Going on a trip to a completely new country (or city), taking the time to explore great destinations, and bringing home a lot of new experiences and memories is now easy to do with so many travel resources at your fingertips. Need to find the best flight to take to your destination city? There is an app for that. Need to book a last-minute accommodation? There is an app for that too.
Apps and travel websites today are not just handy for planning our next international adventure. They are also handy for when we need to deal with emergencies or changes to our travel plan while on the road. They certainly make finding deals and special offers easier.
With these resources just a few taps away, planning a huge adventure in a new country is as easy as planning a visit to a nearby travel destination. If the former is what you want to do for your next holiday, these smart tips will help you get every detail about the adventure nailed in no time at all.
Start with an Experience
There are so many great destinations you can visit around the world, and they all offer different attractions and travel sensations. In short, they offer different travel experience for different types of travellers. That is why we need to start with the kind of travel experience you aim for.
Choosing between the best destinations in the world is easier when you know the kind of travel experience you want to have. Certainly, the destination you visit to have a magical hiking adventure is different than the destinations to look into if you are looking for a culinary experience.
Create a Flexible Itinerary
Planning is important, especially if you are visiting a destination you have never visited before. That said, you don’t need to plan every detail of the trip to perfection. In fact, you shouldn’t. Having everything scheduled isn’t the best way to experience a completely new place.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t plan. What I’m suggesting is leaving gaps in your travel itinerary. This way, you always have the time to try new things that you come across during the trip; you can be more spontaneous on your adventure.
Search for Deals
You cannot expect deals and special offers to present themselves as you make your reservations. You have to actively search for the many deals and discounts on the market. Fortunately, you have plenty of resources for this task too.
Deal websites, travel forums, and even travel blogs are filled with recommendations, exclusive special offers, and coupon codes that can be redeemed for cash back and freebies. Be sure to claim the best offers and reduce the cost of your trip immediately; you can allocate the money for other expenses, including the cost of trying new things you will inevitably find when exploring the new country.
Plan a Route
Exploring a country is slightly different from planning a trip to a city or a tourist destination. Chances are you want to move from one city to the next to get the best travel experience possible. Before you start booking flights and hotels, however, do your homework and plan a good route. You can even create your custom route by using a map creation app to make sure you get the best out of your journey.
When traveling to one of the European countries, for instance, you can choose the best point of entry based on the countries – and cities – you want to explore along the way. The same can be said for your exit point; you don’t always have to return to your arrival city to fly home.
Go Local
Speaking of planning your route, you should also check the national airline of the destination country, as well as local service providers. You usually get a better deal when flying airlines based in the destination country. There are extra deals and even cash back to claim too.
Let’s say you want to visit Canada. Finding flights to Montreal is easy, but you should always take the extra time to take a look at flights from Porter Airlines. The airline is considered a regional airline, and it is based in Toronto. You know you will find more routes to cities in Canada when flying Porter.
Timing is Everything
There is nothing wrong with travelling during peak season, but it is also not a secret that you can have a greater time when travelling in low season. The lack of queues and the generally less crowded atmosphere allows you to explore the destination country in great comfort.
As I said, there is nothing wrong with travelling during peak season either. Certain attractions are best seen at certain times. For example, travelling in the summer or fall is highly recommended if your goal of visiting the new country is to see its beautiful sunsets.
Live with (or Like) Locals
You can’t say you have really experienced a country without sampling the lives of the locals. Even in modern destinations such as Singapore and Canada, traces of culture and strong historic are still evident.
Sampling local restaurants and getting more involved in local traditions are great additions to your travel experience. Thanks to the internet, you can also stay with local families by making a reservation online.
Prepare to Walk…
Walking is the most suitable way to explore and have an adventure. You still need to take public transport or rent a car for longer trips, but that doesn’t mean you cannot park the car somewhere and go on mini adventures on foot.
Walking around the city, taking pictures, and finding the best coffee shop to try are always fun. Going on a hike to new destinations that you couldn’t reach by car is also very rewarding in most cases. In some places, there are even hidden gems that can only be discovered by those who walk and explore.
…and Get Lost
Staying true to being spontaneous when visiting a new country, you must not be afraid of getting lost. Getting lost is not a bad thing; it usually means finding new places to explore and discovering new things on your own.
Besides, you are never really lost. As long as you have your smartphone in your pocket, you can always use Google Maps to find your way back to the accommodation. The app tells you exactly where you are as well, and it can guide you to interesting places to visit in the area.
Sample the Local Cuisines
Visiting popular holiday attractions and trying new activities are even better when combined with a culinary adventure. Every country – every city – has unique dishes to try. Trying the local cuisines means adding more depth to your memories of the place.
After all, you have to go to the source to try local dishes in their original form. You’ll be surprised by how different pizza is when you eat it in Italy, or how wine and cheese can taste more special with a gorgeous vineyard acting as the perfect backdrop.
So, are you ready to have your next international adventure? The tips and tricks we discussed in this article will not only help you plan better for the trip and save money along the way but also enable you to have a better travel experience from start to finish.