This year has been tougher for all of us, more than we could have had imagined.
As the pandemic put a pause to everything, people lost their jobs, many lost their lives and others lost their loved ones.
Now that things are slowly getting better, I’m sure you’re all looking for a little break from the closed doors of your home and craving to breathe in the open.
Needless to say, vacations are the best opportunities to reflect, unwind, and recharge our batteries before we start something afresh.
Now that 2021 is almost around the corner, would you like to take a trip?
Talking about a trip, I know that often we’re clueless about where to go, and especially in the post-COVID times, deciding where to go for a holiday can be a stressful exercise.
Being an avid traveler, here are a few tips that I’d like to share with you, as to how you can combat not being able to decide where to go and choose a perfect place for your next vacay!
Be flexible and don’t fix yourself a date.
I’m sure you have a fixed number of days that you intend to spend on your vacation, but you should avoid setting a fixed date for departure.
Coronavirus has taught us a great deal about the uncertainties of life.
Thus, while planning your trip, it’s important to be mindful and flexible, knowing that there might be something that can make you postpone/prepone your plans.
So, it’s better to start off without fixing a date.
This is so that you can have some flexibility as far as flight deals, hotel packages, and other expenses are concerned.
Set a budget – not too much, not too little!
While planning a trip, it’s important to sort your budget.
You need to decide how much you’re willing to spend on everything: from the flights to the accommodation, food and activities, as well as other miscellaneous costs encircling your vacay.
To give an example, you can splurge and enjoy a luxury trip in Miami, or just pack your bags and go on a road trip and spend your days in an Airbnb!
Avoid popular destinations and travel offbeat.
Social distancing is the call of the hour, and quite obviously, one should avoid all those stereotypical places where the crowds would flock.
Island destinations like Maldives or Seychelles have always been famous, just like London, Paris, New York when it comes to exploring cities!
But I’d definitely suggest something else – how about spending your days on the beaches of Costa Rica while volunteering for the turtles, or maybe go on a Himalayan trek in Nepal?
Sounds amazing, doesn’t it? It’s always good to indulge in trips that’ll leave a mark on your mind and enrich you with experiences.
Scroll through your social media!
There’s no doubt about the fact that our lives are massively driven by the influence of social media.
To be honest, researching holidays is a process that has immensely changed over the years, and now, instead of browsing through a travel agent’s brochure, most people take to the internet in order to figure out where they want to spend their time off.
If you dig beyond the images that look like they’ve been photoshopped, you’ll find some authentic photos that could really help you out in choosing a destination.
You can also reach out to the tourism boards and seek help from them.
Don’t plan everything – be spontaneous!
I’m sure you’ll have a bucket list of things to do when you visit a particular destination, and there would probably be an itinerary that you’re planning to chalk out – but make sure to keep a couple of days, to explore the hidden gems.
Sometimes, you can land up at the best eatery or maybe find a secluded beach following the instructions of the locals!
Also, know that you can never do it all in just one trip, so just be as spontaneous as you can and soak in the vibes!
Keep your interests in mind.
If you’re just thinking of relaxing on your trip, then you need not think much – but otherwise, it’s important to consider your preferences while choosing a destination.
In case you are a history buff, you can pick a place where you can explore the museums and heritage sites, getting to know more about the past.
For soccer fans, planning a trip to the UK or Brazil would be a good choice, especially during the football season.
I’m a lover of festivals, and I tend to plan all my trips encircling the festivals – because they allow me to indulge in knowing the culture of a place more closely.
Who are you traveling with? – Friends or family?
If it’s a solo trip that you wish to embark on, you’ll definitely have more flexibility.
But in case you are traveling with family or friends, you’ll have to consider the opinions of others as well.
For a family trip, the accommodation preferences will vary and so will the activities.
While with friends, you can plan something adventurous, like a scuba diving experience or maybe go for pub-hopping or yacht parties, etc.
If you have more people traveling with you, then it’s good to sit down and talk to everyone, discuss everyone’s choices, and then decide the place that will offer something for each one of them.
So, what are you waiting for?
Make 2021 your ‘best year of travel’ – and explore the world that’s out there!
Author’s Bio:
Riyanka Roy is an ordinary girl with some extraordinary dreams.
She loves to believe in the miracles of destiny and wants to travel all over the world, spend time with the natives, binge on local food, and absorb their culture.
She feels that she’s born with vagabond blood, and stagnation makes her feel claustrophobic.
Life, for her, is like a book, and she loves writing about everything interesting she comes across.
She believes that her stories make the chapters of her book more colorful.