Last Updated on: 12th December 2025, 02:14 pm
Travel can be expensive in terms of time and money. You can therefore avoid some nasty surprises and make the most of your trip by planning properly.
Research the climate
Understand the climate (long term weather patterns) of your destination: seasons, temperature ranges, rainfall patterns, etc.
Spending time on a tropical island during monsoon season is not what most people would intentionally sign-up for.
Research the tourist seasons
For any destination, there is usually a tourist peak / high season and an off-peak / low season. Climate is not the only factor that influences tourist seasons; there are other factors such as school holidays, wildlife migrations and events.
Shoulder season (the travel season between peak and off-peak seasons) is often an attractive compromise, with acceptable weather and lower rates and fewer tourists.
Research the places and attractions that you want to visit
Travel blogs are a great resource to get ideas for the places and attractions that you want to visit.
Be sure to check the opening hours of attractions. Imagine going all the way somewhere, only to discover that the site that you set your heart on seeing is not open when you are there.
Try to be ethical; certain animal-based activities are now being called into question.
Consider buying a travel guide
Call me old-fashioned, but I think that a travel guide in book form is very convenient. Travel guides usually have sections on history, food, culture, sights, maps, etc., all in one handy place. They are also great for checking the opening hours of attractions.
How do you decide which guidebook to buy? I look at what is available and then buy the book that provides the most useful information for the specific places I will be visiting.
Research your accommodation
Tripadvisor reviews (and similar) are an invaluable resource to obtain tips and information about the accommodation you are considering. I ignore the most extreme positive and negative reviews and treat them as outliers.
Research visa requirements
Check with consulate / embassy sites of the countries you are visiting whether a tourist visa is required.
The “immigration” site of a country is also a good place to check what you are allowed to bring into a country. Australia, for example, requires that your shoes be treated on arrival if there is any soil on them!
Research vaccination and medication requirements
For vaccinations and medications, there are those that are required and those that are recommended.
The USA government organization: Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, provides excellent information for travellers:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/.
Another good official resource is the World Health Organization site: https://www.who.int/travel-advice/ and https://www.who.int/travel-advice/vaccines.
Travel clinic sites also often provide useful information, though they may go a bit overboard on the recommendations.
Check safety aspects
Sites such as https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, and other country equivalents, provide useful information.
Internet access
International roaming charges are usually expensive and free wifi is not available everywhere. Consider taking a spare phone with you and buy a local sim card and local airtime on arrival. A more recent alternative is to use an esim (virtual sim card).
Check on the expected weather
Weather apps can be used to check expected weather conditions for the first few days of your trip at the last minute. For example, when travelling to Switzerland in February of a particular year, I did not need to pack ultra-warm clothes as the weather was going to be mild for the few days that we were going to be there.
Don’t over-research
After all this planning advice, you may be surprised at this tip!
Your holiday will be unique, and you shouldn’t try and replicate someone else’s experience. There should still be ample room for discoveries and adventures of your own.
Keep your expectations grounded; there are so many digitally enhanced photos out there that make the world seem even more beautiful than it already is.
Happy travelling!
One reply on “Top travel planning tips”
As always, practical and helpful!