10 Incredible Destinations for Solo Backpackers

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Over the past couple of years of solo travelling, there have been some destinations where it was quite easy to meet new people and others where it just wasn’t that much fun to travel around by myself.

I know, there are a bunch of other factors that contribute to the way in which you experience a new destination aka your overall mood, weather, people around you etc. But here are some places where I have had an amazing time as a solo traveller.

In all these destinations I found it really easy to make new connections or just enjoyed hanging out by myself all day. Just because I had a great time there of course doesn’t mean that you will have the same experience. However, I thought I would still let you know about my top 10 favourite destinations for solo backpackers.

Tel Aviv, Israel

I loved traveling solo to Tel Aviv, I had already met people before I even entered the hostel. While the city itself is pretty expensive, the hostels on the other hand are quite decently priced. I can recommend Florentine Backpacker Hostel.

They had a nice outside sitting area to meet other people and also take travellers out every night so you are bound to meet new people. But even if you don‘t meet people right away, you can hang out by the beach by yourself or explore the markets.

While in a lot of places I have met a bunch of groups, in Tel Aviv I have met a lot of other solo travellers so that is always great.

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

San Juan del Sur is located close to the border to Costa Rica and basically known for its Sunday Funday pub crawl and a good surfing location. While there is not too much to do in the town itself it has been a great place to meet other solo travellers.

Because of the Sunday pub crawl, people usually arrive early in the week and you know they will at least stay until Monday morning. There were also a lot of solo travellers and I had a really fun time going surfing or just hanging out by the beach.

Boquete, Panama

Boquete is a great place for solo travellers because there are so many activities that you can do in Boquete. From hiking volcanos to coffee tours to water rafting, this beautiful city should be included in any Panama itinerary.

Other than that one of my favourite hostels I have ever stayed in was also located in Boquete which is called Bambuda Castle. It is quite affordable and they have a pool and hot tub in the castle. I would always stay there again if I would go back to Boquete.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I really enjoyed traveling to Kuala Lumpur by myself. Even if I didn‘t meet people right at the beginning, there was a lot to do in the city by myself. The street food is amazing and there are a lot of different hostel to stay in and meet new people. 

Koh Phangan, Thailand

You might know Koh Phangan as the place where the monthly famous full moon party is held.  Because of that if you come during full moon period there is usually a minimum stay of around 5 nights from a lot of hostels which means that the people that you meet will probably be there for a longer period of time. It is a great place for solo female travellers in Thailand.

So you can make some great friends. The hostels are mainly party hostels but that also means that they are super social and there are some events happening every night or dinner every evening. During the days you can hang out at the beach or drive around the island.

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Similar to San Juan del Sur, people tend to always stay longer in Bocas del Toro because of the weekly islands pub crawl on Fridays. I have met awesome people on the island. During the day you can surf, scuba dive or go on boat tours or stuff your face with empanadas all day. There were a bunch of solo travellers on Bocas del Toro and it was really easy to meet new people.

 Budapest, Hungary

I have found it really easy to meet new people in Hungary. The hostels usually are really affordable and quite good at getting people together (at least from my experiences). Due to so many travellers coming to Budapest, there is something for everybody.

If you want to party, you can do so but if you want to go sightseeing all day and have a good night’s rest then Budapest is also the place to be. While not super cheap it is definitely still an affordable place, especially when it comes to accommodation.

Pink Palace Hostel, Corfu, Greece

While usually I would rather include cities or islands rather than hostels itself, my trip to Corfu would have turned out completely differently if I would have not stayed at this hostel.

This hostel overall has been a great way for solo travel for several reasons. For once, the hostel includes dinner where they make you sit with random people so it is often easy to start a conversation.

In the summer at least they also have some tours like booze cruises or quad bike tours and lots of parties in the evenings. It is definitely a party hostel! Because it is on an island, a lot of people stayed for a longer period of time as it was harder to get there, so you could hang out with the same people for longer. 

Krakow, Poland

There is a lot to do in Krakow, visit a museum or travel to the Salt Mines. The hostels I had stayed in were quite social and even if I didn’t meet other people I had a good time in the city. There are walking tours you can join, polish foods to eat or you can just hang out at the main square.

Bangkok, Thailand

Last but not least, another incredible destination for solo backpackers is Bangkok! I have been to Bangkok three times so far and this city never fails to amaze me. I always have an amazing time when I travel to Bangkok by myself because there is so much to do, it is really affordable and there is a huge backpacker scene.

Bangkok should be included in any Thailand itinerary! There is always something new to discover in this city. From street food to malls to temples, I absolutely love this city.

As you can see, I have mentioned Panama and Thailand twice just because I think both of these countries are incredible destinations for solo backpackers in general. There are a lot of people traveling by themselves and there are a bunch of activities you can do to meet new people.

What is your favourite destination for solo travel?

Talk to you later x

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