Our Top 20 Travel Tips and Tricks
Author: Tima Maherali, Senior Content Creator
We all know travelling often comes with the trickiest of dilemmas and mishaps. Want a hiccup free holiday? To save the day from disasters, our very own travel experts reveal their top travel secrets to help you out.
Get ready for a bunch of tips and tricks that will change the way you travel forever. Whether it be saving a few extra quid, hacks to pack or never getting lost again, these 20 pro-tips and travel hacks will make your all-important journey stress free so you can just sit back... and relax!
1. Passport Prep
Be prepared for the worst! Scan and email yourself a copy of your I.D and passport and bookings; save them so they can be accessed offline too in case of emergency. Carrying a hardcopy of your passport is important, but forgetfulness or theft and loss always hits at the wrong time. By emailing yourself a scan of your passport, it's only a click away. This also goes for other type of journey confirmations (tickets, insurance etc.), a quick screenshot can save you a headache.
2. The Art of Add-ons
A great way to save more than just a few pounds would be to figure out the add-ons you really need and customise your package while booking your flight tickets and not after. Adding things later like extra luggage, priority boarding, airport lounges, seat reservation, car hire or travel insurance can often result in a higher, easily avoidable cost as well as the extra hassle.
3. City Savvy
Going on a city break? Check out hotels around the city rather than bang in the middle. You may have to commute a little, but that’s your excuse for really experiencing the destination. City centre stays can be more expensive and where you stay often determines where most of your money is spent. Find smaller hotels close by which are comparatively cheaper and not too further away from the hub either. This could be a wise move if you won't be stopping in one place for too long.
4. Off Peak Perks
Travel off-peak - Timing is everything when planning a trip and one sure shot way of saving money is to avoid those peak periods like the school holidays. Travel during 'shoulder season' aka the period between high and low travel season is the key. The weather is still great, but the destination is less crowded, plus hotels, car hire and sightseeing venues offer better rates too.
5. Tempting Toiletries
Oh those little travel sized toiletries...we’ve all been guilty of splashing out on these. Do yourself a favour and take the time to check what complimentary goodies will be included in your room before you pack them. And how about finally putting that stash of free samples to use? Check out our 10 Holiday Packing Hacks That Really Work blog to pack like a pro, avoid extra charges, save space in your case and sail through baggage security. And yes, you can get sun cream in the Med!
6. Perfect Plastic
Get a credit card or a bank card that allows free withdrawals abroad to prevent you paying bank fees or hefty exchange rate fees on holiday. When picking a card for travel purposes, get one with generous offers. We're talking about a sign-up bonus, extra points or miles for free travel, lounge access or money off ticket prices. The perfect travel-friendly credit card also offers car hire protection and even travel insurance too! If you're an avid traveller, look for ones with no foreign transaction fees, to avoid paying an additional fee every time you make a purchase overseas.
7. Keep Calm and Carry On
Clever packing and just taking a carry on not only saves you money, but also the hassle of hold luggage. If you need a big suitcase, look after your luggage when it leaves for its journey without you by its side and make sure your precious bags bear no stickers or tags from previous trips. This avoids confusion and causing them to end up in the wrong location. Avoid putting your home address on your luggage, just a phone number and city will do, as it prevents advertising your house is empty.
8. Luggage Express
Clearly mark your bags as fragile (even if they’re not). By doing this you ensure that your belongings are given the VIP treatment and you won't have to wait for ages watching that baggage belt go round - anything marked fragile gets access to the top of the pile and is out in the first batch. Fragile stickers are often at airport counters, ask for a few and keep some for the way back – just in case (couldn’t help that one!)
9. Recharge Your Batteries
You’ll be surprised by the amount of travellers who haven’t invested in a portable charger. This one can really save the day, especially if you get lost. Taking a lot of gadgets? Pack a power strip, it comes in handy at airports and hotel rooms. Store cables in a pencil case to keep them all together without getting tangled. Bonus Tip: If you’re at a hotel and only have a USB charger for your phone or tablet, check if the TV has a USB port, allowing you and your gadget to recharge on holiday!
10. Money Traps
When ATMs and cash machines exist, you don't have to exchange money at the airport or the local currency exchange. Not only do these money converters charge a fee of their own, they also rip-off exchange rates, usually amounts that are highly inflated and worse than your own bank. So avoid the quick fix of exchange kiosks at the airport. Exchange bureaus in some countries can sometimes have even better rates - shop around once at your destination and you may be in for a treat!
11. Sip Back and Relax
Who else finds themselves forking out for drinks from the moment you hit the airport, then having to ditch them just to get through security? Bring an empty bottle so you can fill it up for free at a coffee shop or a water fountain after the check point. Remember water abroad is not always cheap, especially in places where you can’t drink from a tap, so stop off on your ride to your hotel or look out for the nearest shop and grab a few snacks and drinks instead of raiding the hotel mini bar.
12. Selfie Saviours
When you get to your exciting destination, take snaps of anything and everything important you need to remember on holiday, such as exchange rates, your hotel name, where you’ve parked, that favourite shop or meeting location – you get the picture (sorry!). And if renting a car, take shots of the outside and inside so you won’t get a surprising bill for scratches you didn’t make.
13. Outsmart the Outlaws
Don’t fall into the hands of tourist predators! If travelling alone and need a nap, wrap your bag strap round your arm or leg so if someone tries to pinch it you’ll wake up. Kipping on the beach? Sow pockets into the corners of your beach towel to keep things out of sight and weigh down the towel. Worried about your laptop or phone being nabbed? Get on google, there are fab pieces of software that allow you to track them, and air tags are also saviour – a must do you must do!
14. Hot off the Press!
No iron? Hotel charges a bomb for pressing one item? If you need to get those annoying creases out of your clothes before you swan down to the A La Carte and pose for your palm backdrop selfies, use your hair straightener for small fixes or carefully hang your frocks from the shower curtain rail and put the shower on the hottest setting. The idea is steaming! Just make sure that you don’t get them wet.
15. Hit the Hotspots
We’ve all fallen down this hole at one time or another – shocking Wifi costs on holiday. Turn off data roaming when travelling to prevent running up extra costs. Investing in a local SIM card during your holiday can also save you heaps. And here’s a bonus tip: If you’ve made the most of Wifi hotspots on holiday and accessed any of your accounts abroad, especially via a public PC, change your passwords as soon as possible when you return home.
16. Sunscreen Smart
Stick that sunscreen in the fridge when you arrive in a hot country. It not only extends its shelf life but makes it a lot nicer to apply than warm, oily slither. Make sure you get sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB, as some lotions may protect against sunburn but not against long term damage. Regardless of the SPF level reapply a generous amount all over every two or so hours. Even if it’s waterproof.
17. Sun, Sea... and Sand
Who agrees that sand seems to get in literally everything with just one trip to the beach? Use good old baby powder to get sand off your hands and feet. Placing your phone in a waterproof case or zip lock bag keeps the sand out, allowing you to still use it. And opt for a mesh basket for beach toys, which is great for shaking the sand off immediately to keep the bag and its contents sand-free.
18. Going Solo
If you’re travelling solo finding real people to meet up with on your trips and making new friends can now be less of a worry and more of a thrill as apps like Backpackr or Travel Buddies are specifically for that. You won't ever have the anxiety of joining groups in person again. Various apps can connect you with like-minded travellers in the area based on personality. You can also check out each other's itineraries and sync up hangouts. We say be safe and sensible – even if you’re on holiday.
19. Map it Out
Download Google Maps offline and never get lost on holiday again! Most people think Google Maps without an internet connection is useless. But did you know that no WiFi access, a patchy network or spending money on data shouldn't be a reason to lose your way? You can actually go off grid and still use Google Maps! Once downloaded, go on the map to the area you want to save, type ‘ok map’ into the search option and then hit ‘download’ - it even works on airplane mode.
20. Lost in Translation
A language barrier can put a real damper on the best of spirits, so if you know the country you're traveling to uses a foreign language, do yourself a favour and use a translator app. Google Translate for example lets you take photos of text in a different language and translate what it means in real time. Just like Google Maps, it works in airplane mode too. Translator apps can be a life saver in a foreign country and can also stop you frowning (or laughing) when your newfound French friend nods and says “oui oui”!
Now you’re well on your way to becoming a travel ninja, it's time to put our top tips to use and start planning your next plain sailing escape right here.
