A report by Andrea Smith for Lonely Planet.

Solo travel was once seen as brave and risky for female travellers, but a shift in attitude has meant that it is now viewed an adventurous, exciting experience for women. Cuba is the destination that seems most appealing to solo female travellers, according to online hostel-booking platform, Hostelworld.

It has reported a 42% increase in solo bookings by travellers between 2015 and 2017, with women leading the way with a 45% increase compared with a 40% increase for men. It has also revealed that solo travellers are heading to more adventurous spots off the beaten path. Hearts are in Havana as Cuba reigns as the fastest growing female solo travel hotspot, with the rise in total solo bookings to Cuba alone increasing by 371% from 2016 to 2017. The top ten countries solo female travellers are choosing include 2. Nicaragua 3. South Africa 4. Bulgaria 5. Guatemala 6. Sri Lanka 7. Macedonia 8. Portugal 9. Tanzania and 10. Romania.

“It’s great to see people and women in particular embracing solo travel,” says Breffni Horgan, director of product, Hostelworld, “Solo travel doesn’t mean travelling alone, and it shouldn’t be a barrier to those wanting to explore the world. It’s a great way to branch out and meet like-minded people from all cultures and walks of life. The increasing number of solo travellers could be due to a combination of better technology, with apps allowing us to easily discover our next location, the fact that more of us are staying single for longer and aren’t worried about waiting for a suitable travelling companion to come along, or the fact that flexi-working can make it possible to combine a job with travel, operating remotely.”