Asian And South Pacific Singles Destinations
When is the best time for singles to travel to Asia and the South Pacific?
I think with solos travelling to Asia or the South Pacific, really any time is going to be a great time. Again, the factors that would influence a couple or a family are things that you should take into consideration, for example, you shouldn't be travelling into South-East Asia during the typhoon season, particularly because you can get caught in some pretty horrendous storms. But you also will find fewer families, and fewer children, and if that's your goal during the school year, then that's a time when you may want to consider travel to Asia and the South Pacific. If your goal is a child-free, shriek-free vacation, those are the times.
What are popular Japanese destinations for singles?
I think the solo traveller can fit really well into some of the urban areas of Japan. Tokyo is such a enormous city that I think that being a part of that scene can be both exciting and a little bit innovating simply because it can be overwhelming. If you can feel comfortable in a large environment, Tokyo has much to offer that's cultural and culinary, and can be a really interesting immersion in far eastern culture. I think there are other places too that I think that you will find, as a solo traveller, that you can feel very welcome. Kyoto, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, all of these places are good places for the solo traveller in Japan.
What are popular New Zealand destinations for singles?
If I were still a single traveller to New Zealand, I think the first place I would head for is the Milford Track. There are tremendous trekking opportunities in New Zealand, whether you are a couple or a single, and I think there are enough people doing this, that I think you can have a terrific vacation. I think there are also really good urban experiences in New Zealand. Wellington and Christchurch are both lovely urban areas where you can really feel at home.
What are popular Indonesian destinations for singles?
Solos have a special affinity for Bali, and actually everybody knows that Bali is a little bit different from the Indonesian norm, if there is such a thing. Bali is Hindu, whereas the rest of Indonesia is Muslim, and Bali has an especially warm and welcoming culture. It's important to know that there's a State Department warning out on Indonesia, because of ongoing violence and attacks against foreign travellers. Bali has been the subject of that. So you take a risk when you go to Bali, and yet it's such a warm and welcoming culture that it's really something that you need to consider because you really deny yourself the opportunity to meet the people, to get to know the culture in a way that you may not do in other areas of Southeast Asia. It's a magical destination and it's unique, and it is accessible for solo travellers. But you do need to take into account the safety considerations.
What are popular Australian destinations for singles?
Australia is a great destination for solo travellers and single travellers. The urban areas of Australia such as Sydney and Melbourne, have really exciting singles scenes or solo scenes. You can feel a part of those destinations or a part from those destinations. There are also great beach destinations, particularly in the southern part of the country, but also, one of the great wonders of the world is the great barrier reef in the northern part of the country and for a solo traveller, I think that would be a unique experience.
What are popular Asia and South Pacific beach destinations for singles?
When we talk about beach destinations in Asia, one thing which comes across my mind is Thailand. In 2004 the Tsunami that went through most of the South Asia determined damage to most of the beach locations in Thailand. But they have come back for the most part. They have rebuilt, and Phuket is specially known among foreign travellers as a great beach destinations and it is to welcoming visitors like women and solo travellers, more so than some other destinations in Thailand. Well many places may or may not be on the radar, and the solo traveller I think will feel good and comfortable and enjoy the beach vacation destination in Pllv, and also the society of French Asia. I think there are many destinations for the solo traveller in Thailand that will feel good.
What are some safety tips for singles traveling through Asia and South Pacific?
For the solo traveller it always pays to be hyperaware of your surroundings when travelling as a single throughout Asia and the South Pacific. In Asia I also think it's important that you understand the culture and that you act appropriately so that you don't call attention to yourself as a single traveller. I think that that's especially important in places like Japan, where there really isn't a safety problem. I think that's probably more of a cultural consideration but there are other places where safety can be an issue so again dressing appropriately, acting appropriately and not drawing attention to yourself I think and being hyperaware of your surroundings and making sure that you stay out of places where you shouldn't be as a solo traveller, can help you have the safest and best vacation possible in Asia and the South Pacific.
What are some lesser-known Asia and South Pacific destinations for singles?
One of the things that solo travellers will find is an opportunity to visit China as a single traveller. You can do it as a foreign independent traveller, you can do it also very comfortably on tours, and China isn't an unknown destination, certainly, but there are places within China that I think are particularly suited for solo travellers. Shanghai for example comes to mind because it has some very vibrant night-life which you don't necessarily think of. Other places in Asia that I think are particularly good for the solo traveller that may be lesser known is places like Palau, Guam, the Cook Islands. Indeed there are literally hundreds of islands throughout the South Pacific that may not be on your radar, and yet may be great vacation destinations for the solo traveller seeking peace and quiet.
What Asia and South Pacific destinations should singles avoid?
What I would say to the solo travel, who is considering some less settled areas of the South Pacific and Asia, or areas where there is political turmoil, is to consult the state department website, to make sure that the place that you are going is a place that you will feel safe and comfortable. Ensure that you wont get caught up in any political unrest, in any political turmoil. That would be my suggestion for singles travelling to the South Pacific or Asia.
