Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What country would you suggest for a person who has never traveled much, but wants to go and just wander and try to get a sense of adventure? A place that is culturally different and challenging, but not dangerous or daunting, and can be comfortably traveled just making up an itinerary day-to-day.
A few places that come to mind for me would be Chile, Morocco or Malaysia. Maybe also Mauritius or Sicily (nobody goes to Sicily).
The only potential problem on your list could be Morocco if traveler is a female traveling alone.
Generally not a problem as Moroccans are for the most part friendly and helpful, but someone not used to traveling and the difference in cultural norms of how a female's clothes/attitude/interactions are interpreted by some local men there can find themselves in an uncomfortable or somewhat frightening situation. Maybe not a big deal in tourist areas like Marrakesh full of Europeans but if she rolls off the bus in some smaller traditional berber town in the Atlas wearing shorts and starts strolling around the souk she might be surprised at the reaction she gets.
How'bout the good ol' USA & CDA?
We did a 2 month, 13,000 mile car trip: 33 states, 4 provinces of CDA, 13 National parks, a dozen state/local parks, lots of fabulous curvy 2 lane black top roads, great vistas, scenes & scenery, met some good people, and never a disparaging word or problem all along the way.
I understand the attraction 'overseas', for travel, but many have not really seen the remarkable sights here in the US/CDA, imo. The 'places' are innumerable, the food and water are always good, the money is easy, and the language is innate. ;>)
GL, mD
You WILL find tourists in Sicily. Some friends of mine went just a year or two ago. For ME the ideal first trip would be someplace where English is spoken. It's pretty frustrating to be on your own and not be able to read road signs or have conversations with local people. Have a great trip, whatever you decide.
What country would you suggest for a person who has never traveled much, but wants to go and just wander and try to get a sense of adventure? A place that is culturally different and challenging, but not dangerous or daunting, and can be comfortably traveled just making up an itinerary day-to-day.
A few places that come to mind for me would be Chile, Morocco or Malaysia. Maybe also Mauritius or Sicily (nobody goes to Sicily).
There doesn't seem to be any conditions in terms of budget or anything else. So, it really depends on the person's sense of adventure. Does he or she mind going to a place where English is not the first language? How dramatically different a culture would he/she like? I would suggest almost any country in Western Europe (Norway for nature, Croatia for off the beaten path, Italy for culture). Tourism facilities and infrastructure are plentiful, English is widely spoken and safety is not an issue and is quite easy to deal with. Chile, Morocco and Malaysia seems a bit advanced for a someone who haven't travel much.
Gender and age would be important criteria impacting my suggestions. Slackjaw's observation (tried to rep but I've got to spread it around) about Morrocco is dead on, I've seen western woman get harassed in Tangiers by Berbers for inappropriate dress.
Relatively inexperienced travelers probably ought to avoid Islamic countries in general, especially if female. Just about anywhere in Western Europe, as ChunkyMonkey noted, would be my first suggestion.
Costa Rica would be my best suggestion for Central America, I know it fairly well and its got a great bus system, with language not really an issue for English speakers. I've no experience further south.
I would counsel that youngsters traveling solo avail themselves of the hostel scene, its a great way for them to hook-up with other similar travelers and meet people. I'm a believer in "safety in numbers". Solo young female travelers make me nervous (Dad of two here) and there is value in being cautious to avoid potential problems. JMO
PS - I'd make very sure the traveler had medical travel insurance. Its quite inexpensive and can save one a huge hassle if the unexpected emergency happens.
Last edited by Pilgrim21784; 03-01-2012 at 05:34 AM..
Costa Rica would be my best suggestion for Central America, I know it fairly well and its got a great bus system, with language not really an issue for English speakers. I've no experience further south.
South next door Panama pretty much same same same in gringo friendliness. Relatively good bus system, currency pegged 1:1 with dollar, the usual property crime but not bodies dropping like Honduras and El Salvador, lots of things that tourists like to see and do beaches rain forests volcanoes zip lines waterfalls etc, pockets of expats and the pizza/bars then come with it. Avoid Colon.
Plus Central America is only a few hours flight from FL or TX.
I think I'd go with Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is in South America, quite safe of a city yet still off the map enough to where you can get a little bit of a " wow you went there!".
Actually though, the best place you can recommend an inexperienced traveler to go would be the country they are most interested in.
One thing I always try to impress on travelers is that just about wherever you go, you will run into people who know the ropes pretty well who will welcome you as a casual traveling companion. In my experience 99% (or more) of independent solo travelers (both genders) are reliable and trustworthy people, and usually go through lonely stages themselves. There is a certain protocol among backpackers that a willingness to travel together never implies anything more than that.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
