Solo traveling can seem daunting for first time or even experienced solo travelers. There’s always the question, will I meet people?
Luckily solo traveling in Southeast Asia in general is usually easy. It’s a great place to get started on the solo travel journey due to the cheapness of traveling there, the ease with which one can get around, and the friendly locals and fellow solo travelers.
All that said, some places are more ideal than others. The following are the most friendly places in Southeast Asia for solo travelers:
Otres Beach, Cambodia
The last time I was at Otres was in October of 2012, so naturally I fear that things have changed. Thankfully friends keep going and reporting back to me that Otres is still a wonderful place to chill out and enjoy the ocean, which is encouraging.
Otres is much less rowdy than its neighbor, Serendipity Beach. It also tends to cater to far fewer travelers, so the chances of seeing familiar faces day after day is higher there.
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Phong Nha Ke Bang, Vietnam
This town is so small, there’s really only a few places to stay, and most visitors congregate in the evenings at Easy Tiger Hostel regardless of where they lay their heads. A group was easily formed the night I arrived to motorbike around the park the following day. We departed the next morning flying like a V in a gaggle eight strong.
What also really stood out to me was how many friendly waves, smiles, and peace signs we got from the locals as we drove by. It’s so nice to feel so welcomed somewhere you’ve never been before.
Pai, Thailand
One thing that makes me love Pai so much is how many interesting, spiritual, and fun-loving people I meet there. Jack Kerouac might call them Dharma Bums.
It’s hard not to love a place where local kids are jumping into the waterfalls right after you, where Thai Captain Jack Sparrow hangs out under a bridge, and the local beauty is still wild yet accessible. There’s reason why I have been back twice in the past two years – it’s just a nice place to be.
Pai hotels and hostels.
Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
Gili T may get a reputation as a party island, and while it is on a small scale, it has nothing on Kuta in Bali. This small island also has gorgeous beaches and vibrant under-water life. Though more of a tourist island that doesn’t offer much local interaction, it’s a nice stop to relax and have some fun between trekking in Java or climbing Rinjani in Lombok.
The beaches are clean, it’s not as couple-oriented as other beach destinations, and whether your pleasure be diving or dancing all night, you can find both there.
(Find Gili T accommodation here)
Boracay, Philippines
Boracay may be popular with tourists, but there’s a good reason for that: the beaches are beautiful, Filipinos are friendly and also love vacationing in Boracay, and it’s really easy to have a great time there. Whether you love kite boarding, swimming, dancing or shopping, you can find something enjoyable there.
I spent New Years 2014 in Boracay and it was one of the most fun holidays abroad I’ve had. Even though I tend not to love touristy places, this is one I recommend to everyone.
(Find Boracay accommodation here)
Lonely Beach, Koh Chang, Thailand
Lonely Beach isn’t as lonely as it once was, but the “last cheap Thai island”, easily accessable from Bangkok, is a great place for solo travelers. People tend to stay in Koh Chang longer term as it’s a laid back and enjoyable atmosphere with white sand beaches in some areas. Locals are still all smiles, reminiscent of the nation’s nickname. It generally feels like a friendly place with open people.
In low season, usually only one of the bars is busy, meaning just about everyone you might have seen around or met previously is likely to be there. For those who want a Thai island experience without the crowds or cost, give Koh Chang a try.
(Find Lonely Beach accommodation here)
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Pretty much everyone traveling through Cambodia makes Angkor Wat a major part of their itinerary. Thanks to the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat temple complex, it’s a bustling town with expats, tourists, and locals. I stayed at a particularly social hostel there and made friends quickly, and only on my first week of indefinite travels.
What I noticed about Cambodia was the travelers I met there were mostly on long journeys, moving through the country slowly. They tended to have interesting stories and I loved running into people I knew from Siem Reap over and over again as I traveled through the country. This city will always hold a special place in my heart thanks to all the positive memories.
(Recommended Siem Reap hotels and my favorite hostel)
Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia
Places known for diving and snorkeling tend to be great for solo travelers. Divers will travel just about anywhere, even alone, to try a new spot. I always find the number of friendly people one could meet in a place popular for diving is just a little bit higher. Pulau Perhentian is one of those islands, with its crystal clear water and colorful shallow reefs.
(I recommend booking in person on Pulau Perhentian)
Don Det, Laos
It’s incredibly easy to meet people in Don Det, Laos. Even if you have your own private bungalow, which is common, the wooden decks at the bars and restaurants that rest above the Mekong river are a prime place for meeting others.
The easy lanes to bike down make it a great place to enjoy the surrounding nature – full of farms and young kids swimming in the river and driving down the roads. (Yep! You are likely to see a 9-year-old driving a motorbike there).
(I recommend booking in person on Don Det)
Tonsai Beach, Thailand
If you’re a rock climber or a slack-line walker, you’ll have a built-in community in Tonsai as it draws in lovers of both. Accessible via Krabi or Ao Nang, tree-fringed Tonsai is a great place to be active or laze the day away. Plenty of visitors end up staying for a month or longer, simply enjoying the tiny beach and challenging rocks.
Even if you’re neither a rock climber or a slack line walker, spending the day at one of the beachfront cafes is a favorite pastime for visitors and a great place to meet others.
(Book Tonsai accommodation here.)
Those are my favorite places for solo travelers and, after traveling solo for a month or longer in each country in Southeast Asia (except for Myanmar but it is on my list), these are the ones I enjoyed the most.
Read next: Plan your itinerary with interactive maps of Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam
Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel
For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out my book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns we women have about traveling alone, featuring my advice and over 20 interviews with other solo female travel writers and wanderers. It also has money-saving advice from the experts, info on working on the road, and everything you need to make planning your trip of a lifetime a quick and painless process! Click here to learn more about the book and start reading it today!
Love this. I am so excited to be heading to Southeast Asia later this year. I am leaning towards Bali and Lombok. Some great wanderlust, thanks for sharing.
Megan | Traveling Nine to Fiver recently posted…A Tour of Cocktails in San Francisco
Great list- gotta second Koh Chang. Went to avoid the crowds and ended up really liking the few people we met.
Have heard wonderful things about Otres Beach too. Next time!
Thank you. This is very inspiring. I am constantly waiting for others to want to go to the places I want to go. And I have recently come to the realization that life is to short to wait. I want to see all parts of the world, even if it means traveling solo. I’m glad to see that others do travel solo and safely. Now, time to decide where I want to embark on my first journey by myself. Thank you again!! 🙂
Yes Elizabeth!! I came to the same realization a few years ago and I’m so glad that I didn’t wait. Solo traveling is really amazing for so many reasons – namely because it’s entirely your own experience, unaffected by anyone else, and that is beautiful.
I definitely agree with Phong Nha Ke Bang, Vietnam! The owner of the farmstay where we stayed definitely encouraged a ‘summer camp’ kind of feel between the guests and we had the best time there traveling around with a pack of our new best friends 🙂
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What a great resource! Thank you for sharing as always.
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Glad you found it helpful! Are you going to SE Asia sometime soon?
Otres Beach was still cool and relaxing when I was there 1.5 years ago. Plus I asked an owner there and he told me, it is not allowed to build anything permanent on the beach. So that is why the tipi tents of that place so close to the ocean had a special feel to it.
But Boracay? No way I’ll ever go back there. I was there early May 2015 and they had a small algae problem resulting in green beaches. And in the night, party, party, noise, noise. At our chosen restaurant we could barely hear each other. I think, Boracay is only still cool, if you can afford to spend 100 USD and up per night, as you then do not end up in an overpriced hole. I must admit, however, that I was there at the busiest Filipino travel weekend. Maybe just bad luck, who knows?
You are so brave and adventurous! I don’t know any girl who is solo traveling the world! This is so inspiring! 🙂 Thank you for the post! Me and my boyfriend are planning to make a nice long trip through Asia and we want to visit as many beautiful places as possible! We have a friend who moved to Thailand last year so we are definitely going there!
You’ll meet more like me when you’re traveling! Sounds like an awesome trip and Thailand is a great place to start.
Totally agree with Elizabeth & Kristin. Going to embark on my first solo soon.:)
Oh, how I miss South East Asia. Such a wonderful part of the world!
Even traveling as a couple, we easily made friends along the way. The Gili Islands (we went to the slightly quieter Gili Meno, but heard the parties from Gili T!!) are absolutely beautiful and a great place to chill out and meet people. We never made it to Pai, but it’s definitely somewhere we want to visit on our next trip to Thailand – we’ve heard lots of great things about it!
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I had some fun on Gili T! I would love to check the others out as well, just might want a significant other in tow.
Great great stuff around here. Such a gem of a blog, as much as I believe Asia is going to be. Only ever been to India but me and my boyfriend are now planning Japan + SE Asia starting in the New Year! Bought a one way ticket and that’s it! So daunting but yet exciting! We are leaving our jobs as well (part of the reason why it’s daunting). What sort of general advice would you give us Kristin?
Thanks xxx
Hi Phoebe,
Enjoy every moment. Learn a new skill, a new language, or something that you can still put on your resume to make your time off a positive rather than a negative. Emphasize soft skills you pick up from your travels.
Because I get this question so much I wrote an ebook that handles every bit of planning and having an awesome trip. It goes on sale Monday (at this link but it won’t work until Monday AM EDT: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/solo-female-travel-guide/) that covers everything you need to know as a first-time traveler. It focuses on solo female travelers but most of the advice in there is relevant for everyone. It should have everything you need in there!
Hello Kristin,
I really enjoyed your blog post, I live and grew up in Singapore and I haven’t been to any part of SE Asia yet. But seeing so much beautiful photos from travelers it has really interest me to travel – solo. I haven’t try this before and not sure how safe it will be to travel solo; I have heard a lot of negativity comments about solo travel (especially given that Singapore is relatively different from our neighbors). After reading your post, it really made me want to go now! It is rare to see solo female traveler, I have been trying to find information on that before shooting off end of this year. Thank you for sharing your experience. I will definitely get your book! 🙂
Cheers!
Hi Qian, I felt quite safe in Southeast Asia. There are actually tons of solo travelers. I was surprised to meet so many! Once you get out there and start traveling, you quickly figure out how to haggle, how to detect scams, how to stay safe. Southeast Asia is a great place to start. It’s pretty safe, cheap, and easy to get around. Have fun!
Thanks for the sharing. Might try out some of the recomended places like Tonsai and Don Det next year. First shot for travelling alone and i’m looking forward for the great journey ahead.
You’re going to have an awesome time. Let us know how it goes for you!
Hi Kristin!
This is a great list thanks for sharing, I’m heading off on my travels in Jan 16 and SE Asia is the first leg of my journey and also the one I’m most nervous about. I have been toying with the idea of booking some kind of tour to start me off, would you recommend this? I have been told my others its a bad idea as its to rigid but I’m worried about getting started on my own! Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Hayley, I think a tour in Southeast Asia is a bad call too. It’s so unnecessary and SO much more expensive than doing it independently. SEA has tons of tourist infrastructure, it’s pretty safe for the most part, really cheap, and probably the easiest place I’ve ever traveled alone. There are lots of other travelers to meet and I think you’ll find that once you get there there’s no reason to be nervous. Just my two cents 🙂
Thanks Kristin, I think I will have to follow everyones advice then and not book a tour! Would you be able to give me some pointers in what to book in advance? Any tips on how to plan travel between destinations? I have booked my first hostel in bangkok so far and that is it! In your experience do you end up travelling around with people that you meet along the way?
Thanks so much!
Hayley
I didn’t even book my first hostel in advance, actually. You can just do things the day of and be completely spontaneous and it doesn’t cost any extra. The only times you’ll want to book ahead are holidays. I met people very easily. Staying in hostels is the easiest way to do so. I was almost never actually alone 🙂
Hi Kristin!
So after reading your reply I went with your advice and just booked one flight and one hostel in Bangkok and winged the rest of my trip! I was in SE Asia for just over 6 months in the end and I’m so so glad I did it that way. Your blog was not only an inspiration for me but it gave me the confidence that I could do this! And wow it’s been such a ride and I wouldn’t change it for the world! My adventure isn’t over yet either! I have decided to pitch up in Sydney and try Aussie life for a while! Heading up the east coast for three weeks later in the month…..I’ve got that travel bug now! I think I can officially kiss goodbye to fixed abodes! THANK YOU! XXX
That’s amazing! So glad that it worked out for you and that you had a great time. It made my day to read this! It’s the reason why I write this blog 🙂
Thanks so much for coming back to update me and let me know that I gave you good advice <3
Ring me up when you’re in Singapore, I would be glad to bring you around!
I’m hoping to start my first solo trip next year as well. 😀
Will do!
I’ve been to, or am going to, most of these. I loved Pai and Don Det. Those are two of my all-time favourite places! I have to say, though, that Otres Beach was far too quiet for me. I wasn’t even travelling alone at that point and I felt like there was nothing to do. If I’d been by myself I doubt I’d have had a conversation with anyone the whole time, but perhaps it’s just because it was low season. Koh Rong is a better bet at that time of year.
Back when I went Koh Rong was so small and quiet. I’ve heard now they actually have full moon parties (?!). Otres was great for me because of who was there. I made a lot of friends and I love swimming. I can just spend all day swimming so I’m not bored there 🙂
Hi Kristin, thanks for sharing this one. I must salute to you for traveling solo all over different places. I wanna visit Bali because it is a great place to experience. And I want to try Don Det after Bali, I am curios what’s in there. For sure, it will be another awesome journey for me. Again, congrats for traveling solo and having that confidence on yours.
AWESOME.
SO HAPPY I FOUND THIS!! I’m moving to South Korea in February but plotting all my nearby ventures 🙂 Loving all of your articles…..Cheers to solo travel!
Have a great time during your travels around the surrounding countries! I spend a month + in every country in Southeast Asia and two in China, so I hope the posts you find on here help you!
Hi Kristin,
I have just found and read your blog post about South East Asia which sounds and looks amazing. I am planning on starting my 3 months of travels in March/April time and would like to visit Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. But this being the first time I have ever done anything like this I am struggling of knowing where and how to start the planning and organising of my trip. Is there any websites or advice you could possibly give on how to plan and organise? Another question, on your first trip alone, did you find it quite ‘normal’ getting into the swing of the travelling lifestyle?
Thank you so much in advance,
Izzy
Hi Izzy. This website can help you! I have country pages for each of those countries. Just go back to the home page and click on the map or destinations. Here’s Thailand: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/thailand-guide/
I don’t usually book or specifically plan too much ahead of time. You can do a lot once you arrive and it allows you to be flexible. I tend to research as I go. Hope that helps!
Hi Kristin.
Before, i had a plan to solo travel. But i still fear of something will happen if i go alone.
I worry for the people i’ll meet, for accommodation, for vehicle to move, … It makes me postpone my plan from last year up to now.
But actually, when i read your blog, it gives me courage to do. It make me think that i must travel to experience this world. It is also my dream that i should do when i am young….
Thanks for giving me an inspiration to follow my dream…
That’s beautiful, Ahn! I think everyone is scared before they travel alone for the first time. I still get scared every time I go somewhere alone, but I’m almost always glad that I did it. Have a great time!
Hi Kristin-
So any advise for a 56 year-old woman who is thinking of traveling in Asia solo? i have traveled quite a bit, some solo when I was younger. My concern is that all travelers will be young people who will not have much in common with me!
the other… and this may sound silly to you, but the comfort level of the beds. Did I say I am 56? and I have some slipped discs etc that come with… the dreaded aging process. Gosh I don’t want to have back pain while traveling!!
Silvia
Hey Silvia, I think if you pay a bit more for accommodation you can have much better beds. A little more cash goes a long way in Southeast Asia. I’d also suggest looking into meetup groups and interest groups while you travel and you might find others who are a similar age to you out there traveling solo too! I have a bunch of suggestions in my solo travels book, which is meant for all ages, if you’re interested: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/solo-female-travel-guidebooks/
I love packing my bags and exploring new travel destinations! Thanks for sharing this amazing post that lists the 10 best places in Southeast Asia that I can explore solo. The brief description and a photograph of each of the places is mesmerizing. Great post!
Beautiful places!
Keep having the time of your life. X
You are having the time of your life! I am amazed by the courage that you have to travel alone in so distant but beautiful places. Keep walking girl!
Aw thanks so much. There’s actually a post going up in like 25 minutes on the site about fear and courage and solo travel. I bet you’d dig it!
Fantastic experience after reading your outstanding blog. Traveling the famous place is my dream. I just want to fulfill my dream but every day I discover new and awesome. Now I am confused which one will be my next destination.
What about Myanmar?
I haven’t been so I can’t comment but I’ve heard good things!
Hi Kristin, I’m reading your book right now, and it all sounds amazing. I am 55 and single. I’ve been wanting to travel to Southeast Asia, but I can’t find anyone who can go with me. I am looking for places to go where there are people my age, having backpack/adventure type travel. I love your stories of the places you have seen, I just fear that everyone will be so much younger. Help. I’m desperate to travel!!! Thank you, Jennifer
I met a 70 year old woman on Gili Air in Indonesia over the summer and she was having an amazing time traveling there solo. I invited her to have breakfast with me one morning, so don’t worry that people will be younger. If you’re a kind and approachable person you’ll meet others.
Hi Kristin,
Thanks a lot for sharing these solo travel destinations. I love traveling myself too and currently live in Kenya (I am Dutch). Anyhow, I have found another great destination for a solo female traveler in Asia; Taiwan! Have you been there?
Warm wishes,
Sanne”
I lived there for 8 months when I was 21. It was actually my first solo destination ever. Loved it so much.