A 13 step guide to choosing your next holiday destination

It is the holiday season! And you have decided to go on a vacation! Great!! If you have decided to go on a holiday trip, you have probably prepared a list of places that you want to visit. But the trouble is choosing one out of that long list.

Don’t waste too much time in making the decision and reduce the time spent on your holiday! Read on to find out those tips that you need to consider while choosing a travel destination that will help you shorten your list and arrive at the decision quicker!

1. Budget

How much budget can be allocated for a Vacation?

Deciding the budget or the amount of money that you can spend on your holiday is the most important consideration while choosing a destination for your vacation. Don’t make the common mistake of planning your holiday with all excitement before considering its cost, only to be disappointed later because you can’t afford it. Set a clear budget and plan your vacation accordingly. It is advisable to plan your trip cheaper than your budget lets you, so that you can provide for any unexpected expenses and make sure that you don’t go bankrupt in an unknown land.

2. Duration of vacation

How long we can spend on a vacation?

Some people go on a holiday for the weekend, some spend a week, while others spend an entire month for the trip. There may be many amazing destinations for a holiday but what if you are not able to experience all that you want to by the end of your trip? What if you visit all the places you plan to in the first two weeks of a month long trip? That will just make you feel disappointed. You will have to choose your destination/s according to the time you can spend there. For instance, you can’t plan to tour the whole of Europe in a week. You can probably choose one country that you want to explore within Europe, say Greece.The more time you can devote on your vacation, the farther you can go from your hometown. If you have very little time, you don’t want to waste most of it travelling.

3. Purpose of travel

Why do you want to go on a vacation?

Different people have different perceptions of what a good holiday trip is. What are your expectations of a good trip? Is it one that is filled with adventure? Is it one where you can relax away from home?  Is it one where you can explore different cultures? Or is it one where you can eat delicious food and go shopping all the time? Depending on the type of traveller you are, you can narrow down your list. Every person has an individual definition of a good vacation. So don’t just follow the crowd unless it really satisfies your interests.

4. Preferred weather

What weather conditions are you comfortable with while travelling?

This often depends on the weather conditions in your hometown. If your city is too cold, you will conventionally want to travel to someplace warm and vice versa. Choose a place where the weather will be in accordance with your preference. This is very important also because you need to pack appropriate clothes and accessories. Not being aware of the destination’s weather can ruin your holiday altogether.

5. Preferred Time Of Travel

Do you want to travel to a place where it is the peak season and filled with tourists, or to a place where it is off season and is much less crowded? Are you expecting to attend a particular festival or event during the trip?

If you want to visit a particular place at a specific time of the year and you know that it is the peak season, start planning soon or else the trip may get too costly to fit into your budget! An important point to note here is, though the prices of hotel rooms and flight charges may be lesser during the off season, and it is a blissful experience for those who hate crowds, you will probably not be able to experience the best from the place, for the obvious reason that it is the off season. Make sure that the purpose of your travel is not compromised.

6. Infrastructure

Does the place offer you the necessary infrastructure?

You will need access to different modes of transport during your vacation. A proper system of transport needs to be available to you. There needs to be proper roadways and railways and public transport facilities or at least, you must be able to self drive. Not only that, but you will also need a proper system of communication. Not all places have wi-fi connectivity and GPS. Even mobile signal may not be available in certain remote areas. You must make yourself aware where the required facilities are available and how you can use them much before your vacation so that it doesn’t come as a surprise later. On the contrary, if you’re looking for a trip to take a break from your phone and social media and relax, clearly, you will choose such a place that doesn’t allow you to access any of that.

7. Language spoken

How comfortable are you in communicating with foreigners?

What if you are planning to go on a holiday off the beaten track and you end up in a place where you can’t even communicate to the native people to ask for a glass of water? That will give you a tough time. Make sure that you will be able to communicate properly with the native people of the chosen destination. P.S: Don’t rely on signs.

8. Prior travel experience

Have you travelled to several places previously or is this your first time?

If you are new to travelling, it is better to choose a location that has been well explored by various tourists rather than relatively new places. You can reserve such places for a later date. However, if you are an experienced traveller, you can take a break from the regular vacation spots that you’re probably bored of by now and do some exploration on your own. If you have travelled a lot previously, you’ll be very much aware of what you should and should not do during the trip, thus making it easier for you to travel to new, unexplored places.

9. Fitness to travel

How fit are you to travel around?

This is often closely related to your age and health. If you are not sure if you will have the energy to travel without rest, you must choose a destination that doesn’t require you to spend a lot of energy. If you’re an older person, you may prefer to choose a place where you don’t have to walk or exert yourself too much. Don’t overload your vacation with activities that will make you feel exhausted half-way. Make sure you have enough leisure time to rest. Also, keep in mind the possibility of jet lag if you want to travel to a place in a different time zone.

10. Accompaniment

Who are you travelling with?

Are you travelling with your friends or family? Are you travelling as a couple? Or solo? If you’re travelling solo, then it is much simpler. You only have to worry about your requirements. But in case you’re travelling as a couple or with a group, you need to make sure that the others are happy with the destination you’ve chosen as well. You don’t want to spend your vacation arguing! Make sure you consider the interests and suggestions of everyone who will be accompanying you before you confirm the destination. That way, all of you can have a memorable vacation! Crave a family vacation? Here’s where you should head!

11. Culture and food

Are you comfortable with the culture of the chosen destination? Does it offer the type food that you prefer?

A place may appear to be the perfect holiday destination but once you reach, you realize that the culture of the place is not as you expected. For instance, there are places in the world where women are not allowed to enter unless accompanied by a male relative. It is obviously not the right place if you are a female solo traveller. You can’t go against the culture in a foreign land. Also, if you are a vegetarian or follow a very specific diet, find out if the place offers the food of your choice or the option to cook for yourself. Don’t ignore this aspect , especially if you are travelling for a longer period because the unfamiliar food may not suit you. So, read up on the culture, practices and food habits of a destination before you go ahead and start planning.

12. Documents required

What are the documents needed to travel to a particular location?

By now, you probably have a short list of probable destinations. It is time for you to find out what documents you require to be able to visit those places. If you’re travelling abroad, you will need a passport and in many cases, a Visa as well. If you don’t already have these documents, you need to apply for the same. The processing of the documents will take sometime. For instance, the processing of Visa may take upto 21 working days. You need to make sure that you have sufficient time for it. You will also need to convert the money required in terms of the destination’s official currency. Therefore, you need to start planning well in advance. If you haven’t done that, you have to choose a destination that requires a minimum set of documents or which takes much less time to get processed.

13. Suggestions and feedback from experienced travellers

What do the seasoned travellers have to say about their experience in your preferred destination?

A region may not be as good as it claims itself to be. The best way to find out its real worth is by talking to people who have previously visited the place. If you know someone who has travelled to your chosen destination, talk to them about their experience and see if it satisfies your expectations. You can also find many experienced travellers online. You can read their blogs and go through their websites to get better ideas and help you finalise your decision. You can visit Pickyourtrail website or contact our team of experienced travellers for more suggestions!

Keep striking off those places that are unsuitable at every step and there you have it! Your next holiday destination! Now, planning is the next big step, but you don’t have to worry about that! Drop us a Postcard and we will craft a memorable holiday experience just the way you like it!Feel free to browse through the various International tour packages on our website

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