It’s fun to go to places and discover new experiences, so each year, my friends and I make it a point to travel someplace with each other. We’d pick a place, make plans and head off. It’s a great opportunity for us to take a break from work and strengthens our relationships with each other.
Of course, we have our own way of planning where to go. In our case, we take a look at the seat sales of local airlines, buy tickets and plan around that. It may not work for everyone, so I asked friends and family what are their considerations when they’re picking their next travel destination. Here’s the top answers, and I hope you find them useful.
1. Budget
How much you are willing to spend and how much you can spend is a big factor when deciding where to go. As much as we all wish we had unlimited travel funds, the reality is most of us are operating on limited budgets. Unless you inherit a large sum of money or be given an all-expense paid trip, hold off the Europe trip or African safari plans for now. Consider taking a trip to places where food and accommodation are affordable and of good quality. In this regard, Southeast Asia has always been a popular destination for budget travelers. A destination that won’t leave you financially crippled or in debt is always a wise choice.
2. Length of stay and travel time
The amount of time you have for your vacation can help you pick the best place to go to. Note that this includes travel time and not just your vacation time. Going to place that requires 10 hours of travel doesn’t seem practical for an overnight stay and you’ll probably end up too tired by the trip to really do anything. Pick a place with a reasonable amount of travel time that will also allow you enough time to explore and enjoy your vacation.
3. Climate and season
Airfare and accommodation prices may change depending on the season, so your destination may depend on when you plan to go. Some places are popular during certain times of the year. For example, Japan gets plenty of visitors during late March to April when spring season starts and the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Brazil gets a lot of attention during the Carnaval season, and so on. You can save up on costs by booking early, or going to a place during its off season.
4. Activities
The things you want to do on your vacation is a considerable factor. Do you want to swim on the beach, work on your tan and maybe try some water sports? Do you want to go trekking or nature tripping? Do you want to stay in and be pampered? Where you will go should offer or be able to accommodate the things that you want to do. No sense of going to a ski resort if you want to do some scuba diving, right?
If you are traveling in a group, you have to take into consideration what they want to do as well.
5. Get recommendations and do research
There are several ways you can get ideas for your next travel destination. Travel magazines always have reviews or articles, or you can go online and check out blogs and forums for ideas. Another great source of ideas on where to go next is from your friends who have been there. They can tell you about their experiences, how much they spent, what they did there, and if they had fun or not. Of course, nothing beats experiencing everything for yourself, so weigh your options.
6. Travel wish list, or where do you want to go?
We all have a dream destination, and in one way or the other, we want everything to fall into place so we can get there. If you have a place in mind, regardless of budget, time constraints and what other people think, then go for it. Mountaineers and spiritual tourists may want to spend the holidays in Tibet 2014, while couples tying the knot in 2014 may want to honeymoon in Bali, or the cool climes of Thailand’s Chiang Mai. I know I’m basically telling you to forget everything I said here in this article, but if you really want to go there and you get there, you’ll never regret it.
Happy and safe travels!
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