Guide to planning a great holiday

The secret of a successful holiday lies in good planning done well in advance. Here are some useful traveller’s tips to keep in mind…

Buy travel guides or borrow from your local library.
Some travel agents are willing to help you plan a holiday, though it’s probably a good idea to have some idea of where you’d like to go beforehand
Tourist board offices of countries exist to provide you with all the information you need, so check out whether there’s one on the country you’re planning to travel to.
Travel shows can be a great place to get information on countries, airlines, guidebook publishers, activity holiday companies and tour operators.
Online research can get you immediate results and it’s especially useful to read traveller’s blogs, which often tell you more than glossy brochures. Also great for watching traveller’s video clips and photos.

Look up the place on the map and find out what is the capital city and its immediate neighbouring countries.
What are the main seasons of the country and the average temperatures for each.
It’s useful to brush up on some background history and its current political situation.
Look out for important events happening around the time of travel. Major sporting events, festivals or national holidays may have some additional impact on your holiday.
Find out any cultural or legal taboos such as wearing camouflage trousers in Bermuda (an arrestable offence) or short skirts in Islamic countries.
Some of the most common phrases for greeting, buying and ordering food.

Planning your holiday well in advance will usually mean lower fares.
Check the rates for several dates on either side of your intended ones as it may reduce the cost of the ticket. Travelling on or close to a weekend usually comes at a premium.
Check for alternative airports close to your destination, it might work out cheaper for the air ticket, while not making much difference to the local travel.
For online bookings, make sure that your name is entered in exactly the same format as it is on the passport. Read the small print about cancellation and change of booking charges. Double check what extras, such as tax, surcharges and travel insurance have been added on to the final price.
Using e-tickets is a good alternative to paper ones since you can print off another copy if you happen to lose it.
Taking travel insurance is advisable, but do check the small print to see exactly what’s covered and what’s not.

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