Traveling alone? With nearly 20 years of solo travel and 60 countries under my belt, all it takes are a few smart travel tips for a smooth, safe, adventure.

Coined the "City of a Thousand Temples," Kyoto oozes old world charm, steeped in centuries of spiritual tradition. It's also the perfect jumping off point for areas like Japan’s Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Nara Park.

Founded in the early 16th century, Antigua is a small town in Guatemala surrounded by massive volcanoes and famed for its candy colored Spanish colonial buildings.

Istanbul travel guide: where ancient minarets, bustling bazaars and sunset cruises on the Bosphorus invite you to taste history, hummus and endless wonder.

Founded by the Spanish in 1521, Old San Juan is the oldest city in U.S. territories — charming cobblestone streets, colonial forts, sunny plazas, secret patios and nearby El Yunque rainforest.

Ringed by tea estates and emerald rainforests, Kandy, Sri Lanka is a must-see — famed for its sacred Buddhist sites and centered around the idyllic Kandy Lake.

Nestled in verdant mountains north of Tokyo, Nikkō charms with its sacred mountain worship, Toshogu Shrine’s splendor and the wild beauty of Nikkō National Park.

Viñales a small town west of Havana with green rolling hills planted with fruit, vegetables, coffee and tobacco. It’s known for steep limestone hills called mogotes which dot the landscape and gardens full of palms and orchids.

Wander the sunlit ruins of Polonnaruwa — towering stone Buddhas, intricate carvings and lotus-filled reservoirs that evoke Sri Lanka’s medieval grandeur.

A short drive from Mexico City, Teotihuacán charms with its soaring Sun and Moon pyramids — seen at sunrise from hot-air balloons — plus vivid murals and gleaming obsidian tools.

Having lived in Asia, Japan still baffled me: confusing trains, dramatic weather and wild solo adventures — use these Japan travel tips to plan your escape.

Pinnawala hosts a renowned elephant orphanage and breeding centre — spend the night and wake to the sight of elephants gathering at their watering hole.

Perched nearly 8,000 feet high, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Incan citadel above the Urubamba Valley — abandoned yet still whispering its ancient mysteries.

Trinidad, a UNESCO site since 1988 for its 18th–19th century sugar-trade history, remains one of the Caribbean’s most beautifully preserved colonial gems.