There are two kinds of people in this world; the meticulous planners and those who love to wing it and see what happens. We all like to think we’re the latter, but sadly the control freak in us can come creeping out, especially when it comes to booking and planning trips. But how much should you actually plan your trip and how does this affect your enjoyment of your chosen destination?
Let’s break it down.
Time
If you’re on a time crunch then you’re probably going to want to plan a little bit more than if you have months and months to enjoy your destination. There are probably things you absolutely want to see and do and you definitely don’t want to miss out on those things. Also, the more time you have the more you can wait it out for optimal conditions or off-peak prices on certain excursions or experiences. If you’re there for a long weekend, you’ve got to take what you can get – therefore planning comes into play.
If you’re looking to just take your time and be more laissez-faire about your trip, make sure you give yourself enough time to travel in that kind of way. There’s nothing worse than realising your trip’s coming to an end and you haven’t done half the things that you initially wanted to because you’ve just been roaming about with no direction.
Type of Location
This brings us nicely to the type of location or destination that you’re in. If you’re in a busy city, filled to the brim with people, you’re probably going to need to plan a little bit more than if you’re on a beach or out in the mountains. Things like avoiding rush hours when you’re trying to get across town or during other peak festival times. If you’re not a planner, you might find yourself getting caught out by the busyness and not being able to get to where you want to get to in a time that suits you. Be warned.
If you’re in a place with “island time” or somewhere where structured timetables aren’t a thing, you’re going to need to bring a sense of flexibility with you. Honestly, if you’re a meticulous planner, this is probably going to stress you out a bit, but you don’t really have a choice but to go with it. Besides, by loosening up the itinerary a bit you give yourself the time and space to experience things that you normally wouldn’t see or do.
Availability of Transport
If my recent trip to Scotland and the Inner Hebrides in particular has taught me anything it’s that if you’re in a rural area, you have to plan in advance for your buses, ferries, and trains otherwise you could be stuck in a remote place overnight with no accommodation or waiting 3 hours for another bus. Apps like Omio can be really handy here as they show both local buses and trains in different countries.
Similarly, if you’re in a city, you don’t have to be quite as regimented with your timings. If you’re in a place where there’s a subway every ten minutes, you’re going to be pretty safe to get around your destination at a moment’s notice if you want to check out somewhere last minute.
Weather
This is more of a note if you’re traveling in areas with extreme weather conditions or rainy seasons. If you’re planning on hiking but it’s the peak of winter and the snowfall is heavy, you probably should plan for another time to visit. If you’re leaving all your touristy stuff at the last minute and then the monsoon rains hit, stopping all the traffic to and from these locations, then again, you probably should’ve planned a little bit better.
Visas & Other Legal Restrictions
Okay, this shouldn’t need saying but please, please check if you need a visa to enter your destination, and don’t leave it to the last minute. Some countries require weeks to get visas in place, especially if you’re looking at traveling for a long while or working whilst you’re there.
Also, make sure you don’t overstay your visa, this is illegal and you might not be allowed back in that country again. Even the most relaxed of travelers need this document, so make sure you actually plan for this to come through. Remember that you might need an onward ticket, or proof of funds to make sure you’re not going to stay forever, so make sure you buy a cheap plane ticket that you can cancel once you land or have enough in your account to meet this requirement. This section needs planning, sorry free spirits.
“Must Dos”
Finally, leave time for your “must-dos”. These don’t need to be meticulously planned, but write down 5 things you definitely want to do or see before you leave and check in on this list periodically throughout your trip. Some of these might need planning, especially if they’re busy excursions or things off the beaten path. Once you’ve made the list you can decide if you can wing it or not.
Also, it’s always worth having a quick glance at your destination’s festivals and holidays online. Normally this can shut down businesses, transport, and tourist attractions, especially if it’s a religious holiday – just something to be aware of.
So, there you have it. Realistically you can do your trip any way you want to, but when it’s meticulously planned you often miss out on what’s actually going on around you and those hidden gems that aren’t in the guidebooks.
On the other hand, if you’re just roaming around with no plans, you can actually waste a lot of time waiting around for buses, accommodation, and excursion spaces to fill up. You might also spend more money by not booking in advance.
So, essentially it’s important to strike a balance between the two styles. Allocate a few days for planned activities and leave a few to wander around and see what you find. I tend to leave a couple of days free towards the end of my trips in case I hear about any recommendations from locals or other travelers that I might not know about any other way. Keep your options open.
