25 Countries to Start With If You're New to Travel

If you're new to traveling, the hardest part isn't packing or booking — it's the blank map. There are around 195 countries out there and no obvious place to begin. So here's a shortcut: 25 countries that are famously easy for a first big trip. Good infrastructure, welcoming to visitors, plenty to do, and low on the kind of friction that makes a first trip stressful.

You won't go wrong starting with any of these. Pick the ones that make you lean in.

(One note: entry rules, costs, and conditions change constantly and vary by passport — always check the official requirements for your own country before you book. This list is about the experience, not the logistics.)

Europe — easy to combine, easy to love

• Portugal — warm, relatively affordable for Western Europe, with a gorgeous coast, and locals used to helping travelers find their feet.
• Spain — big, varied, and endlessly friendly; beaches, cities, and food that make it hard to have a bad time.
• Italy — the classic first trip for a reason: food, art, and history stacked on top of each other, with well-worn tourist paths.
• Greece — islands, ancient ruins, and famous hospitality; simple to island-hop once you've arrived.
• Ireland — English-speaking, deeply welcoming, and small enough to see a lot in a short trip.
• Netherlands — flat, walkable, bike-friendly, and almost everyone speaks English.
• Iceland — otherworldly landscapes wrapped around a very easy, very reassuring travel experience.
• Croatia — a stunning coastline and walkable old towns, increasingly set up for visitors.
• Switzerland — pricey but effortless; the trains run like clockwork and the scenery does the rest.
• Czechia — Prague is a gentle, beautiful introduction to Central Europe.

Asia — your first taste of somewhere very different

• Japan — remarkably safe, clean, and organized; the perfect "far from home but never stressful" first trip in Asia.
• Thailand — the original traveler on-ramp: warm, welcoming, and set up for every kind of visitor.
• Vietnam — extraordinary food and friendly people, in a country that rewards curiosity without demanding experience.
• Singapore — spotless, English-speaking, and effortless to navigate; a soft landing into Asia.
• South Korea — modern, efficient, and fun, with world-class food and transit.
• Taiwan — underrated, friendly, and one of the easiest places in Asia to get around.

Oceania — big adventures, gentle logistics

• New Zealand — jaw-dropping scenery with the ease of an English-speaking, traveler-ready country.
• Australia — vast and varied; a long flight for many, but simple once you land.

The Americas — close to home for some, rewarding for all

• Costa Rica — the easy gateway to Latin America: nature, beaches, and a well-oiled tourism scene.
• Canada — enormous, welcoming, and gentle for a first international trip.
• Mexico — far more than resorts; incredible food and culture, with plenty of visitor-friendly regions to start in.
• Peru — Machu Picchu anchors a country that's well set up for travelers and full of wonders.

Africa & the Middle East — a bigger step, still beginner-friendly

• Morocco — a vivid, sensory introduction to North Africa that's well trodden by first-timers.
• Jordan — famously hospitable and easy for visitors, and home to Petra and the desert of Wadi Rum.
• UAE — Dubai and Abu Dhabi are polished, easy, and a comfortable first step into the region.

How to pick your first one

Twenty-five is a lot of options, so narrow it with three questions:

• How far outside your comfort zone do you want to go? For maximum ease, start with an English-speaking or highly organized country (Ireland, Japan, New Zealand). For a bigger leap, Vietnam or Morocco.
• What do you actually enjoy? Cities and food → Italy, Spain, Japan. Nature → Iceland, New Zealand, Costa Rica. History → Greece, Peru, Jordan.
• What's near what? First trips get better when you can combine — Portugal and Spain, or Thailand and Vietnam, in a single trip.

The best first country isn't the most impressive one. It's the one you'll come home from already wanting to book the next.

A good next move: drop the ones that pulled at you onto a travel bucket list map so you can see which ones cluster together into a first trip. You can start one free at odyssa.me — mark these as "want to go," and watch your first itinerary take shape.

FAQ

What's the best country for first-time travelers? There's no single best, but the smoothest first trips tend to be safe, well-organized, and welcoming — Japan, Portugal, Ireland, New Zealand, Thailand, and Costa Rica are all common, reliable picks. Choose based on how far outside your comfort zone you want to go.

Where should I travel if I've never been abroad? Start somewhere with good infrastructure and a language you can manage — an English-speaking country (Ireland, New Zealand) or a very organized one (Japan, Singapore) makes a smooth first trip. Build up to bigger adventures from there.

Is it safe to travel abroad as a beginner? Yes, especially if you start with countries that have a strong reputation for being safe and easy for visitors. Always check current, official travel guidance for your destination and passport before you book.

How do I choose between so many countries? Match the country to what you enjoy (food, nature, or history), decide how big a leap you want, and favor places you can combine into one trip. A bucket list map makes all of this much easier to see.