KATHMANDU: Tripadvisor has ranked Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu, as the second best ‘solo travel destination’ globally.

The world’s largest travel guide platform last week announced various best destinations in different categories including food, trending, natural, solo travel and honeymoon apart from its regular ‘top destinations’.

Tripadvisor said in a statement that the ‘solo travel destinations’ category was included for the first time this year. “This list features many major global cities, with the South Korean capital, Seoul taking the top spot. These destinations are loved by solo travelers and perfect for anyone heading out on an adventure alone,” it said.

Likewise, Cusco of Peru, Bangkok of Thailand, Osaka of Japan, Dubai of the United Arab Emirates, Kyoto of Japan, Chiang Mai of Thailand, Reykjavik of Iceland and Melbourne of Australia are included in the top 10 best ‘solo travel destinations’.

According to Tripadvisor, it pores over millions of reviews shared by travelers to determine the most trusted recommendations to help future explorers.

With seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur durbar squares, Changunarayan Temple and Syambhunath Stupa, Bouddhanath Stupa, and Pashupatinath Temple – and multitudes of cultures, Kathmandu has long been in the lists of favourite destinations of international tourists from around the globe.

The country welcomed more than 1.14 million tourists in 2024 , an increase of 13.1 per cent from 2023, and most of them had been to Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, the new ranking of Tripadvisor is likely to attract more solo travellers to this vibrant city. According to the recent statistics, about 9 per cent of the global population goes out for solo travel. This is more than 720 million people who would reach to the suitable and best destinations that can cater to their travel need.

Meanwhile, London has risen the top destination in the world taking the title from Dubai which was on the number one position since 2022.

Kathmandu is at 21st position on this ‘best of the best’ destinations list. These rankings have further solidified the reputation of Kathmandu as well as Nepal as the best travel destination for various types of tourists.