There isn't one "best" place for a solo trip. The right answer depends on whether you want an easy first outing, a busy social scene, a physical challenge, a heavy dose of culture, or the lowest possible daily spend. This guide groups the countries and places we run trips in by what you're actually looking for, and it's honest about which ones ask more of you than others.
Best places for a first solo trip
Thailand and Vietnam are the easiest introductions to solo travel in Asia. Both have a well-worn backpacker route, cheap and social hostels, straightforward transport you can book yourself, and enough other solo travellers around that you're rarely on your own for long. Thailand's route from Bangkok through Chiang Mai and Pai to the Gulf islands works well as a first trip of almost any length, and our Thailand travel guide covers the whole thing. Vietnam's north-to-south route through Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City is just as forgiving, and it's covered in our Vietnam travel guide. Our Thailand Express and Vietnam Express trips run shorter versions of each route with a Trip Host, if you'd rather not plan your first one entirely alone.
Best places for a social scene
If meeting people and a lively atmosphere matter more than quiet mornings, a handful of places do that better than anywhere else on our routes. Koh Phangan in Thailand is built around its monthly Full Moon Party and a hostel scene to match; see our Koh Phangan guide and our Full Moon Party guide for the safety points that come with a party night. Canggu in Bali has a big surf-and-cafe social scene, covered in our Canggu guide. In India, Goa plays a similar role, with its own beach-party circuit; see our Goa guide. Our Thailand in 2 Weeks trip visits Koh Phangan, and some departures include a Full Moon night.
Best places for nature and adventure
For something more physical, a few places stand out. Vietnam's Ha Giang Loop is the best-known motorbike route in the region, riding pillion behind a licensed local rider through the far north's mountains. Thailand's Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive. India's Rishikesh has beginner-friendly rafting on the Ganges, from late September to the end of June, and further north, Ladakh is Himalayan road-trip territory for anyone who wants proper altitude and scenery. In Bali and Indonesia, Nusa Penida covers cliff views, manta rays and some of the region's best diving. Our Ha Giang Loop Adventure trip runs the loop itself with a licensed easy rider for every traveller.
Best places for culture and history
Chiang Mai's old city and temples, covered in our Chiang Mai guide, are an easy way into Thai culture without leaving the backpacker trail. Laos's Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage town of temples and French colonial streets, is one of the calmest, most culture-heavy stops on any regional route. Vietnam's Hoi An adds lantern-lit streets and a genuine old town to the mix. India's Rajasthan and Varanasi are the deepest dose of history and culture on any of our routes, and our Rajasthan and Varanasi trip runs the full circuit with a Trip Host and licensed local guides at the major sights. Sri Lanka's cultural triangle, including Sigiriya and Kandy, belongs on this list too.
Best places on a budget
Vietnam and Thailand are the cheapest of the countries we run trips in for day-to-day spending, with Bali and Laos close behind. India's daily figure looks similar once you add a dorm bed to the other countries' "outside your bed" numbers, and Sri Lanka runs a little higher, at about US$35 to $55 a day including a dorm bed or basic guesthouse, and entry fees at the ancient sites swing the total most (Sri Lanka budget guide). Our cheap solo trips guide has the full country-by-country breakdown, the cheapest months to go, and an honest look at when booking a group trip actually works out close to, or even cheaper than, planning it all yourself.
Which destinations are harder for a first solo trip?
Not every place on this list suits a first solo trip equally well, and it's worth saying so plainly.
India rewards a solo trip more than almost anywhere else on our routes, but it asks more of you too. It's a much bigger country than Thailand or Vietnam, getting around needs more planning around trains and taxis, and official travel advice for women takes harassment seriously enough that many people choose India as a second or third solo trip rather than a first, or travel it with a small group. Our solo trips for women and India safety guides cover this properly.
Laos isn't hard so much as slow. Fewer travellers means fewer people to fall in with, ATMs run out or don't exist at all in smaller towns such as Pakbeng, Nong Khiaw and the 4,000 Islands, so you need to carry more cash than in Thailand or Vietnam. It suits someone who already likes their own company or who's travelling on from Thailand rather than someone wanting a busy first trip.
Sri Lanka is getting easier to visit on your own, but its backpacker infrastructure outside the south coast and the cultural triangle is younger than Thailand's or Vietnam's. Our Sri Lanka guide covers the main stops, but not every one. It's a rewarding trip, just one where a bit more research (or a group) helps more than it would in Bangkok or Hanoi.
The Ha Giang Loop and Ladakh are physically demanding rather than logistically hard: riding a motorbike over mountain roads, or coping with altitude above 3,000 metres, both need a reasonable level of fitness and, for the loop, either riding experience or a licensed rider doing the driving for you.
None of this means skip these places. It means going in with the right expectations, or choosing to do the planning with a group the first time round.
