on a visa here either)

Make sure you read up on travel advisories and political information from your nearest government source in Australia, Canada, the UK or the US.

That said, wherever you go, do your homework and be prepared. Safety should always be your primary concern. Check government travel warnings. Know that poor neighborhoods are usually riskier than wealthy ones (if you look foreign), train stations more dodgy than the financial district. And read your guidebooks and websites carefully!

Choosing where you go and preparing for it may well be the most important decisions you make on the road.