After an eternity of Covid, it's finally time to dust off your passport and start traveling again! Now all you need to decide is where to first?
A tropical, laid-back trip down to Costa Rica? A luxurious summer getaway to Croatia? Or perhaps an adventure-packed escape to the surreal terrain of Jordan? Deciding where to travel isn't always easy, but we're here to help.
Now that travel is possible again, choosing where to go can seem overwhelming, especially with the constantly updating list of global restrictions. Here are some simple ways to narrow down your search and pick the best place for you to go on your next getaway.
Read on for tips on how to decide where to travel to next.
1. Borders and visas
While many countries are opening their borders again to foreign travelers, there are still many that are closed and others that have restrictions. When you're deciding where to travel, make sure to check each government's travel information website for recent updates on visas, vaccination requirements (if any), and whether borders are open to tourists.
2. health status and guidelines
The status of each country's health varies thus the precautions that you need to take will vary. It is worth looking into these details by doing a search on the country's government website for updates on the status of the nation's health. This will help inform how cities and towns are operating and how that might affect how you experience the country.
3. Check Out Flight Costs
Check out flight costs on a third-party website like Kayak or Skyscanner to help you find what the cheapest flights are during the season that you want to travel. This might immediately narrow down your search of where to travel to next to a handful of countries because some flights will cost more than others, depending on the time of year and popularity of the destination. Also, make sure to consider the airline's rules on refunds or cancellations, in the case that you might want to change your flight - this might also impact whether you're interested in booking that particular deal / airline.
4. Do a Quick Search for "Points of Interest"
Google will populate a list of popular sites and attractions for any given country when you search "points of interest" for your desired country. This will help you get a feel for what you can expect to see do and do while you're there. Hikes? Beach days? Museums? Festivals? Take this a step further and dive into whether those activities that you're interested in are open or operating differently due to the pandemic.
5. Consider the Weather
Another easy way to narrow down your search is by considering what type of climate you want to be in. A tropical getaway in South America? A snowy adventure in Scandinavia? If you know what type of climate you want to be in, you can eliminate countries from your list or put others on your radar for any given season.
6. Think Culture, Food, and Geography
Take a moment to think about what cultures, cuisines, or landscapes you might want to be immersed into. Perhaps you love Mexican cuisine... or you want to learn more about Greek mythology... or want to spend your days relaxing by a lake... Take those interests into consideration and that will help inform your next getaway.
7. Establish Your Budget
If you can establish your budget and decide how much you want to invest into your trip, you'll be able to decide which countries match that budget. For example, some places in Europe can get expensive rather quickly, while regions of South America can be quite affordable on the U.S. dollar.
Hopefully these tips will help you narrow your search as you decide where to go for your next vacation! For ideas on where to travel to and new travel adventures to join in on, check out FTLO's upcoming trips and sign up today.
Looking for an extended trip? Explore out newly launched Sojrn: like a study-abroad experience, but for adults who want to take a month-long "workation" to a new country!