[category]
[title]
Travelling to a new city alone isn’t as intimidating as you might think! Ridin’ solo is actually the ultimate power move, letting you choose where and when to go at whatever pace you desire. If you’re keen to dabble in the solo travel trend, a new report has revealed the ten most sought-after solo destinations in 2026. You won’t even need to venture far, with Australia landing in sixth place.
To identify the top solo travel hotspots for 2026, travel experts at Explore Worldwide analysed a year’s worth of Google search data across 500 global destinations, specifically tracking terms like ‘[destination] + solo travel’.
Australia has a longstanding love affair with Japan, and it’s clearly shared by the rest of the world. Japan is the undisputed number one country for solo travellers, with more than 67,000 annual searches. Its major cities are extremely safe, public transport is easy to navigate, locals go out of their way to help you, and many of their restaurants are legit set up for one. Yep, solo ramen or donburi dates aren’t just accepted, they’re the norm.
Asia dominates the top ten, with Thailand, India and Vietnam following close behind. Italy rounds out the top five, while Australia is the sixth-most popular solo travel destination, clocking 18,100 annual searches.
Having done many solo road trips in Australia, I can personally vouch for our Great Southern Land being a solo traveller’s playground. I’d recommend renting a car and driving all along the East or West Coast, stopping for spontaneous swims and hikes whenever you please. And while you’re technically ‘alone’, Australia’s big backpacker culture means you’re bound to meet like-minded legends along the way!
If you’re a seasoned solo traveller, you can check out the top spots to go for your next adventure below.
The world’s 10 most popular solo travel destinations
- Japan
- Thailand
- India
- Vietnam
- Italy
- Australia
- Costa Rica
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Portugal