How to plan a vacation trip

10 Steps for the perfect trip. Simple and easy. YOUR trip, on YOUR way.

Want to travel and discover the world but don't know where to start when planning a trip? Do you feel scared and lost thinking about the thousands of details, afraid of forgetting something important? No idea how to plan a trip? Would you like to have your dream trip but can't find what you want (apart from astronomical prices)?

Well, we've been through it. We've been through lots of hassles, had a lot of headaches, lost money, time and opportunities - because that's what happens when a trip is poorly planned. After having been through all of that, I've been, for the last few years, following a step-by-step guide that is the perfect guide for planning the perfect trip.

Come with me and happy travels!

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FIRST, THE BASIC RULES:

In order for the trip to work out fine, I follow these basic rules , and I recommend that you think carefully about them and try to adopt them:

1st – Less is more: don’t try to see everything in a single trip. Running through different places in a short period of time is the right recipe for getting tired, stressed and frustrated.

2nd – Planning & Flexibility: plan in advance what you intend to do at the destination, but be flexible - the most memorable moments of the trip are usually those that happen spontaneously.

3rd – The trip is yours and you will do it as you wish: it's not just because the neighbor loved it, your brother-in-law recommended it or someone posted it as a must-see on Instagram that you have to include this or that place on your itinerary. If that doesn't interest you or you think it's going to be tiring/boring/ expensive/silly, there's no reason to go there

With these three rules in mind, let's go step-by-step.

Let’s learn how to plan a top-notch vacation trip!

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1️⃣ Define time of year and make a list of destinations you would like to visit

I think that we all have a list of places we want to visit someday (maybe your list, like mine, has hundreds of items 😂).

What needs to be done at the first moment is decide what time of year we will travel – it doesn’t have to be the exact days, but that general idea: I want to travel for 2 weeks in March or April, or I want 20 days in August, or I want to travel for Carnival week, and so on.

Having defined the season you intend to travel and with the list of possible destinations, the first step is research whether that time is suitable for visiting that destination.

Things like checking whether the place will be open (many attractions, especially national parks, may close at certain times of the year), whether it is the rainy season (not that this will stop you from traveling – it is usually cheaper to travel in the rainy season), whether there will be snow (if you want snow or, on the contrary, if you want to escape the snow), whether it will be dry or full of rivers, whether there will be waves if you want to surf and so on.

In recent years (and for many years to come) We can only travel during school holidays and long holidays. Which means we travel either in high summer or in high winter. So, I have a “wish list” for January holidays, another for July holidays, and another for long holidays, with suitable destinations for each of these times of the year.

If you have the flexibility to take vacations at other times, I highly recommend doing so. There are several advantages: better prices, less crowded places and more pleasant weather.

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2️⃣ Search flight prices and estimate expenses = travel budget

This is where the decision will be made. Set your travel budget and research to get a general idea which (or which) of those destinations fit your budget.

The most expensive items are usually flights (especially international tickets or on long holidays and high season), lodging, tours e feed, and internal transportation.

Depending on the destination, tours and food may be cheaper (or included in the accommodation rates), but it is always a good idea to check, so as not to estimate a value for these expenses and arrive on time and realize that you will have to spend triple the amount, which compromises all fun and will only generate frustration.

Flight prices:

I usually use Google Flights and SkyScanner to compare flight prices, though there are many other online tools available. I prefer Google Flights because I find the interface more user-friendly. Ultimately, choosing the right tool depends on your preference, as finding cheap flights is crucial when planning a trip.

Using it is intuitive and simple: add your origin and destination, dates and start searching. Dates can be flexible or fixed; use and abuse the date chart – in green in the figure below – which shows prices for a few days before or after the dates you initially defined.

As you find interesting flights, turn on the alert – in yellow in the figure above, to monitor the prices of that flight – Google Flights will notify you by email whenever the price changes, up or down.

1 Tip: if there is no airport in your city (or it is a regional airport), search with the origin at the main airport in the region (if you are in the southeast, it is always worth putting São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro as origin for international destinations) and separately check the flight from your city to the hub (GRU or GIG). There is often a significant difference, both in flight options and prices.

2 Tip: Pay close attention when finding airline tickets with low-cost airlines, as the cheapest option can often be a car, or you may be in trouble. In this post I explain in detail what you have to pay attention to to see if Is it really worth flying with low cost airlines?.

Hosting:

I usually use Booking.com – go to the website, enter the destinations and likely dates and see the options. If there is a specific hotel you intend to stay at, also check the hotel's website.

Yacht tours:

Look for the official websites of the attractions you intend to visit (museums, parks, historical sites) to check the price of tickets and whether it is necessary to purchase them in advance. Google the tour you want to take (for example: “full day buggy tour Christmas”) and see what comes up, you’ll get an idea of ​​the price. I love using GetYourGuide and the Civitatis to search and book these tours.

Food:

In addition to the basic search on ggole for “how much does a meal cost in ……”, go to Google Maps, choose a destination you want to go to, and look at the restaurants, look for the menus (paying attention to when the photo was taken), now you can get an idea of ​​how much a meal costs.

Internal transportation:

If you are going on a road trip, or are going to move between several locations, it is important to check the best way to get around and the cost: car rental, internal area tickets, train or bus. Even if you are staying in the same city all the time, how will you get around there? It's always a good idea to take a look at the cost of the subway or taxi, whether Uber operates there, or whether you'll need to rent a car. A quick Google search will give you an idea of ​​how much these internal trips cost.

Budget and trip duration:

With this, you can set your travel budget e exclude some destinations from the list.

Another important definition, which can be made at this time, is the exact duration of the trip: “two weeks of vacation” could end up being 13 or 16 days – depending on flight prices and the cost of each day (accommodation + tour + food) , staying one or two days less, or more, can make a relevant difference.

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3️⃣ Documentation

VERY IMPORTANT: Before making any decision about your destination, check whether a PASSPORT, VISA, vaccination (yellow fever, Co V 1D-19 or other) is required, whether it is mandatory to have travel insurance or any other type of restriction or bureaucratic-documentary requirement.

A very good site to search is sherpa.com

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4️⃣ Research initial ideas for the itinerary, define entry and exit doors and whether internal flights will be necessary.

It's time to start thinking about detailed itinerary. For example, if you want to go to Italy, now is the time to think about which cities to visit and how long to stay in each one.

This is the part that I think is the coolest about planning: getting to know more about the destination (and thus having more elements to decide between those that are still in play), discovering cool things to do, dream about the trip. It's worth searching on Google, blogs, Instagram, travel guides (I love it!), asking friends and acquaintances, in short, all sources are valid to enrich your travel repertoire.

It's also time to check if you will arrive and leave at the same location. For example: if you want to go to France and the Netherlands, it may be interesting to take a one-way flight arriving in Paris, and departing from Amsterdam on the return flight. This way, in addition to saving time, you may be able to get a better price on your airline tickets.

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5️⃣ Buy airline tickets

The most awaited moment has arrived: buying airline tickets always ends up having that taste of “Okay, now I’m going and no one can stop me!”

(of course, even after purchasing tickets, many things can happen, but let's remain optimistic because, even when a global pandemic emerges, sooner or later trips always tend to happen)

Have we already purchased airline tickets before doing any research about the destination? Yes! Have we ever purchased airline tickets after having several hotels and tours booked? Yes! But honestly, I don't recommend. In the first case, unless you find a very good promotion, which is really good, where you don't even have time for a quick search, you may even get a good deal on the plane, but you run the risk of getting frustrated in other cases. areas, such as general cost of the destination, little or much time at that destination, etc. In the second case (booking accommodation and tours before purchasing tickets), you end up having little flexibility to define air dates, so you may end up paying more than you would like.

If the trip doesn't involve air travel, great! Take advantage of this moment to see if the car doesn't need a service 😉 If you're traveling by road or train, find out if you need to buy tickets in advance and plan accordingly.

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6️⃣Detail itinerary, search (and book) accommodation

Tickets purchased, play on script details. How much you plan and book depends on your travel style and the time of year (in high season it is always good to have accommodations booked in advance), but It's always interesting and important to have a general idea of ​​the itinerary: which places to visit, how long to stay in each one, tours and activities you really want to do..

As I said in the begining of this post, any trip must have a mix of planning and spontaneity. Leave time and opportunities for free wandering, enjoying the place, taking advantage of that tip that another traveler, who you met right there, gave you, changing plans depending on the weather or your mood.

I recommend having at least the first few days of accommodation booked, especially when it comes to an international trip.

You can search for your accommodation here, of all the tools I've ever used to search and book accommodation, Booking has proven to be the best, most reliable and with the best prices.

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7️⃣Book transfers, rent a car, buy train, bus tickets and other internal transportation

These reservations may be essential in some cases, advisable in others, or can be made on the spot in other situations. It depends on the destination, purpose of the trip (for example, if it is a road trip, it is essential to rent a car in advance), travel style, time of year, etc.

I usually rent vehicles through RentCars, they usually have the best prices and I've never had any problems, check it out:

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8️⃣ Buy tickets and book activities and tours

This also depends on your destination and what you want to do. Research whether you need to buy them in advance.

We almost didn't manage to visit the Alhambra (one of the most beautiful places in the world in my opinion), in Granada, Spain, because I had to buy tickets a few weeks before the trip (you have to buy them MONTHS in advance). We only managed to visit because a charitable soul at the sales counter (yes, we went to the counter to whine to see if there was a way to release some measly tickets for those who had come from so far away) explained to us that at midnight extra tickets were released for the day. following. We managed to buy, but at 0:03 there were no more tickets available.

Don't pass on this stress. Research first. It is serious.

Of all the tour booking tools I've used, the ones I like most are Get Your Guide and the Civitatis: both have many tours and good prices (often, lower prices than quoted directly on the website of the companies that operate the tours). It's worth comparing both platforms, as the tour offerings on each one are a little different from the other, and prices can also vary.

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9️⃣ Travel insurance, especially if traveling internationally

Travel insurance usually must be arranged before leaving your home country. I always recommend doing it, even if it's a short trip.

Do not leave home without a travel insurance.

And if at that time you feel insecure, breath and go ahead; I guarantee that after the first one, you will never want to stop!

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1️⃣0️⃣Pack your bags and LEAVE!!!

Then just wait for the travel date and (a few days before) pack your bags, paying attention when organize luggage. I usually travel with only a carry-on, and here are all my tips and step-by-step guide to travel light and without worrying about loss, extra fees or back pain from carrying so much cumbersome luggage.

Now just enjoy! May it be the trip you dreamed of and planned!

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But you must be wondering….

How long before should I start planning? How long does it take to do all this? ⏳⏳⏳

This is a difficult question… lol

There's no right answer. Everything will depend on your destination, the season, your budget (everything done in advance tends to be cheaper), your availability, etc. etc. etc.

We've done this process all in 2 days (it was rushed but everything went well!) and in other cases it took more than a year of planning.

What I can say is: school holidays? Plan VERY well in advance. Long holidays? Program even EARLIER (mainly for destinations in Brazil).

And remember that in the northern hemisphere, summer holidays usually run from July to early/mid-September, so the month of August is considered high-season. In the southern hemisphere, December to February is high-season, as well as July.

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