“One does not simply go on a holiday without some planning.”
Come the holiday season and you’re just gearing to travel anywhere to escape the reality that is work or study life. If you can afford it or if you’re just that much of a carefree person, by all means, just pack your bags and head over to the airport to check for the next available flight to whichever destination. However, there are those who have a fear of stepping outside their comfort zone. After all, getting out from your daily routine to travel to a completely foreign destination can appear to be daunting; for both your wallet and experience. But for those who require the insurance that comes with the little extra bit of planning, continue reading to see where you can start!
Where to Now?
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
If you already have a clear-cut destination to where you’d like to visit, you can skip this but if not, you can start by making a list of all the travel destinations that you’d like to visit. Should you be traveling with your friends and family, also consider that their preferences might differ so it would be best to get a compromise that everybody will be comfortable with.
From there you can start ruling your choices off one by one based on your budget and reason for traveling. As tempting as it is, there isn’t a point of taking a loan just to be able to go on a glamorous and expensive trip if you can’t afford it. Work around your budget and your wallet will thank you for it – this won’t be the last of your travels anyway! Different destinations offer different types of activities – head to the beach or resort for a short getaway from all the hustle and bustle that is the city life or head to somewhere with mountain terrains if you’re looking for your next hiking adventure. Another option is for you to head to older cities if you’d prefer a more cultural experience.
Getting There At What Cost?
After deciding on your travel destination, begin by looking at how to get there. Although flight options are usually the fastest way to get to somewhere, if your destination isn’t too far away, you can consider cheaper alternatives like train, bus or even renting a car to drive. However, if your travel location is a bit further away, you’re probably only left with the flight option. For this, note that flight tickets are a lot cheaper when booked in advance. Even more so, when you purchase them at travel and holiday fairs.
Apart from that, the same rule applies to booking your hotel accommodation. When you book your lodging earlier, you have the time to check for extra details like its location, accessibility, and price comparison with other nearby options. Furthermore, strategically located and affordable hotels book out very quickly so make sure you don’t miss out on the good deals! And when you’ve found your accommodation at an easily accessible and convenient location, you end up saving more because you’re even less likely to spend on transportation.
A Guide or Nah?
“Long way to go yet. Smeagol will show the way.”
As another option, you can even opt for tour packages. Available at a fixed cost depending on location and duration, these packages usually include flight tickets, accommodation, food arrangements, entrance tickets, and even a guided tour to all the tourist destinations. However, there are some downside to these pay-and-just-pack-your-bags travel style.
To start, you’ll have to be up as early as 6am every morning to keep to the schedule. Apart from that, you lose out on the opportunity to try certain types of food because your meals have already been pre-set. At shopping destinations, you’ll constantly have tour guides reminding you how much time you have before boarding the bus to rush to your next location. So if you’d like the freedom of going wherever you want without any time restrictions, you might want to opt out of signing up with a tour agency.
To Plan, or Not to Plan, That is the Question
With all the considerations to be taken into account when planning for your dream holiday, it is important to bear in mind that travelling should be done with a light heart. Plan the necessary details of your trip but try not to go into too much detail. When too much planning is involved, you become too preoccupied to realise those plans – resulting in unnecessary and unexpected spending to stick to the original plans.
Take that away, and you’re left with complete freedom to discover and explore whatever and wherever you want. So, travel with a light heart and let your senses and intuition guide you to a whole new travel experience. Bear in mind that the destination doesn’t necessary matter because everything and anywhere can be an adventure. It’s the company you experience things with that matters and the memories are what travelling is all about anyway.
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This article was written by Suyin Leow & images compiled by Jeremy Chew.