By Ben Groundwater
Amsterdam is a city that's well-suited for solo travellers.Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK
You can go anywhere you want to. That's one thing to bear in mind. If you're planning to see the world on your own, if you're considering taking that exciting, daunting step and striking out solo, the entire world is at your disposal. There's nowhere out there that you can't survive alone, nowhere you won't find things to do, places to stay and people to help you along the way.
There are, however, certain destinations that are more suited to solo travel than others. These are friendly destinations, but they're also places where you'll meet plenty of kindred spirits, fellow solo travellers to bond with and to share this amazing experience, if you feel that's something you desire.
You'll always have company in these cities if you want it, but if you prefer to explore alone the following cities are perfect for solo adventure.
TOKYO
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GOING IT ALONE
There's nowhere in the world quite like Tokyo. Nowhere seems as huge and intimidating at first glance, and yet reveals such a sense of safety once you're on the ground. The Japanese capital is ideal for any traveller, but in particular for anyone making their way on their own. Of all Tokyo's drawcards – the history, the modern culture, the countless attractions and activities – it's the safety aspect that will perhaps most appeal. Though this sprawling megalopolis may occasionally feel like a tangled web of nameless streets lined with neon and glass, there will always be someone on hand to help you find your way.
WHERE TO EAT
At any ramen bar or izakaya in Tokyo, solo diners will have no problem walking straight in. One of the best of the former is Afuri, the wildly popular ramen chain, where prices are low, service is casual and the soup is incredibly good. See afuri.com
WHERE TO DRINK
Tokyo's nightlife is ideal for those travelling alone, a mostly safe and friendly place where every flavour of experience is ripe for the sampling. Solo drinkers should try the city's standing bars, or tachinomi, social places where patrons all stand at high tables, sipping cheap drinks and eating cheap food.
DON'T MISS
There's so much to do in Tokyo, from the traditional to the modern, from the outlandish to the wholesome. Try a samurai sword-fighting class at HiSUi, go on a record store crawl in Shibuya, or take a night tour of Shinjuku with Urban Adventures. See en.hisui-tokyo.com/visitors; urbanadventures.com
See also: Twenty things that will shock first-time visitors to Japan
NEW YORK
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GOING IT ALONE
This is a city that wears many hats – artistic centre, fine-dining capital, hipster haven, mass-tourism hot spot, fashion leader – and it balances them with ease. In New York you will always find company if that's what you desire. However, it is also 100 per cent OK to go out and do things on your own. No one will stare at you if you eat at a table for one. No one gives you a second glance if you're propping up the bar with a glass of wine and a book. This is a city where singledom is no barrier to getting out and enjoying yourself.
WHERE TO EAT
New York has always been known for its international food scene: pretty much any cuisine you could name you'll find in the Big Apple. But Gramercy Tavern (42 East 20th Street) is one of the classics – a Michelin-starred eatery that also has a more casual bar area with a pared-down menu and no bookings required.
WHERE TO DRINK
Tap into NYC's renowned cocktail culture at Attaboy (134 Eldridge Street), a classy, cosy joint in the Lower East Side. There's a long bar here where solo patrons can pull up a stool and people-watch.
DON'T MISS
Boredom is not something to fear in New York. Solo travellers can walk the High Line park, check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, go cafe hopping in Williamsburg, or go to a Yankees baseball game.
See also: How to see the best of New York in just four days
BUENOS AIRES
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GOING IT ALONE
The Argentine capital is the best of so many worlds, a place that mixes the elegance and romanticism of Western Europe with the passion and unpredictability of South America; that is recognisable enough to be comforting, and yet foreign enough to be an adventure. It's edgy, no doubt, and sometimes gritty – pickpockets work crowded tourist zones, and the cab drivers will occasionally attempt to fleece you – but that's something to guard against, rather than turn you away. The rewards in Buenos Aires are almost infinite, and the city's myriad passions are so easy to tap into, even for those visiting alone.
WHERE TO EAT
Portenos love their meat, so prepare yourself for an onslaught of protein in Buenos Aires. Don Julio (Guatemala 4691) is one of the city's best parrilladas, or steakhouses, a cosy neighbourhood spot that uses high-quality produce and cooks it superbly. It also does tables for one.
WHERE TO DRINK
878 Bar (Thames 878) is the epitome of everything that's great about Buenos Aires nightlife. It's comfortable, it's inexpensive, it's unpretentious and yet stylish, and the drinks are excellent.
DON'T MISS
Solo visitors can learn to dance the tango at La Catedral, search for treasure at the San Telmo antique market, attend a Boca Juniors game (with the safety of an organised group), or go on a street art tour. See landingpadba.com
QUEENSTOWN, NZ
GOING IT ALONE
Several factors combine to make this mountain town the ideal spot for solo travellers. The first is that you won't be alone: the adventure activities and good-times vibe of Queenstown attract a large number of travellers, plenty of whom will be going solo. Queenstown is also an extremely safe destination, where the main threat to your wellbeing is probably a whopping hangover. The locals are friendly, the crime rate is low and solo travellers can feel safe walking the streets, going out to eat and drink – and even just stopping to take in the spectacular views that hit you at every turn.
WHERE TO EAT
Queenstown has reinvented itself in the past decade, moving from purely adrenalin-based attractions to embrace the food obsession that has swept the Western world. For a splurge, shake out your cleanest clothes and dine at Botswana Butchery (17 Marine Parade). For the classic backpacker experience, head down to Fergburger (42 Shotover Street).
WHERE TO DRINK
With so many travellers flowing through, there's something happening here, somewhere, every night. 1876 (45 Ballarat Street) is the classic pub to begin your evening, while most travellers end up at Winnie's (7-9 The Mall) by the end.
DON'T MISS
This is Queenstown, so you're going to want to throw yourself off something high with an elastic band tied to your ankles. After that, hit the wine-tasting trail in the Gibbston Valley area, go white-water rafting, or take a hike to the top of Bob's Peak.
HO CHI MINH CITY
GOING IT ALONE
Ho Chi Minh City seems custom-made for adventure travellers, for those who enjoy the rush of riding a motorbike taxi, who revel in slurping a $2 mystery dinner, who draw energy from chaos. This city is big, yes, and intimidating at first. But then you pick up the rhythm of Ho Chi Minh City and it starts to make sense. You can easily enjoy this city by yourself; you very quickly blend into the scenery and can go out to eat and drink and explore on your own. It's also a hugely popular and affordable city for travellers, which means plenty of chances to meet new friends.
WHERE TO EAT
In District 3, Co Lien Bo La Lot (321 Vo Van Tan ) specialises in minced beef wrapped in betel leaves, grilled and then topped with a peanut-rich sauce and wrapped again in fresh lettuce and rice paper.
WHERE TO DRINK
Ho Chi Minh City is a party town, something that might disappoint the leader who lent the city his name, but which sits pretty well with its current citizens. Q Bar Saigon (9a Ngo Quang Huy, District 2) is the place to see and be seen, with a mixed crowd of travellers, expats and local Vietnamese.
DON'T MISS
Saigon Buddy Tours offers motorbike tours of the city's highlights with a qualified driver-guide. It's also worth making time in Ho Chi Minh City to get out of tourist-friendly District 1 and enjoy the laidback charm of District 2, the restaurants in District 3, and the nightlife in District 4.
See also: Twenty reasons to visit Ho Chi Minh City
ESFAHAN
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GOING IT ALONE
Esfahan may seem a strange inclusion in a solo travellers' guide. However, there can't be a friendlier place on Earth and there is no other city where you are more likely to meet local people and make local friends. Esfahan is safe, welcoming and enjoyable. Just visit Naqsh-e Jahan, the city's huge main square, and you will know this is true. Wander past an ancient mosque or madrasah, and you will know it's true. Spend a night in the Armenian Quarter, or walk across one of the city's 11 bridges, or shop in the old covered bazaar, and you will know, without doubt, that this is true.
WHERE TO EAT
Food in Esfahan is generally fairly cheap and restaurants are welcoming to solo diners. Abbasi Teahouse & Restaurant (Amadegah Street, Charharbagh-e-Abbasi Avenue) is set within a luxurious hotel in a 300-year-old caravanserai. The specialty is ash reshte, a hearty noodle soup with beans and vegetables.
WHERE TO DRINK
Iran has a countrywide ban on alcohol, though that doesn't mean Iranians don't socialise over a drink. It's just that it's tea. Azadegan Teahouse (Chah Haj Mirza Alley, Emam Square) is hidden down the end of a passageway lined with antique shops, its tables packed with locals sipping and gesticulating.
DON'T MISS
Half of the world's most beautiful buildings exist in Esfahan, or so the locals say. It's hard to argue once you begin walking this magnificent city and take in the mosques that surround Naqsh-e Jahan. Most of Esfahan's 17th-century religious structures are open to the public and free to enter.
BERLIN
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GOING IT ALONE
Perhaps it's a reaction to the city's former culture of suspicion and fear, but Berlin these days is incredibly tolerant and open-minded, the sort of place where anything goes. You're free to be as weird and experimental as you like in this city. Solo travellers will feel welcome throughout, in the same way everyone does. You'll find many locals drinking coffee alone, eating meals alone, even going out to bars alone. And there are always fellow travellers around to explore this popular destination with.
WHERE TO EAT
Berlin has a pleasingly multicultural dining scene, thanks in large part to various immigrant communities. The city doesn't have a lot of traditional old German eateries, but Rogacki (Wilmersdorfer Strasse 145) is one of them, a smokehouse and delicatessen that has been operating for almost 100 years.
WHERE TO DRINK
You could fill this entire guide with reviews of great places to go drinking in Berlin. It's all so friendly and approachable, so lacking in pretension and aggression. Try Klunkerkranich (Karl-Marx-Strasse 66), an open-air bar perched on the top of a parking garage in central Neukolln, or Cafe am Neuen See (Lichtensteinallee 2) for the classic beer garden experience.
DON'T MISS
There's plenty for solo travellers in Berlin: the museums on Museum Island; the various Jewish memorials and Nazi-era sites; the castle at Charlottenburg; the walking tours run by Alternative Berlin; and the chance to sing karaoke in public at the Mauerpark. See alternativeberlin.com
See also: The 20 must-do highlights of Berlin
LISBON
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GOING IT ALONE
You'll have no problem meeting people in Lisbon: English is widely spoken, and there's a natural charm to most Portuguese, an easygoing manner that makes it simple for visitors to slip into the Iberian lifestyle. Lisbon also has some of the world's best hostels, award-winning properties with sharp design, modern facilities and a friendly atmosphere. The city is eminently affordable with cheap food, drink, transport, attractions and even shopping.
WHERE TO EAT
Food across Lisbon is high quality, but it's rarely expensive. For some of the city's best seafood, served in casual surrounds, try Cervejaria Ramiro (Av. Almirante Reis 1). For a selection of Lisbon's best cuisine, visit the Time Out Market (Av. 24 de Julho) in Cais do Sodre.
WHERE TO DRINK
To feel the beating heart of Lisbon, go to a fado bar and listen to this traditional local folk music. Fado is not a party starter: it's usually tales of lost love and sorrow woven through finger-picked guitar. It is, however, very popular. Tasca do Chico (Rua dos Remedios 83) is one of the city's best venues.
DON'T MISS
There's so much value in simply wandering Lisbon's streets to see whatever you see. The avenues themselves are attractions, often old cobbled paths lined with beautiful buildings clad in traditional tiles, their ground floors taken up by antique shops or cafes or bars or boutiques.
HOW TO SURVIVE ON YOUR OWN
EATING AT RESTAURANTS
To ease into eating out alone, stick to more casual restaurants or cafes, places with a high turnover of patrons and a relaxed atmosphere. Take a book to read while you wait for your food. Use your phone or an iPad to log on to the free Wi-Fi and read the news. Or take out your diary and write some notes.
DRINKING IN BARS
Bars work in reverse to restaurants: while you may feel out of place drinking alone in a rowdy pub, at a classy cocktail bar it’s far easier to grab a stool, chat to the bartender, order a nice drink, and then nurse it for a few hours while you watch the night unfold.
GOING SWIMMING
You’re at the beach and you want to swim, but who’s going to watch all your valuables while you’re in the water? If you know you’re heading for the beach, pack only your swimming gear, your room key and a small amount of cash. Place your gear as close to the water as possible too, so you can keep an eye on it.
CARRYING YOUR BAGS
Here’s the trick: don’t pack more than you can carry. You generally need far less on the road than you think, and if carrying your bag at home is a nightmare, then lugging it around foreign cities is going to be about a hundred times worse. Also, consider buying a suitcase with wheels.
GOING TO THE TOILET
What do you do when you’re in an airport or train station and you’re desperate to go to the toilet, but you’re stuck with a huge suitcase and armfuls of souvenirs? You take it all into the cubicle with you. Just cram it all in. If you really don’t want to, a lot of stations have left-luggage facilities.
AMSTERDAM
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GOING IT ALONE
People think they know Amsterdam: the sex-shop windows and the smoky coffee shops; the bucks party groups and boozy tour passengers. And Amsterdam does have those things. But there's so much more. This is a city of green space, of huge parks and other reserves. It's also a city of art, from old masters to the young and cutting-edge, and a city of history, which you can't miss in the storybook houses and cobbled lanes. You won't feel alone as a solo traveller in Amsterdam. There's such a large tourism industry here that you're never short of people to share your experience with. And even if you don't want company, Amsterdam is a safe enough to navigate and enjoy on your own.
WHERE TO EAT
Though Amsterdam's better restaurants come with high price tags, there are plenty of options to access good food on the cheap. Try Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx (Voetboogstraat 33), an eternally busy friteshuis, or chip house, in the city centre.
WHERE TO DRINK
Craft brewery Brouwerij't IJ (Funenkade 7) has been in business a little over 30 years, though you'll think it's older thanks to the charming building it's housed in beneath Amsterdam's tallest windmill.
WHAT TO DO
Amsterdam is very easy to navigate once you've hired a bike, and small enough to cover the highlights in a few days. Solo travellers should check out the city's markets: some of the best include the Waterlooplein for vintage clothes and antiques, the Bloemenmarkt for flowers, the Noordermarkt for farm-fresh food and the Nieuwmarkt for cheese.
See also: Ten top Amsterdam attractions without the queues
SYDNEY
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GOING IT ALONE
Sydney is great for solo travellers: it's multicultural and diverse, offering everything from laidback beachy good times to hipster-friendly cool. It's also a city where you should indulge the cliches, because they're just so good: Bondi Beach, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, the Bondi to Bronte walk, the Manly Ferry, the Northern Beaches. These are worth seeing in their own right, but they also act as gateways to similar experiences further afield.
WHERE TO EAT
Bondi Beach is filled with fashionable eateries that benefit from million-dollar fit-outs and on-trend menus featuring chia seeds and goji berries. North Bondi RSL (118 Ramsgate Avenue) has none of those things. This is a no-frills establishment with solid food and cheap booze that also commands one of the best views in town.
WHERE TO DRINK
Opera Bar (Macquarie Street) shouldn't be good. With the Opera House on one side and the Harbour Bridge on the other, it's tourist central, and it should be a rip-off. It should be tacky. And yet the drink prices are reasonable, the crowd is friendly, and there's no better place to be at sunset.
DON'T MISS
Good news, solo travellers: many of the most famous attractions in Sydney are free. Go to a beach or take a hike on the extensive network of walking trails within striking distance of the city. Explore the Inner West: edgy, interesting suburbs where there's less Lycra and more lying-in.
See also: Eight Sydney highlights most tourists miss
HOW TO MAKE SOLO TRAVEL AFFORDABLE
PACK LIGHT
This is an easy way to save a few hundred dollars: pack light enough to only require hand luggage when you fly. That way you’ll avoid checked baggage fees on shorter domestic flights, and on any journey with a budget carrier.
MANAGE YOUR MONEY
Look into credit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees or ATM fees. Check out specialised travel cards that allow you to load up with foreign currencies and take advantage of good exchange rates. Ensure you don’t need to make currency exchanges in airports.
STAY IN HOSTELS
Hostels are ideal for solo travellers. They offer cheap accommodation and their kitchen facilities allow you to cook your own food. Plus, they provide social environments in which to meet fellow travellers with whom you can band together to save money on transport and attractions.
USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Forgo taxis and tourist mini-vans and get around town the cheaper way: catch public buses, ride the subway. Alternatively, opt for ultra-cheap forms of private transport such as rickshaws, tuk-tuks or motorbike taxis.
SHOP IN MARKETS
Though eating local food is a huge part of the travel experience, you can save by buying fresh produce and cooking it in the hostel kitchen. And if you shop at local markets rather than generic supermarkets, you’ll still tap in to the true cuisine of the country.
This is an edited extract from Go Your Own Way, Ben Groundwater’s new handbook for solo travellers, packed with tips and tricks, plus destination guides and recommended journeys for those seeing the world on their own. Published by Hardie Grant Travel RRP $29.99.
CAN WOMEN TRAVEL SOLO IN IRAN?
The short answer to this question is yes: if you’re a woman planning to travel the world on your own, you can visit Iran. You will have to dress in a way that locals consider appropriate, which means having your hair, arms and legs covered at all times in public, but aside from that you’re able to move through the country – staying in hotels, eating out, using public transport – as you would anywhere else.
In fact, some aspects of life might even be easier. There are taxi services reserved solely for women in Iran’s larger cities, and women-only carriages on the subway in Tehran, and bus drivers will ensure you’re not seated next to men you don’t know on long-distance journeys.
As a solo female traveller in Iran, however, you will attract attention. There might be other foreign women travelling on their own, but not many. You will be an oddity, which tends to attract attention anywhere, some of it unwanted. There may be the odd interaction with local men that makes you uncomfortable, including verbal harassment, but most women who’ve tackled the country alone report a positive experience. Women are very much a part of public life in Iran, and if you dress to local standards and act respectfully, you’re likely to receive a warm welcome, particularly from local women and girls who will be very interested to hear your story and share their culture.
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