Planning a trip can be a difficult task as there are many factors that you must consider to have a successful trip.
From finalizing the dates to finally going on the trip, there are serval steps that you will have to plan thoroughly.
To make your life easy and to aid you in planning a perfect outing like trip for yourself or with your family and friends, we have written a comprehensive step by step guide to planning your next trip.
Let’s commence the guide.
The Best Step by Step Guide to Plan Your Next Trip
There are some essential steps that you must go through to plan your trip, and we will be going through them to help you out.
Are you going alone or do you have company?
If you are planning to go on a voyage alone, you have already made the first step for planning a trip.
If you plan to travel with friends or family, on the other hand, then you will have some extra steps to carry out, as a group trip requires more careful planning.
Travel Itinerary
Here’s how to start; first and foremost, you should prepare a travel itinerary.
It means that you should document each of the steps the following steps that we are going to mention.
It will help you to manage your time and dates, come up with exact travel expenditure, ensures you don’t miss any place that you plan on visiting, and that you have all the essential documents.
Picking out Dates for the Trip
The second step is that you should decide on the dates for your trip.
Furthermore, if you are working as an employee, you need to inform and seek permission from your employer to leave on the specific dates that you have picked.
If you can do your work remotely, let your boss know that you can work and travel, so you can continue to earn money.
Moreover, you will have to ask your family or friends if they are free as well for the time slot of the trip before finalizing.
Once everyone confirms that they are available and willing to go with you for the selected duration, you can move on to the next step.
Make a budget:
Now that you have your dates finalized, it’s time for a budget breakdown, or else you will be spending money needlessly on unnecessary stuff.
One of the best ways of saving money is to make a budget before your trip and stick with it, whether you travel alone or family.
Furthermore, ask your friends to do the same if they want to travel.
Where to go on a trip
After you have made a budget, you can finally pick out possible locations that fall into your budget for the trip.
If you have enough budget for international travel or to go on a world tour, you will have many destinations to choose from, but you will have to plan accordingly as well.
International Travel
International travel requires thorough planning and study.
The first requirement before you travel, though, is passports.
If you are planning an international trip, you will need a passport to apply for visas and go out of your country, so make sure that you and all of your family members and friends have one.
Furthermore, look into the visa waiver program that has a total of 38 countries that allow you to visit them without any visa.
There are other things to contemplate as well because you will be packing your luggage according to the location of your trip.
You can start by picking out the region that you want to travel, such as southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, or Europe.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the possible destinations from these regions.
Japan
Japan is one of the top travel destinations for traveling families or individuals in the South Asia region.
There are many big cities that you can visit, such as Tokyo and Osaka.
Furthermore, you can experience Shinkansen, the Japanese high-speed bullet train, and even get a 7-day Japan rail pass for around 270 dollars per adult.
Citizens of around 68 countries, including the U.S.A. and Canada, don’t require a visa to enter Japan.
You get visa-free 90 days to stay, but you will need to have a valid passport for the entire duration and return ticket as well.
Singapore
Singapore is one of the top destinations for travel; in fact, it has one of the lowest crime rates on the planet, and also it is one of the cleanest countries in the world.
There are many places to visit and experience in there, such as the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park, The Gardens By The Bay, and Universal Studios.
United Arab Emirates
One of the best options for you and your family is to travel to Dubai, U.A.E., especially if you love shopping in massive malls.
It is one of the top travel destinations in the world and a pretty good choice if you are a budget traveler, as the cost of traveling is decent.
Apart from the massive malls, you can visit the Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest building in the world.
Furthermore, you can go off-roading in the desert and end the night off with fantastic local food.
Italy
One of the top and prime places to visit in Southern Europe is Italy.
It has many famous attractions that are a must-visit for an avid traveler.
You can go to Rome, the capital of Italy and check out the massive colosseum.
Furthermore, you can go to Venice, the Italian island city known for its canals.
Moreover, you can visit Bologna, which has the famous medieval two towers.
How can we forget the exceptional food of the Italian people?
From the fantastic thin-crust pizza, with their trademark pizza sauce, to their outstanding lasagna and spaghetti, everything is divine.
How to prepare for international travel
After you have the passports and location finalized, it is time for you to study about the foreign country you are going to visit.
The first thing to check is if a visa is required for you to visit that country.
If they do, then you should submit a visa application at the relevant embassy of that country.
Sometimes countries require you to get certain vaccinations before they allow you to visit them, so make sure that you get injected with all of them as well.
Furthermore, make sure to get a certificate for the vaccination that you can show to authorities while traveling.
You must also check the local language of the foreign country and learn a few words beforehand to avoid any complications.
Many people get robbed of their money, as some locals take advantage of the language barrier and charge exponentially higher prices for their services.
Moreover, learn about the public transportation system and taxis before you travel. Also, learn about the local currency as you will be going through many foreign transactions.
Packing Tips
Once you have got the visas, you can now check the weather conditions in the country you are going to travel to know what to pack and then pack your luggage accordingly.
One of the best packing tips that we can give you is to pack light and only take with you the only essential things.
Don’t take any valuables that you don’t need, as people tend to lose their items abroad more often.
Furthermore, make sure to have a small bag or hand carry for all your travel documents.
Moreover, make a packing list and check everything as you pack them.
Another essential tip when traveling abroad is to pack an emergency medical kit with you.
Keep it with you during your trip at all times, especially if you have medical complications or allergies.
Think of it as a safety tip, and it will help you travel with peace of mind.
Plan your tour of the country
There are many attractions and places that every state and city has.
Hence, you need to visit them to make your trip worthwhile.
One way to do that is by roaming on the streets by foot and explore every corner.
The other way, and the recommended option, if you are traveling to a foreign country for the first time, is to book a tour guide.
The best way to do that is to book a tour guide before you travel.
You can do either do that through a travel agency or online through a website.
A tour guide will show you all the major attractions around the city while explaining the history behind them.
Get accommodation
You will also need a place to stay while you are traveling.
For a solo traveler, it is quite easy, as you can get cheap dorms, hostels, and pods for living.
If you are vacationing with friends and family, you will have to plan according to your budget and requirement.
You must get a relaxing accommodation, as you will suffer from jet lag after traveling abroad.
A piece of travel advice that people give is to use Agoda for hotel booking, as they provide massive discounts and provide flexible choices for places to live.
Travel insurance
Some travelers like to buy travel insurance for their trips.
The agencies that provide insurance claims to cover you in case of trip cancellation, loss of luggage, medical emergencies, and travel delays.
One of the most popular agencies that provide the best travel insurance is World Nomad.
Whether you want to buy travel insurance or not comes down to your own opinion and belief.
Get your tickets
You will also need information about airfare and air travel.
If you are a budget traveler, you can get cheap tickets online through booking websites or via travel agencies.
Additionally, you will need to get information about the weight limit per ticket of the airline you choose.
Furthermore, make sure to reach the airport at least three hours before departure and that you have all the travel documents with you, to avoid any interruption.
Moreover, visit your local airport website to learn about airport security and what items you are not allowed to carry with you on the plane.
Local Travel
One of the cheapest places to travel is usually your own home country rather than an overseas trip.
It is quite rare for citizens to travel around the country and explore it.
Well, here’s a money-saving tip.
Pick a city you have never visited in your home country and plan a trip there.
You have the flexibility of selecting the travel method in your home country.
You either travel by car, by plane or even by train, depending on your mood and budget.
Furthermore, if you have friends in different states, you can request them for free accommodation for a few days.
The packing steps remain the same, but with local travel, you are free to carry extra stuff.
It depends on the luggage capacity of your mode of transportation.
Bonus Step: Earn Money While Traveling
Traveling doesn’t mean that you will only spend money and not earn it.
You will be surprised to know that people traveled around the world while making money through it.
And quitting their regular job entirely.
Nowadays, if you have an internet connection, it is pretty easy.
You can work and travel at the same time and earn money.
Travel Blog
The most straightforward way to earn money while traveling is to start a travel blog.
Then write about all the exciting things you encounter during your travels.
Furthermore, if your blog becomes successful, you will get paid to travel by sponsors.
If you are fortunate enough, you will get to travel the world for free.
Freelancing
Another option is freelancing while traveling and earn money.
If you have any marketable skills, then you can make money online easily.
Just go to reputable websites such as Fiverr or Upwork, create your account and start offering your services at your desired price.
Teaching English
If you are traveling to any Asian country, especially China, you should look into teaching English.
Numerous countries are always looking for native English speakers to educate their citizens so that they can speak fluent English.
Furthermore, you don’t need to visit any institution physically, as you can take all the classes through a computer online.
Now that you now all the steps that you need to plan your perfect trip.
Let’s take a look at some more things that will further help you in your planning process.
Spring Break
One of the best time to plan for a trip is during the spring break.
Usually, spring break starts in March or April in the U.S.A, and all the universities and schools are off.
It is a perfect time to plan a short trip with your family and friends.
Considering they won’t have to worry about their children missing school days.
Another plus point of planning a trip during spring break is the weather.
As it is a transition period between the winter and the summer.
The temperature is just perfect, and it is neither too cold nor too hot.
Cruise Ship
Another fun way to plan a trip is to go to your destination on a cruise ship.
Furthermore, you can set your entire trip on a cruise ship that doesn’t go to any particular destination.
Rather it takes you into the sea, while you enjoy all the luxury features on the boat.
Cruise ships are becoming a vacation spot itself.
They offer activities such as mini-golf, fishing, a pool, and a large selection of food for you to enjoy.
Moreover, the cruise line offers several packages, and one of them will comfortably fit your budget.
Tourist Tours
As we mentioned above, you can book a tourist guide that will take you on a sightseeing tour around the city.
While there is a lot of information that you can gather from the internet.
Still, it cannot measure up to the knowledge of a local tour guide.
Therefore, if you are traveling to any country for the first time.
You should hire a tour guide who will tell you what to see there.
You can quickly get a fantastic deal online from the websites of the tour companies in the country you are going to visit.
Couchsurfing
If you are a budget traveler and like to save money on accommodations, you can try out Couchsurfing.
It is a homestay and social networking service that you can use through a website or your mobile phone.
It has over 14 million users in over 200,000 cities all over the world.
All you have to do to become a surfer is to make an account, find a suitable host, send him a request for the dates that you will be spending there, and you are good to go.
Furthermore, the host is not allowed to ask for any money.
You can discuss all the facilities that they will provide you for free beforehand.
The whole concept of Couchsurfing is based on the fact the people are generally kind.
