There is something we all need to admit, that we all love travelling. The mere idea of going to a new place and doing things you like is incomparable. But there are times when we are ready to travel but we run out of ideas on destinations. Most often we end up in a place to travel which was not even our priority. This is because of the lack of planning. Yes, choosing a travel destination also needs planning and we all need to admit that too. Its not a random whim that makes us travel.
In this blog we have listed some helpful tips and pointers that you can consider before you pick your travel destination. Make sure to consider most of them, because after that the outcome is going to be fabulous. You got to take at least this much of pain as you do not get to travel every day.
Time matters – The first thing you should consider is how much time do you have, a weekend, a week, or probably a month. This will help you decide whether you should head to a destination around your town, or take a flight to some exotic place in your country, or indulge in some relaxed international journey.
Remember that while creating your itinerary time constraint is going to be the most crucial element. Also try not to cram up your itinerary, because travel is enjoyed best when its leisure.
Travel Companions – This is what will define the experience of your trip. Yes you might be a family man who is looking for some escape with children and spouse. In that case you will need to choose a family destination where you will encounter similar crowd. The last thing you would want to be stuck up with is landing on a nude beach with your family.
If you are travelling with friends, then you might consider going to a place that have a good nightlife scene, or probably to some adventurous destination.
Weather you like – This might seem not so important but trust me in destinations that have extreme weathers you should think twice before heading there. As per your likeness, you can head to a place that is hot or maybe cold with lots of snow, or maybe to some tropical coastal destination. You get to pick where you will feel most comfortable.
Another great tip is also to escape the weather you have in your current place. Yes if its summers in place you live you might want head to a hill station to beat the heat.
Remember that travelling in peak seasons has their merit, and also demerits. Merits are that you will see the destination in its best time, and demerits are overcrowded spots and high expenses.
Budget is the key – Many of us, would travel their entire life if money was not a problem. Yes budget does plays an important role in choosing the destinations. There are destinations where everything is less costly, while there are also destinations where all the prices are hyped. You need to decide if this trip is going to be a budget holiday or a luxury holiday.
Other secondary things to keep in mind are prices of the hotels, prices of the flights, and how much are you willing to spend per day once you start your trip.
If Budget is your biggest constraint, then you can also chose to buy a holiday package that comes in a pre defined prices. This way you will be able to control how much you will spend.
Experiences you would like to have – Travel is all about experiences. But the question is what kind of experience would you like to have. It could be adventure, through hiking, camping, going on a road trip in a camper van, or indulging in some extreme sports. It could also be spiritual, like visiting temples, or going to some retreat. It could be pure leisure by staying in a beach resort or wellness resort.
It could also be sightseeing especially the historical sites, which most of the travelers do. The point is, once you know what experience you want to have, it becomes easier to choose the destination.
Refer to Bucket List – Every traveler has a bucket list, places or things they would like to do. It is not necessary that we note them down, but these places and things are always in some corner of our minds. So when picking a destination refer to your bucket list. See what places you have imagined going and if it fits the situation you are in right now to travel to.
Remember bucket lists exist because we are not able to visit these places for some reason or the other, and these situations can persist. The point is to keep an open mind, if you are still not able to pick a destination from your bucket list, then keep your options open.
Refer to previous travels – Unless this is the first time you are travelling, you must have memories of the trips you have made before. Guess what they are heaps of treasure that you can refer to. Just remember what experiences you loved. Just remember what kind of destination made you most happy. Just remember what kind of things you did that satisfied you the most.
Once you have answer to all these questions, picking your travel destination will become easy. But also note, that by remembering past travels you might be tempted to visit some place again. In such a case use your wisdom, and think if travelling twice to one place is better than visiting a new one.
Purpose of your Trip – Everything that happens in our lives is for some reason or the other. Yes universe is like that only. It also applies to the trips we take. There is a purpose behind every trip, and if you know that purpose and keep it in your mind, then choosing a destination will become easy. It could be a birthday trip, it could be a bachelor’s party trip, or it could be a friend’s only trip.
Remember there is a destination for every purpose. You will never be able to enjoy a bachelor’s party trip if you land in some historical town. Purpose is the key to finding the right destination.
Recommendations are always there – Travelling to a new place all together can be scary. You never know how is it going to end. You never know what kind of experience you are going to get. You also don’t have idea about the locals, even if you Google it you cannot be sure. In such a case ask for recommendations from your friends, family and people around you.
It might be that they come up with a destination that suits your need. Better would be if they have themselves visited the place before, and they will be able to give you first hand experience about the destination.
Inspiration from Instagram and Travel Bloggers – Instagram is full of pictures from places all across the world. You just need to search for them. It will give you a close picture of the experience you are going to have. The least Instagram will do is show you around before you even land down. Another good place is browsing through travel blogs.
Through travel blogs you will not only get to know about the destination, but you can also expect the top things you can do while there. Remember seeing and reading is as good as believing.
Flight Deals and VISA – Check out for the flight deals before you pick any destination. I am not saying to check the fares of all places around the world. But create a list of 4 or 5 places and check their fares. This goes especially when you are a budget traveler. A good deal will go easy on your pocket and you are going to like the feeling of being a smart traveler.
Many countries have strict VISA requirements. So it is better if you are headed for an international trip to check for the VISA even before you book the flight. Better to choose a country that has relaxed VISA requirements for your home nation.
Go totally off beat – We all love doing things that are unique. We always have fantasize going to destinations that are less visited, or doing the things which scare most people. So make this trip an off beat one. The best way is to not choose any destination but an event. Yes, there are events that are larger than life which happen in every corner of this world every other day.
It could be a music festival, it could be a film festival, it could be a F1 race, or it could be some world cup of some sport. Trust me if you haven’t tried these kind of trips, you are going to love it.
Movie or Book – Everyone in this world has a favorite movie and a favorite book. In our day to day lives we take inspirations from these movies and books. We tend to repeat and do things that are done in them. So why not do the same thing with travel. Yes there might be a movie or book about travel that you like very much and you can go the same place that movie or book was based on.
It could be India inspired by Eat, Pray and Love. It could be Singapore inspired by Crazy Rich Asians. It could be any place you have imagined going while reading a book or watching a movie.
There is always a perfect destination for everyone!
