Flights:

• Getting international flights 1-3 months in advance has been cheaper for me

• Use Google Flights/ Skyscanner to compare flights across multiple companies

• If you’re open to the destination, websites like Scott’s Cheap flights can be great ideas of cheap destinations

• Flying in off season can be up to 50-70% cheaper than flying in high season however many sights may be closed

• Shoulder seasons occurs before and after peak (the most popular season), and will usually be cheaper

• Thursday night – Monday morning is generally much cheaper than Friday to Sunday, if you can fly in a little earlier and stay a bit later

Packing:

• Don’t overpack.

• Google packing list for {destination} before packing

• Check the weather in advance

• For backpackers, ensure you can carry your backpack up to 30 mins.

• Best practice is to pack, do test walks, and then remove items as necessary

• You don’t need to pack for every possible emergency. Pharmacies & mini markets exist

• A day bag or Fanny pack will be your best friend

• If you are going to another continent; check to see what season they are in (summer, rainy season, etc)

Destinations:

• Any place you want to go is the right destination, there is no best place just because it’s popular

• Book vaccination appts months in advance if needed

• You can choose a destination based on weather you enjoy, activities you like, or anything else if you can’t decide on a spot

• If you have a limited # of days to travel consider how much flight time you’ll need to build in

• Generally Europe, N.America, Australia/ New Zealand will be more expensive than S.America, Africa, and SE Asia

• The more remote the location, the less likely you will meet other English speakers including in the tourism industry

Crime/Safety:

• Every city has safe or dangerous areas

• The best advice is to be aware of pickpockets and confirm prices before paying for things (food, taxis,excursions, etc)

• ALWAYS have local currency on hand in case of emergencies

• Save pictures of your passport & license, tickets, and housing accommodation and send to your email in case you get robbed

• Consult the US State Dept website to find out if a country is safe or not before you arrive

Accommodations:

• Generally: all inclusive resorts are the most expensive, then hotels, Airbnb, short-term apartment rentals, private rooms in hostels, hostel dorms, and camping is the cheapest

• Housing will be one of the biggest expenses while traveling and the easiest way to over or underspend

• Apartment rentals or Airbnb’s are great for 1-6 month stays because of privacy, no sharing of kitchens & bathrooms, and noise

• Hostels are great places to meet fellow travelers especially in your 20’s

• Resorts are great spots because food, activities, and sometimes transportation is included

• Hostel world is a great hostel booking website

• Google Maps is a great website to check hotel reviews before booking

• CHECK THE SURROUNDING AREA ON GOOGLE MAPS STREET VIEW before booking to ensure it’s in a safe area

Money Tips:

• Use a card with no foreign transaction fees if you have one

• Airports will give you bad conversion rates generally

• Keep cash on hand, and usd as backup

Tips for women:

• Know if there are clothing restrictions for women in the country you are traveling to

• Many hostels have female only dorms

• General advice is the same as your home country: avoid going out very late at night, to dimly lit places, travel in groups, avoid excessive drinking

Tips for black people:

• Look up best destinations for black travelers (these lists are different than generic best places to go in 2022 lists) ex. Portugal, Mexico, Brazil

• Join Black Traveling FB groups

• In many countries that don’t have black people locals will take pictures of you out of curiosity ex. China

• If you plan to move somewhere for an extended period of time, it may be hard to find certain foods, hairstylists, etc. You can have someone ship these products to you or pack them.

• Black travel websites exist if you want to travel as a part of a group

Tips for LGBTQ people:

• Google the country’s laws regarding LGBTQ people BEFORE booking a flight/ accommodation

• Rules for men and women may vary within the same country

• Google LGBTQ friendly destinations to find destinations ex. U.K, Spain, Greece, Germany, Argentina, Netherlands

• Generally the more rights (marriage, adoption, freedom from discrimination) that protect LGBTQ people indicate how friendly that country is for queer travelers

• Don’t automatically assume countries/cities will be anti-LGBTQ friendly because they are religious. Ex. Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Bogota

• Cities are generally more LGBTQ friendly & less conservative in general than more rural areas.