Pelican World Travelers- Good places for 2 women traveling alone?

[the]

My aunt wants to go on a "big" trip, my wife would go with her.

The goal isn't to go just to spend money . . . but money isn't much of an object.

They are thinking Paris, Rome or Hong Kong.

Not so sure about Hong Kong, that seems a little risky for 2 women.

Thoughts?

[Racerbvd]

My Mother (72) and one of her friends took a trip to Germany a few years ago & loved it, she is looking at Japan or China for her next trip.

[imcarthur]

Paris. Beautiful city with lots of museums, cafes, restaurants, shopping, parks & it is quite safe in the core - with the usual cautions. It is the best walking city in the world. They would be quite safe on their own. Daytrips to Giverny & Versailles. And they could easily sidetrip to the Loire valley for a couple of nights.

Rome is grittier, noisier & wilder imho - without the formal beauty of Paris. Although we're going back for 4 days in May . . .

Hong Kong - I have never been.

Ian

[old man neri]

Women can travel anywhere alone if they have witts. When I went to central america I saw all sorts of women travelling alone. You just can't be an idiot about it. Common sense will save you. Just like there are places in north american cities that no one should be alone at night. Understand what I am trying to get at.

I guess the first question is where to they want to go? Europe, beaches, tropics...etc?

[KarlCarrera]

My daughter spent 6 months in China (Bejing, and all the way to Tibet) just prior to the Olympics. Part of her imersion(sp) project at University of Denver. I was scared to death, but it was the trip of a lifetime. Including the wall. Quite an eye opener for a 22 year old. One thing she did learn was that the Red Army is serious. Stealing a tourist's or students bag results in very harsh pushisment.....on the spot. And they were everywhere.

Karl
88 Targa

[imcarthur]

Turn them loose on the Fodors Forum - Europe. Search for trip reports. Imho it's the Pelican of travel. Also see travelerstogo. Both have areas for Asian travel too.

Frommers also has a traveler's forum & there is always Virtual Tourist & Trip Advisor.

Ian

Edit: And slowtrav.com . .

[SLO-BOB]

Paris is an excellent choice. Like any big city it has it's dangers, but it's very easy to avoid them in Paris. They could walk all day and night long and stay out of trouble. I would recommend staying in the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame. I can not overstate how beautiful everything is. You can't not have a great time or be awed. It's walking distance to the Louvre, Eiffel tower, Notre Dame Cathedral (of course) among many other things. Highly recommend! Downside - hardly any other than everyone in Paris says they speak English. hardly any atually do.

Buenos Aires is close (other than being farther away ). A little more "earthy" but it's not called the Paris of South America for nothing. Right now it's summer and the low season so if she's going soon, I would say go there. I recommend Palermo Soho - a cool, friendly, easy to navigate area in close proximity to anything worth seeing. I rented an apt. for much less than I would have paid for a hotel - the only way to go. Food was dirt cheap and some of the best eats I've ever had. Dinner for two at a bistro consisting of amazing steaks, dessert, and a bottle of the best Malbec I have ever had cost 150 Argentinian Pesos - or 45 bucks US! Flight was $650 thru Air canada. Downside - hardly anyone speaks English so brush up on basic (sort of) Spanish. It's actually a combo of Italian and Spanish.

London, not so much. Go to Paris.

Never been to Hong Kong.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

My place. But only if they're hot.

J/K - someone had to...

Honestly I'd suggest Paris. As with most places, as long as they stay in the more "touristed" areas they should probably be okay I'd think. Have they considered Japan? I'd much rather go to Japan than China, frankly - and aside from Tokyo (which is an absolute zoo) it's much more beautiful from what I've been told. And even Tokyo itself is nicer than a lot of the overcrowded parts of HK or Shanghai. But this is all based on the accounts of other people I know that have gone - not first-hand. Take it for what that's worth.

[Wickd89]

Switzerland. -all over.. Lugano, Lucarno, Lucerne, Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, Interlaken, Eiger....

France -- Strasbourg, Colmar, and the charming Alcase region..

Safe. Beautiful. Pleasant. Good food. All historic.

[RoninLB]

Originally Posted by the

The goal isn't to go just to spend money . . . but money isn't much of an object.

I'd hook them up with a high end tour group like Tauck.

No matter where they end up they'll always have someone watching out for them. Even if it's influencing flight times and personal safety in remote or 3rd world areas. If they shop it'll be like they have constant bodyguards. They'll always have chatter going on with the other 20-30 people in the group. The program bang for the buck is impressive at a good outfit. Nothing better than than being treated like Royalty no matter where they go.

that said... Africa is probably the most exotic and S America the closest to Miami/Huston health care.

maybe start with Tauck web site..

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by old man neri

Women can travel anywhere alone if they have witts. When I went to central america I saw all sorts of women travelling alone. You just can't be an idiot about it. Common sense will save you. Just like there are places in north american cities that no one should be alone at night. Understand what I am trying to get at.

I guess the first question is where to they want to go? Europe, beaches, tropics...etc?

Took the words right out of my mouth, Old Man.

Do the travelers do the online thing? If not, print this out for them, Ten Tips for Women Traveling Alone. A couple of the tips address one woman traveling by herself, but all of the info is good advice for women in general when traveling abroad.

As for where to go, the world is their oyster! What do they want to do, lay out on the beach? Haute couture shopping? Museums? Nature? I have traveled alone to France, Belgium, Holland, and England. I once flew to Arizona, rented a car, and drove to Mexico. The solo drive to Mexico is the only one I would not do again, and would not recommend to anyone traveling alone, especially women. I had no problems on any of my other trips - none that had anything to do with being a woman traveling alone, anyway!

If I could tell them one thing, it would be to be sure to know some basic phrases in the language of wherever it is they go, including LEAVE ME ALONE.

[dewolf]

Come to Australia. Your dollar buys......our whole country at the moment. Just don't come in the next month or so. Bushfires at one end and crippling floods at the other.

[stomachmonkey]

Not Turkey

Stick to EU

[Don Plumley]

Japan is great and very safe.
Europe is wonderful, but depending on the city, tourist concentration and weather, they will need to watch for hustlers, gypsys and pickpockets - moreso in Italy, parts of Spain. But as others have said, just keep your wits about you and don't look like the big hair ladies from Texas with Jewelry and loud voices.
Travel is great wherever you go!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Go see "Taken" first.

[Monza_dh]

How old is your aunt? Denver to Hong Kong is a LOOOOOOOOONG flight. I would recommend Paris as well. You could always mix in another EU city with an open jaw ticket, fly into London, take chunnel to Paris, fly home from there etc.

I've done this a few times and Any two major hubs will work: London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Geneva, Milan, etc. Makes for a great trip.