Do you want to go somewhere and feed your wanderlust but you don’t know where to start?
Look no more because here is a list of everything you must do before travelling.
Just read this article and start planning your next big adventure! 🙂
1. Do Your Research
Research is the first and most important step when planning a trip. Firstly you have to make a decision where do you even want to go and when you do that you have to research your destination. The things you want to research are transportation, accommodation, the activities you want to do, where to eat and the list goes on.
There are so many things to check that it is easy to forget something. Or it is simply overwhelming and you just don’t know where to start. Which is why I’ve created this super helpful lists of Things to research when planning your trip and Everything you must do when planning a trip. Be sure to check them out and print the free checklist included.
And here is my list of all the resources you can possibly need when researching your next great adventure.
I guarantee you that your planning will get much easier and much more fun. You can thank me later! 🙂
2. Travel Insurance
I can’t emphasise this enough: NEVER TRAVEL WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE! You never know what might happen, you can get sick or seriously ill, you can get an injury and you will need a doctor or a hospital. And without travel insurance, you can pay thousands of dollars for their services because you are in a foreign country. Seriously it could be a huge amount of money.
You can also ensure your baggage which is especially useful if you carry expensive photography equipment or something else that is very valuable. These things can get stolen, especially if you travel in less developed countries with lots of poor residents.
So just always book travel insurance. You can do it with World Nomads (which is a great insurance company) or you can choose a provider in your own country. Just never go anywhere without it!
3. Make a Budget Plan
Having at least a rough budget plan is very important as well. Even if you don’t plan to travel on a strict budget it is smart to know how much money you have on hand and where do you plan to spend it. If you are going to travel on a strict budget I recommend you to have a notebook (or an app) and track your spending on a daily basis. That way you will always know where your money is going and how much you still have. Check out more budget travel tips and money related articles here.
4. Research the Most Common Tourist Scams
Either we like it or not, there are tourist scams everywhere. Even in Europe and especially in less developed countries. So if you want to protect yourself and your valuables the best things to do is to research these scams before you go. That way you will be able to recognise them or at least be more alert and prepared. It pays off if you are going to save your possessions and your money. 🙂
5. Research the Health Risks in the Country
Especially if you are travelling to exotic countries there will always be some health risks involved. That is why you should always check them and be educated on the symptoms as well as on what to do in case you get sick. Also, do your research on which medications you need to take with you and stock up on them.
6. Get the Vaccinations
If the country you are travelling to has any vaccinations required, make an appointment with the doctor in your country and go get it. Keep in mind that some vaccinations need you to take more than one shot in a period of few months (yellow fever, Hepatitis A and B) so plan those vaccinations early enough. These are mostly vaccinations needed in tropical countries. Same goes for malaria pills – you need to start taking them at least a few weeks before your trip. Some countries won’t even let you in without the vaccination confirmation.
So it all falls back on doing your research and being well informed. Here is a great website to learn more about this topic. And check my article on Ways to avoid getting sick while travelling.
7. Learn Some Local Language Phrases
Learning some phrases in the local language is not only fun but it also lets you connect with locals. Local people will always appreciate your effort to try to speak their language and they will instantly be kinder and more willing to help you. Take a dictionary or just google the most common and useful phrases like thank you, where can I find …, how much does this cost etc. Then write them down in your phone or in your notebook and try to memorise them. It’s fun and you learn something new! 🙂
8. Install Useful Apps
There are numerous useful apps for travellers. If you want to see a great list check out my article here. If you have a smartphone it is nice to have at least some of these because they can be very helpful. The most useful apps while on the road in my opinion are: Google Translate (for translating foreign words and phrases), Google Maps (for navigation and maps), Google Trips (for having all your bookings and tickets in one place), Currency (for checking the rates and currencies in the countries you travel through) and Travel Spend (for tracking your expenses). There are many more, of course, I just named a few here.
9. Make an Itinerary
Having an itinerary is not only going to save your precious travel time but will also prevent you from having unnecessary stress. Even if you love being spontaneous it is good to do at list some research and a rough plan of how your days will go, what things you want to visit and what activities you want to do. By doing your research beforehand and having a plan you are not going to waste time figuring out how far certain things are and how to get there when in your destination. You will also avoid coming to the attraction just to realise it is closed (because you didn’t check the opening times). If you want a useful and very helpful checklist of things to research while planning your itinerary check out my post here.
10. Create a Packing List
This one goes without saying – a good packing list is a must. It will help you to pack much faster, more efficient and it will prevent you from forgetting something important. It is also smart to take the list with you when you travel and when you’ll pack your suitcase at the end of your trip you can check it again so you don’t leave anything in the hotel room (like your chargers for example 🙂 ).
The best way to write a good packing list is by categorising the items you need to pack. Click here for great packing tips and tricks and if you want a proper packing list you can refer to check out my personal general packing list. You can also get my templates to fill them in on your own here.
11. Create a List of Things You Still Need to Buy
There are always some things, small or big, that we need for our trip or vacation but we don’t have them at home. That can be sunscreen, bug repellent, shampoo, snacks… you name it. So a good idea is to just sit down and brainstorm all the things you still need to buy. The best way to avoid forgetting something is to write down all the stuff by categories. These can be toiletries, clothes, food, medicines, electronics and other.
12. Pack Lightly and Always Leave Room for Souvenirs
Let’s be honest. Even if you decide not to buy anything or you’re on a strict budget there is a big chance you will buy at least some small things on your travels. And why wouldn’t you? You don’t go there every day, right? And it is nice to have something that will remind you of the great times you had. Or maybe you want to buy something for your family and friends back home. But the thing many travellers do is they pack their suitcases all the way to the top with no extra room left. And where will the gifts and souvenirs go?
So take my advice and pack lightly – take only the things you know you will need and the clothes you know you will wear. Don’t overpack and leave some space in your bags. You will also have fewer worries and less chance of forgetting or losing something on the way.
13. Check Your Documents and Bookings
Always double check all your documents and bookings. Be sure none of your documents expired – usually to be able to enter a foreign country your passport must be valid for at least six months from the start of your travel date. Your destination country may not let you enter if there is a risk that your passport will expire while you are travelling. If you are a frequent traveller your passport might be pretty full so keep in mind that you need at least 2-4 blank pages for a visa if travelling internationally. The airline may not let you board or the country you are travelling to might not let you in if there is no space for the entrance visa to be stamped into your passport.
Each country has different entry requirements so be sure to do your research on these issues before starting your travels. You can find all of this info on your destination country’s government website.
Also, be sure to double check all your booking confirmations so you don’t have any inconveniences while on your trip.
14. Arrange to Have Your Mail Picked Up or Held by the Post Office
If you are going on a long journey be sure to arrange your mail to be either picked up by a friend or a family member or just held by the post office for the time you will be away. Check in with your post office about how long can they hold it (it’s usually maxed up to 30 days). If you plan a few months trip or more ask someone that’s close to you to take care of your full mailbox. 🙂
15. Change Your Bills to Autopay
Another thing to do if you plan a longer trip is to change your bills to autopay. You can arrange this with your bank if you don’t have it already. It is a nice way to avoid having to think about those things while having the time of your life. 🙂
16. Tag Your Credit Cards for International Travel
Another thing to fix with your bank is letting them know you are going to be abroad for a while so they would not flag and block a transaction when they see it transacted from an unusual location. You may also take the opportunity to ask about the bank’s transaction charges (fees) on payments made overseas. There are also credit cards with no international fees – you can read more about them here.
Also a quick tip: avoid withdrawing from ATMs in foreign countries since they charge a substantial amount of money. It is always better to have cash with you and to only use your credit cards when really necessary and in places you are pretty sure are save to use it.
So there you have it, my top 16 tips of things you must do before travelling.
I hope you find this list useful and that it will help you when preparing for your next big adventure!
Let me know if there is something you would add to this list?
And which tip you found the most useful or interesting?
Let’s discuss it in the comments. 🙂
