How to plan the most amazing trip ever (in just NINE steps)
Plan the most amazing trip ever, in nine easy steps
Many people ask us just how we manage to plan such great trips. It seems hard for many people to pack so much excitement into a relatively short time. Therefore, we decided to do a quick post to help you plan the most amazing trip ever, step by step.
1. Pick your destination.
This depends on a lot of things, including:
a) Time. If you only have a weekend, you will be best visiting somewhere relatively close by. However, if you have three months you could even extend across part of a continent.
b) Budget. If you have a larger budget, then you will be able to visit many more places comfortably than if you have very little money. Despite this, certain locations around the world are much cheaper than others, so your money can go much further.
c) Inspiration. Have you always dreamed of visiting the Pyramids? Or maybe Hawaii? Places you have always wanted to visit should always feature in your destinations shortlist, subject to the two considerations above. We love checking out Hillman’s Wonders of the World for inspiration. Maybe you will prefer more visual forms of inspiration, such as Buzzfeed.
d) Activity level. Some people want their trips to be all about adrenalin and excitement. You may prefer a complete relaxation type of holiday, or even somewhere with amazing nightlife. What you want to do on your trip will have a major bearing on where you choose to visit.
2. Check your passport is in date, whether or not a VISA is required to enter the country you wish to visit, and whether you may need to get any vaccinations to travel.
3. Choose your flights.
A lot depends on how flexible your dates are. If you are at leisure to choose any date you like, you are more likely to be able to get a great deal on your flights. However, if you only have specific dates you can travel on, then you are much more limited. Skyscanner and Momodo are our favourite websites to search for flights. Often, costs can go up the closer to your date of travel. It is always worth checking this out early on in your planning.
4. Book your accommodation.
We have used many different sites to book accommodation on in the past. Booking.com is fantastic for hotels, as is Trip Advisor since you can see the reviews right there. If you prefer something a bit different, then definitely check out Airbnb, which can come up with some amazing options. Budget travellers might also want to look at Hostelworld, and Couchsurfing.
5. Plan an itinerary.
We always go way overboard with this, planning our trips down to the smallest detail. However, for us, we find it provides us with a much better experience. Even if you don’t want to plan in detail, you will at least want to look at what attractions, and restaurants you may want to visit on your trip. Many of them will need booking in advance. It would be a real shame to get the other side of the world, and find out that you can’t do what you had dreamed of doing. If you know where you want to visit, you may be able to look for discounts in advance too.
6. Decide how you will get around.
If you will be travelling long distances, you may want to rent a car. If not, you need to check out what the public transport links are. Perhaps taxis are affordable in the place you are visiting. Or maybe the area is small enough to explore on foot. It is always worth checking your options in advance.
7. Check out excursions.
We always used to book as many excursions as possible on our trips. However, we came to realise that we prefer going on our own to places. The freedom that it gives us is worth it. We have spent hours on public transport getting to a place that an excursion takes you in comfort to. However, the freedom to do whatever we want when we arrive far outweighs the negative side for us. Many excursions we have been on have resulted in us having just a couple of hours at an awe-inspiring site. We then spend the same amount of time stood in a tourist shop! For many people though, having less things to worry about is an attractive option. You can often get great deals on tours through local companies, especially if you buy a few of them.
8. Pack your bags!
Make sure to check what baggage allowance your airline offers. Also check that your suitcase is within their size limits, if they have any. Pack enough essentials in your hand luggage, so that you could cope for a couple of days if your luggage went missing. Keep in mind that certain objects aren’t allowed to be carried in hand luggage, though.
9. Enjoy your trip!
Have we missed any of your must-do tips? What is your favourite bit of planning a trip?
