I love the tips about the reviews. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in them and miss out on a place you might love.

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Good list of tips. Everybody is so different so what is a great holiday for one, may be a nightmare for another so I would not let negative reviews put you off.

Holidays are very personal and advising people on a choice of destination is very hard!

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I love Matthew’s #3 – there is always someone that has paid less… amazing how many people get ruffled with this. Great post.

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Tip for the ladies: Dress so you feel/look good, but don’t shy away from the camera just because you’re wearing your swimming costume or no makeup. Otherwise you’ll end up with little to no holiday photos!

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Plan some time to do absolutely nothing and relax. Traveling is not that hard, don’t make it work

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I agree with Anil. Sometimes we get caught up in things to do and sites to see to forget that we are on vacation.

Love the tip about not bashing the site full of tourists. We all want to visit a must-see place. So relax and enjoy each other company.

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All good tips, a few from me on things going wrong:

- Don’t overplan: the more you plan, the more can go wrong.
- When things do go wrong just roll with it and think “how can I turn this around & have fun,” rather than, “I’m going to spend the remainder of my hard earned holiday moaning about this.”
- Take reviews with a pinch of salt: if 1% of people will write about a happy experience then 50% will write about an unhappy experience.

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@ Amy:

I agree, there’s nothing wrong with being a tourist, isn’t that what all travelers are when we arrive in a new place. There’s no need to feel bad about seeing the ‘popular’ things!

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Cant really fully agree with: “If you find an almost too good to bet true deal, book right then and there”.

You really have to make sure you get all the information about the “deal”.

If they are much cheaper than what other companies offer they could have a second bottom or just be a crap offer – eg like when I was in Egypt and looking for a trip to Cairo most offered trips for 50 usd whilst one company had a special offer of 30 usd – which as it turned out had one main problem – didnt have a guide that spoke much english or any of the other languages “requested” by the tourists.

So its a good idea to think about what questions you need to ask about the deal as the fine print is rarely read.

My main tip would be that you should remember you are on holiday – relax and take it easy. A lot of people seem to get nervous and forget that…

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Really good tips! I would add from experience; remember, you are an ambassador for your country. Be that gracious tourist and extend yourself to those locals that you come in contact with as Matthew suggests in #’s 4,5. I have made some wonderful friends through my travels.

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Great tips!

I’d add one more – unplug as much as possible. Leave your computer, e-mail, etc. at home. Relax and have a good time. Or set aside a small amount of time at the end of the day to keep current.

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I love Matt’s number 3 tip as well “There’s always somebody who’s paid less than you. Don’t let it ruin your day”. That’s why typically when I’ve found a site I like to book on, I just go with it. I might shop around based on location, but I’m not going to then go out and compare prices all over the place. By the time you’ve checked ten sites and figured out they are more expensive when you add on who knows what fee, you’ve wasted an hour of your time at xx$. Just not worth it, and exactly why I think we’ll see an even stronger movement towards quality and brand trust going forward.

I’ll add a tip to directly contradict the tip by the last commenter. If you are the kind of person that can’t relax without being plugged in, definitely do not unplug! My wife sometimes tells me to go off and check email etc. because she can tell my mind is elsewhere. It’s all about balance, for each individual.

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When traveling with someone else – if possible – put some of each other’s clothes in your bag; if a bag gets lost, you’ll both have at least some clothing to wear.

Use lightweight, quick drying underwear and socks – you can wash them out in the hotel sink at night, and they’ll be dry by morning. It’ll save you a lot of weight in your bag.

If you haven’t tried it, check out bundle packing – your clothes will arrive wrinkle free!

Use a checklist when packing, and question every item!

Bring some antiseptic wipes with you in a ziploc bag – and wipe down the tray table and armrests on the plane – as well as items like the tv remote in your hotel room.

Bring a foldable water bottle with you – like a Platy – and fill it in the airport once you clear security. Why pay $3.50 for a bottle of water?

TSA checkpoint: wear slip-on shoes; stow your metal/electronic stuff as you approach the checkpoint; look for a line with business travelers; wear a non-metallic travel belt; have your 3-1-1 bag in a convenient place so it’s easy to retrieve and easy to stow.

Travel with ONE BAG and carry it on!!!

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Nice tips. I like the ones from Matthew. Agree with his points on online reviews and guidebooks. They are helpful, but you don’t need to stick to it. It ruins a trip if you spend too much time looking for a restaurant recommended in a guidebook. Here are my tips –

1. Leave some spare time for your trip. You may enjoy surprise when at the destination, e.g. a local show, an event, or the local market you haven’t read in guidebooks, etc.
2. Talk with the locals, and you will know more about the place and culture. If language barriers, smiles and gestures may also do if you wish.
3. Find a local tour guide if you want to save efforts and avoid getting lost. There’s nothing bad to wander in a new place by yourself. But if you are tight in time, or would like to talk more with someone local, a professional tour guide is a good choice.
4. It’s not at home, so embrace the difference. It’s a different place, so must be something different from home. It’s not necessarily better or worse, just in a way you are not used to. You will enjoy more when recognizing the difference and look at it with fresh eyes.

Happy Exploring!

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