If you’re looking at arranging a holiday a long way from home, it’s a good bet you’ve been saving up for it for a while. When you put so much time and effort towards making a big holiday happen, it’s important to make sure it’ll meet your hopes and expectations.
Below, we’ll explore the key aspects of planning that can ensure your time spent exploring the world delivers in memories you’ll treasure forever.
Choosing your destination
It’s likely that you already have a destination in mind – perhaps somewhere you’ve dreamed of seeing your whole life – but if all you know is that you want to go somewhere exotic and far away, you have a host of incredible options. If you’re flexible on exactly where you go, consider factors like visa requirements, budget and travel time when narrowing down your choice, as well as just what cultures and activities you’re interested in. Otherwise, the world is your oyster! Australia and New Zealand, Japan, South America, a safari in Africa… what’ll it be?
Planning your itinerary
A balanced itinerary is essential to making the most of a major holiday. Remember that the combination of long flights and changing time zones will be tiring, so make sure to budget for some acclimatisation time where you’re not too busy. Even later in your stay, it’s wise to allow for a mixture of action and downtime so that you don’t feel rushed to do everything possible. Rather than set impossible expectations for yourself, make a list of your top three or top five things you want to do, and build your itinerary around those.
Booking flights and accommodation
When it comes to long-haul international flights, the earlier you can book, the better a price you’re likely to get. A good rule of thumb is to finalise your travel at least two seasons before you leave, as prices will go up the more urgent a booking is.
The kind of accommodation that will best suit you may depend on the activities you have planned – if you intend to be on the move a lot from town to town, a series of youth hostels might be ideal, while a self-catered rental could help create a feeling of home away from home. If you’re worried about the amount of finicky admin involved, you could look into deals for all-inclusive holidays that bundle together travel, accommodation and more.
Packing essentials
The less you have to lug around, the better, so learning how to pack items efficiently into smaller bags is well worth it. Make sure to choose what you pack based on the climate you’ll be exploring – keep those fabrics light and breathy if you’ll be in the heat! Most importantly, though, keep your relevant travel and identification documents secure but easy to hand.
Safety and security
When you’ve decided where you’re going, look up the government’s official advice on travel there, if any, and continue to monitor it periodically before you leave so that you’re fully informed about any issues. Look into your options for travel insurance so that you have some protection against the various risks involved and set up clear emergency contacts, so that you have peace of mind to enjoy your time when you’re out there!