There’s no feeling that can compare to the experience of boarding a plane to an international destination – especially one that you’re visiting for the first time. It’s a unique rush that all travelers feel no matter if they’ve been to thousands of far-away places or if they’re taking their very first trip abroad.
However, traveling abroad means you have to travel smart. You only have a certain amount of time away, and do you really want to waste that shopping for the items you forgot to pack or getting lost everywhere you go? Probably not.
To help you make the most of your upcoming adventure, use the five tips for traveling abroad below.
1. Pack Light, but Think About the Weather
Your trip actually doesn’t begin at the airport. It starts at home when you begin to pack. How well you prepare all the clothes and travel accessories you need has a huge effect on the quality of your trip.
But, you don’t want to make the mistake of over-preparing. There’s no sense in taking 5 pairs of jeans and 3 hoodies, and you don’t need all of your favorite shoes, either.
The best thing to do is pack light. You don’t know how much shopping for new clothes and souvenirs you’re going to do once you get there. If anything, packing a lot means having to carry a lot and that’s no fun.
Just make sure you check the weather so you’re well prepared and pack your essentials first! You know, things like your underwear, must-have comfy clothes, foreign cash, and your passport. View here for more passport information.
2. Research, Research, Research
While you’re checking the weather and getting your international paperwork in order, take the time to research what there is to do where you’re going. Maybe you already have a few activities picked out – but do you know where they are in relation to your hotel or how much they cost?
The more research you do, the better. Try to find the best times to go to each attraction and start planning your trip in terms of which activities are closest to each other. This way you’re not running around town every day.
3. Be Smart with Your Money
Another benefit of researching your trip before you go is budgeting. It’s best to travel with a certain spending limit in mind. Even if you go over that amount a bit, at least you know what you’re working with instead of blowing all of your savings on one trip.
Not to mention, a budget helps you understand value. It might not be worth spending the equivalent of $20 USD for breakfast if you want to have a nice dinner. Similarly, it could be smarter to get a bus pass and take a little longer getting from place to place than to Uber everywhere (if Uber is even available!).
4. Don’t Try to Do Everything at Once
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it’s definitely not a city you can really discover in one day, either. The same goes for Paris, London, Madrid, Tokyo, and so on. Even smaller destinations are worth taking your time to get acquainted with.
You can’t do everything on the first day, and you shouldn’t rush any of the days of your trip. It’s better to take everything in stride even if that means you don’t get all the things you wanted to do done. That’s just a reason to come back!
5. Try Not to Be “That Tourist”
The final tip to keep in mind when traveling abroad is not to be “that guy (or girl!).”
You want to try to blend in instead of stick out like an obvious tourist. It’s not good to show up to a foreign place and insult the culture or be overly proud of your own. You’re probably going to stand out anyways, but you don’t want to make a big deal about it.
More Tips for Traveling Abroad: Have Fun and Stay Safe!
There are always new tips for traveling abroad you can learn no matter how much of an avid traveler you are.
You may discover a new credit card points hack that gives you access to more flights or figure out you like certain airport lounges over others. Or, you may realize it’s better to backpack and hostel hop than it is to lug suitcases from hotel to hotel.
These are subjective to your travel preferences, of course. But, there are two things every traveler should always remember: have fun and stay safe.
For more travel tips and tricks, click here.
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