Whether you’re a seasoned world traveler or experiencing the world for the first time, traveling is full of surprises and challenges as you learn about the world around you. When venturing into the unknown, making a few blundering moves is not uncommon. However, sometimes these errors can turn a vacation into a disappointing and costly experience.
However, planning and prior knowledge can go a long way. Therefore, here is a list of 15 travel mistakes to avoid so that your trip is enjoyable and you don’t feel stressed.
15 Common Travel Mistakes to Avoid
These are the 15 most common travel mistakes that people make, and whether this is your first trip or you take several vacations a year, you can learn from them and avoid making them on your next trip. Let’s get started!
1) Overpacking
Bringing clothes for every conceivable event is tempting, but doing so can be cumbersome, and it can result in expensive baggage fees if you unintentionally exceed the weight limit.
Do your normal packing, and then take out half of the items you intend to bring. Then, you can always do laundry while traveling, you won’t wear all of them, and you don’t have to compromise on your sense of style.
2) Carrying valuables
Pickpockets may target you if they notice that you are carrying valuables such as jewelry, cameras, or other electronics. Leave any valuables at home, even if theft isn’t a problem where you’re going. It’s too easy to misplace things on the road.
If you must bring valuables with you, do so with caution. You may want to bring a jacket with zipper pockets or wear a bum bag to store your money and cards.
3) Forgetting The Budget
You should look at your financial situation not as a limitation but as an opportunity to explore the area more imaginatively and genuinely. Establish a budget that you can stick to, and be sure to include some wiggle room in case unforeseen costs arise.
If you plan on being away from home for an extended period of time, it can be helpful to transfer money weekly (like a paycheck) from your savings account to your checking account.
4) Forgetting About Roaming Charges on Your Phone
Knowing the limits of your cell phone plan is essential in order to avoid incurring exorbitant roaming charges. Avoid a ruined trip and a huge cell phone bill by not assuming you need a special plan for international travel.
When it comes to international flights, different airlines have different rules. Getting a local SIM card or signing up for a prepaid plan with a predetermined amount of talk time and text messages are two options for making calls abroad.
5) Passport Issues
There is a time limit on passport validity. The assumption is that they are valid until that date. However, that’s not always the case. The minimum number of months of validity for a passport to enter certain countries is between three and six months. Make sure you know the visa requirements for your destination well in advance of your trip.
Passports have other issues, such as blank pages. For some trips, you’ll need at least two unused pages.
6) Not Booking Ahead
Do you really wish to travel there and risk not finding a suitable hotel room? Do you really wish to run around in search of one? This rule also applies to attraction tickets.
It is always preferable to plan ahead and acquire all necessary reservations and tickets to avoid disappointment and unnecessary difficulty.
7) Omitting Health Insurance
Did you know that entry into some countries is conditional upon providing evidence of medical insurance? Despite the fact that not all countries require it, many do, and those who don’t have it may be denied entry. This talk pertains to emergency medical coverage, not a medical evacuation.
While traveling, emergency medical insurance can assist with the costs associated with an accident or illness. However, even if you have standard health insurance, it is unlikely that you will be covered abroad.
8) Eating Near Tourist Spots
Tourist-trap restaurants charge twice as much for food that tastes half as good. There is less pressure on restaurants to maintain high standards when they know their customers won’t be returning.
If you’re hungry, walk at least five blocks away from a tourist trap instead of eating there. You can save money and enjoy better quality fare by traveling further away.
9) Forgetting To Get Local Currency
Traveling to a foreign country necessitates the acquisition of the local currency. This is something that you must remember before entering your destination country. In addition, you require the local currency to pay for transportation, food, lodging, and souvenirs.
Upon arrival at the airport, it is imperative that you exchange your home currency for the local currency. Unfortunately, numerous times, travelers forget to bring local currency and end up paying with credit cards.
10) Creating An Overambitious Itinerary
There’s so much to do! There’s so much to see! Visiting nine countries in eight days may sound appealing on paper, but your trip will be so hazy that you won’t remember where you were in all the photos.
When planning your itinerary, try to refresh yourself and include some downtime so you can truly experience the local culture and unwind.
11) Underestimating Airport Checking Time
Too many travelers have missed their flights because they needed to allow more time to clear security. Nothing raises blood pressure more than standing helplessly in line while your flight time slowly increases. In most instances, you should arrive at the airport three hours prior to the departure of an international flight.
12) Not Informing Your Bank About Travel
If you use your card unexpectedly in Bangkok when the bank believes you are in New Zealand, your card may be flagged and placed on hold.
This aggravating situation is, fortunately, very simple to avoid. Simply call your bank and credit card company prior to your trip and inform them of your travel dates and destination.
13) Being Culturally Insensitive
If you want to have a good time wherever you happen to be, you should learn about the local culture and customs. Keeping an open mind will aid in assimilation, increase your opportunities to learn from and contribute to the local culture, and protect you from unwittingly offending the locals.
14) Being Too Much Of A Tourist
Of course, if you travel abroad, you will be a tourist by definition. The thought of spending your entire vacation lounging around the resort may be appealing, but savvy tourists know that they’re wasting their money if they don’t get out and see the incredible sights that the destination they’ve paid to visit has to offer.
Tourist traps exist and will quickly deplete your travel budget if you do not avoid them. When possible, avoid restaurants and shops near major attractions in favor of more local eateries.
15) Not Checking Weather Forecast
Because you’ll be traveling light, make sure your clothing is weather appropriate. Otherwise, you may spend your vacation complaining about being too hot, too cold, or too wet. That is not how you should spend your vacation.
Even if you are familiar with your destination, check the weather forecast frequently in the days leading up to your trip.
So these were the most common 15 travel mistakes to avoid. So, on your next trip & travel, consider these mistakes & do not make these mistakes.
Thank you for reading!