When it comes to travel, there are so many things to consider. What do you need to pack? How long are going for? Are you going to need to learn another language? These kinds of questions are all incredibly important, but they should always come after one, all-important question: where the heck do you want to go?
Now, this question might seem very simple, but in reality, it's a lot more complicated than you might expect. You might have an idea of the kind of place that you want to visit, but that doesn't mean that it's necessarily the right place for you. To help make that decision a little bit easier, here are some of the most important factors that you need to consider when choosing a travel destination.
Distance
How far you're going to travel is something that you might not initially think you'd need to consider but in reality, it can have a big impact on your decision. After all, the further away you are from home the more difficult it is to get back in case of an emergency. Think about how likely it is that you'll be called back home for any reason, which can help you figure out how far away you can afford to be. You should also consider how confident you are travelling. If flying fills you with dread, then a long haul flight will be weighing on your mind, ruining the fun of a holiday. Also consider how many days holiday you get from work and if you want to use the majority on one holiday. Long haul can also mean time differences and jet lag, which will mean you need to allow extra days off work.
Cost
One of the most important things when it comes to choosing the right travel destination is money. As much as you might want to ignore it, your budget is going to have a big impact on where you can go. For example, I'd love to go to the Maldives but my bank account may say otherwise! Longer flights are obviously going to be more expensive, and certain countries are simply going to cost more when it comes to things like accommodation. Another on my bucket list is Norway, it may be a lot closer than the Maldives but the cost of living is expensive and so that should be taken into account when budgeting.
Finding a destination that isn't going to completely drain your savings is all about balance and that's not always easy. It's a good idea to make sure that you consult your budget carefully before making any kind of decision about where to go rather than choosing a destination and forcing your budget to fit around it. If you do that then you're either going to run out of money really fast or you're going to end up having to compromise a great deal of your trip for the sake of saving money and could end up feeling like you didn't have the holiday you'd hoped for anyway.
Safety
We're hearing news stories all the time about safety abroad. The level of security in the countries that you visit is going to have a big impact on the kinds of places that you go to. Like it or not, certain countries are just going to be less safe to visit than others. There are plenty of ways to figure out which ones are safer but a lot of the time you can find that out based on how secure their borders are. Certain countries use pre-approved visa programs to maintain security at their borders. You can find more info on these kinds of systems here. America, Canada, and Australia have all been using these systems for many years, and others, including Europe, are now following suit.
Activities
What do you actually want to get out of your trip? The answer to that question is going to have a big impact on the kind of place that you want to visit. Do you have your own bucket list? If you're a thrill-seeker, then you're not going to want to spend your days exploring historic architecture and if you're on holiday to relax then a day spent cliff diving or swimming with sharks isn't probably isn't going to be your cup of tea. One of the best options for those struggling to find somewhere with things they want to do is to go with a tour company. This is especially true when you're in places that are particularly foreign to you like Asian countries. Trips and tours to Southeast Asia can take a lot of the stress out of going to a completely new place and make your life so much easier. Figure out what you really want to do and do some research so that you can find the best possible destination for you.
Language
Are you one for learning new languages? If not then you might want to think about how easy it's going to be to communicate wherever you're going. If the idea of walking around with a phrasebook all day doesn't appeal then why not just take a trip to a place where you already speak the language? English is one of the most common languages in the world but there are plenty of places where trying to communicate in your native tongue simply isn't going to get anything done. Do some research and figure out which destinations are going to allow you to be understood by everyone around you. Of course, it's also worth thinking about how much you really want to immerse yourself in the culture and life of your destination. This is especially true if you are, in fact, one for learning new languages. Being able to spend some time surrounded by a new language not only helps to give you perspective on just how large and diverse the world around you really is, but it's a great way to give yourself a serious crash course in that particular language.
One of the most common things that a lot of people find themselves having to deal with when it comes to their choice of travel destination is the pressure of whether or not they're making the "right" choice. There are a lot of opinions out there on what is and isn't the right way to travel and reading all of those can often be somewhat overwhelming.
There are those who will say that anything that makes you come off as the stereotypical tourist is basically verboten and should be avoided at all costs. Or perhaps people might look at a more subdued style of travel like camping and look down their nose at it. The truth is that there is no such thing as right or wrong styles of travel. All it comes down to is what you personally want to get out of your trip. Figuring that out is the perfect first step towards being able to really find somewhere that you can see yourself returning to year after year.
Love T x