If you’re visiting a new continent – like Asia, Europe, Africa, or South America – it’s hard to be satisfied with visiting just one city or country and then flying back home again as quickly as you came.
You’ll want to visit Brazil, Peru, and the Galapagos. Or Paris, Barcelona, and Amsterdam. These kinds of multi-destination trips have become pleasantly affordable, and many airlines now offer tour packages precisely to cater to those looking to hop from destination to destination.
But once you’ve picked your destinations, you should start planning the finer details so that you can get the most out of your international trip. Be sure to check out our top travel hacks below to help ensure that your ambitious travel plans go as smoothly as possible.
1. Look at Tour Packages
As we mentioned, many travel agencies are now offering tailored tour packages so that you can enjoy a number of destinations without having to do all the legwork of booking connecting flights and accommodation dates.
Travel packages do all the work for you and they may even take you to some cool spots that weren’t on your radar before.
There are also tour packages available for all kinds of durations, and some even include multiple countries as part of their itinerary. This is an especially great option if there’s a designated planner for the trip, or you’re in a large group.
Let someone else be in charge of making sure everyone gets back on the bus in time, and potentially save money on purchasing group experiences.
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2. Consider all Transport Options
In many countries, flights aren’t the only way to travel. You can take high-speed rail, sleeper buses, or drive around in a rental. In some places, especially Europe, a train to a nearby city might be faster than flying because you get to skip out on customs, boarding dramas, and waiting for your luggage.
Besides that, buses and trains are cheaper, boats can offer stunning views, and a sleeper train is just quite exciting.
So be sure to weigh up all the transportation options available to you and either see if you can experience all of them at least once, or perhaps even just select which options would be the most efficient for you.
Going for efficiency above all else could be beneficial for those looking to cram in as much as possible within a limited travel window.
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3. Leave Your Comfort Zone
Yes, you could argue that you’ve already left your comfort zone by even just travelling abroad, but don’t ignore all the new experiences that await you when immersing yourself in a new culture!
And let’s be honest – even the most ardent fans of Sichuan hotpot might decide they need a break after a week of non-stop spice, so if you’ve got your eating or event spots planned out for each day, take note of other restaurants or places nearby that you might find more attractive in the moment.
The same goes for big events like hiking and festivals. Do what you can to seek attractions or events that you may have otherwise not been interested in. These understated attractions may end up surprising you in a major way.
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4. Give Your Schedule Room to Breathe
That being said, you don’t want to pack your schedule so tight that it leaves no room for relaxation. It’s easy to get swept up in holiday fever, and feel everyday needs to be jam packed with activities to make the most of your limited time in a new place.
And though taking sleeper buses around the country might save on accommodation, you might end up too exhausted and sleep-deprived to enjoy it all when you get there.
So plan and prepare for comfortable sleeping arrangements at least some of the time. And take care to meet everyone’s travel requirements – a tall person might detest renting a small car, and maybe someone else gets seasick easily.
Then there’s the evergreen issue of packing your itinerary to the brim with activities rather than letting yourself enjoy a few ‘rest days’ here and there.
A holiday won’t provide you with adequate time to actually relax and unwind if you’re rushing from item to item on your itinerary. And rest days don’t necessarily have to be days full of ‘doing nothing’ either!
You never know what you’ll discover when you’re open to seeing what you stumble across, like a free event in the street, or a restaurant you’ve never heard of with queues round the corner.
5. Plan For the Season
Unless you’re travelling for months or are perhaps just crossing the equator – like from Egypt to Mozambique – you only need to plan for one season. That might still mean packing both shorts and a coat, depending on your destination.
At any rate, however, it’s well worth looking into the weather conditions you can expect upon arriving at your destination. This can naturally help you pack appropriately and ensure that you can stay comfortable during your time away.
As a general rule of thumb, packing outerwear like raincoats and good walking boots is a must, as is packing some mosquito repellent and sunscreen, for those travelling through the tropics or around the equator.
And besides helping you pack, you might find that there are seasonal festivals or events you can take advantage of – like sleeping beneath the stars in rural Japan, or watching Niagara falls at their peak. So plan for the season both with regards to your wardrobe as well as your itinerary items!
6. Consider Local Regulations and Visas
Finally, remember that visa requirements must still be considered when travelling from one country to another. So be sure to engage with your unique visa requirements and how they may change from destination to destination.
For instance, Australians need a visa for China, but not for Taiwan. Europeans can travel freely throughout most of the continent, but British passport holders are restricted to how long they can stay in the EU Zone. And even some countries like the U.S. have special regulations by state.
Yes, reading up on visa restrictions can be tedious and boring, but it’s still really important. It would be a lot more of an issue getting stuck at an airport and being told you aren’t allowed to board – or even worse, to fly there and get turned right back round again.
Conclusion
A multi-city or multi-country trip is far easier to plan than it was twenty years ago. Now public transport, online blogs and Instagram does half the work for you.
But that doesn’t mean you should spend any less time planning, as the more you prepare for, the less you’ll have to think about when you’re there, leaving you to focus on the fun stuff.
If you’re completely lost for where to start, there are many pre-planned trips to use for inspiration online. And remember, not everything will go according to plan, and that’s okay! Just remember to be flexible, stay open-minded and enjoy the experience.