menu facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube search chevron-down chevron-up
  • About
    • About Kristin
    • Press
    • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Best of the Blog
  • YouTube
  • Solo Female Travel
  • Home
  • Tours
  • Destinations
  • Travel Resources
    • Outdoors 101
    • Itineraries
    • Spiritual Travel
  • SEARCH

Be My Travel Muse

Solo Female Travel

The 11 Chillest Places in the World

08/22/2021 by Kristin 9 Comments

Cities are great, and party spots have their place on every RTW itinerary, but when it comes down to it nothing can beat the restorative benefits of these best places to chill out and relax.

Maybe it’s the reggae beats, the friendly locals, the delicious food, or the quiet stillness of a place that hasn’t been discovered by the masses yet.

I’m speaking of those hidden gems that you find out about through word of mouth. They’re the places that you might never have expected, and yet completely fall in love with. I’ve been searching long and hard and I’ve found them in every corner of the world, but some stick out more than others, and I’ve curated them here for you.

These are ten of the chillest places you can find on planet Earth:

The Best Places to Chill:

11. San Pancho, Mexico

As far as beach destinations in Mexico go, San Pancho is one of the most relaxing and underrated. I found San Pancho by happy accident when I was looking for beachfront accommodations in nearby Sayulita.

The mix of sandy beaches capped by rocky cliffs and blue-green water of Mexico’s Pacific coast is nothing short of dreamy. Compared to other busier places nearby, San Pancho feels like one of Mexico’s best kept secrets. Even if you stay in the more crowded Puerto Vallarta, don’t pass up a day trip to San Pancho if you want to chill away from the bustle. Can you imagine a better place to chill?

Read more about Mexico here.

10. Tofo, Mozambique

best places to chill
If nobody’s around, then I don’t need to wear clothes thank you very much

Tofo is the first place that comes to mind when I think about chilled out places that I found difficult to leave. Getting around Mozambique can be chaotic, but once in Tofo, the rest of your days will be spent mainly in a hammock, chilling with a dozen or so new friends, all of whom are just the kind of exceptional people you’d hope to meet when you travel solo.

Another amazing thing about Tofo: I couldn’t believe how uncrowded it was. Between diving, quad biking in the sand, catching sunsets from the point and sunrises from the shore, I knew the entire time that I was there that I’d found something truly special.

Read more on Mozambique here

9. Gili Air, Indonesia

gili air gili t indonesia
On the sunrise side

The name, Gili Air, means water island and given you can do there that’s completely related to being in the water, whether swimming all day in a pool, renting your own little glass bottom snorkeling boat with a few friends and some beer, or learning how to free dive, this is a water-lover’s dream. If you feel like maybe you should have been born a fish, this is your place!

Devoid of the masses of tourists on Bali and the neighboring Gili T, this little island with no cars and nothing but good vibes is where it’s at.

Click here to plan a trip to Indonesia

8. Transkei, South Africa

best places to chill
Coffee Bay in South Africa

Picture rolling green hills, a coastline that looks like it could be a warmer version of Scotland, and colorful round houses dotting the landscape and you might be thinking of the Transkei in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Perhaps it’s so unexpected because it’s not the glamour of Cape Town or the Safari adventure of Kruger. In a lot of ways it is even better because it has yet to explode with tourism and it is so naturally wild, full of waves for surfing and endless coastline for hiking.

It’s also the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, so no wonder it feels so special. Pictured above is a personal favorite of mine, Coffee Bay.

Click here to start planning your trip to South Africa

7. El Chaltén, Argentina

el chalten

Known as Argentina’s trekking capital, this little slice of paradise is home to some of the most amazing mountains in Patagonia and was even the inspiration for the outdoor clothing label. It attracts hikers, rock climbers, and glacier trekkers. If you love unadulterated nature and some of the more challenging hikes in this world, this is one of the best spots to get into the wild.

Not only that, it draws hippies from all-around Argentina and it has an artistic flair, not to mention some delicious ice cream and glaciers galore!

Start planning your trip to Argentina

6. Atacama Desert, Chile

camping san pedro de atacama
My camper van in Chile

There’s a reason why deserts always feel like such vast, peaceful, sacred places. There is a quietness to them that reminds us that solitude is beautiful, and that there is still silence and peace out there.

The San Pedro de Atacama Desert is the driest in the world and the moon-like landscape and incredibly clear sky make for some of the chillest days and nights on planet earth. It’s just you and the Milky Way out there.

Click here to see more awesome places to chill in Chile

5. Dali, China

Even the heavens agree, Dali’s chill

I never expected to find a hippie paradise in China, that was, until I found Dali. From the local hippies dressed like rock stars peddling bracelets to the craft brewery in town and the minority groups pounding out silver bracelets, this place nestled in Yunnan province is truly special.

Cycle around the lake, go for a little hike, or just wander through the town and get lost in the alley ways. I will never quite get over this unexpectedly chilled out place.

Find more hidden gems in China here

4. Pai, Thailand

best places to chill
Hanging out in Pai

Picture a place where you can jump on a motorbike and just ride in any direction for hours through the nature and winding roads through rural areas and waterfalls in Thailand’s north.

I returned to Pai three times, mostly because it always meet such wonderful people there, and I can’t get over the beauty. You can do yoga there, meet the Thai Captain Jack sparrow, and discover a giant split in the land. Get lost, get found, eat delicious Thai food, and fight the urge to stay forever.

Learn about more of Thailand’s best places to chill here

3. Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka

Arugam Bay

This little beach on Sri Lanka’s East Coast is the kind of place where fishing boats rest all along the shore, locals come to visit and now surfers from all around the world are super into it too.

There are reggae beats and hammocks and you can see both the sunrise and the sunset from various points along the beach. It ticks all of the boxes: It’s cheap, the food is great, and so is the surf. Get there before the whole world finds out that it’s one of the best places to chill in Asia!

Plan your Sri Lanka trip with these posts and tips!

2. Berlin, Germany

Fall is absolutely gorgeous in Germany

Berlin is the only city on this list but for good reason. It’s one a few places in the world where you can be unapologetically yourself and still find your kindred people.

From the artsy rooftop bars to the underground clubs, to the little hidden places that take you years to find, the best thing about Berlin is that what matters is what you create rather than what you wear or what you look like. It’s incredibly freeing and that’s why so many artists have flocked there for decades (including yours truly).

Find more awesome places in Germany here.

1. Zanzibar, Tanzania

So gorgeous

Where in the world can you dance in the sand to reggae beats with Masai warriors, go scuba diving, and lay around on the white sands all day long? The locals in Zanzibar are friendly, the underwater life is great, and have you ever seen water this blue and sand this white before?

It’s a lovely little slice of Southern Africa and you just can’t beat those serene beaches. That’s why it’s one of the best places to chill in the world.

Want more? Check out the best places in Asia for solo travelers

215 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Get the guidebook for solo female travelers!
« 10 Tips for Solo Female Travel in Dubai
20 Fantastic Free Things to Do in NYC »

Hello There!

headshot

Welcome to Be My Travel Muse, one of the top female travel blogs in the world, welcoming over 5 million readers annually.

I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

Click here!

Get the Solo Female Travel Guidebook

Popular Posts

I am currently in:

The USA!

Check it out on Instagram Stories!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Ijana says

    08/22/2016 at 8:47 pm

    These sound like awesome places!! I would especially love to visit Tofo and El Chalten. And Patagonia in general 😀

    Reply
  2. Timo says

    08/24/2016 at 1:00 pm

    Agree with Gili Air! Just chill and enjoy the moment 😉

    Reply
  3. Karianne says

    08/25/2016 at 11:33 am

    We opted for Gili Meno over Gili Air when we were in Indonesia – but we’d love to go back to check out Gili Air. Absolutely loved our time on Meno, but maybe it was just a little tooooo quiet for us!

    We spent half our honeymoon on Zanzibar – and barely moved a muscle. Except for a trip into Stonetown and a bit of a swim – absolutely idyllic!

    Unfortunately, we never made it to Pai when in Thailand – fell a little too much in love with Chiang Mai and ended up staying there for too long – but we will definitely make it back sometime soon!

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      08/25/2016 at 3:01 pm

      Sounds like an awesome honeymoon! I went to Gili Meno for the afternoon and thought it was pretty quiet but that’s also really nice sometimes.

      Reply
  4. Alex says

    08/25/2016 at 11:11 pm

    Lots of cool looking places on this list and the only one I’ve been to is Berlin. Guess I’ve got lots of new places to add to my must-visit list!

    Reply
  5. CJ says

    09/01/2016 at 1:11 pm

    I loved Arugam Bay, nice list! Can’t wait to get to Africa myself

    Reply
  6. Hussein says

    09/08/2016 at 11:36 am

    Hello : )
    Any recommendations for Vietnam dear?

    Reply
    • Kristin says

      09/08/2016 at 3:31 pm

      sure! https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/vietnam-guide

      Reply
  7. Denis says

    09/11/2016 at 12:48 pm

    El Chaltén looks gorgeous! We are dreaming of making the Carretera Austral bicycle trail to see all the wonders of Patagonia. Thanks!=)

    Reply

Stay Connected

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Archives
  • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer

© 2023 · Be My Travel Muse. All Rights Reserved

footer-icon

215 shares