Grasshopper

Some destinations are better for solo trips than others. They just seem to lend themselves better to meeting people, eating out, seeing all that the locale has to offer. For example, I'm perfectly comfortable in any city and pretty much anywhere I can get on a bike and see the landscape (ie Lago Maggiore). I get lonely on a hike by myself and while I want to go to Egypt, I don't want to do that solo. My sailing adventure in the Greek Isles required companions, but Athens alone would have been fine.

What are your favorite solo destinations? Where would you prefer to be with a companion or a group?

suze

Amsterdam and Venice were easy and good solo destinations. Also Paris. Generally speaking, I would only do a countryside trip with a friend or a group. Cities lend themselves much better to singles IMO.

And as you mentioned Egypt is on my list, but not solo. I'm waiting to be old enough to join Elderhostel for some places like the Amazon, etc. (seriously & LOL!).

Lia

I second the vote for big cities on your own. My favorite solo destinations are in China. I love going to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing by myself and find that I get a lot more done when I'm on my own there. Outside the big cities, I prefer taking a group tour, sometimes for security but mostly because it's more efficient. As for other countries, I'd love to go to Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and Dubai but would only consider a tour at least the first time. I'm not sure I'd feel totally comfortable on my own in the Middle East and North Africa.

cambe

Sorry to be the odd one out here but Egypt is great for Solo travel (so is Morrocco providing you pick your destination well - Not Agidir!!!). Why not take a Nile Cruise? That way you will see all the sights and benefit from having an Egyptologist with you to explain everything. Most of the boats have single cabins at no extra charge though you need to book early. If you want to be more independent, simply book a hotel in Luxor or Cairo (lots of them also have no single supplements and 3 & 4 satrs are very very cheap!!). All have tours to the various sights with an Egyptologist and although you can see everything on your own with a guide book for company, I would not recommend it. There is so much history in Egypt and to understand it properly you need an expert. Dress modestly, keep your eyes straight ahead, say a firm no to all unwanted hassle and if you exercise the same caution that you would do in any other major city, you will be quite safe in one of the most historic countries in the world.
Go for it!!

Grasshopper

Cambe, Never be sorry to take another point of view here! That's what we're here for... to hear different perspectives and get tips and ideas!

May I ask your gender?

I just watched Michael Palin's "Around the World and 80 Days" and I must say Cairo looked awfully daunting.

zbjoon

Cambe - I went to Morocco with a “reliable” group tour and I paid good money for it too. I posted a trip report in the post “Morocco tour recommendations for solo travelers” that ironically was originated by me when I was looking for a tour before this forum was around. Just in summary I had the land-only and I found out I am the only one in the tour when I got to Morocco at midnight after many flight delays.

That experience changed me. It is all fine and dandy when all goes right. However, what about when something goes wrong? Can you recover? I will only travel to parts of the world that get mixed reviews with a tour if I have a travel companion with me. Otherwise, I am not going to ever gamble with my safety again. The night I spent in Morocco was more like an episode out of Twilight zone.

Grasshopper

zjboon, Thanks for pointing out that post. This is the first time I read it. I'm completely with you! Life is too short, and there are too many places to go to take risks. What an awful situation you were in!

cambe

Grasshopper, I am female and over 40. I haven't seen Michael Palin's tour of Cairo so can't comment. Cairo can be daunting but it is also very exciting. You will be hassled wherever you go but you will also see some of the most wonderful (in my opinion) sights in history. My advice, as a solo traveller for many years, is read up Cairo before you go, be vigilant and secure a price before you take any trip. I travelled from London to Cairo. Spent 3 days in Cairo and then flew to Luxor. The flight path was down the Nile during daylight and was wonderful. In Luxor I went to the Valley of the Kings & Queens,had a trip on the Nile, in a falluka with other people I met at the hotel, and vised the Kuxor and Karnok Temples - Luxor by day and Karnok by both day and night - wonderful. I never felt worried or afraid in Egypt but I rarely ventured out at night. Having said that, Egypt is a Moslim country and there are no late nighr bars (as far as I know) in the country. I really enjoyed my time in Egypt and would recommed any solo traveller there - don't be afraid, the Egyptians do hassle. but just say no and enjoy the wonderful history.

Grasshopper

Great encouragement, Cambe. Thanks!

cambe

zbjoon, I think I replyed to your original posting. I am really sorry that you had such an awful time but please don't let that put you off solo travel.
I would like to ask a aquestion - 'do we Brits do Solo better than the Americans?
I ask this question as I have travelled solo for many years with no complications (other than the ones I created for myself} and enjoyed the varied of cultures and people that I met.
Having read your post I would have done exactly as you did but every company that I have delt with in the UK sates quite clearly that no tour will operate without a minumin number and that is uaually 10 people.
Again. I am sorry for your awful experience in Morrocco but surly someone in the US on this forum can offer some advice on trusted travel companies - if not contact me and I will send you the addresses of UK operatoes.

Grasshopper

<i>'do we Brits do Solo better than the Americans? </i>

Now that's an interesting question! Off the top of my head; maybe because many of the destinations we might be talking about are closer? Because there isn't the jetlag issue to compound it all? Because we get a lot less vacation time?

I think foreign travel is a lot more common to Brits. Maybe because your country is smaller and you can get to other countries much quicker (and more cheaply). The US is so big that I think many Americans don't ever leave. The statistics about how many Americans even have passports are pretty amazing (something just under 20%).

cambe

Grasshopper
My post was badly written as I did not mean individual solo americans. My experience is that the Americans I have met on my travels (and there have been many) are always very well read on their destination and a great source of information.
My post was directed more at tour operators. As I said, UK based tour companies operate only with minium numbers and if the requied numbers do not book, the holiday is cancelled.
Zbjoon arrived in Morocco as the only person on a trip and went with a reliable tour company. I might be wrong and please,if there is anyone out there who knows different please respond but I do not believe that this would have happened with a UK operator as the holiday would have been cancelled at least 6 weeks prior to departure.
As you have said we Brits travel to foreign parts more often than you Americans, I wonder if that has made our tour operators more careful, in order to avoid costly legal fees??
I don't know the answer but solo travel is great, you can see and do what you want and meet lots of friends on the way.
I am new to this forum and don't know if it is permitted to advertise web sites but if anyone wants some good websites for group travel from the UK I will be happy to help.
Keep travelling Americans - you are great company.

zbjoon

Hi Grasshopper – Thanks for the message and reading my original post. Actually I did not write all I experienced but luckily nothing compromised my safety.

Hi Cambe – Thanks for the post. I am not actually turned off by solo travel but I think I have got wiser because of it. I do not mean you but I have come across some good hearted na&iuml;ve solo or family travelers that do not know what is going on around them and are brave as a result.

You mentioned no night bars in Egypt. In Morocco, there was a nightclub in my reputable 4 star hotel which had a door to the street and was called “Gentleman’s Night Club”. The computer room with a broken lock and broken computer was right next to the club. That combination put a damper on my mood and my attempt at 1:30 AM to let my family know of my predicament. I do not see anything wrong with night clubs but you might not want to rule out night clubs in some countries just based on assumptions.

I think you have a point regarding tour companies in USA versus Britain. The fact that the dispute department of the credit card company (one of the largest banks in USA) told me that I have no leg to stand on with these tour companies and was lucky to get my money back on my own told me a lot.

cambe

Sorry Zbjoon but I can'tcomment on night bars as I have never frequented one. None of my hotels in Morocco (including the awful Agidir) had a night bar or anything reasembling one.
So glad you are not put off solo travel.

zbjoon

Cambe - You said in one of your posts:

“Egypt is a Moslim country and there are no late nighr bars (as far as I know) in the country.”

I was merely responding to the above and bringing Morocco up as a Muslim country to point out that unfounded assumptions can be misleading and not safe.

Anyway, Your positive experiences are very encouraging to all solo travelers.