Any trip plan worthy of the name, should start with a simple question: where should I go? And sometimes, especially at peak season: should I stay or should I go? The online and offline sources of inspiration are countless, ranging from documentaries and books to travel blogs and magazines.
Each of us develops his own imaginary, but on a practical level, your travel style and preferences are crucial. Traveling solo, with family, or in a small group, will make much difference, as well as your special interests or the things you like to do while traveling. An ecotourist may prefer Iceland over Dubai, an adventurous traveler is dreaming of going to Canada or Australia, and so on.
Being all against mass tourism and its negative impacts, we have put together a selection of alternative destinations to let you enjoy a more original, significant, and sustainable travel experience. It’s a constant work in progress, so come back often to check its progresses and collaborate to improve it, if you can.
Anyway, we are pretty sure you already kind of have a travel wishlist. Then it may be useful to put it down into an excel sheet as in the example below:
It’s very handy and allows to constantly keep an eye on the places that most fascinate us. Life is short and, unless you have a chance to live it in a nomadic way, you will need to narrow down your list, operating some clear choices.
But together with where to go, it’s also important to consider when to do it. The best time to visit a certain country may depend on several factors: weather (you won’t particularly enjoy Indochina during the rainy season), seasonality (during high season things are busy and expensive), personal interests (if you love dog sledding or skiing, winter is the perfect time to go to Norway and Sweden).
Our travel guides are a decent tool for determining when to go and get the full picture. Just select your desired destination and they’ll provide all the necessary information. Here are some examples: the best time to go to Canada, the best time to go to Japan, the best time to go to Spain.
One last thing: when should you start planning your trip? According to travel data specialist Adara, people start their air ticket search 6 to 8 days out from purchase, and 30/32 days ahead of departure, but to obtain better deals and more choice, you’d rather do it before.
Trip Planning Part 2: Budget Your Trip Like a Pro Traveler
Other Sections: Cheap Flights | Accommodations | Essential Tools