Vacations are the best!
A time to get away from all the stress and go somewhere exciting, exotic, and beautiful.
While it’s easy to dream about the fun things you would do on the trip, planning the vacation itself is no walk in the park. Especially if it’s not just you and you need to put other people into consideration. It can get overwhelming and that is probably why most vacations get canceled anyway.
Well that, and a lack of funds to fund your dream.
To make it easier for you, here are some points to consider before planning a vacation.
Pick your vacation destination
You probably are interested in different locations. You have seen fancy pictures on instagram or heard a story of a friend’s trip to a particular location, and now, you have different places in mind and you are finding it difficult to decide on a location.
Well, I’m sorry, but you ain’t going nowhere.
First, you need to decide the reason you want to go and what you want your experience to feel like. Are you trying to discover something new? Experience a new culture? Do something thrilling?
Determine what you want from this vacation and let that guide you to pick your destination.
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Time of the year
Once you have an idea of where you want to go, you should check the weather to see if the ideal time of year to go there is now. For instance, certain places are best visited in the summer, while others are best visited in the winter or during other seasons of the year.
Holiday weather is a good place to search for your destination. Select “Year Averages” on the right to look for weather and temperature information.
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Budget
Some places, like Iceland, Switzerland, are exceptionally expensive.
This implies that you will require a significantly larger travel budget and that it might take you longer to save for your trip. Do the following to establish whether a place is affordable to travel to:
- Look up the flight’s price.
- Then, to get a general notion of lodging costs, and conduct a search on Booking.com or Airbnb using some arbitrary dates.
- Finally, look into the cost of living, the costs of restaurants, and the cost of food on a website like Numbeo.
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Research travel deals
Finding a flight that is super cheap is the best method to save money on a trip.
Even while these offers may not be available for months, the finest ones last only a matter of hours, so you must be prepared to move swiftly.
If you notice a nice bargain, just book it without giving it much thought because you have the 24-hour rule on your side.
So what is this magical 24-hour rule? Well, It’s actually a law that states that all airlines are required to offer full refunds within 24 hours of the reservation. This offers you plenty of time to choose a flight and confirm that the dates work for your schedule, finances, and family.
Visa regulations
Different countries have different visa requirements. For example, you can go to Ghana without requiring a visa, as you can use your Nigerian passport to enter the country.
For countries like Egypt, you would need a visa.
It is important that you look into the visa laws of the country you want to visit as it relates to yours. This is one of the most important points to consider before planning a vacation.
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Accommodations
When planning a trip, accommodation is one of the most important aspects to consider. You want to make sure you are comfortable and have everything you need while away from home.
First, you want to decide what type of accommodation you want. Is it a hotel, an Airbnb, a house? There are so many options.
Decide which you want and next, look at the prices and reviews. You want to ensure you are booking a place within your budget and you are getting a good place. You don’t want a situation where there is no water or there is unstable electricity.
So look at the budget and reviews, those will help you determine what to get.
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Plan your itinerary
Ensure you have a schedule.
It doesn’t have to be anything rigid; just a list of activities and their timeline so you don’t miss out on anything you would like to do.
You want to plan your transportation? Determine if you want to travel by train, by bus or by car. You should also know how long it takes to go from one town to another. How long do you need to do these activities? How much time do you need to spend in this town to have enough fun?
Your itinerary should contain light information and it’s just so you don’t forget the things you want to do on your vacation. Ensure you leave room for creative experiences cause you never know.
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Research the area
This is one of the most important points to consider before planning a vacation.
You want to have an idea of activities to do, what to wear, and what the locals are like. Check out places you would love to see, activities you would live to do, and the best times to do them.
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Get your documents in order
Find out the documents you need to travel. In most case,s you need your passport, your health card or yellow card as we say in Nigeria and your visa.
Get these together and do not forget to take them along with you.
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Get travel insurance
Travel insurance is a plan you get that protects you from certain financial risks and losses that can occur while travelling. These losses can be minor, like a delayed suitcase, or significant, like a last-minute trip cancellation or a medical emergency overseas.
This point is more focused in the medical emergency plan.
Apart from going for a check up before you go on vacation, you also need travel insurance. Your medical travel insurance covers you for about 5 days to one year, depending on the policy chosen.
Needing medical attention in a foreign country can be complicated and expensive. Your vacation investment should include travel insurance.
Although it might seem like a lot, planning your first trip is actually an enjoyable and necessary aspect of the experience.
Once you’ve planned and enjoyed your first trip, you could find yourself itching for more and experiencing a resurgence of your inner wanderlust. Therefore begin your next trip’s planning and schedule it.
