Going on a holiday is a relaxing prospect for many, but organising one and actually travelling to your destination can often be a stressful affair. After all, you need to make sure that everything is in order before your vacation starts. Only then can you devote much of your time to ticking off all the boxes in your travel itinerary. If you’re not sure where to start with the planning process, here are a few practical tips that you can follow to ensure a stress-free trip:
Book Everything You Need in Advance
Securing a fun and relaxing vacation for yourself and your companions begins long before you leave your home. If you’re planning to visit the Lion City, for example, you need to secure your flight, a booking at a Singapore Changi Airport hotel, and tickets to any attractions you want to see several weeks or months before your trip. Otherwise, you risk stressing yourself further by looking for last-minute travel, accommodation, and sightseeing options for your group.
Keep Your Important Documents within Easy Reach
Throughout your journey, you may be required to show a number of documents as proof of your identity, especially if you’re planning to travel outside your country. Keep your IDs and other important documents in a safe yet accessible space. That way, you can easily check if they’re there and present them to the authorities if needed.
Get Insurance to Cover Emergency and Medical Needs
An insurance plan that covers your health and emergency needs can serve as a safety net during these uncertain times, especially if you’re travelling far from your family and friends. Signing up for travel insurance might seem like a waste of money at first, but it can certainly save you from a lot of stress and worries in case an unplanned event takes place. In general, it’s better to have insurance and not need it than need insurance and not have it.
Choose Your Travel Companions Wisely
The people you travel with can significantly impact your holiday plans. If you’re travelling with young kids, for example, then you should set your expectations for the trip accordingly and choose destinations that are child-friendly.
Similarly, if your travel companion is a risk-taker and you’re not, perhaps you can plan for alternative activities while they’re bungee jumping or sky diving. Alternatively, you can travel as a bigger group and break into smaller groups now and then. This way, everyone can enjoy different activities that are more up their alley.
Also, consider your travel companions’ needs when planning your trip. If they get hungry easily, for instance, will they be willing to wait until you can find more affordable food at a hawker centre? Or are they the type who would rather eat at, say, a Changi airport dining establishment as soon as they land in Singapore?
Make a Realistic Budget You Can Actually Stick To
You should also consider what you want the bulk of your budget to go toward. For example, are you willing to pay a bit more for hotels near Singapore airport so that you won’t have to spend a lot of time and money going to and from your destinations? Are you willing to stick to fast food meals when you get to your destination, or do you plan to eat every meal in upscale restaurants while you’re on holiday? Do you plan on shopping as well?
Regardless, your budget for your trip should be reflective of your planned activities. To ensure the accuracy of your spending plan, you can look at the cost of participating in various activities, the menus of the restaurants you plan on trying, and the entrance fees to the places that you want to visit ahead of time.
Leave Enough Room for Spontaneous Activities
It’s good to make a detailed plan of what you want to see, do, and eat when you get to your destination. This way, you don’t have to think much about your decisions. Instead, you can simply concentrate on enjoying your stay and having fun when you get there. However, planning your holiday is quite different from being on a holiday. There may be activities and attractions that you didn’t know about that you’ll want to try should you run across them.
While you should still plan a detailed itinerary, leave enough free time in your schedule. This will give you some leeway to follow your gut and do activities that you may not have thought to include in your holiday plans. Doing so will save you from stressing over delays and the regret of not trying certain activities when you had the chance.
Preparation is key to enjoying a stress-free trip and holiday. By following these tips and making flexible plans ahead of time, you’ll have a better chance of making the most of your vacation. With less stress and anxiety, you’ll also feel more refreshed and rejuvenated upon coming back from your trip.
