Here are a few quick and basic steps to ensure you have planned your holiday well;
DURATION-
this is the first step into planning a vacation - the number of days you have in hand.
once you have figured this out, can you go on the next steps of planning.
a long duration means you can reach out to the farther locations. having days less than a week would probably restrict you to in and around your country.
DESTINATION-
now this is the toughest part - deciding on a destination!!
once you have your duration in mind, you know if you can go to a far off place or nearby.
start with the kind of holiday you want - beach, mountains, monuments, city, countryside, cruise, etc.
once you have zeroed in on the kind of place you want to go, hit the internet and see the best locations/ destinations for your lookout.
for example, for a scuba diving vacation, you would want to go to Cairns, Thailand or Andaman Islands, India.
what i suggest is for you to keep an image/ view of a place clear in your mind and that will hep you finalise your destination.
time of the year makes or breaks the holiday-
if you plan to visit the beach during the rainy season or you head to the desert in the peak summers, you're likely to regret your decision and end up staying indoors.
make sure you see what is the ideal time to visit a destination.
i would also add that the prices during peak seasons are sky rocketing but for this you can plan the holiday well in advance or just around the beginning or the end of the season.
at the same time if you want to head for a spa holiday or some sort of a treatment experience, then off season will help you with your budget!
so plan wisely.
what do you want form holiday (experience)
let me start this with an example;
if you want to just relax then you should head to a resort and not get out until your check out time.
if you want to see a city, then don't stay at a luxury resort. you wouldnt enjoy the resort as you would be busy sightseeing.
the various experiences can be bundled into one holiday with only and only correct planning.
i personally do not try and bumble up too many things to do into one holiday. now if you are going to the americas from asia, you probably would want to do it all in one holiday, but then you need to make sure you have the days in your hand or else you would be the jack of all without enjoying any one place to the fullest. instead, if days in hand are critical for the size of destination, either choose a destination nearby or go to a far off destination but limit your travel time in and around that destination.
do not go to USA for 5 days and plan to do west coast, east coast and new york all in it, the only memory you will have at the end will be the leg pains and photographs.
BUDGET-
once you have the above mentioned things in control, now you need to include your budget. i have purposely put budget after the destination and duration because of the vast ocean of options we have today to reach a destination.
your budget will decide your ;
Means of travel
kind of stay you choose
kind of meals you choose
the adventures/sites you experience
and literally everything and anything!
keep in mind to consider in this is one's currency exchange rate.
number of people
larger the group, cheaper the holiday! also, larger the group, limited or no flexibility of plans!
travelling in a group is way cheaper - you share the travel cost specially when taking local transport, your meals are cheaper, group booking options are available for stay, food, touring and almost anything and everything.
TICKETS-
depending on your budget, you will choose you means of travel. once decided, one should not delay in booking your tickets at the earliest.
in the month of Jan 2015, new delhi to London tickets varied from 34000 INR to 77000 INR for British Airways economy class. that is the range the prices vary!
do research ticket prices one various websites or counters before booking.
if you can travel by road and have time in hand, choosing a train or bus journey over flights can prove money saving and much more interesting and enriching.
STAY-
stay is directly related to what you want to do at the destination. always stay near your points of interest.
this saves you a lot of money and travel time.
there are several websites that offer great deals for stay these days.
one recommendation : always look at reviews beofer you book.
always plan your stay which has easy access to public transport such as a metro station.
here again if you want to stay in a particular area, do book well in advance as weekends and peak seasons get the rates up to the roof!
TRAVELLING LOCALLY-
travelling locally can be a task if you do not understand the local language. quiet often one hears stories of cab drivers cheating tourists with either over charging or taking around to random locations.
its best to choose the mode of transport chosen by the masses such as local busses or metro. in case this isn't your choice, make sure you have a map in your phone and have an estimate calculation of the distance versus the charge for that country.
hotels usually charge higher rates for providing transport but they are trustworthy and one can be stress free.
if you plan to visit multiple locations in one day, its best to choose a cab for the full day instead of wasting time and energy finding means to head to the next location.
FOOD-
when in rome, be roman!
do not try seafood in the middle of a continent. and def do not try your home cuisine in another country!!! this is a strict no - no! you eat enough indian food in india and will not get anything to match that home food taste, so why spend much more and feel bad later on!
i am a big fan or reviews so would suggest you to research your eating interests online or ask some local guides and only then order food. this always leaves you happy and satisfied!
i am a big foodie and our holidays include dinners and breakfasts at the best of the best the city has to offer.
there are many websites that help you with you food choices with reviews and ratings.
THINGS-TO-DO/ VISIT-
your point of interest - is the main reason for you to choose that particular destination. be it relaxing on the beach or sightseeing or hiking. planning your travel during a good season, staying at a place close to your point(s) of interest and staying close to transport stations help you a great deal with your to-do lists and places to visit.
PACKING-
what to pack - items and weight
packing - now that is a daunting task for most!
here are a few points to keep in mind.
1. always pack light! always!
2. dont dump your clothes, either fold them and lay them or fold and roll them. this saves a lot of space.
3. start planning day wise for the clothes you need.
4. depending on the holiday you are planning, choose your footwear.
5. don't takes clothes you "might" need. you won't!
example:
day one - travel - choose travel clothes - should have pockets and easy to use- dark colours to not get dirty quick.
day two - beach - beach wear, slippers, loose clothes, sunblock and shades.
SOUVENIRS-
this is a must for the people back home and a few for yourself. if buying for others, keep in mind the space it'll take and the decor if in mind. also the fact that you have to carry them back, be sure to keep in mind if they are breakable or large. best is to pick u fridge magnets or other small and long lasting souvenirs.
souvenirs can get you spending way more than you thought depending on the place to plan to pick them up from. best place to buy from is the local town market.
tip: never buy these from the airport. they are expensive there.
helpful set of links:
booking.com for hotels
skyscanner.co.in compare flight tickets
www.tripadvisor.inreview places before you finalise
DURATION-
this is the first step into planning a vacation - the number of days you have in hand.
once you have figured this out, can you go on the next steps of planning.
a long duration means you can reach out to the farther locations. having days less than a week would probably restrict you to in and around your country.
DESTINATION-
now this is the toughest part - deciding on a destination!!
once you have your duration in mind, you know if you can go to a far off place or nearby.
start with the kind of holiday you want - beach, mountains, monuments, city, countryside, cruise, etc.
once you have zeroed in on the kind of place you want to go, hit the internet and see the best locations/ destinations for your lookout.
for example, for a scuba diving vacation, you would want to go to Cairns, Thailand or Andaman Islands, India.
what i suggest is for you to keep an image/ view of a place clear in your mind and that will hep you finalise your destination.
time of the year makes or breaks the holiday-
if you plan to visit the beach during the rainy season or you head to the desert in the peak summers, you're likely to regret your decision and end up staying indoors.
make sure you see what is the ideal time to visit a destination.
i would also add that the prices during peak seasons are sky rocketing but for this you can plan the holiday well in advance or just around the beginning or the end of the season.
at the same time if you want to head for a spa holiday or some sort of a treatment experience, then off season will help you with your budget!
so plan wisely.
what do you want form holiday (experience)
let me start this with an example;
if you want to just relax then you should head to a resort and not get out until your check out time.
if you want to see a city, then don't stay at a luxury resort. you wouldnt enjoy the resort as you would be busy sightseeing.
the various experiences can be bundled into one holiday with only and only correct planning.
i personally do not try and bumble up too many things to do into one holiday. now if you are going to the americas from asia, you probably would want to do it all in one holiday, but then you need to make sure you have the days in your hand or else you would be the jack of all without enjoying any one place to the fullest. instead, if days in hand are critical for the size of destination, either choose a destination nearby or go to a far off destination but limit your travel time in and around that destination.
do not go to USA for 5 days and plan to do west coast, east coast and new york all in it, the only memory you will have at the end will be the leg pains and photographs.
BUDGET-
once you have the above mentioned things in control, now you need to include your budget. i have purposely put budget after the destination and duration because of the vast ocean of options we have today to reach a destination.
your budget will decide your ;
Means of travel
kind of stay you choose
kind of meals you choose
the adventures/sites you experience
and literally everything and anything!
keep in mind to consider in this is one's currency exchange rate.
number of people
larger the group, cheaper the holiday! also, larger the group, limited or no flexibility of plans!
travelling in a group is way cheaper - you share the travel cost specially when taking local transport, your meals are cheaper, group booking options are available for stay, food, touring and almost anything and everything.
TICKETS-
depending on your budget, you will choose you means of travel. once decided, one should not delay in booking your tickets at the earliest.
in the month of Jan 2015, new delhi to London tickets varied from 34000 INR to 77000 INR for British Airways economy class. that is the range the prices vary!
do research ticket prices one various websites or counters before booking.
if you can travel by road and have time in hand, choosing a train or bus journey over flights can prove money saving and much more interesting and enriching.
STAY-
stay is directly related to what you want to do at the destination. always stay near your points of interest.
this saves you a lot of money and travel time.
there are several websites that offer great deals for stay these days.
one recommendation : always look at reviews beofer you book.
always plan your stay which has easy access to public transport such as a metro station.
here again if you want to stay in a particular area, do book well in advance as weekends and peak seasons get the rates up to the roof!
TRAVELLING LOCALLY-
travelling locally can be a task if you do not understand the local language. quiet often one hears stories of cab drivers cheating tourists with either over charging or taking around to random locations.
its best to choose the mode of transport chosen by the masses such as local busses or metro. in case this isn't your choice, make sure you have a map in your phone and have an estimate calculation of the distance versus the charge for that country.
hotels usually charge higher rates for providing transport but they are trustworthy and one can be stress free.
if you plan to visit multiple locations in one day, its best to choose a cab for the full day instead of wasting time and energy finding means to head to the next location.
FOOD-
when in rome, be roman!
do not try seafood in the middle of a continent. and def do not try your home cuisine in another country!!! this is a strict no - no! you eat enough indian food in india and will not get anything to match that home food taste, so why spend much more and feel bad later on!
i am a big fan or reviews so would suggest you to research your eating interests online or ask some local guides and only then order food. this always leaves you happy and satisfied!
i am a big foodie and our holidays include dinners and breakfasts at the best of the best the city has to offer.
there are many websites that help you with you food choices with reviews and ratings.
THINGS-TO-DO/ VISIT-
your point of interest - is the main reason for you to choose that particular destination. be it relaxing on the beach or sightseeing or hiking. planning your travel during a good season, staying at a place close to your point(s) of interest and staying close to transport stations help you a great deal with your to-do lists and places to visit.
PACKING-
what to pack - items and weight
packing - now that is a daunting task for most!
here are a few points to keep in mind.
1. always pack light! always!
2. dont dump your clothes, either fold them and lay them or fold and roll them. this saves a lot of space.
3. start planning day wise for the clothes you need.
4. depending on the holiday you are planning, choose your footwear.
5. don't takes clothes you "might" need. you won't!
example:
day one - travel - choose travel clothes - should have pockets and easy to use- dark colours to not get dirty quick.
day two - beach - beach wear, slippers, loose clothes, sunblock and shades.
SOUVENIRS-
this is a must for the people back home and a few for yourself. if buying for others, keep in mind the space it'll take and the decor if in mind. also the fact that you have to carry them back, be sure to keep in mind if they are breakable or large. best is to pick u fridge magnets or other small and long lasting souvenirs.
souvenirs can get you spending way more than you thought depending on the place to plan to pick them up from. best place to buy from is the local town market.
tip: never buy these from the airport. they are expensive there.
helpful set of links:
booking.com for hotels
skyscanner.co.in compare flight tickets
www.tripadvisor.inreview places before you finalise
