About 9.2 million Americans traveled abroad in 2022. In a post-pandemic world, this number is only increasing. In fact, 2022’s figures already show a 160.8% increase from 2021’s!
If you’re lucky enough to be going to a foreign country soon, it’s important to get some tips for a smoother vacation. Read on for some ways to travel that will help you make the most out of your experience.
Table of Contents
1. Find Inexpensive Flights
Finding an affordable flight to a foreign country can be a challenge. However, when you use services like Google Flights, you’ll find the best deals from multiple airlines. You’ll be able to choose between different times based on your budget and the number of layovers that you’re okay with taking.
Sometimes you wait for the best day to book international flights to save money. Other people prefer to shell out for a direct flight so they can get some sleep on the plane and reach their destination ASAP.
No matter what you do, make sure that you book here for transportation to and from the airport. This will make sure that you don’t end up stranded and unable to find a cab in a place where you don’t speak the language.
2. Do Some Safety-Related Research
Some countries have very few precautions that you need to take before arriving. Most Western European countries like France and the UK are similar to the US when it comes to safety. East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea also tend to be very safe.
But in other places, you might have to exercise some extra safety precautions. South America, the Middle East, and Africa all have some beautiful countries that you can visit to enrich your life. However, because a lot of these places have political unrest and military conflict, you’ll need to be vigilant about staying in good areas.
Look at the US travel advisories for more information and consider researching what precautions you might need to take.
3. Take Health Precautions
Speaking of precautions, you’re probably going to need to take the reins on your health as well as your safety. It’s only natural that different nations with different climates will have various diseases prevalent in their communities.
For example, South American countries with a lot of mosquitoes will naturally have issues with malaria. Typhoid is a big deal in China, but no one really thinks about it in the US.
The risk of diseases shouldn’t stop you from traveling anywhere, but you will need some additional vaccines. Look at travel advisories and talk to a physician about any shots you’ll need.
4. Create an Itinerary
At this point, it’s time to make an itinerary for your trip! This is where you can really start getting excited.
Decide on a few must-see sites when you get to your destination. Rank them in order of importance on a sheet of paper. Determine which of them are closest together so you can hit them in an order that makes sense.
But make sure that you don’t overpack your itinerary. You’re going to want some free days to walk around, shop, attend events that you discover while already abroad, and relax on the beach or in a park. You also don’t want to be stressed out going from place to place with no downtime.
Be realistic and make sure that you give yourself room to breathe!
5. Book Hotels in Advance
At this point, you should have a pretty clear idea of what cities and towns you’ll be going to. You’ll want to book hotels in those areas ahead of time.
You can likely find awesome deals on sites like Bookings.com or Travelocity. Google is also a great resource if you want to see specific addresses and closely examine photos.
Don’t book more hotels than you need to. One per city should be good. There’s no reason to drag all your luggage to a new room twenty minutes away when a cab ride or train trip is simple and feasible.
6. Learn Some of the Language
If you’re going to a country where English isn’t the most widely-spoken language, it’s important that you pick up some of the words and phrases you’ll need for daily life. Duolingo is a great resource for this, as are travel books and websites.
You’ll need to know how to ask for directions, what to say when you hail a cab, how to order at restaurants, ways to convey that you have food allergies, and how to find a hotel. Some basic greetings are probably also important so you can meet new people.
Plus, learning languages is fun! It’s a great way to show people where you’re traveling that you respect their culture. Don’t expect an entire country to cater to you – make an effort to show them you care!
7. Get Appropriate Clothing
In many countries, you probably can wear clothes that make you comfortable. If you’re going to Southern Europe in the dead of summer, you probably will want some shorts and t-shirts. Wintertime travelers may need longer clothes to stay comfortable.
Beyond this, though, some nations have restrictions on what you can and can’t wear. Many middle eastern countries require women to wear headscarves. Some places in Europe consider wearing flip-flops in public a major faux pas.
Look at online forums and talk to people in your destination about their dress codes. This will let you know what to shop for so you can blend in and stay comfortable.
Travel to a Foreign Country the Right Way
While there’s a lot to prepare for international travel, it’s well worth the reward of seeing new sites and understanding other cultures. Now that you know the basics of traveling to a foreign country, it’s time to get more awesome tips for enjoying everything that other countries have to offer. Check out the ‘travel’ tab on our homepage for more information about preparing to go abroad.
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