Travelling has become a valuable part of our lives. Although holidays are meant for relaxation, the journey itself often triggers stress and adversely affects the travel experience. I’ll tell you how to make your holiday more positive, productive and comfortable with my 27 Travel Hacks. Read my tips and tricks that will make your travels more comfortable, easier and also smoother.
Are you looking for packing tricks, aeroplane hacks or simple life hacks? You’ll find them all in this post!
Travel hacks – before the trip starts
- a hotel is not always the best place to stay. Depending on the situation, a house for a family might be a better and cheaper alternative. Meanwhile, Booking.com* also offers guesthouses as well as holiday flats. Also consider Airbnb, because often a flat is even cheaper than a hotel room. You can find more tips in my article Finding good hotels at low prices: 11 tips that save you money.
- roll your clothes when packing. This also works well with packing cubes*, because they compress the clothes even a little bit. This is the best way to pack.
- scan your passport, identity card and itinerary and send these documents yourself by email. This way you always have an extra copy in case of loss or theft. Iphone users can even save the documents to iBook to get an offline document.
- call your bank or credit card company before you travel. This will ensure that your bank does not block your credit card as it may register suspicious activity when making payments abroad.
- Mark your luggage as fragile. This means that your luggage will be handled with care. These bags are the last to be loaded and therefore the first to be released. This saves time at the baggage carousel.
- if you are travelling with a friend or partner, no one needs to sit in the unloved middle seat. Simply reserve the window seat as well as the aisle seat. With a bit of luck, the middle seat will remain free. If someone does book that seat, you can always swap.
- bring your own (empty) water bottle, such as this thermos* for hot and cold drinks. With the guidelines for liquids at screening, it has become impossible to bring your own water. However, the airport prices for bottled water are outrageous. Fill up your bottle at the airport drinking fountain or tap. In most countries, tap water is perfectly drinkable and free of charge.
- carry your valuables and documents in a small bag such as a fanny pack. There are even some really nice bags for women. This will keep your valuables and documents safe while you travel, and they will also be within easy reach at the security checkpoint.
- Make sure you have entertainment stored on your mobile phone or tablet for the journey, such as music, books or films. If a flight lasts several hours, it can otherwise be quite boring.
- Make sure you pack a pen so you can use it for customs forms. Although forms are distributed on the plane, pens are not.
Always have a pen with you.
- 20 minutes before landing, go to the toilet. There is still time to fasten your seat belt before the landing approach starts. This way you don’t have to go directly to a crowded toilet at the airport and save time and nerves.
Travel Hacks – on arrival
- Go directly to the baggage claim. It is always amazing how many travellers stroll leisurely through the aisles first. Save time here and collect your luggage directly.
Baggage claim
- Withdraw money from an ATM to get the local currency. Exchange offices, especially those at the airport, often charge high fees. ATMs are a convenient way to get local currency and the exchange rate is not too expensive.
- Don’t wait in line at the taxi rank like everyone else. Walk to the departure hall, as taxis arrive there regularly. Just take one of these and save time.
- Take a taxi from the departure hall instead of the arrival hall. 15.
Buy food directly when you arrive at a local supermarket. Not a big purchase, of course, but a few snacks and drinks for the road. This will save you money and you won’t have to rely on the overpriced minibar in the hotel. - When you arrive at your accommodation, unpack only the essentials. The more you unpack, the more likely you are to forget something when you leave.
Leave your suitcase packed.
- forgot the adapter* at home? Just use a TV in your accommodation to charge your electronic devices. Most TVs have a USB port. You can easily charge your mobile phone there.
Explore your holiday destination
- Don’t just use your guidebook to explore the place. Often only the well-trodden paths and tourist spots are listed. Instead, go out and explore yourself.
19 Try your hand at the local language. A simple thank you or request in the local language shows the locals that you are making an effort and are interested. They might even give you a tip or two about the place. 20.
- Make a souvenir list in advance. This will save you time and money as you won’t be buying useless things.
- Eat local and typical dishes of the region. Often local food is cheaper and a better experience.
Eat local dishes.
- book a tour with a local or a unique experience. There are great tours on GetYourGuide*. For example, learn how to bake pizza in Naples or learn about local specialties.
- According to the motto “Different countries, different customs”, adapt to the local conditions. If, for example, you are predominantly dressed in dignified clothes, do the same. This may well contribute to your safety.
These travel hacks and tricks help me on my travels. Let me know which of my tips is your favourite. Do you have another travel hack or trick that I haven’t mentioned here?
