We tell you our best travel tips to make your trip better than any other so that you can enjoy your holiday to the fullest.
Our 11 best travel tipsYou've finally got a few days off and the moment you've been longing for has arrived: going on a trip.
You've probably already decided on your destination - if you haven't, you're about to enter Skyscanner and search for it - 😄 but in any case, here are our best travel tips and advice that have worked very well for us.
Let's get started... 😉
Once you know your chosen travel destinationMake a day-by-day plan of what you want to see, grouped by areas so you can visit as much as possible.
If you are travelling to a country where you require a visa and/or some kind of vaccinationAsk for your visa well in advance, in case there is a problem and you don't get it on the spot or you have to go back to the embassy or consulate.
The same with vaccinations, in case you have any reactions or side effects and you might not be able to travel. 😏
Check your passport or identity cardWe know, it may seem obvious, but check that it has not expired and be careful as some countries require that the passport is valid for at least 6 months before the expiry date.
Check the weather forecastIt may also seem like a very simple tip for your trip, but think that, because it's summer, it won't be cold or assume, for example, that it always rains in London... lest you have to go running to buy clothes because you haven't checked beforehand what the weather will be like at your destination. 😓
Call or email the accommodation where you are staying.Nowadays everything is done online, sometimes weeks or months in advance and unfortunately there are some travel websites that are not completely reliable, so, to avoid disappointment and annoyance, contact the booked accommodation days before travelling.
Don't rely on the email they send you to say that everything is confirmed. There may be a problem with the booking, the accommodation has cancelled it and you have not been informed.
If you need any kind of assistance at the airport or on your flightYou should contact the airline at least 48 hours before departure, in case you need any special food, reduced mobility, etc.
Tips for your travel bag and if you have to check it inTo avoid being left without any clothes if your suitcase is lost and you are travelling with someone else or you are also carrying hand luggage, it is a good idea to divide your clothes between all your suitcases, so that you will always have something to wear.
To prevent the airline from losing your suitcaseHere's our advice on airline luggage which, simple as it may seem, has worked for us.
Each one we check in is wrapped in plastic - so far so good, right? - and we put a label around it that says fragile, preferably in red or a strong colour. As it is so eye-catching, it is more difficult for them to lose sight of it, and the fragile label "tends" to treat it better than the others. 😇
We don't know if it's really because of that or not - we would give anything to be inside and see how they treat the bags - but since we've been doing it, all our bags have always arrived at their destination without any problems.
Changing foreign currencyAs a tip for changing money when you travel to a foreign country, never do it at the airport. The exchange rate is very, very bad.
As a general rule, the best place to change money is at your destination and at the city's bureaux de change.
Leave important documents at the accommodationIt is best to take photocopies of all your documents with you and leave the originals in a safe place - in a safe, hidden in a suitcase, etc. - to avoid problems and unexpected visits to the consulate or embassy.
Take out travel insuranceWe believe this is the best travel advice we can give you.
When we go on a trip we think about enjoying ourselves and living new experiences and not about anything happening to us, but to make sure you have your back well covered, 😊 we recommend that you always take out travel insurance.
There are many companies offering travel insurance and many types of insurance with different coverages. In our opinion, the most important ones to take into account are: health insurance, 24-hour contact in your language and cancellation service for your trip or claim in case of flight cancellation, loss of luggage, theft, etc.
We travel with Intermundial.
It has no excess (it is also important to check this), it gives us a lot of security to be backed by a company like this and as we said above, you have the option of taking out insurance with cancellation, where you will be refunded the full amount of the trip if you have to cancel it for any justified reason or if the airline company cancels it.
We hope this post of travel tips and travel advice has helped you in yours.
If you have any other tips or tricks that have been useful for your trip and you want to share them with us, we would love you to do so in the comments and you can continue preparing your trip with more tips and tricks.