Research from leading price comparison and financial guidance platform, Forbes Advisor, reveals that Ho Chi Minh City is the top international destination for solo travellers.
The analysis ranked 40 cities around the globe on 12 metrics relevant to solo-travellers, including the number of hostels, crime rate, average cost of a meal and cost of public transport, following a 200% year-on-year increase in the number of Google searches for ‘solo travel’.
Each city was awarded from 1 to 40 points for each metric, depending on its position in each ranking, with a maximum possible score of 480.
The 10 best cities for solo travellers, and their Forbes Advisor Solo Travel Score, are:
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – 355
- Marrakech, Morocco – 347
- Istanbul, Turkey – 344
- Cairo, Egypt- 339
- Hong Kong, China – 316
- Ubud, Bali – 314
- New Delhi, India – 314
- Bangkok, Thailand – 312
- Phuket, Thailand – 311
- Cusco, Peru – 306
The full list, and a guide to the ultimate solo travel trip, can be found here
As part of the study, Forbes Advisor also partnered with three independent travel bloggers – Adventurous Kate, Vicky Flip Flop Travels and Global Grasshopper – to create its guide for solo travellers. The bloggers have provided their top tips for a safe and enjoyable solo experience:
Adventurous Kate says:
“Research is so important, and every country and city is different. Learn about the best areas, cultural basics, neighbourhoods, and the activities you want to do beforehand.
“I always recommend solo travellers budget extra money for safety issues. That could be taking a cab home at night instead of public transportation, or rebooking accommodation in a better location or neighbourhood.
“Keep your valuables on you in transit – that means in a bag that stays with you, not locked away in a luggage hold somewhere.”
Global Grasshopper says:
“As a female solo traveller I always check the crime rate of the destination before I leave for that destination. Even though there’s still every chance you could travel around the world and arrive back without any incidents, sadly it’s still safer to travel solo if you’re a man.”
Vicky Flip Flop Travel says:
“If you’re nervous about travelling solo then it can help to travel the well-trodden routes. The more attractions, travel deals, backpacker bars and restaurants you find in a destination, the more likely it is that solo travellers confidently visit.”
Looking deeper into the metrics, Ho Chi Minh ranked top for the number of hostels, the number of hostels per annual visitors and the average cost of domestic beer. Ubud in Bali has top-rated hostels and is the cheapest city to eat a restaurant meal.
Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor, said:
“A sound mantra for solo travellers is Know Before You Go. Find out about accommodation, transport, personal safety, meals and entertainment in advance so that you can anticipate any potential difficulties and ensure you have a pleasurable and rewarding experience.
“Even if you’re not heading to one of the cities we’ve researched, you can apply the metrics we’ve used to build your own picture of what life might be like for a solo traveller in your chosen destination.
“The shackles on international travel which have been in place for the past two years are gradually coming off, and Google search traffic volumes suggest people are itching to get back out there and visit top destinations once more. Sensible forward planning can only help a trip to be a success, especially for those going solo.
“Practicalities such as currency, travel insurance, visas, jabs… All these can be sorted in advance so that the emphasis while travelling remains on exploring what your chosen destination has to offer.”
Methodology:
Forbes Advisor ranked 40 of the most popular cities from around the world (according to TripAdvisor) on the number of hostels, number of hostels per annual visitors, average hostel review, average price of a property per night, average cost of a restaurant meal, average cost of domestic beer, crime rate, cost of public transport by monthly pass, cost of a bottle of water, speed of internet, number of tourist attractions, number of nightlife attractions.
Each city which finished top for a metric was awarded 40 points, while the worst city was given 1 point. This methodology was used across all 12 metrics, with the maximum possible score 480.
