The joys of travelling solo can be endless — you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, with no one else to account for. Independent travel has remained a top travel trend for years now, so the results of TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards couldn’t have come at a better time. This year, they’ve introduced a new category celebrating the best destinations for solo travellers — and our beloved Melbourne has claimed a spot in the top ten.
So, what makes Melbourne such a great place to explore alone? For starters, the city is designed for easy, accessible solo travel. You can hop on the free City Circle Tram to tick off major sights like Federation Square, the Royal Botanic Gardens, and the National Gallery of Victoria. Melbourne’s café culture is also legendary, with endless charming spots perfect for people-watching or tucking into a good book undisturbed over a world-class flat white. Or why not pull up a barstool at Pellegrini’s for a comforting bowl of ravioli, grab a seat at rock'n'roll bar Lulie Tavern, a cocktail at Black Pearl, or sober up with some dumplings in Chinatown?
For those wanting a further-flung adventure, Melbourne offers a slate of easy escapes – whether it’s wine tasting in the Yarra Valley, spotting koalas and kangaroos at Healesville Sanctuary, or taking a scenic drive along the Great Ocean Road.
This year, Melbourne joins an impressive lineup of solo travel hotspots, with Seoul (consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in Asia) claiming the top spot, followed by Kathmandu and Cusco. Here are the other destinations that made the cut.
These are the best solo travel destinations in the world, according to TripAdvisor
- Seoul, South Korea
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- Cusco, Peru
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Osaka, Japan
- Dubai, UAE
- Kyoto, Japan
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Melbourne, Australia
Every year, TripAdvisor awards travellers' favourite destinations, hotels, restaurants, and things to do worldwide based on reviews and ratings collected over 12 months. From the best solo travel destinations to the best restaurants and beaches worldwide, you can find out more by visiting the website here.
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