The Ultimate Travel Tips List
I cant take all the credit for this article as this has been compiled from much research (especially from these reddit posts here and here and this one that I cant find but if I do I will link here). I find these to be quick yet powerful tips for solo traveling but also any type of traveling in general. I have divided the tips into 6 different time frames so you can evaluate when the tip will benefit you the most.
Before you leave
Research a sim card that will get you the best coverage and the cheapest data plans. This may involve activating a international data plan at an additional fee on your current sim card or purchasing a prepared sim at your destination. Note: countries within the european union have an agreement that allows a sim card from one country to be used in another at no additional cost.
Have photo copies of your passport, visa, and insurance as well as passport photos and have them stored somewhere separate from the original copies. Pickpockets are prevalent in a lot of touristy cities, so keep these copies and the originals safe so you can get back home.
Have copies of these important documents in the cloud as well. This might sound risky but the big cloud companies have their servers pretty secure. Just make sure if your have 2FA (two factor authentication) enabled, which you should, that you can still access your account without the need of a text message.
Try to have 2FA on all your accounts and try to use a password manager like icloud and onepassword. I suggest you start using a password manager now as they are the most secure way of accessing your accounts and because you should get used to using them so your not stumbling around trying to figure everything out while at your destination. Remember that some 2FA use text messages as the second authentication which you may not be able to receive internationally so make sure you can access these account either through backup codes, email authentication, or some other method.
Multiple email accounts are a good way of organizing your junk emails and your reservations. For example, you can have one email just for reservations and tickets that also has a rule that forwards these emails to a specified person and to your main email account. You can also have another email when signing up for things that are spammy like when the museum requires an email for you to enter. Also, in the worst case scenario where you need to access your email account from a hotel computer, you can do this knowing, if the email account is compromised, you wont lose everything.
If solo traveling, notify people of your travel plans and location/activities for the day. Forward all confirmation emails to someone you know and write to them daily if possible. You can even go ahead and create a rule in your email to forward all reservations and tickets to that specific person.
Download the map of the destination using maps.me or google maps for offline use. This will help you navigate using less data. Even when you disable cellular connection, a great way to save battery throughout the day, the GPS will still be active on your phone and will help you navigate accurately.
Learn a little of the local language. Not everyone speaks english and just even a few sentences or even words will make communication easier. Need to use the bathroom? Just say “bathroom?” in the local language and you will be pointed in the right direction. Easy.
Take screenshots of tickets and reservations to have a second offline backup. You wont always have data and sometimes you might need to have your phone in low power mode with the cellular connection turned off to save battery which makes these offline backups great.
Put your email on all your bags. Putting your phone number is no help since you wont receive your domestic text messages and an address will only help if you want all your cloths sent back home while you still are at the destination. IF you set your travel email account to alert/notify you when you get a new email, you wont miss an important email such as this one.
Planning
Plan as much as you can before hand while keeping enough free time to be adventurous or relax. Also keep in mind that plans change and thats ok. Go with the flow and enjoy your time.
Wikivoyage, wikitravel, and google trips (RIP) are great ways to get an overview of the destination and help plan the trip.
Atlas Obscura is a good resource for finding unusual things to do at your destination. I highly recommend checking out the website as it may provide places that would probably not be recommend by a native and yet be the highlight of your trip.
Hostelworld can be used to see what hostels perform the best in different categories. For example, you might want to meet new people or the opposite might be the case and you would like to not interact with other backpackers. In this case you might look at the “atmosphere” category.
Hostel Geeks is another great site for comparing hostels. Sites like these can help you evaluate the best couples hostels, solo hostels, group hostels, etc.
Travel vloggers can provide a unique insight into a destination and help you figure out what to do. Be aware that they can also distort reality a bit and make a place seem more grandiose then it is.
Look up local scams so that you may avoid them. Scammers are very crafty and even the most innocent question or action can be the start of a scam. Stay safe and keep your wits about you.
Packing
Pack a pen or two for filling out forms like immigration or visa forms. This will give you the opportunity to fill them out on the plan and remove the stress of trying to find a pen.
Bringing a travel outlet splitter is handy when at hostels as there are limited outlets and their will need to charge their phones.
I always recommend bringing a usb charger with multiple ports so you can charge all your electronics at the same time (or at least two). being able to not choose which device you would like to charge and instead charge all the devices at the same time at night will help prevent the need for an external battery, or at least a large one.
I use all usb A plugs. For one, the cables and chargers are cheaper. Two, airports, airplanes, and trains have usb-A ports built into the seats.
Power adapters, the items that simply change the size of the plug, are much cheaper than universal power transformers which change the plug but also regulate the voltage. As long as your devices say 120-240V on them then you wont need a transformer. You can buy a adapter for a specific country for about a dollar, or you can opt for one that has multiple plugs for about $10-20.
Organize and colorize everything. Have a set packing style as well as colorized pouches, packing cubes, etc will making reaching into you bag less frustrating in a stressful situation. Surprisingly this has prevented me from forgetting something at a hostel/hotel.
Comfortable and worn in footwear is critical. I prefer trail runners as my go to shoe for hiking and backpacking. You can also upgrade your shoes with insoles.
Packing cubes a great way to organize your clothes in a suitcase or backpack.
Onebag travel is relieving and makes travel less stressful. You will never lose your luggage again.
Bring a small daypack to use during the day or for groceries.
A battery free game like a deck of cards is great for building social bonds or passing the time when battery life on your device is critical.
Spare phone is great when out at night and intoxicated.
Ear plugs are great for those hostels in the middle of the part district or for when a man brings his sleep apnea machine into the hostel.
A small umbrella can be a simple yet powerful item to have with you. It is more waterproof than any jacket or rain cover and are generally pretty light. If there is any item I would recommend you bring, it is an umbrella.
We recommend to start investing in travel cloths. We wrote a travel cloths article here. They can be expensive so we recommend starting off small with some underwear or socks and working your way up.
Just arrived at your destination
After arriving, get a coffe at the airport to compose yourself and figure out your next steps. This is a great mental rest from all the stressful travel.
How you arrive at the hostel will set the tone of how others will treat you. Waling in with a positive attitude and greeting everyone will show that you are ready to meet new friends and are very sociable. Saying hello to everyone will help you to get to know everyone better and identify the trouble makers or people you might want to avoid.
Adjust to the time frame for the first week but especially the first day. If traveling east, time will be ahead and so you will want to sleep sooner than everyone else. This can affect your night life. Try to stay up as long as possible and sleep late no matter how torturous it is. A early power nap of no more than 30-45 minutes can help you accomplish this. The first day will help reset your circadian rhythm, but will need to keep it up for a week or two to completely remove jet lag.
Free walk around tours are a great way to learn a little about your destination. These tours can help you learn a little history and hear what the best spots are in the city. The cost is a tip at the end.
Travel downtime/airports
sleepinginairports.net or youtube for finding most comfortable place to be in an airport during long layovers. Some airport lounges can be accessed with a small fee.
Airports or restaurants have free wifi nowadays. In some bars or restaurants you may have to ask for the password.
At the destination
Use a credit card rather than a debit card. Credit cards will reimburse you the money instantly if there is any suspected fraud but the bank will open an investigation that may takes weeks to reimburse a debit card.
Have backup credit cards stored in different areas. If a pick pocket gets one or if the bank temporarily disables one without notifying you, you can have a backup on hand. One in waller, another in backpack or other pocket, and another at the hotel.
Two wallets; one for money and another for cards, or one for outside and another for the hotel.
Write your experiences even if no one reads them. This act will help you compose your thoughts and help bring a greater appreciation for the places you visit. Maybe in the future you even want to start a youtube channel or blog, this log will help you remember the subtle details of your trip.
Eat one fancy meal at the destination. This will help you remember the destination better either through the food or just the impressiveness of the restaurant.
Be flexible and say yes to opportunities. Take yourself out of your comfort zone. Push the adventure closer to the limit. You might learn something new about yourself or experience something few people do at the destination.
Tinder can be used to meet locals or others in a platonic (or romantic) way. Just make sure to take the usual precautions. Remember, you are now the sexy foreigner with an accent.
If you can afford it, on long trips occasionally get a hotel room for a night, or even two, to recharge. Hotel rooms offer two things that hostels sometimes dont; privacy and comfort. Booking a hotel after and before a long flight can help adjust to the time zone or recharge before a trip.
Trains are a almost luxury mode of transportation in western europe and can take you from country to country. Other modes have their advantages and disadvantages.Flying is faster bur more expensive. Buses are slower (and less comfortable) but cheaper. Its always a good idea to check train and plane tickets because sometimes their prices can be very similar, and in that case it comes down to travel time.
If you are going to be separated from your bag, make sure your passport, cash, and other important documents are with you. Losing your bankcard and passport is a major problem. Its better to refer to a previous tip and keep copies of these documents in multiple places.
If running low on battery or you know you wont have access to power for a long time, put your phone into low power mode, or even better turn off the cell antennas. The phones GPS will still work when using downloaded maps. Even better still is just turn off your phone if you wont be using it.
Whatsapp, facebook messenger, and messages has a share location feature just in case you feel you are in danger or want to update your family member or contact on your location.
You can listen to the navigation direction of google maps to look less of a tourist.
Use street view to explore the place you are going or trying to find. This can help you familiarize yourself with the location.
Always ask the staff of the hostel for things to do even if you researched them. This will make you look friendlier, give you a good order of how to see things, familiarize yourself with where the hostel is in accordance with the attractions, give you a paper map, and maybe you learn something new.
Trust your gut feeling and stay safe.
Hostel and hotel tips at destination
Dont be afraid to call someone out if they are being rude by talking loudly while you are trying to sleep. Sleep is important for keeping energy up and your wits about you.
Even though they are rare, do a bedbug check before using. Lift the mattress away from the wall and look behind it.
Trip advisor is a great tool for finding quality hostels or restaurants in a pinch.
