41 Best Travel Tips To See The World Smartly
I started travelling in my teens and was not very sure how to plan things, what are the important things required to make a successful trip. But I learned things over a period of time and this list of Top Travel Tips To See The World Smartly came organically to me after years of experience in travel planning.
I realized if I know when to book flights, which app will give me the best information, and which hotel or hostel will give me the best value for money, what are the exciting things to do, it will make my trip so easy and exciting.
One thing we know that not everything goes as planned, mistakes do happen but we have to be prepared to the best of our ability.
Let’s Start with the
Best Travel Tips And TricksTo Travel The World Smartly
1.Book Best Flight
Well, there are so many options, and the more options we have the more we get confused. The best ones in the market are
Skyscanner,Trip.com, Google Flights, Momondo, and Kayak. Subscribe to their newsletters. They always come up with great offers.
I check the flight details on all these websites and then select the best and remember direct flight is not always the cheapest. Sign up with Scott’s Cheap Flights for flight deals to get information about cheap flights.
Book your tickets as early as possible, it will save you a lot of money.
If you don’t know about points and miles for free trip, learn that as well. Who knows you will get free trip?
One thing I have realized that you don’t need to take direct flights to every destination. You can take other modes of transportation like train, bus. You will end up saving a lot of money.
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2.Technologies That Help You
How easy will it be for you if you are guided in every step of your journey? Well, there are some wonderful apps you can download that will certainly help you.
To make communication easy we have Google Translate, download and install it and then turn on the camera icon then direct your phone towards the text and it will translate.
For security wait time, information about restaurants in your terminal, flight delay information and more you can use Trip It. Another good option is Rome2Rio which will guide to go from one point to another with the cheapest mode of transport.
Lounge Buddy will help to get access to the VIP room and Mobile Passport will help in avoiding queue. To choose the seat of your choice check Seat Guru
3.Choose Best Accommodation
Choose your accommodation as per your requirement and budget. If you want to save money stay in Hostels, Apartments, Or Airbnb. Check the hotel price and then choose the best. I always use Agoda.com as it gives a lot of options, the other best option is Booking.com.
Through Couchsurfing people share their couches without taking a fee.
Get locals to pick and drop you through Lyft and it is a lot cheaper. You can also hire a car for a few hours through Getaround.
If the hotel you are checking-in is not full, there is a possibility of getting upgrade, so try it.
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4.Jump the Queue
Global Entry helps you save time from the queue as it gives PreCheck privileges. It is better than the TSA pre-check. It is certainly one of the most important airports travel tips.
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5.Choose The Best Travel Credit Card
Choosing the best travel credit card is very important because it can make your travel hassle-free.To know the best travel credit card of your choice click here.
I am always in the favor of Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Collect reward points that can be redeemed for your journey, you can take tips from One Mile At A Time.
Always keep an extra debit and credit card and put it in a separate place. In case of any mishap, this will help you. Keep emergency cash. Make sure the credit card who have chosen doesn’t charge you for international transaction.
Also before you travel make sure your credit card works in the country you are visiting. If needed contact your credit card company to know the details.
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6.Cut Down On Your Roaming Charges
We don’t want to pay for roaming charges and there are ways to save the extra charge. Google Fi helps you in accessing data at the same price as home and it has international coverage of more than 200 destinations. It is one of the most beneficial international travel tips.
The other option is Skyroam starting at $6 per day for unlimited daily access available in more than 130 countries. Verizon is also one of the best providers for international travel.
Use a VPN like Skyroam VPN to protect from hackers and malware. I would advise against using public wifi if you are accessing your bank account.
7.Travel Insurance Is A Must
I cannot tell you how important travel insurance is. If you meet with any mishap, your bag is stolen or if there is an accident, or you are robbed travel insurance will protect you. I prefer the Worlds Nomad.
Be mentally prepared, things can go wrong so be prepared to take your own decisions. If you want to be a happy traveler get out of your comfort zone. It is one of the best traveling tips.
8.Learn About Conversion Rate
Before you travel make sure you have the knowledge of currency conversion so that you can accordingly plan your budget. It is one of the most important world travel tips.
9.Choose An Appropriate Luggage or Backpack
You have to decide how long your journey is and accordingly choose the luggage. If your journey involves moving to remote locations as well I would suggest a travel backpack as they are easy to carry.
For other places, you can choose the luggage. Another option is space saver bags, they are easy for packing clothes.
Having an appropriate backpack is half the battle won, the other half is to keep things properly.
Never forget to carry a sarong as it is multipurpose. If you are not sure if you need particular stuff in your journey, don’t carry it, if needed you can buy it later. Keep your clothes to a minimum and repeat them, this will cut the luggage in half.
Always carry a few extra socks, extra camera batteries. Carry a travel towel because it is light and dry quickly. Though you get towels in hotels but in remote places, you will need them. Earplug is a must to avoid honking sound and also carry an eye mask for a jet lag cure.
Make sure you put some unique mark or sticker on luggage to identify it easily.
A money belt is an invitation to robbers so avoid it.
10.Pre Book Your Tickets For Tours
For tours and attractions book your tickets in advance for a hassle-free experience. One of the best international travel tips is to go for Get Your Guide or Viator tour guide both give you a number of options.
I have seen people waste a lot of time in the queue so booking through these options will save your time and effort.
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11.Always Keep Family In The Loop
Let your family and friends know about your whereabouts. In case of any emergencies they will know where to find you.
12.Try Local Food
I used to be very particular about the food I used to eat on my journey and never tried local food or something I did not know about and then I started experimenting and honestly I fell in love with some of the local food. You should definitely give it a try. Explore the local market. You will love it.
I went to New Orleans and Morocco and had local and international food and loved it completely. But never eat in a restaurant which is closest to a tourist place as they are super expensive. If you want to look for restaurants near you, find it on Yelp.
The best option is to cook your own food if there is an option to cook where you live. You’ll eat healthy food and end up saving a lot of money.
13.Be Ready To Pay When You Enter Or Exit A Country
Few countries charge for entry or exit so check accordingly.
14.Let Your Bank Know Before You Travel
There is a possibility that when you do an international transaction the bank will block your card so if you let them know in advance they will know and won’t block it.
15.Don’t Go Overboard with Planning
It is good to plan things but sometimes we get very picky and that makes things complicated. One of the most be flexible, it is okay if something did not work as per your plan, move on, just relax.
Sometimes you don’t like a destination, sometimes you like a place so much that you want to stay longer, maybe you like your new friends and want to hang out with them more, so don’t book the entire trip in advance.
You are traveling the world to understand their culture, to go to the best places, to try their cuisine so be patient and enjoy every minute of it.
Try to reach a place as early as possible to avoid crowd.
16.Travel Alone At Least Once
Travel solo once in a while and it will teach you a lot of things, you will be self-dependent, more confident, and will be a better human being. I travel alone sometimes and I completely enjoy it.
You can make new friends too when you travel alone.
17.Keep important Things In Day Pack
I always keep the important stuff like passport, camera, flashlight, mobile, charger, USB charger, wallet in my daypack when I travel because even I will lose my luggage these things will save me on my journey. This is one of the most important packing travel tips.
Whenever you go out, always carry one or two credit cards, keep other credit cards at your hotel. In case of theft or if you misplace your wallet, you have other cards at your hotel. Always lock your luggage bag when you are out. It is better to be safe than sorry. Locking your luggage is mandatory when you are sharing your room with others.
Keep a dry bag to protect your electronic items from rain.
18.Sunscreen Is A Must Everyday
When we are on the beach or in the wild or on the streets exploring the place, most of the time is spent under the sun, it is important to wear sunscreen to avoid any skin damage.
Avoiding sunscreen can lead to skin cancer also so better Be safe than sorry.
How can I forget insect repellent, it is so important when you are camping.
19.Join Free Walking Tours
Free walking tours help you in getting to know the background of the city, the culture, and everything in detail, you learn so much and it is one of the best fun travel tips.
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20.Learn Basic Native Phrases and Customs Of The Destination
It makes the locals very receptive to you if you know a few things like how to say Hello, Thank You in their language. If they don’t understand what you try to say use gestures to make them understand.
Also, do your research about the local customs, you don’t want to offend their customs, religion, and dressing style.
21.Unlock Your Phone
Make sure you get your phone unlocked before you travel. This way you can insert the local SIM card of the country you are traveling to and will have all the access. It is one of the best international travel tips.
22.Copies Of Documents
Make sure you make extra copies of important documents like passport, visa and also email it to yourself as a backup.
Keep a hard copy or card of the accommodation address, what if your phone discharges and you don’t remember the address if you have the copy you can ask for guidance.
23.Visit Local Tourism Board
They know about the upcoming events, new places, and many more details which you are unaware of. The Local Tourism office will give you a lot of inputs about the place. Also, learn about the places you will be visiting in advance, you will enjoy it more when you actually visit them.
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24.Take Lot Of Selfies and Videos
You don’t know if you will ever come back to that place again ever in your life so take as many selfies, photos, and videos as you can. These are the beautiful memories you will cherish forever.
Always keep a backup of those selfies and videos in an external drive or online, you don’t want to lose those memories, do you?
25.Always Double-Check Your Belongings
Whenever you leave a hotel or hostel always double-check to see if you got everything. You don’t want to lose something that can cause you a lot of hurdles. Keep a checklist.
26.Buy Souvenirs
You want to take something back from the place you like as a souvenir but sometimes it becomes impractical as your luggage becomes heavy so after buying those souvenirs mail them to your friends or relatives and from there you can pick them up.
27.Travel In Shoulder Season
Who doesn’t want to avoid the crowd and travel peacefully and that is why I prefer to travel in the shoulder season, few people, and affordable things a win-win situation, isn’t it? It is the best time to travel.
These are some great travel tips which I learned gradually and I would be glad if you make use of it.
28.Carry First Aid Kit
This is very important. Always keep a first aid kit with you even a small one to keep important medicines like Paracetamol or Imodium to cure diarrhea and a Band-Aid.
29.Never Exchange Currency At The Airport Counter
Always avoid exchanging currency at the airport counter you will get the worst exchange rate.
30.Carry Book, Card Game
Yes we are hooked to the internet 24*7 and we should accept it but there is a possibility that there is no internet or slow internet connection in the place you travel.
In this case, read books of your choice, or play a card game, walk on the beach, talk to people.
31.Visit Fewer Places And Enjoy It
We always try to visit all the places and see all the destinations as much as we can and as a result lose our purpose of the visit which is to enjoy.
If you keep jumping from one place to another you get tired and you won’t be able to enjoy it.
So travel slow, visit a place, get rest, cook food if you have a kitchen facility, collect memories, and then go for the next destination. Quality is better than quantity, remember!
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32.Keep a Journal
Not all memories can be captured on camera. You met somebody and would like to relive that memory and remember the conversation. If you write that in a journal you can again relive that memory.
33.Keep Toilet Paper Roll
When you travel to some remote areas there may be unavailability of toilets, this can come handy. It is one of the good travel tips.
34.Take Help Of Google Maps
When you are not sure of the directions always use Google Maps. The other option is HERE Maps.
Always keep hard copies of map or keep a guidebook. You won’t have internet access everywhere.
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35.Learn Something New
I always wanted to play guitar and did not how to play it so I took guitar lessons during my visit to Scotland and now I can say I am not a bad guitar player for sure.
You too can indulge in something new like cooking classes or dance or yoga or anything.
36.Always Carry Water Bottle
To keep yourself hydrated always carry a water bottle. A good travel backpack always has a place for a water bottle holder.
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37.Youth Advantage
If you are below 25 you get discounts in a lot of places like Eurail passes or a free pass to museums so check accordingly. Others can get a city pass, this will also help you in saving money.
38.Health Check-Up
Make sure you have taken all the vaccinations required and also check with your medical insurance provider regarding overseas travel health emergencies policies.
39.Get Yourself Registered With Embassy
This way your embassy will rescue you easily in case of any mishap.
40.Keep Track Of Your Expenses
When you are traveling you tend to splurge but make sure you keep a track of the amount of money you are spending.
41.Best Travel Advice
Always smile and be happy on your journey. Talk to strangers, the world is beautiful and so are the people except for a few.
I am sure you too have a list of best travel tips through your travel experience. I would love to know from you and let my readers know about them.
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I buy things for my travel need from amazon.com as it has everything on one platform.