One of my favourite parts about holidays is planning them. It kind of extends the holiday, gets you excited, and you can learn a lot about a destination before you even get there. But the way I plan a holiday today, is so different to how I use to do it.
I remember planning a holiday to Victoria for dad, my sister and I… when I was in year 9. I was obsessed with the idea of going to Victoria. So, the planning started. I phoned the Melbourne and Victoria tourism boards and got brochures galore sent to my home. Even typing that know seems so foreign… Is that really how I use to plan holidays?
But so much has changed since then, and planning a holiday now is even more appealing and much easier to do. Even if you weren’t planning a holiday, you can’t escape the constant inspiration. So here’s how I plan a holiday today…
Modern Ways To Plan Your Trip
Instagram is full of beautiful travel shots from all over the world. I don’t usually choose my destination from Instagram, but I definitely check Instagram for ideas on what to do and eat in that destination. Search through your favourite accounts or search hashtags for a particular place.
Youtube
If I’m trying to choose between destinations and get a feel for them, I’ll always check Youtube. It just gives you a complete picture (provided you get a good video).
TV Shows
Now, I’m not talking about the cheesy travel shows, but more the ones that travel with a purpose and show you something different. A personal fave who I always watch before a trip is Anthony Bourdain. Just to get a feel for a destination and an idea of what food to try.
Periscope
Where youtube is good in that it can give you an overview of a place, Periscope, live video streaming, is great for really feeling like you are there. There are lots of people streaming live all over the world, and better yet, you can ask them questions too! We have a Bali Q & A periscope every Wednesday and more travel stuff on other days (you can find as on Periscope @almostlanding).
Travel Blogs
One of the reasons we started a travel blog was to share with like-minded travelers our best tips. The best thing about planning a trip through a travel blog is that it’s similar to planning through a friend. You get to know the blogger, their likes and if it matches yours, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll enjoy their tips.
Travel Apps
Travel apps are so handy. Perhaps the biggest problem is that there are so many. I love the apps that focus on a specific thing, like food in Rome (Katie Parla’s app is a must if you go to Rome and enjoy good food).
Travel eBooks
Just like apps, you can download ebooks to your phone or device, so they are pretty handy. They also don’t use internet once you have them there! We recently created an ebook for Bali, Indonesia, to give people a way to get all the information they needed to plan a trip to Bali in the one spot.
Pinterest & Google Images
Pinterest is a great way to plan your trip, but I’m still a sucker for google images. If I want to get a first impression of a destination, I type it into google and go to images. One of the quickest ways to get an overview.
Plan Your Trip: Oldies But Goodies
Despite all the amazing ways to plan your trip now, there are a few tried and tested ways that I still love. Asking friends or family that have been can be pretty reliable, just keep in mind you might enjoy different things. And one thing I still always do is get travel brochures, even if it’s just for the physical maps and as a starting point. I love drawing out my plans on the map.
I imagine planning a trip before probably had more mystery due to the unknown, but today it’s never been easier to plan your trip. So what are you waiting for? :)
I usually start with TripAdvisor. I do a lot of my research and ask questions on the forums for the places I am thinking about traveling to.
Hi Wendy, TripAdvisor forums are always a great way to hear from a variety of people :)