The mid-range solo travel blog
Solo travel,
made easy.
Tom Solo Travels is a solo travel blog for people who want to see the world on their own - without quitting their job or living on instant noodles. Honest destination guides, real costs in GBP, hotel reviews and free planning tools from 20+ countries.
- Europe - My new region guideMy new region guide
- Asia - 9 countries compared9 countries compared
- Bangkok - ThailandThailand
- Osaka - JapanJapan
- Porto - PortugalPortugal
Start here
New to solo travel? Start here
Pick what you need right now and I'll point you to the most useful guides and tools on the blog.
My first solo trip
Start somewhere easy, safe and social. I always recommend Thailand first - Koh Samui is a gentle first island - or Porto if you'd rather stay in Europe.
Choosing where to go
Not sure where to go? Take my quiz below, or browse every destination I've written about across Europe and Asia.
Budget & saving
Solo travel doesn't have to be expensive - I've averaged around £30 a day in Thailand. My free tools help you work out your budget and how much to save.
Travelling with a 9-5
I travel on annual leave and long weekends. Booking leave around bank holidays turns 20 days off into 47 - here's how I do it.
In-depth guides
My complete solo travel guides
Region guide
Europe
Where to go, three itineraries, daily costs and the new 2026 entry rules.
Read my Europe guide
Region guide
Asia
The best first countries, the classic loop, costs and my trip checklist.
Read my Asia guide
Country guide
Thailand
A 2-week route, costs in GBP and the new 30-day visa rules.
Read my Thailand guide
Country guide
Japan
The Golden Route, my Osaka tips and what's new for 2026.
Read my Japan guideDestination finder
Where should you travel solo? Take my quiz
Answer four quick questions about time, budget and the kind of trip you want, and I'll match you with the destination I'd pick for you.
How long have you got?
What's your daily budget, before flights?
What kind of trip do you want?
Have you travelled solo before?
Turn on JavaScript to take the quiz - or browse my destinations below.
Where I've been
Where have I travelled solo?
16 destinations across Europe and Asia so far - swipe through, or see them all on my travel map.
Full guideAsiaThailand
11h 30mHome to Bangkok, my favourite city in the world, plus temples up north and islands down south. It's the country I recommend first for solo travel.
Full guideAsiaJapan
14hNeon cities, temples and incredible food - and one of the safest countries to travel solo. I based myself in Osaka and loved Kyoto even more.
EuropeItaly
2h 30mHome to Rome, my second-favourite city - history on every corner and food to match.
EuropeAustria
2h 15mHallstatt still feels like something out of a dream - lakes, mountains and fairytale villages, perfect for a mountain lover like me.
EuropeLatvia
2h 45mWhere I was born - the little one between Lithuania and Estonia, and a big reason I've always been so curious about the rest of the world.
EuropePortugal
2h 15mI spent six nights in Porto - port cellars, tiled churches and sunsets over the Douro - and Lisbon and the Algarve are easy add-ons.
EuropeEngland
Home baseI've lived in London for over 20 years. Visiting the UK? Start with my complete guide to London - museums, markets and neighbourhoods that are perfect to explore solo.
EuropeCzechia
1h 50mPrague's fairytale old town, castle views and great-value food and drink make it a classic, easy solo city break.
EuropeHungary
2h 30mBudapest's thermal baths, grand riverside architecture and ruin bars make it brilliant for a few days solo.
EuropeLithuania
2h 40mAn underrated Baltic city break, with Vilnius's walkable old town and great value for money.
EuropeGermany
1h 45mFrom Berlin's history and nightlife to Munich and fairytale castles - and easy to travel solo by train.
EuropeFrance
1h 15mParis for art, cafes and food, and an easy train ride from London - perfect for a quick solo trip.
EuropeSpain
2h 15mTapas, sunshine and beaches, plus cities like Barcelona and Madrid that are made for wandering solo.
EuropeSwitzerland
1h 40mLakes, scenic trains and some of Europe's most dramatic mountain scenery. Pricey, but unforgettable.
AsiaVietnam
12h 30mHanoi's Old Quarter, Ha Long Bay, lantern-lit Hoi An and buzzing Ho Chi Minh City - some of the best food and value in Asia. Start with my guide to the best hotels in Hanoi.
EuropeScotland
1h 20mEdinburgh's old town and the wild Highlands - and no passport needed from the rest of the UK.
Free tools I've built
Free tools to plan your solo trip
I built three free calculators for the questions I ask before every trip: how much will it cost, how much do I need to save, and how much data will I use? Have a play with the mini versions below - no sign-up, no email.
Mini versions are rough estimates. The full tools go into much more detail.
Solo Travel Budget Calculator
Plan a realistic daily budget for your solo trip, so you know what to expect before you book anything.
- Stay
- Food
- Transport
- Activities
- Built for solo travellers
- Costs in GBP
- Free, no sign-up
Trip Savings Calculator
Find out exactly how much to put aside each month for your next trip - and turn it into a plan you'll stick to.
- Live currency conversion
- Downloadable plan card
- Free, no sign-up
Travel eSIM Data Calculator
Estimate how much mobile data you'll actually use abroad, so you buy the right eSIM and don't overpay.
- Based on how you use your phone
- Avoid roaming bills
- Free, no sign-up
Meet your guide
Who is Tom Solo Travels?
I'm Tom Lejava - a Latvian-born, London-based mid-range solo traveller. I've explored 20+ countries since 2019 while working a full-time 9-5, and I started this blog in 2025 to share the honest guides I wished existed.
Honest hotel reviews
Which hotels have I reviewed?
Every review is from my own stay, judged as a solo traveller: location, safety, comfort and whether it's worth the money.
Lyon, FranceTop rated
My rating5/5
La Suite en Rose
A hidden gem with a private jacuzzi - but one strange flaw.Read my review
Valencia, SpainNewest
My rating4/5
Axel Hotel Valencia
My honest experience at this adults-only hotel.Read my review
Vilnius, Lithuania
My rating4/5
Hotel Vilnia
An elegant stay - with a few unexpected twists.Read my review
Koh Samui, Thailand
My rating3/5
The Stay Chaweng Beach Resort
An honest 3-night review from Chaweng.Read my review
Barcelona, Spain
My rating4/5
Axel Hotel Barcelona
A 4-star stay that outshone Axel Berlin.Read my review
Porto, Portugal
My rating3/5
The Log Hotel by Piamonte
My 6-night stay in Porto.Read my reviewFrom the road
Latest solo travel stories
Travel
Guide
From the shop
Heading to Bangkok? Take my guide with you.
My favourite city in the world, condensed into one practical guide for solo travellers.
Get the Bangkok Travel GuideMy promise
Why can you trust my guides?
Because everything here comes from my own trips. These are the rules I write by.
- Written from my own trips
Every guide and hotel review is based on places I've actually been.
- No press-trip pieces
I don't publish sponsored press-trip write-ups dressed up as advice.
- Clearly labelled
Where my region hubs mention places I haven't visited yet, I say so.
- Affiliate links disclosed
Some links earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you - I always say when.
- Real costs in GBP
Prices are in pounds and checked regularly, along with visa and entry rules.
- Honest about the bad bits
Loneliness, tourist traps and disappointing hotels - you'll hear about those too.
FAQs
Solo travel FAQs
Quick answers to the questions people ask me most about travelling alone.
Is solo travel safe?
For most people in most destinations, yes - with sensible precautions. Research the neighbourhood you're staying in, share your itinerary with someone at home, keep copies of your documents and trust your instincts. Thailand, Portugal and Spain are all welcoming places for a first solo trip.
How much does solo travel cost?
It depends on where you go and how you travel. I'd budget around £25-70 a day in Thailand, £30-80 in Eastern Europe, £70-150 in Western Europe and £45-200+ in Japan, before flights. Accommodation is usually the biggest cost, because there's no one to split a room with.
What are the best destinations for a first solo trip?
Somewhere safe, social and easy to get around. Thailand is my top pick - Koh Samui is a gentle first island - and in Europe, Porto and Valencia are walkable, affordable and easy to navigate.
How do I plan a solo trip?
Pick your destination and how long you're going, book well-reviewed accommodation somewhere central, sort travel insurance, then make a loose day-by-day plan rather than an overpacked one. My Solo Travel Budget Calculator helps you work out the costs first.
Is it lonely travelling alone?
Less than you'd think. Hostels, walking tours, group day trips and social hotels make it easy to meet people. Some loneliness is normal and it passes - staying somewhere social for the first few nights helps.
Is solo travel more expensive than travelling with others?
Usually a little more per person, mainly because you pay for the whole room. You can offset it with private rooms in hostels or guesthouses, travelling in shoulder season, and tours with no single supplement.
How can I travel solo on a tight budget?
Choose cheaper regions like Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe or the Balkans, stay in hostels or guesthouses, and eat where locals eat. In Thailand I averaged around £30 a day on street food and 7-Eleven snacks.
How do you travel so much with a full-time job?
I'm smart with annual leave. I book leave around bank holidays and weekends - in 2027, 20 days of annual leave can become 47 days off - and I squeeze city breaks into long weekends.
What mistakes do first-time solo travellers make?
Overpacking, over-planning, skipping travel insurance, not booking the first night's accommodation, and keeping all your cash and cards in one place.
Do I need travel insurance for solo travel?
Yes - especially when you're on your own. Make sure it covers medical treatment, emergency evacuation and trip cancellation, plus any gear like a camera or laptop.
What does Tom Solo Travels cover?
Destination guides and itineraries, honest hotel reviews from a solo traveller's point of view, and free planning tools - including my Solo Travel Budget Calculator, Trip Savings Calculator and Travel eSIM Data Calculator.
Your first solo trip starts here.
You really don't need anyone's permission to go. Pick a destination, plan it with my free tools, and take the leap - I'll be cheering you on.
Where next?
Find your trip, then follow along on socials.
Take the destination quiz Browse all destinations