Sometimes finding the right place that fits your schedule and piques your intrigue can be a considerable obstacle, especially when your travel bucket list is loaded with appealing options. To ease the process, here are our trip planning tips to use as a loose guideline when selecting a destination for your next adventure.
Before you get started, there are a few generalities to consider. Most importantly, what kind of experience are you seeking? What limitations (time, financial, physical,…) do you have? Are you looking to travel solo? If not, what of your companions’ interests, preferences, and dispositions?
Now, onto the details and trip planning tips.
Time Allotment
First thing, think about how much time off you can afford to take and, based on that, rule out destinations that would require a greater time commitment.
There are times when circumstances impose on our lives and disrupt our plans, but this doesn’t mean that we can’t work around those issues and still find an enjoyable “compromise destination.”
Time management plays a significant role in trip planning, and mastering this trait is essential to a well organized and executed vacation.
Example
I recently had a 4 day weekend that I wanted to use for an escape. As much as I longed for a long hiking session on the Andes, I came to terms with the fact that 4 days in South America wouldn’t suffice to even scratch the surface. Instead, I opted for a roundtrip to nearby Quebec City, which is only a few hours car ride from where we currently live and a lovely place to be during the holiday season.
The Season
Second, consider the season. Often the experience you want to get out of the journey will determine the time of the year in which to visit due to seasonal weather conditions. Along with the four seasons you are probably accustomed to (e.g., winter, spring, summer, and autumn), also consider wet and dry weather patterns and precipitation averages, especially if the target destination is located in a subtropical or equatorial region.
I know that the temptation of leaving a cold place for an out of season sunshiny summer break is immense when living in high latitudes, where winters are long and frigid. My advice to you is to mind the predictable weather patterns storms when planning your next excursion.
Example
We naively went to Mexico at the tail end of their rainy season, and it was a miserable experience. Not only did the sudden torrential downpours put a damper on our outdoor excursions, but also prevented us from leaving our apartment due to street flooding. Do not make the same rookie mistake we did, and do your due diligence before making arrangements.
Cost
Cost is another important factor. Since traveling long distances is in most cases a considerable expenditure, no matter how budget-friendly one may be, always seek to make the most out of the time you allocate to a trip. This doesn’t mean that you have to be a fast traveler, or don’t take the time to soak in the life energy of a certain place. Rather, if you fervently desire to partake in a special activity or experience, make the adequate, tedious arrangements beforehand, in order to avoid disappointing surprises later on when at the destination.
Arranging for activities before booking accommodation and airfare, usually the largest monetary commitments, will enable you to figure out if you have sufficient budget to make the trip what you want it to be.
When I am at this trip planning stage, I generally realize whether or not the sought after experience is within my financial means. If it isn’t, I put the trip on hold and look for something that is more adequate to the circumstances.
Example
As much as I desire to go to New Zealand, I am not planning to visit anytime soon because I know that, at this stage in my life, I don’t have the time and money to fully immerse myself in the experience I would want to accomplish. So, the way I see it, I am not going to invest resources on a costly long-distance flight to arrive at a destination where I would have to select some activities against others, because I can’t afford them all due to time and financial constraints. When the right time comes, I will know it and be prepared.
Mobility
Moving down the list of trip planning tips is topic number four, mobility.
In some remote, less accessible areas, flying might not be an option, or inversely, the sole means of public transportation available. Occasionally, old and overcrowded buses are the only way to get from point A to B. With that in mind, before choosing your next destination, you should ask yourself how comfortable you are with flying, navigating the public transport system, or driving in a foreign country where the street sign may be in a different language, alphabet, or absent altogether.
Not all people travel the way you are accustomed to, and you should be mindful and respectful of their ways, as they very likely will be a reflection of the local socio-economic structure and geography. Whether you deem the transportation system efficient or not, you can choose to either adapt or opt for journeying to a place you feel you may find more agreeable.
In summary, if you feel that a self-driving tour is not your cup of tea, consider joining a small guided tour, or remaining in an urban setting where taxis, trams, or city transportation is readily-available.
Example
When we planned our trip to Costa Rica, we didn’t know with certainty that venturing out on gravel jungle roads with a rental car was going to be a success. I bought a roadmap, of little use actually since many rural roads were uncharted, studied it, and went off in the spirit of adventure, and quite frankly with a bit of a reckless attitude. We were prepared to embrace misadventures and make the best out of the unpredictable journey, and this optimistic attitude was what got us through the trip. Many times we ended up losing our way, pondering which way to go (street signs were non-existent where we were at that time), and occasionally knocking on strangers’ doors to ask for directions.
Similarly, when we visited Belize, we opted for a fully immersive experience and used buses to get across the country (twice). I had done my research before flying into Belize City, so I was already prepared, to some extent, for what was to come. Adapting to the local customs was paramount. Set on our Western standards, we kept looking from bus stops when we realized that those don’t exists. There are bus terminals in some of the larger cities, but no bus stops. What they do, and it works magnificently well in that context, is wait on the side of the road for a bus to show up and fervently waive at the driver to get picked up. When ready to get off, you yell at the driver (and people on the bus join in in a chorus) to stop. As simple as that.
Priority
The last point I want to make in this session is that there are places that should be seen with a specific mindset and sentiment, or under precise circumstances. Some destinations, especially those characterized by pristine natural beauty, glorious ancient ruins, or a vanishing cultural traditions, might not “exist” in their own right anymore in the future, due to the deleterious phenomena we are facing these days (climate change, rising ocean levels, desertification, relentless globalization, cultural obliteration, etc.).
Places that are at the mercy of these forces are the ones a traveler should be prioritizing. Follow your instinct and intuition, and when something feels right, just go for it.
Example
All my life, I have been drawn to the glorious beauty and mysticism of the Tibetan Plateau. For one reason or another, at the age of 33, I have yet to travel to the region of my dreams. In this upcoming year, I am determined to pack my suitcase, camera, and heart and embark on what I think will be a life-changing journey. I feel it within me that if I wait any longer, I will never have the privilege to witness one of the most fascinating, hermetic societies to have ever roamed this Earth. I hope it isn’t already too late – it’s now or never.
Take Home Message
You will find that the right attitude is all you need to take with you on your journey.
