We are all going on a summer holiday! (How do you plan your holidays?)

Member Name: denise40

Product:	How do you plan your holidays?
Date:	18/03/09 (221 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Less to sort out once you arrive at your destination

Disadvantages: May take some time before you leave

Advice on Planning a Holiday

The more you plan before you go on holiday the more you should be able to see and do once you get there. First thing is you need to decide where you are going to, this will all depend on your circumstances for example if you are single, are a couple or have children. There are lots of different types of holidays as well depending on your budget from luxury hotels in far away places to going camping at home. Some things you could try out would be organised tours (these can be by train and bus) or cruises. Once you have picked the area you are going to you can chose the best mode of transport for you. If you are feeling adventures you could take your own car or hire one once you get to your destination and navigate yourself.

Before I ever book anywhere I make sure I do some research on the area I am planning on going to and the hotel I plan to book. If you have the money you could buy a Lonely Planet book as these are great and give you frank and honest opinions. Or if you don't want to buy a book you could get some information out of the library. As let's face it if you don't know where your going you could end up in a dump in the middle of nowhere! Saying this I sometimes read between the lines of reviews of hotels as some people can be just too picky. If most of the reviews are good then I tend to book it. It is good to see what they have to offer you to do and what there is to see.

Everyone's tastes and preferences are different as to what the idea holiday is. Some people think it is heaven lying on a beach all day in the sun, or out drinking all night, whereas other people would find that extremely boring and would rather be out exploring the area seeing different parts of it. I then get a price of my accommodation and travel to the destination.

Sometimes if I am on a tight budget I try to work out how much money I will need every day and also how much any tours would cost if I chose to take them. All these wee things add up and you never notice until you come back home and have to pay it off. It is good to have an overall price so you will know roughly how much it will cost. When I do this I always add on a few hundred pounds as there are always hidden costs or unexpected things to pay for. Tipping will have to be taken into consideration if it is customary to do so in the area (this would be especially useful in America as you have to tip for nearly everything. Even in some hotels if you go to the toilet so let's hope you don't have a weak bladder!).

I tend to pre-book tours and have an itinerary for the week or two weeks of the different things I would like to do. Tours quite often pack a lot of activities into one day which would be very difficult for you to do by yourself. When I go away somewhere I like to see as much as possible of the area and would hate if I missed something just because I didn't look into it, however it is not possible to do everything. If you are on an action packed holiday it is good to have a few days rest to relax.

You also need to remember things like how you are going to get to the airport, how you will get to your hotel once you arrive at your destination. These can be booked in advance as well. If you are ever unsure of where to get these services once you arrive there is usually a help desk so do not panic!

If you have children it is a good idea to get a travel game or something to amuse them on your journey there. Children tend to get very cross and tired on long flights so giving them a distraction is always good. Also for yourself a book or magazine can always pass a few hours.

Try not to bring too much luggage, my general rule is pack your suitcase on what you think you may need then take half of it out. Everyone always brings too much with them when they go away. You spend your whole time then carrying it around with you. Trust me I went on a gap year and started off with loads of things and by the end of my trip I had sent most of it home. It is amazing what you can live without or even what you don't use as much as you think. I tend to bring a jumper and a light waterproof coat with me everywhere even if the place tends to be very warm as at night time you generally need it at some stage. Plus you need to remember suncream if it's a hot place. A small first aid kit is handy to have on hand. Quite often you can buy it at your destination but this involves having to go look for something in a place where you have no idea where it is. A small bag is handy if you are out during the day to carry things with you. It also means if you are on a budget and don't want to eat out you can make yourself a picnic.

How you are going to take your money with you is an important issue. This may be by traveller's cheques (which I have always found a hassle as some places do not change them and they charge you a fee). You can bring just cash with you but carrying large amounts is not advised as if you are mugged that is all your money gone. If you do decide to carry cash make sure you split it with whoever you are with and put it in a money belt. Sometimes hotels offer safes that are locked and you could put it in here. Again you hear the stories where money goes missing. A credit card could be carried and this could be how you pay things off and carry little cash. Not everywhere will accept your card however it all depends on the area you are in. Sometimes you can use your debit card in restaurants or hotels. Failing this you can withdraw cash however you may not get a great rate and may be charged every time you withdraw.

Last but not least go and enjoy your holiday! It is the only time of the year you can let your hair down, relax and forget about all your worries at home.

Summary: Its worth while to plan