Tripologist: Is Jordan a safe destination for solo women travellers?

I am considering a trip to Jordan late next year for about seven days. Is it practical or advisable as an older female to travel solo rather than as part of a tour group? If not are there any tours you would recommend?
S. Mercer, Cherrybrook

The Treasury (Al Khazneh) in Petra. Jordan.Credit: iStock

Solo travel for women is problematic in that part of the world. A group tour is more practical as well as less expensive and the shared experience is more fun – dining alone is not. There are several choices. You need a week just to take in the highlights, and World Expeditions (worldexpeditions.com) has an eight-day Jordan Explorer tour, staying in three and four star accommodation with one night in a Bedouin camp, starting from $2990. Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com) also has a small-group, eight-day premium adventure tour with upmarket accommodation, quality experiences and top-notch guides, starting from $3546. Both operators also include Jordan on wider tours of the region, either with Israel or Egypt or sometimes both.

I would like to take my adult son to Singapore for a week over Christmas, looking to do some tours, experience the food scene and explore nature and the outdoors. Can you suggest some good value, comfortable, separate accommodation for us?
M. Logan, Carlingford NSW

In the sub-$150 per night category, Champion Hotel (championhotel.com.sg) has comfortable, spacious rooms in the Chinatown district. On the downside, there is no swimming pool and the nearest Mass Rapid Transit station is a 10-minute walk. In the same price range, the Five/6 Hotel Splendour (hotelsplendour.sg) is another great choice, with clean, comfortable and well-equipped rooms. Location is close to the Champion Hotel. In the under $250 league, Hotel G (hotels-g.com) is a smart, four-star boutique hotel in a prime location. Rooms are short on storage space and there’s no pool but food options are good here – there’s a French restaurant, wine bar and 25 Degrees burger bar, an LA import. For a full-fledged hotel experience at a reasonable price, Ramada By Wyndham (ramadasingapore.com) is a top choice. Located at Zhongshan Park, it’s a four-star hotel with great facilities including that all-important pool, close to shopping and transport. The Furama Riverfront (furama.com) is another quality hotel in a central area with plenty of food options close to Clarke Quay. You need to book now, hotels are busy over the Christmas period.

We are a multigenerational family hoping to spend two to three weeks together in Europe in September 2024, possibly Greece or Portugal. Prefer hotel accommodation where we each have our own space plus easy access to casual eateries, bars and beaches. Some of us enjoy walking, others love adventure and we all love food, music and the sea.
K. Rolls, Blueys Beach NSW.

Either Greece or Portugal would fit the bill but unless you plan to hop around from one Greek Island to another, Portugal is probably going to work better for you. It has everything you’re looking for and Portugal gives you greater freedom of movement. Some will probably want to get a car and head off to explore, others might want to lie on the beach, relax by the pool after a night of fado music or visit cultural sites. The Greek Islands are wonderful for swimming, cafes, culture, relaxation and food but not so great for mobility. Although your trip is still a fair way off you should start looking at hotel options now, they book up fast and Portugal is still popular in September.

My husband and I are planning to travel to Barcelona in August. We prefer to stay in Airbnbs if possible, which I understood were banned in Barcelona yet there are numerous listings online. Can you explain this conundrum and if Airbnb should be avoided? We are also planning to visit Arles and Paris.
L. Ravelli, Enfield NSW

Short-term apartment rentals rather than individual rooms from Airbnb and other similar providers are allowed in Barcelona provided the host has a Tourist Use House licence from the local authorities. Airbnb’s terms and conditions state the host is responsible for compliance with the applicable laws. Therefore, when you select your preferred accommodation you might ask your host to confirm they have the appropriate licence since staying in an unlicenced accommodation could have consequences. For example, your accommodation could be terminated while you’re in residence, or you might void your travel insurance policy. In Arles and Paris you should have no difficulty finding an Airbnb. As an alternative, in Paris I’ve stayed in apartments rented from Guest Apartment Services (guestapartment.com), which has around 30 apartments for short-term rental in prime areas. One-bedroom apartments start from about €160-€180 ($230-$260) per night but even that will get you stylish accommodation in a brilliant location. You won’t find hotel accommodation of a similar standard, size or location for anything like the same price.

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Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.