Holidays are back, and many of us are looking forward to making up for lost time. If you have plans to travel more in the year ahead, or you’re currently narrowing down your destination options, here are some top tips to help you make the most of your holiday.
Immerse yourself in the culture
Whether you’re travelling to Spain, France, Italy, the US, South America or Japan, it’s a fantastic idea to immerse yourself in the culture and commit to getting to know people and learning about history and tradition. Try cultural experiences, organise excursions and learn the language. If you’ve always wanted to go to Japan, for example, it would be wonderful to be able to communicate with the people you meet and gain an insight into how the language works and how it has evolved. It’s also incredibly useful to have enough vocabulary to get around and make polite conversation, and it’s helpful if you need assistance or advice during your holiday. Take a look at sites like Memrise to learn more about language courses and consider taking classes before you travel. Even if you only have the basics pinned down, you’ll get more out of your adventure. It’s an excellent idea to read reviews and look for articles written by locals to help you find excursions or tours that provide an authentic experience.
Leave time for spontaneous activities and adventures
Most of us want to cross off the bucket list favourites, but it can also be beneficial to get off the beaten track and leave room in the itinerary for roaming and spontaneous activities and trips. Plan ahead if you’re visiting cities and popular attractions to avoid disappointment, but leave space for impromptu tours or activities recommended by other travellers or locals. Sometimes, the best days come from getting lost or veering off tourist trails.
Tailor your plans
Every traveller is different and your dream itinerary may look very different from that of another person. When organising your holiday, tailor your plans to suit your interests, objectives and passions. Take recommendations on board, but try to ensure that you’re not making plans just because it’s the done thing. You don’t have to visit landmarks or attractions if you have no interest in them purely because they’re in every guidebook. Concentrate on activities, trips and sights that complement your interests and what you want to do and see while you’re away.
Leave work at home
Remote working has become more commonplace, and many of us can now work from almost anywhere. It may be tempting to check emails or respond to messages while you’re on holiday, but if your out of office is on, take a break and make the most of your time off. If you’re looking at emails when you should be enjoying the sunset or reading meeting minutes when you should be enjoying an excursion, you’ll miss out and you might also feel more stressed.
Many of us are looking forward to making plans and travelling in the months ahead. If you’re organising a long-overdue, well-deserved holiday, it’s important to make the most of the time you have. Immerse yourself in the culture, leave time for spontaneous plans and getting lost, tailor your plans to suit your preferences and interests and leave work at the office.
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