Is it a hassle to do all the planning on your own?
Many people love to travel but have the mistaken impression that planning a trip is extremely difficult. More often than not, they look for travel agents and buy packaged holidays with little room for change or customization.
Trip planning doesn’t have to be like that, though. You can find plenty of tools and tricks to plan the perfect trip exactly the way you dreamed. Check out six tips for easy vacation planning and set out on an amazing adventure.
1. Find a Destination
Image via Flickr by Poolie
Choosing a destination depends on your budget and what you’re looking for in a getaway. If you don’t have a lot to spend, Southeast Asia might be a better option than Europe. Cities in Asia like Bali, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City are great for those on a budget. These cities have got a lot to offer as well.
You might also want to check out the list of attractions and places you can visit before finalizing on the destination. I find TripAdvisor and Klook to be useful when I am planning the list of places to visit.
Or is there an activity which you have been yearning to do so that you can strike it off your bucket list? Say climbing the Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan?
But if you’re looking for art and impressive architecture, then nothing beats European cities. Don’t forget you can always travel in your own country and have a lot of fun, too.
2. Pick the Right Time to Travel
One reason that flights to the Philippines are cheap in September and October is that it’s the typhoon season. For Bhutan, it is cheaper to travel in June than other parts of the year. It could save you a few hundred dollars! You don’t have to visit new destinations during the off-season necessarily, but if you avoid the high season, you might pay a lot less and skip the crowds.
3. Pack the Essentials
Image via Flickr by CJS*64
New travelers tend to pack as much as they can, just in case they might need something. A better alternative is to research your destination beforehand and only take what’s necessary. If you’re staying in a hotel, for instance, you probably won’t need to take towels and toiletries. You should also bring versatile clothes so that a beach dress can be perfect for a casual night out. You can also pack clothes made with thinner fabrics so that you can wash and dry them easily.
Minimalism is key so that you do not have to spend so much time unpacking once you are back home!
4. Book the Perfect Accommodations
When it comes to lodging, your options are endless. Travelers can stay in all-inclusive resorts, eco-friendly lodges, Airbnb and even budget-conscious youth hostels. Ideally, you should use the best hotel booking platform, where you can compare the prices and customer reviews on other travel portals like TripAdvisor before choosing the one you like the most. Do spend some time looking through the reviews and photos taken by other travelers before narrowing down to the hotel that you want.
5. Decide How to Get Around
Depending on your destination, you might be better off using public transportation instead of renting a car. If it’s a small town, you can probably walk to the majority of the sights. The last thing you want is to pay inflated taxi fares because you didn’t know about the airport shuttle or the cheap and efficient local buses. A more affordable way of getting around is to rent a bike and cycle from one place to another. It’s one of the best ways to explore the heart of the town and the neighborhoods. Some quick research on Google could save you a lot of precious cash.
6. Create the Ideal Travel Checklist
Imagine arriving at the airport to check in and finding that you forgot your passport. Checklists aren’t foolproof, but they could help you avoid a massive headache. In addition to your passport, you should add bank cards, personal medicine, booking confirmations, and anything else you might need on your trip to your checklist.
I would usually make a to-do or travel checklist on my bullet journal, and I would check my luggage a day before the flight to make sure I’ve brought all the items. There were times where I forgot to bring my SD cards for my camera and phone cable to charge my phone. In the end, I had to spend time searching for shops that sell those items. I wish I had checked my bag earlier before jet-setting off!
Instead of looking at travel planning as a complicated burden, try embracing the process. The more confident you feel about your researching skills, the more you’ll enjoy planning. You will be a pro in planning your travel itinerary in no time!
Eventually, you’ll see why many travelers say that half of the fun of traveling is in the preparation.
