yikes, what part of south africa was he in?!? i have family who go to cape town (in particular) very frequently and love it. my sister also went there as a solo traveller a little while back (and she’s a seasoned solo traveller who was literally been everywhere). the only place i’ve really heard bad things about was pretoria!
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There’s a Facebook group called girls love travel. I don’t spend a lot of time in there but I have joined and I use group search bar for specific questions. Lots of travel around the world and lots of helpful tips from women travelers. Could be helpful for specific questions.
Also solo travel blogs or Reddit are helpful as I don’t love watching long form video. I’m old. Just give me answers asap
Also solo travel blogs or Reddit are helpful as I don’t love watching long form video. I’m old. Just give me answers asap
I have heard the same, apparently the soun of shootings is just all over the place. People I know went and thought it was a car backfiring or something and the taxi driver (pretty nonplussed) said it wS probably a shooting
This is all absolute bollocks
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Yeah, people talking absolute rubbish about SA. I've just been for two weeks and go often. No worse than some parts of America and far safer than South America
My Osteo is a youngish Male and well travelled, he frequently disappears off for a couple of months of travelling and that was his experience of S. Africa. It's safe only if you take extreme care. When he stood outside the Hotel waiting for his cab (as is pretty normal behaviour) He was told to go back in and wait inside until the cab showed up as there was a risk of kidnapping. My Son went a few years ago with his School and it wasn't like that at all. The situation is deteriorating and caution is needed at all times. Caution somewhere like Rome where you get pickpocketed is one thing, having to be cautious because there is a risk of kidnapping is a whole different level. He spent 2 months travelling through Colombia and didn't experience anything like that.
He’s talking absolute crap and I would reconsider he’s exaggeration abilities.
i would really love to know what part! as i said above, my sister was a solo traveller there and drove herself also - and felt fine about it. there are iffy spots (as with anywhere) and she was recommended to avoid townships and got a lot of warnings about pretoria in particular but she’s a seasoned traveller and it was really no different to going anywhere (like going to a city in the us and being told the no go areas). my parents also go very frequently, again seasoned travellers, and said the same.
to be told not to stand outside your hotel or someone will kidnap you is something i would only expect from an extremely hostile and dangerous environment. i can’t see that was the case in cape town (as an example) which still has a large tourist population from all over. serious crimes on tourists are also extremely rare in most places because the criminals just don’t want to get involved with the embassies or international police forces.
it is relative though i guess! i’ve been all over, in particular the us, and the only place i truly felt unsafe was new orleans. my sister has been all over the world and the only place she truly felt unsafe was egypt. yet other people have told me the exact opposite about both these places!
I have 2 weeks off in June, solo holiday needs booking today. Need somewhere in the med, hot, sunny, beaches, affordable but with history and culture as well. Any ideas?
Malta!
Rhodes?
Let us all know where you go and what it's like! I've STILL not booked my solo holiday but one day I will definitely do it
Valencia is great in June, they also their national day on the 23rd
Seville is also great, as is granada (you can go to amazing Arabic style spas which are amazing ) but with the crazy heatwave andalusia has been experiencing atm might be too hot
I know it's not immediately appealing but I'd look at one of the beach resorts in mainland Spain. If you stay on the outskirts you bypass all the 'all day breakfast' crew completely and you benefit from beaches and easy access to lots of great cities. I stayed in Calella down the coast from Barcelona and got the train in. You can also get to Valencia really easily. These resorts tend not to be popular with Brits so much these days but the beaches are great. Great value too.
have been to Valencia and Seville. Loved both. Both easy to get around and explore as a solo traveler. but the heat in Andalucía is intense in the summer.
If you go to Seville there’s an Arabic spa called Aire that is amazing. I didn’t do any massage but just did the pools and I can’t recommend it enough.
Sitges, just a bit outside Barcelona, is really nice
Booked 3 nights in Milan - been before but plan to do day trips to Turin and Verona, or maybe Varenna for a swim in Lake Como. And then getting the train to the coast near Portofino and staying for 7 nights there for walking/swimming/sunning. So that's 10 nights in total x
that is a GORGEOUS trip - have the best time!
Milan is very nice and actually underrated, be sure to go to the navigli area for aperitivo in the evening! Turin is also very nice but I went so long ago I have no advice. Enjoy!