In today’s day and age, no dream is too big and no destination too far. Traveling stretches your understanding and viewpoint and makes one see the world in a new light. It is a fun activity, but it also contributes to a person’s growth if they do it right.
Smart Travel planning means using technology and data-driven approaches to plan your trips. Ensuring an efficient travel calendar following personalized, sustainable, and convenient techniques. It can include leveraging digital tools like travel apps, interactive maps, real-time updates, contactless payments, and eco-friendly transportation options to optimize your travel experience.
So, mentioned here are some smart traveling tips that will change your travel game and make your journey even more pleasant, joyful, and economically safe and sound.
Smart Traveling Tips: General
- Do your research: This is the most important element of traveling smart. Pick a destination, then gather information about it. What is that place known for, what are the things you can do there, how is the accessibility of that place, what are the nearby places, etc. these are a few questions that you should have answers to while planning a trip.
- For accommodation, cross-reference a few websites, and even call a few places to check for the availability and pricing. Then select the best option for you. Booking, Trivago, and Airbnb are a few websites that you can check out for good accommodation options.
- Keep scanned copies of all your travel documents such as passport, visa, passport size photographs, vaccination certificate, etc. in a secure vault.
- Estimate a budget and then add some extra amount for any unforeseeable circumstances. Do not count it for your regular part of the travel plan.
- Book the flights two to three months in advance for getting better deals.
- Book flight tickets in the afternoon on weekdays. And travel on weekdays, if you can for getting a cheaper flight option.
- Make use of credit card points and travel miles to save on flights.
- Buy a neck pillow. In longer flights, it will be a blessing for your neck.
- Purchase travel insurance. It is an important investment that will save you from going bankrupt in the case of a mishap or accident and emergencies.
- Alert your bank about your travel plans, so that you do not face any hindrances in accessing your funds.
- Select fewer destinations. Multiple destinations will lead to a lot of time being consumed in reaching one place from another. It is better to enjoy a few locations to the fullest, instead of hopping from destination to destination.
- Use Google’s offline maps feature. It does take up a significant amount of space in your device. But you can delete the ones that you have already used and download the fresh ones once you’re on the go again.
- Check the weather conditions before going anywhere.
- Carry a universal adapter.
Smart Traveling Tips: Luggage
- Travel light! It is one of the smartest travel hacks. You do not need a new shirt every day or five pairs of shoes to travel.
- Keep small combination locks or zip-ties for locking your luggage.
- Identify your bags by putting a bright sticker or anything that will stand out.
- Click a picture of your luggage. It helps with lost baggage.
- Roll your clothes to save space.
- Always keep a small or medium-sized towel. Many hotels/hostels do provide them; but if by chance they don’t, you’ll have a backup.
- Buy travel-sized containers to carry your vanity essentials to save space in your luggage.
- Keep a light jacket/jumper/sweater. If nothing else, you can always use it as a pillow.
- Buy comfortable shoes. You can go a long way in shoes that don’t hurt you with every step.
- Pack comfortable clothes. It is also advisable to research how the locals dress and pack accordingly to blend in with the crowd.
- Bring reusable water bottles. Airport water is way too expensive.
- Plastic bags or ziplock bags are life-savers. You can keep your used clothes separated from your fresh clothes. Or keep your phones and other electronic devices from getting wet.
Smart Traveling Tips: Safety
- Carry baby wipes, hand sanitizers, and surface sanitizers to avoid getting infected.
- Keep a first aid kit or just pack some common medicines for headaches or fever and ointments for cuts and bruises.
- Wear sunscreen. Those sunburns do not look or feel good!
- Secure your hotel room with door stoppers.
- Avoid drawing attention to yourself, especially if you are lost or are in a shady area.
- Stay aware of your surroundings.
- Keep your carry-on bag in front of you and your wallets or phones in front pockets or locked inside the bag, especially in crowded areas.
- Learn the emergency exits of the place you’re staying in.
- Keep an extra credit/debit card, so that if you lose one, you won’t lose access to your funds.
- Don’t carry all your cash and cards with you while going out to explore. Mugging is real!
Smart Traveling Tips: Exploration
- Go local! It’s good if you have a pre-planned itinerary for all the sightseeing locations, but it is also important and fulfilling to see how the locals live.
- Avoid eating at touristy places because they will be much more expensive.
- Learn some common words and phrases in local languages. It is one of those unique travel tips that can help you get out of some sticky situations.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for the wifi passwords in cafes. Most of them have free wifi.
- Use rideshare apps like Uber, Bolt, Careem, etc to get an estimate of the ride cost. You can then either choose to book and travel through it or bargain with the locals based on the same.
- Ask a local shopkeeper or any other vendor to give you an estimate for local taxis, e-rickshaws, etc.
- If you’re traveling for a longer duration, it is better to have passes for commutation, and local sightseeing destinations. Check the local government websites to gain information on the same.
- Pre-book the activities that you want to do. Last-minute bookings can be expensive.
- Research the local cuisine of the place you’re going to and then find out some hidden gems that can provide you with that cuisine.
- Don’t hesitate to eat the street food. It’s one of the best ways of diving into the culture of a place.
- Keep your phone aside! It is good to take pictures to save memories. But make sure to not get so caught up in saving the memories, that you forget to live the moment you’re in.
- Use apps like Couchsurfing or MeetUp to hang out with new people.
- Create an outline of what you want to do, but leave some space for adventure. Just wandering off, getting lost intentionally. And keep some time off to just relax. You don’t need to go out every single time of every single day.
- Be kind and open-minded. You are a visitor in their place, do not be disrespectful to them or their customs.
- Take free walking tours. It is a good way to remember the local streets and landmarks.
So, folks… These were our two cents on smart traveling tips. Don’t forget to check out some traveling-related FAQs, which are given below:
Trips and Tips FAQs
Q. How can I afford to travel?
A. The conception that traveling is a luxury is a myth. With the right planning, budget-conscious choices, and mindfulness, anyone can afford to travel. For example, plan your trips months in advance and make smart travel choices, like staying in hostels, spending money on experiences rather than clothes, eating at local shops instead of fancy restaurants, and so on.
Q. How can I start to plan for my first trip?
A. Start small. Pick a location that’s closer to where you live to cut down transportation costs. Visit one or two destinations at a time. Remember, the goal isn’t to tick places off of your list. It is to enjoy and see the world beyond your usual perspective. Decide a timeline of when you want to go and how much you can spend on the trip. Then plan accordingly. And keep in mind the smart and unique traveling tips mentioned here for enhancing your overall experience.
Q. How do you get so many leaves from work to travel?
A. Traveling is slightly different from a vacation. Try and make the best use of today’s hybrid work scenario. Manage to work and travel at the same time. Use weekends to change destinations or explore the entire day, and on weekdays, explore the places early in the morning and later in the evening.
Q. When is the best time to visit any place?
A. It is a good choice to visit any place during the off-season. Everything is cheaper, from flights to hotels, even shopping; and the places are less crowded.
Q. Any other insight to remember while traveling?
A. It is important to remember that not every experience will blow your mind. Like life, traveling also comes with challenges or unpleasant moments. Don’t be disheartened too much if something happens. It is simply part and parcel of traveling. It also accounts for funny or interesting stories in the future.
