Travel planning.

How to maximize your travel time and budget, with some travel planning tips.

I have just been doing a sample itinerary for a client for her upcoming trip to Bali, as she wanted recommendations of locations to go and accommodation, and it got me thinking just how important logistics are to your travel plans.

Booking the wrong location for your accommodation or not allowing enough time to get from A-B can really make your travels a little bit more complicated and sometimes even more expensive.

Try to “map out” a rough guideline for your journey.

Yes, we want to build in flexibility and have “free” days up your sleeve to be more spontaneous but understanding the “logistics” of where you are going, and how you are getting there will help you have a much better travel experience.

I often print out a calendar for the days I will be traveling, this gives me a visual picture of my trip. Days that will be taken up just moving around, which I class as “downtime” and free non-booked days (no pre-organized activities or accommodation booked).

WHERE AND HOW– tips on things to consider when planning your adventure.

• ACCOMODATION-This is a really important part of your travel plans and a big part of your budget, so you want to get it right. Questions to ask, is it far from transport hubs and ease of access to transport options? No good if you book that gorgeous Airbnb or Hotel if you’re planning to explore but it’s miles from anywhere. Unless that’s your intention. Does it provide airport transfers? Knowing how much it is for transfers, taxis, Ubers, or whatever transport operation, can help you plan your journey but also count into your budget, as those costs getting from A to B can add up!

• TIME-ok you have 3 days to spend somewhere, one; the first day it takes 3 hours to get there, check-in is at 2pm, so most of that first day is gone. The second day is free. The third day check-out is at 12pm and it’s going to take you another two hours to get to your next destination. So, you end up really only having one day to explore. I always don’t count that first day I arrive anywhere as an ‘activity” day. Unless it’s just to get my bearings and go for a walk to check things out. It’s a bit of a right-off. If you actually want to experience this destination three nights would be better as that allows x2 full days for activities. Might sound obvious, but sometimes it’s easy to miscalculate “down-time”.

• BOOKING AHEAD-Some things you might want to do, don’t allow for spontaneity. So, you do have to book ahead to guarantee you’ll see or do whatever it is. The same goes quite often for ferries/boats to the outer island and day tours. Also, check for any local holidays or events which may mean things are booked out or maybe even closed.

• LOCATION-When booking accommodation look to where your sites or activities are in relation to it. You don’t want to leave something till your next destination only to realize you’re backtracking. This is more relevant for travel destinations that have shorter distances, but it’s still something to consider.

• TRANSITS- Double check with your flight agent or when you are booking your flight there is enough transit time! I am still seeing transit’s of 1.10-1.30 hours and most times this is just not doable. It not only risks that your luggage might not transit with you (remember there has to be time to unload and reload your bags if check-in) but also you more than likely have to go through internal transit customs checks. And in some airports, the gates can be quite a distance apart with often a 15-20min walking distance (check how far away the gates are at your transit airport if possible). Take the stress out of your travels and look for 2-3 hours transits.

Maybe make your transit a stopover? If you have enough free days and it doesn’t cost too much extra to make your transit a stopover, it’s a great way to add an extra location/country to your travel plans.

Another great idea is to read up on blogs regarding your travel destinations, especially on estimated daily budgets.

This is a great way to gage a feel for how much you might need for your travels. Don’t forget to add about 10-15% for gratitude’s/tips and drivers like taxis, Ubers etc.

WHAT ABOUT A TRAVEL COACH?

If you find it a bit overwhelming to try and think about all the nitty-gritty of organizing your itinerary, or even what it is exactly you want to get out of your travel experience, have you thought about talking to a travel coach?

It a great way to set your travel goals into motion and have someone to bounce ideas off, help you plan your trip and give you ongoing travel support.

HAPPY TRAVELS!

Want to join us in Bali?

Come and join us on retreat, to relax, recharge and have fun, October 2023. Can’t make that date? Get on the waitlist for the new dates and be the first to grab the early bird price by registering here: Register me for the BALI BLISS RETREAT.

New travel experience packages coming out soon for 2024.