Planning Guide

When I am thinking of traveling somewhere the first thing I do is find out if I will need a visa to enter that country. Just in case, want to clarify that I am not talking about the "credit card" but a conditional authorization that a country gives you to enter the country for a specific period of time.  It makes no sense to purchase a plane ticket to then find out that the visa will not be granted in the time frame before your trip. As embarrassing as it may sound I have to tell you that I did that once, Ooops! Yes,  and I learned my lesson. Although I was able to go, the visa was granted few days before departure but my stress level was through the roof as the day of departing was getting closer and the visa was not in my hands.  To find out if you will need a visa a good site to start is https://www.visahq.com/citizens/ and also I always like to check the country's embassy website just to be sure that nothing has changed. Most of the time you can apply for the visa yourself, not having to use a third party to do it  on your behalf. I know there are a lot of companies out there offering services but the truth is you can do it yourself not having to pay anyone. Cost of application, if any,  you will pay it directly while applying. 

 Vaccines: Be aware that there are many countries that require specific vaccines for visitors to allow entry to the country. The country's embassy as well as airlines have this information, so make sure you ask about this to avoid any surprises.

Now that you have decided on a country to go to and the visa situation does not look like is going to be an issue, the next step is purchasing the plane ticket or tickets. Usually buying tickets ahead of time proves to be the best economic option. Try not to wait to the last minutes as normally prices increase, unless the airline decided to have a special of some sort. There are a couple of website I use and those are Kayak.com and Momondo.com. I also set alerts with Skyscanner.com and I am planning to start testing Fareness.com, but since I have not used it yet, just wanted to mentioned it so you can give it a try as well.  When making the selections keep in mind that direct flights will be more expensive that multiple stops. Also, time of departure is a factor as well. High peek times are more expensive, reason why "red eye" flights usually are the best deals. Another thing to keep in mind is that usually prices will be less expensive if you can travel Tuesday- Thursday instead of weekends where due to demand prices will spike.

So my advise it to take some time to look around and try different  dates, airports, connections, times, etc to ensure you get the best deal.   Having said that, at times you may need to pay a little more in order to fit your schedule.  For example, lets say  I only have three days to go somewhere then I may decide to pay a little more in order to make sure I get to destination at a good time to be able to enjoy most of the day of arrival. In that case I may try to get in early and leave the latest time available.

Where  to stay is a  very important decisions, more so if where you are traveling is a destination you have never been before. As a solo female traveler I always want to stay in a "safe" neighborhood where I will be able to walk around by myself, even at night.  Also proximity to public transportation is important, as well as distance from the areas that I will like to explore. You may think that you are saving money by booking a budget hotel to then find out that you ended up paying a lot more once you added the cost of transportation or you ended up spending most of your day on a bus or train instead of enjoying the sites.   I did that once in Rome and learned by lesson, never gain! 

In addition think about what is your goal for the trip. If you are wanting to go siteseeing every day and you will not be spending much time in your room, then why spend a lot of money in accommodation? If you will not be using amenities during that time, then pick a hotel that does not have a pool, spa, etc, usually those will be less expensive.

As far as options there are several to pick from: Chain Hotels, Boutique Hotels, Airbnb, Hostels and even couch surfing.  Personally I enjoy boutique hotels as they usually have a lot of character. I have been to great 5 star hotels in countries where these are very affordable or when I wanted to treat my mother to a very nice luxurious vacation. Like the good daughter I am.... I have to pamper her! Right?

When dreaming of a trip no one wants to think about what may go wrong but having travel insurance is a responsible thing to do. You never know what may happen when you are traveling. You could have a toothache to appendicitis, or have an unexpected accident when water rafting, zip-lining, etc in a foreign country that you know nothing about. 

If you have a credit card start by checking with them, see if they offer any type of coverage or if they work with a company that will give you good rates as a valued customer. Or you can also look into insurance providers such as World Nomads.

This of course is a very personal decision based on how much risk you are willing to take. Normally insurance will provide medical coverage and personal liability.  Think about it, but I believe that is better to be "safe than sorry".