50+ Must-Know Tips For Travelers; An Essential Checklist

It’s always very exciting when the time draws near for you to catch a flight or jump into the vehicle for a vacation or long-distance travel. However, the excitement won’t last for a long time if you never adhered to these pre-travel tips explained below. Here’s a checklist for travelers; whether you’re traveling abroad or just across states in the same country. 

50+ Must Know Tips For Travelers

Of course, these tips apply to all kinds of travel and for people of all ages. However, some of them may not apply to you – or may have been familiar with them already. Enough of the long intro, let’s get started.

1. Traveling is a Privilege

View in any aspect you may wish, but traveling is such a privileged adventure. Remember, you were “allowed” to visit the country/state/monument/place, and as such you’re a guest! Appreciate the privilege of being let into the new location and ensure to play by the jurisdictional rules. 

2. Research the New Location Before Going

This is very important; although you may have secured a visa to visit a new country or obtained a permit to enter a particular location, one of the first things to do is to do your own research about the place. Yes, there are many positive reviews from past travelers and visitors to the place, but you need to be sure they’re being honest. Research and learn any new thing that may be of help during your stay over there – maybe the people’s culture, language, etc. 

3. Prepare Ahead

Of course, you don’t wake up on the day of your travel and start arranging your stuff, you’ll forget a lot of items and documents, obviously. That said, you would want to prepare ahead for your travel – maybe weeks ahead, so you don’t forget anything. Within the weeks before your travel date, try to recall if you’re missing anything, then find it and put it inside your duffle or case, one at a time, and you won’t miss anything important.

4. Don’t BORROW!

Sometimes, it can be inevitable not to borrow but try as much as you can not to go into debt for the sake of your travel or vacation. Coming back from a lavish vacation or travel to meet huge debts can be frustrating and depressing. You don’t want to make that mistake – one of the ways to avoid it is by planning your travel within your budget. Cut down on costs anywhere possible – flight tickets, luggage, etc.), and also look out for travel discounts. 

5. Be Health Conscious

Some people get environmentally sick when they leave their current environment. If you’re one of such, see your doctor and ensure to go with any medical supplement/drugs he prescribes. That aside, it is important to do a health checkup before making any travel. Your doctor would also let you know if there is any health awareness you should look out for in the new location.

6. Get Travel Credit Cards

Obviously, some credit cards offer travel benefits, such as discounted flights, priority passes, lounge access, and more. Such a credit card should be one of the things you possess as a traveler. Rewardable credit cards are best for travelers.

7. Get a Priority Pass

This is usually one of the perks you can get from using a particular type of credit card. Priority Pass at airports allows you to skip queues most of the time and get attended to very quickly! Saves you a ton of time.

8. Sign Up for Travel Benefits

If your bank, telecommunications providers, or any trusted agency in your area offers travel benefits, evaluate the benefits and jump in on it, if it proves to be worth it. Getting as many travel perks from different providers can make your vacations and long travels a bliss. 

9. Look Out For Cheap Flights

One of the ways to avoid running into debt during travel is to look for cheap flights. Flight tickets can be costly, but there are a few ways to cut down the cost, including booking your flight weeks or even months ahead. Use flight booking mobile apps too, some of them offer reasonable discounts. 

10. Get Travel Insurance

No one prays for bad things to happen, but sometimes, they just happen. Travel Insurance is a policy that covers you for specific scenarios that may occur during your travel. The coverage you get depends on the insurance package you bought.

11. Notify Your Account Officer or Finance Advisor

If you’re going on a long journey afield from home, it is advisable to let your bank manager or finance advisor to know about your movement. This is to ensure that even the slightest of unusual activity – especially credit card purchases – on your account will be checked thoroughly and confirmed by you. 

12. Having Small Pennies and Cents Matter

Yes, stash in as many pennies and cents as you can, you will need them for tips or small payments in restaurants or other places you will visit. Fifty bucks, two cents, five pennies, all of them can come in handy, so if you’ve got them, put them in your bag.

13. Don’t Over Plan!

You may have made your planning, and during the course of your journey, you see situations or enticing sights that may force you to adjust your plans. Yes, there could be many worthwhile distractions on a trip, but make sure not to overplan, which could ruin your budget and put you in debt. 

14. Choose a Sizable Backpack

Literally, every traveler needs a backpack. Backpacks are easier to carry; sizable and able to contain a ton of travel gear. Even so, there are travel backpacks with compartments meant to stash your travel gear. 

15. Be Light

Apparently, you would want to pack “everything” into your travel bag, but not all of them may be useful. It is important to pack light – go with the important stuff only. This enables you to carry your luggage easily as you go.

16. Include Shades and Sarong 

Although you should pack light, include some fancies! They’ll spice up your outings on a vacation or new country. A well-decorated sarong and shades would do much good. 

17. Don’t Forget Your Chargers!

As common as this may sound, one of the things people forget a lot when they travel is their chargers! Laptop charger, phone charger, camera charger, and adapters for your devices, pack ‘em all! Buying new chargers on a trip can be much more expensive than you expected. 

18. Use Ziploc Bags

Most airlines are cool with their passengers using Ziploc bags to store liquids. So, use Ziploc bags for your liquids. Of course, you could still use Ziploc bags for to keep other small items you need for your travel.

19. Carry Water Bottles and SteriPen

A water bottle is a handy travel gear you cannot do without, but adding a SteriPen would do you much good. SteriPen is a handy device for purifying water on the go. It comes in very useful if the location you’re traveling to doesn’t have more clean water.

20. Pack a Carry-On Case

In addition to carrying a backpack, you can include a carry-on case. Carry-on briefcases are easily checked in everywhere. A carry-on briefcase is big enough to contain a lot of items and wear you need on a vacation.

21. There Will Be Traffic

Even if the news says the roads are clear, expect to meet traffic on your way to the airport. This will make you prepare on time and leave early, so you don’t miss your flight. 

22. Be Early

Of course, you need to be early at the airport so as to not miss your flight. Missing your flight is an issue that frustrates your travel plans from the onset. 

23. Stand Behind Business Travelers in the Queue

When you stand behind business people, they tend to do things faster than family people with kids. So, when you stand behind business travelers, you can see things being done very fast than when you stand behind families.

24. When You Arrive, Respect The Locals

When you visit a new country, one of the things you must do is to respect the culture of the people, as well as the locals living there. Any disrespect may attract severe penalties or even deportation. 

25. You Must Not Be Fluent In Their Language

If you can, learning the native language of the country or state you’re visiting is a good thing. But, it is not compulsory for you to master the language, you just need to know the basics. 

26. Always Wear a Smile

A smile doesn’t only make you look beautiful, it makes others see you as a friendly person and want to associate with you. When in a vacation spot or new location, always wear a smile. 

27. Go By Your Instincts

Since you’re in a new location, always trust your instincts and gut feeling. Whatever was going through your mind could be real – act by it. However, this doesn’t mean you should be paranoid and not trust the people around you – you just need to be more careful. 

28. Never Let Your Guard Down

Take your security seriously, regardless of how much crime-free the environment may appear. Protect your gear, always be mindful of which path you go through, and avoid known terror places in the neighborhood. 

29. Try Local Foods, They Can Be So Sweet!

Of what fun is a vacation if you don’t eat local foods? Curries, sauces, burgers, etc., every state, country, or village has a special local food you should try out before leaving the location. Some of these local foods turn out tastier than you could have imagined.

30. Avoid Hotels If You’re On a Budget

Without a doubt, it’s expensive to stay in hotels when you travel. A guest house or motel could be much cheaper for you. Other affordable alternatives depend on how long you intend to stay in the new place – renting an apartment is best if you’re staying for months or years. 

31. Enjoy The Special Moments

There are going to be special moments that will force you to spend more money than you may have stipulated. Well, it’s understandable that you’re on a budget, but if you’ve got some more money to spare, make every special moment count – pay that additional cost!

32. You Must Not Eat Out

Yeah, sometimes, you need to cook that food at home (in your apartment). There are times when cooking at home could be cheaper than eating out. If cooking home meals appears less costly for you, stick with that more often. 

33. Give Back To The Community

Now, this is not compulsory, but if you’ve got special skills like singing, dancing, comedy, driving, etc., that you could teach others, teach it to the community members who have harbored you for a while. You could help promote their culture, teach the children new things, or help the government (if privileged). 

34. Buy Souvenirs, You Can Mail Them

You don’t want to travel and return empty, everyone’s going to ask you what you brought from the foreign land! Don’t leave them disappointed. If the souvenir you wish to buy is bulky and won’t fit into your travel bag, you can mail it over using the post office. 

35. Secure City Passes

The truth is, any premium card or subscription you can secure to grant you speedy access to many things during the course of your travel, get that! A city pass helps you save time and get to the front of the line.

36. Choose Tours Wisely

Whatever you want to do while on a tour, make sure you choose your tour locations carefully. You would want to do research on each location and understand how things are done around that region or area. 

37. Do That “Idiot Check!”

It’s okay that you’ve got everything figured out and all your stuff packed right in, but do that idiot check to confirm. An idiot check is that additional “check” you do just to re-confirm that you’ve got everything in place for a tour, travel, outing, or vacation. 

38. Visit The Wild

If the country or state you visited has a wild location, visit the place and take pictures. Visiting the wild can relieve you from a lot of mental stress and make you reconnect with nature. 

39. Feel Free to Wander

Wandering about is not harmful – as long as you’re with a team or a coach. Go for hiking, mountain climbing, skating, beach sports, and many others you can participate in. These are some ways of relieving stress and burdens. 

40. Don’t Get “Hangry”

“Hangry?” Yes. Literally, this means, being hungry and angry at the same time; Hungry + Angry = Hangry. Eat well and on time, avoid conversations or situations that will get you tensed up; these are some of the ways to avoid being hangry. If you allow yourself to be in this mood – hangry – you could do things you will stand to regret later. 

41. Remember the Essentials, Always

Before stepping out, conduct an “idiot check” to ensure you have everything you need and complete any necessary tasks. This simple precautionary measure can prevent unnecessary hassles later on.

42. Prioritize Sun Protection

Don’t overlook the importance of sunscreen, especially in sunny destinations. Packing this essential item ensures you can enjoy your vacation without risking sunburn.

43. Approach with an Open Mind

Suspend preconceived notions about other countries and cultures until you’ve experienced them firsthand. Approach each destination with an open mind, ready to uncover both the truths and misconceptions.

44. Capture Memories

Very important! Don’t forget to capture memories – record videos and take pictures of everywhere you visit. Document your adventures through photography to preserve cherished memories and share your experiences with others.

45. Opt for Sunrise Serenity

Waking up early to witness the sunrise offers a peaceful alternative to crowded sunset activities, allowing for more serene and picturesque moments.

46. Back Up Your Memories

Protect your precious photos by backing them up regularly, minimizing the risk of losing them to unforeseen circumstances.

47. Avoid Comparison

Traveling is not a competition; focus on enjoying your own journey rather than comparing it to others. It’s all about you and your experience in the particular journey you’re on – forget about any other person’s lavishness. 

48. Express Gratitude

Show appreciation to your travel companions for their company and contributions to the trip, whether through gestures or acts of kindness.

49. Resolve Conflicts Gracefully

Conflict is natural, even during vacations. Address disagreements privately, swiftly, and amicably to prevent them from overshadowing your enjoyment.

50. Practice Compromise

Be willing to compromise and find common ground with your travel companions, embracing the unexpected twists that often enrich the travel experience.

51. Disconnect and Reconnect

While technology has its place, take breaks from your devices to fully immerse yourself in the present moment and connect with your surroundings.

52. Embrace Imperfection

Accept that mishaps are inevitable and part of the adventure. Adapt to unforeseen challenges with resilience and a positive attitude.

What More?

Ultimately, traveling is about embracing the journey, learning from each experience, and creating lasting memories. If you have additional travel advice to share, we’d love to hear it!