While all vacations are exciting in their own right, there is something extra exciting about planning a trip to a foreign land you have never visited before. Traveling abroad is one of the best ways to broaden your horizon, and it helps you develop all sorts of skills that will serve you well in all areas of your life, such as tolerance, improved communication and flexibility.
If you are not quite sure where you want to go and are having a hard time deciding, here are just a few tips to get you started.
Don’t Assume
We often make many assumptions about different places based on what other people have told us, perception and just general ignorance if we are being honest. And in assuming, we may miss out on great destinations that would be perfect for us.
You may right away assume a popular European locale is too expensive, but then you do a little digging and find some great locations off the beaten path that are quite reasonably priced and offer tons of free activities. Places you assume may not be as fancy schmancy may have lots of higher end options…did you know there are several awesome boutique hotels in Sri Lanka, for example?
Do your homework. You might be surprised at what you find.
Where Do You Really Want to Go?
If the most common vacation spots are not really calling out to you in a particular part of the world, don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path. These hot spots are such for a reason…lots of things to see and do, and great tourist infrastructure.
But, don’t feel pressure that you must go to that spot or you will be missing out. Feeling Latvia instead of London? Go for it. Does Malaysia seem more interesting than Thailand?Go there.
So whatever places jump out at you, don’t dismiss. Investigate, and if it sounds good, go for it.
This is your vacation and your money. Follow your intuitive pull…you can’t go wrong.
What Do You Want to Do?
This may sound like a strange suggestion as it is pretty obvious, but you do want to give it a bit of thought to maximize your chances of picking the ideal destination and the various locales you visit within the country.
Are you looking to mainly laze on the beach or are you a buff for culture and history? Do you want to really get in the thick of every day life or do you want an area with more modernity, tourist-friendly amenities, a wide variety of food,etc..?
The more you consider what you want out of the trip, how you like to travel, the experiences you want access to,etc.., the more confidently you can choose your international destination.