Interest in solo travel is rising, with 45% of women saying they would like to travel alone, yet safety concerns remain the main reason many hold back. Tour operator Island Hopping recently conducted a study to find the world’s best islands for women traveling alone.
The research compared islands using key safety and comfort factors: Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS), English language proficiency of the population, cultural friendliness, walkability, hotel availability, accommodation costs, and overall living expenses. Islands were ranked on a 0-100 scale based on these factors, with the main focus on safety and cultural openness in the final scoring.
Here’s a look at the top 10 islands for solo female travelers:
| Islands | WPS Index | English Index | Culture Rank | Walkability | Hotel Price | Hotel Density | Cost of Living | Score |
| Madeira | 0.877 | 607 | 11 | 97 | $145 | 4.6 | $804 | 100 |
| Ibiza | 0.859 | 535 | 6 | 100 | $155 | 4.9 | $846 | 98 |
| Lanzarote | 0.859 | 535 | 6 | 93 | $86 | 4.6 | $846 | 97 |
| Fuerteventura | 0.859 | 535 | 6 | 68 | $93 | 3.7 | $846 | 87 |
| Corfu | 0.766 | 602 | 9 | 95 | $72 | 6.0 | $930 | 83 |
| Santorini | 0.766 | 602 | 9 | 98 | $188 | 7.9 | $930 | 82 |
| Gran Canaria | 0.859 | 535 | 6 | 24 | $199 | 4.7 | $846 | 70 |
| Boracay | 0.612 | 578 | 3 | 100 | $40 | 8.9 | $565 | 67 |
| Tenerife | 0.859 | 535 | 6 | 14 | $232 | 4.4 | $819 | 66 |
| Rhodes | 0.766 | 602 | 9 | 52 | $130 | 4.7 | $930 | 63 |
You can access the complete research findings here.
Madeira ranks as the best island for women traveling alone. The Portuguese island stands out with the highest Women, Peace and Security Index at 0.87, which reflects women’s overall well-being and safety. The island also offers great walkability, scoring 97/100 and making independent exploration comfortable. Madeira’s strong English proficiency also ensures ease of communication for international women travelers.
Ibiza, Spain, takes second place, showing a solid 0.85 safety score and the best walkability on the list. Despite the reputation for being a party island, Ibiza’s cost of living (846$) is below the study average. Locals here are also known for their friendly attitude (culture rank of 6), creating a welcoming environment for solo travelers.
Lanzarote, Spain, lands in third position, mirroring Ibiza’s high women’s safety rating of 0.85 while offering more budget-friendly hotel rates at just $86 per night, among the lowest in the top 10. With a walkability score of 93, women travelers can easily explore local attractions here without depending on transportation.
Fuerteventura in Spain holds fourth place, maintaining the same strong safety as the other two Spanish destinations. Hotel costs in Fuerteventura remain affordable at $93 per night, and similar to those in Ibiza, the atmosphere here ranks high in cultural openness.
In fifth place is Corfu, Greece, where female solo travelers can move around comfortably, backed by a 0.76 safety rating. The island has the lowest average hotel prices among European destinations at just $72 per night, along with a high hotel density. Many locals in Carfu speak English, which will ease communication barriers for international visitors.
Next up is another Greek island, Santorini, sharing Corfu’s 0.76 safety index. With a good walkability score of 98, women here can explore the island’s villages easily on foot. The hotel density is high too (7.85 hotels per square kilometer), showing plenty of accommodations to choose from.
Gran Canaria, Spain, ranks seventh, scoring 0.85 for women’s well-being and safety. Staying at a hotel here costs around $199 per night, while the living expenses are relatively low at about $846. As with other Spanish islands, Gran Canaria scores high in cultural openness, making it a welcoming destination for solo female travelers.
Boracay, Philippines, follows next. This island stands out with the highest cultural score (3), reflecting its friendliness toward visitors. Getting around Boracay on foot is comfortable, as it scores 100/100 in walkability. It also offers some of the most affordable accommodations at just $40 per night, and there are many stay options with the island’s high hotel density.
Tenerife lands in ninth place as another Spanish island in the ranking. The largest Canary Island maintains Spain’s high 0.85 safety rating for women, coupled with a hospitable environment and a high cultural openness score (6). Tenerife also stands out with affordability, with its cost of living of 819$ being lower than in other Spanish alternatives.
Rhodes, Greece, completes the top 10 best islands to visit as a solo female traveler. The island shares the 0.76 women’s safety index with other Greek destinations, while its hotel prices fall mid-range at $130 per night. Female travelers will find Rhodes especially welcoming, thanks to its high cultural openness (ranked 9) and the ease of chatting with its English-speaking locals.
“When women travel alone, practical factors matter as much as tourist attractions,” says the spokesperson from Island Hopping. “Safety after dark, ease of getting around without taxis, and widespread English knowledge make a big difference when seeking directions or help in unexpected situations. Compact destinations, like islands or small-sized cities, generally offer safer experiences for solo women travelers because their smaller geography usually means police presence is more concentrated and visible. Also, crime rates tend to be lower in these places, as communities are relatively smaller too, everyone knows each other, and this creates safer conditions for visitors.”