Updated: 02/03/2020 | February 3rd, 2020

This is a guest blog by Laura, one of our resident experts on solo female travel. Be sure to inspect out our comprehensive section on solo female travel for even more practical advice!

Planning a solo trip as a lady can be intimidating. sometimes it’s not always by choice; after all, it’s not simple to persuade somebody to jump ship with you as well as take an extended vacation.

However, solo travel can be exhilarating, insightful, as well as exceptionally rewarding. As Matt has said, travel is a excellent tool for personal advancement — as well as solo travel particularly so!

When it pertains to discovering a excellent destination for your very first solo trip, I can’t believe of a much better location than Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia is simple to navigate on a budget, there are plenty of other travelers around to meet, as well as it’s rather safe. Still not convinced? right here are X reasons why every woman should think about Southeast Asia for their next solo trip!

6 reasons women should travel to Southeast Asia

1. It’s Budget-Friendly

One of the downfalls about solo travel is that it has a tendency to be more expensive. You don’t have somebody to share a hotel space with or to split a cab ride, for example. however compared to the Western world, Southeast Asia is cheap!

Depending on your travel style you should be able to online off of $20-30 USD per day. On my least expensive day in Southeast Asia, I spent just $7 USD for lodging as well as food in Laos.

Best of all, thanks to the sharing economy, if you plan to hang around a city for at least a month, you can rent an apartment at an extremely low rate.

2. It’s simple to get Around

You can take public transportation to quite much any type of destination. Not only is it commonly available, however I think about it relatively comfortable as well. a lot of buses are air-conditioned, as well as if you’re taking an overnight bus, there are sleeper buses available. traveling in Southeast Asia can be done both quickly as well as affordably.

I keep in mind my very first bus trip in Southeast Asia was from Siem Reap, Cambodia to Battambang in Cambodia. I gotten my ticket at a travel company around the corner from my hotel, as well as they said, “The bus business will pick you up at your hotel 30 minutes before departure.”

I was caught off guard as well as thought, “What? You mean I don’t have to get hold of a taxi or lug my bags to the bus station? I don’t have to concern about getting lost as well as discovering the right bus to get on? This is great!”

Most of the time, you can book a bus that will pick you up at your hotel. If not, setting up transportation is exceptionally easy. Your hostel or accommodation can assist you with that, usually by ordering a taxi or tuk-tuk in advance.

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3. Travelers Abound

Unless you truly make an effort to get off the beaten path or venture into a town that’s unheard of, you will see tourists everywhere. I think about this a guaranteed plus for a first-time solo trip. You shouldn’t have any type of issue satisfying other travelers in guesthouses or around town.

Not only is it nice to make good friends (after all, who wants to speak to a brick wall the entire time?) however you’re likewise likely to discover other travelers to join you to go sightseeing or to get hold of dinner or a drink in the evening.

I believe it’s likewise noteworthy to point out the stereotype of travelers you may satisfy in Southeast Asia. everywhere I’ve traveled to, I discover a different type of tourist. I discover the travelers in Southeast Asia to be more social as well as have more of a “travel hard, celebration harder” attitude. seldom will you discover a guest in your hostel sitting around or sightseeing solo.

Yes, plenty of travelers go alone to Southeast Asia, however they want to as well as do satisfy others quickly. You just have to make sure you put yourself out there.

4. It’s Safe

While there is criminal offense — as there is everywhere in the world — I feel extremely risk-free when I’m in Southeast Asia. I take common precautions, however I’m not afraid to walk around by myself or take public transport. I go out in the evenings as well as don’t hesitate to interact with the locals.

As a female traveler, security is key, as well as I feel just as risk-free right here as I do back home. If you run into any type of kind of theft, I’d venture to state it’s a lot of commonly by a fellow traveler in your guesthouse.

As long as you aren’t wandering drunk at 3am in the seedy area of Phuket, you will be all right. Yes, there are travel scams to be conscious of. however if you take normal, common-sense precautions you should have nothing to concern about.

5. There are friendly Locals & unique Cultures

If you’re seeking to truly dive into a location that’s totally different, Southeast Asia will not disappoint. Mouthwatering street food as well as a few of the friendliest locals in the world are most likely my preferred things about this part of the world. It doesn’t matter if you come into get in touch with with a regional who knows zero English (as I did on a 10-hour train ride); they will generally still want to interact with you.

While I was in a village in Laos, I told a restaurant owner that I wanted to take part in the alms ceremony for monks. She invited me to her house at 5:30 the next morning, made rice for me to provide to the monks, as well as showed me appropriate etiquette for this Buddhist ceremony. a lot of locals in Southeast Asia treated me like a member of the family.

You won’t have to try difficult right here if your goal is to dive into the culture, as well as if you ask a regional about some ceremony or event, you’ll a lot of likely be invited to take part (even in weddings).

6. There’s Something for Everyone

Whether you’re trying to find kicking back beach getaways, hectic cities full of delicious street food, world-class diving opportunities, all-night parties, or rich history, you’ll be able to discover it in Southeast Asia — commonly all within the exact same country!

From the sensational ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the epic full Moon celebration in Thailand to the health and wellness as well as wellness mecca of Bali, Southeast Asia has something for every solo female traveler’s appetite. It’s just a matter of deciding what you want to see first!

***
If you are considering a solo trip for the very first time, Southeast Asia is a excellent location to start. As a female backpacker, I like that I feel risk-free here, can get by on a budget, as well as satisfy other people. It’s a excellent combination when I can accomplish all of these things, in addition to find incredible cultures.
Laura walker ran the travel website, A Wandering Sole. She’s an avid traveler, former blogger, as well as entrepreneur.

Book Your trip to Southeast Asia: Logistical ideas as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to discover a affordable flight. They are my two preferred search engines since they search web sites as well as airlines around the globe so you always understand no stone is left unturned. begin with Skyscanner very first though since they have the greatest reach!

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the greatest inventory as well as finest deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, utilize Booking.com as they consistently return the least expensive rates for guesthouses as well as affordable hotels.

Don’t fail to remember travel Insurance
Travel insurance coverage will protect you against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. It’s comprehensive security in situation anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to utilize it many times in the past. My preferred companies that offer the very best service as well as value are:

Safety Wing (for everybody below 70)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for extra repatriation coverage)

Looking for the very best companies to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the very best companies to utilize when you travel. I listing all the ones I utilize to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want more info on Southeast Asia?
Be sure to see our robust destination guide on Southeast Asia for even more planning tips!