Dubai named third-safest city for solo female travellers

Saudi Arabia's Madinah came first in the study by InsureMyTrip, with a score of 10 out of 10

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  1. Madinah, Saudi Arabia, has been named the safest city for solo female travellers with a score of 10 out of 10. AP

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  2. Chiang Mai, Thailand, received 9.06 out of 10. Getty Images

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  3. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, received 9.04 out of 10. AP

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  4. Kyoto, Japan, received 9.02 out of 10. Getty Images

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  5. Macau, China, received 8.75 out of 10. Reuters

Dubai has been named the third-safest city for solo female travellers in a study from travel insurance website InsureMyTrip.

According to the site, 84 per cent of solo travellers are women. So to cater to them, a study was conducted to find out which places are the safest for this demographic of holidaymaker.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe while travelling. At InsureMyTrip we strive to take the worry out of travel, because it should be fun,” said Suzanne Marrow, senior vice president at InsureMyTrip. “We hope this study empowers more women to travel, with or without a companion.”

Scroll through the gallery above to see where the top five safest cities are.

InsureMyTrip used the most recent available data on each city for categories such as “feeling safe walking alone at night” and “absence of attacks” to rank major cities around the world out of 10.

Madinah in Saudi Arabia was found to be the safest, with an overall score of 10 out of 10, while Thailand’s Chiang Mai came in second with a score of 9.06, followed closely by Dubai, which scored 9.04. Rounding out the top five were Kyoto, Japan (9.02) and Macau, China (8.75).

“Overall Dubai has a very low crime rate and is considered a safe place to travel as a woman, with the majority of public transport in Dubai offering a ‘women’s only section’. It should be noted that it’s essential to research Dubai’s laws and strict dress code ahead of visiting, as women are required to dress modestly when in public areas,” cited the study.

The top five safest cities for female solo travellers

1. Madinah, Saudi Arabia, 10 out of 10
2. Chiang Mai, Thailand, 9.06 out of 10
3. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9.04 out of 10
4. Kyoto, Japan, 9.02 out of 10
5. Macau, China, 8.75 out of 10

When examining the cities with the lowest safety rating, South Africa’s Johannesburg ranked zero out of 10. High crime rates were a large factor in the overall safety rating. The number for “feeling safe walking home at night” was also affected by the country’s dim street lighting.

Paris — one of the most visited cities in the world — also ranked in the bottom five, with a score of 3.78 out of 10. The city scored low in “feeling safe walking home at night” (4.04) and “absence of attacks based on gender” (3.51).

The five least-safe cities for female solo travellers

1. Johannesburg, South Africa, 0 out of 10
2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2.98 out of 10
3. Delhi, India, 3.39 out of 10
4. Jakarta, Indonesia, 3.47 out of 10
5. Paris, France, 3.78 out of 10

Scroll through our gallery below to see Dubai's top attractions.

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  Dubai's post-pandemic boom has made it one of the most visited places in the world today. Further to that, the city has seen tens of thousands of new residents arrive to settle down. Reuters

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  Between late 2020 and spring 2022, the city's population grew by close to 100,000 people. Karim Sahib / AFP

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  Lifestyle and a growing jobs market has attracted many residents to flashy communities such as Jumeirah Beach Residence. Reuters

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  Population growth is a major part of Dubai's 2040 Urban Plan, which seeks to boost the population to 5.8 million. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  There are plans to physically expand Dubai, creating new beaches and parks for the larger population. The government wants 60 per cent of the city to be green parks and reserves. Photo: Dubai Media Office

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  The past two years have \seen a rush of foreign investors looking to buy new property in places such as Palm Jumeirah, where prices have risen significantly. AP Photo / Kamran Jebreili

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  Landmarks such as Bluewaters Island and Ain Dubai, the world’s largest observation wheel, have put Dubai on the map as a global lifestyle destination. Reuters