Traveling alone, the 5 safest countries in the world

Slovenia, where solitude rhymes with security

Ranked top of the WPS Index for Central and Eastern Europe, Slovenia has made great strides in women’s perception of safety in recent years. With 85% of women feeling safe here, according to the index. When Claire Ramsdell, adventure consultant for Wildland Trekking and travel bloggers (The Detour Effect) first arrived in Slovenia’s capital and largest city, Ljubljana, wandered the streets at night taking photographs.

I had no problems orienting myself either with the language, or with any other aspect that intimidates lonely foreigners. “Nobody ever bothered me during the whole vacation.” He also found the city very easyile and pleasant to walk and public transport throughout the country reliable. Among the local tour operators recommend Ljubljanayum Food Tours And Food Tour Ljubljana.

Things to try absolutely in Slovenia? One štrukljior a buckwheat cake with walnuts, «one of the best desserts in the world».

Slovenia is also worth the trip to open spaces and mountains, capable of offering the ideal mix of solitude and safety. “I often felt completely alone, like I was in the desert, yet I also knew a city was nearby, for any kind of emergency,” Ramsdell said.

Recommend visitors to stop by the river Isonzo. On the western side of the country near the Italian border, it was one of the filming locations for de The Chronicles of Narnia. A magical place for hikers and more. The accesses to the pedestrian bridges over the river are also convenient for those traveling by car.

Rwanda, the surprise destination

With 55% of its parliament made up of women, Rwanda is surprisingly ranked first in the world for gender equality in Parliament, according to the WPS. It also ranks high on the Perceived Community Safety Index. And it ranks sixth in the world in the index Global Gender Gapwhich measures how equitable a country is in terms of economy, education, health care, and political participation.

Rebecca Hansen saw this firsthand when she moved to Rwanda from Denmark in 2019. She immediately found it extremely safe to travel alone. “There are police, security and military out in almost every place and at all hours of the day and night,” she said. “It may seem intimidating at first, but you’ll quickly learn that all of these uniforms are friendly people who are always willing to help.”

Women don’t get hassled. If you are approached with a “How are you?” or “Good morning”, especially from school children, is because Rwandans have a lot of desire to practice the language. English and French are official languages ​​of Rwanda, along with Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili. So basically, there are no major language barriers. But, in general, even those who do not speak English are prompt in helping and offering directions to tourists.

Rwanda has done a commendable job of reconciliation after the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi people. There are numerous memorials in the country: Hansen suggests visitors see at least the Kigali Genocide Memorialin the capital, which shows not only the history of this genocide, but also other similar terrible events, in other parts of the world.

Even one visit the mountain gorillas of the country is a must for any traveller. Hansen also recommends the Nyungwe National Park to the southwest and Volcanoes National Park to the north for monkey viewing, or Akagera National Park to the east for game drives.

United Arab Emirates, “even in the desert, you can trust”

With the highest WPS scores in the Middle East and North Africa For women’s education and financial inclusion, the UAE continues to lead in gender equality in the region and recently achieved gender parity in its Parliament. The Emirates also ranks first of all countries in the index in the community safety category, with 98.5% of women aged 15 and over say they “feel safe walking alone at night” in the city or area where [vive]».

Dubai, in particular, was ranked as safest city for female solo travelers based on an index from travel insurance company Insure My Trip. The influencer Sandy Aouadwho lives between Paris and Dubai, says she has always felt safe in the city, even in the suburbs. “Once I had a flat tire, I left the car in the middle of the desert, unlocked with the keys inside,” she said. “I knew very well that I could be trusted. A taxi would have come to pick me up, and in the meantime the car would have been safe.’

For solo travellers, recommend booking a desert safaris because it’s an easy way to meet a variety of interesting people. For the more adventurous, suggests the skydiving on La Palmanamely the incredible artificial island of Palm Jumeirah.

In Japan, those who are alone are… in good company

Japan is ranked among the top 10 safest countries in the world by the Global Peace Index for its low crime rates of external or internal conflicts. Not only. It boasts wagons of the women-only subway (during certain periods and routes) and accommodation for women only. Traveling alone here is particularly easy because you are… in good company. Having lunch and doing activities alone is much more “normal” here than elsewhere. “Because of depopulation, people who don’t want to get married and appreciate spending time alone, there are tons of things for solo travelers to do,” said Mika White, who was born in Japan and is the founder of Chapter White. “Leadings of the best karaoke places for lonely people, ramen shops for lonely people, and onsen (hot spring) for lonely people are made and advertised in the newspapers.”

Agrees Lulu Assagaf, tour leader for Intrepid Travel, who moved to Japan from Indonesia 20 years ago. “The locals make you feel at home and are happy to help strangers.” The only precaution, «If you travel in rural areas, it is better to go with a guide. But only because English is unlikely to be spoken.’

To eat (yourself) Assagaf recommends exploring the food zones of Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. In particular, in Tokyo, the Shinjuku San-Chome area, full of restaurants, night clubs and izakaya clubs (Japanese version of the pub).

For visitors who want to venture outside the typical tourist spots, he recommends the coastal city of Kanazawa, known for being the homeland of the samurai. And Takayama in the Japanese Alps. “For the beautiful traditional architecture and sake factories,” she said. He also recommends the Takayama Showa-kan Museuma pop culture concentrate from the era of Emperor Hirohito from 1926 to 1989.

Traveling alone in Norway

Classified ranked first in the WPS for its highest scores in terms of women’s financial inclusion, absence of legal discrimination, and safety of the women’s community, Norway is in the top 10 of the most gender equal and happiest countries in the world. It is inclusive for travelers of all types, including LGBTQ+.

Resident in Oslo, the founder of Up Norway, Torunn Tronsvang portrays Norwegian culture as tolerant and trusting. This is why the country is the ideal place for single women. “At the bar, you can safely ask someone at the next table to take care of your things while you use the bathroom,” she said. She is also proud of how many businesses here are run by women, who have created iconic places to eat and stay in rural areas across the country.

To get the most out of a visit, Tronsvang encourages visitors to give a hug the Norwegian concept of “friluftsliv”, the philosophy of “life outside”. In addition, theto NASA reports a increase in solar activity until 2025. Why not take advantage of it, and see thenorthern Lights with a trip to the Arctic? The program includes dog sledding and snowshoeing by day and nights in family-run igloos.

iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED