Travelling alone provokes the hospitality of locals, granting access to places and experiences that are barred to couples and groups. Here then, we have selected eight destinations where travellers can venture to and reap the pleasures of flying solo.
By Bertie Alexander
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Meditation Retreats, Thailand
Meditation Retreats, Thailand: Recuperate and revitalise at a monastery retreat in Thailand. Practise at these retreats can be strict; talking is only permitted when utterly necessary and the cuisine is sparse. However in return for your attention, the saffron-clad monks will be able to verse you in Buddhist philosophy and offer training in breathing and mind control.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Camino de Santiago, France to Spain
Camino de Santiago, France to Spain: The Camino de Santiago is a network of ancient pilgrimage routes beginning near Biarritz in France and ending at the tomb of St James at Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. The scallop shell seen on the doors of guesthouses along the route signal that pilgrims are not only welcome, but may well receive bed and board for free.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Jebel Toubkal, Morocco
Jebel Toubkal, Morocco: With a guide ahead and mule in tow, climb the 4,167 metres to the summit of North Africa’s highest mountain. The three day ascent grants peace and tranquility to appreciate the beauty of Morocco’s most eulogised peak, and the morning ablutions in mountain streams are an invigorating return to nature.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Like all the best cities in the world, Buenos Aires has a reputation for accepting the lonely and nonplussed in a tight embrace. With both the grit of Guatemala City and the glamour of Venice, this city fosters quick and passionate relationships, with a glass of mate in one hand, your tango partner in the other.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Work and Travel, Australia
Work and Travel, Australia: Work and Travel in Australia offers a wonderful chance to spend a good long time in this mammoth country. Though six months of picking fruit is unlikely to earn you enough to go sky-diving, you will still be able to enjoy the beaches of the Golden Coast, the striking landscape of the outback, and the outrageous nightlife of Kings Cross, Sydney.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
The Philippines
The Philippines: The combination of natural beauty and manifest abject poverty in the Philippines can hit unprepared visitors hard. Between enjoying the beaches and vibrant nightlife, it’s hard for concerned tourists to know how they can help. ‘Orphanage Tourism’ and ‘Voluntourism’ should be approached with plenty of research. However, with the right organisation, giving back to a country by spending time, not just money, is a rewarding way to spend time abroad alone.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Chin State, Myanmar
Chin State, Myanmar: Wide stretches of Myanmar that haven’t been accessible to foreigners for a generation are opening up once more. After savouring the delights to be found in the royal city of Mandalay, scoot off the beaten track by hiring a motorbike and travel north to the rugged mountains of Chin State where the coffee is strong and the appearance of any foreigner causes a stir.
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Flying Solo: Ideas For Single Travellers.
Spiekeroog, North Sea
Spiekeroog, North Sea: The village of Spiekeroog is situated on Spiekeroog Island, one of the East Frisian Islands off the North Sea coast of Germany. Serviced by a daily ferry, there are no cows on the island, but a handful of charming pubs. Wandering along the rugged windswept coast, Spiekeroog allows visitors to savour time spent only with themselves, their thoughts, and the wind, waves and water.
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