
The year 2020 could be the year that you finally make your way to Central Asia or the grand capital cities of Europe, or maybe Japan has always been your dream destination. Whatever you’ve got in mind, we have selected a few of the best travel tips. Instead of obvious things like “don’t forget your toothbrush” and “learn some of the local languages,” Bookmundi, a global travel booking platform, has provided some of their favorite ways to travel — new ideas that are relevant for the new decade.
1. Travel sustainably
With more focus than ever in recent years on our environmental impact on the planet, traveling sustainably has rightly gained traction. From understanding the carbon footprint that results from flying to destinations, to reducing the number of plastic water bottles you may use on one trip, thinking about how your travels affect the environment can really make a difference. Refillable water bottles, taking trains instead of flying and realizing the effect your travels have on the environment is a good place to start.
2. Get offline
You may be reading this article online, but once you’re away on your dream vacation or traveling adventure, limit your time online. Connect with the environment around you instead of connecting with others on social media. Resist the urge to Instagram what you’re seeing rather than simply seeing it for yourself. A digital detox can really enrich your travels, so put out-of-office autoreply on and leave those emails at home; you never know what you might miss out on or discover.
3. Make your money matter
Spending your money in local communities, where your hard-earned cash will go to real people instead of big businesses, is a good way to travel responsibly. Not only does this help tourism make a positive impact in your chosen destination but looking outside of the norm can help avert growing over-tourism that is saturating places like Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Kyoto, Japan, for example. Try staying at family-run guesthouses, eating at locally-owned restaurants and buy things at independent stores.
4. Go alone
Solo travel doesn’t have to be scary. It might seem that being by yourself is not only hugely daunting but hugely risky, but solo travel is on the rise — plenty of people are taking the leap and making the trips they want to make. No matter if you’re single or in a relationship, a troubled soul, a solo travel trip can make a positive impact on your life. A simple search online will unveil a world of travelers doing what they want to do — it’s an inspiring community.
5. Be spontaneous
This is not about being careless, but instead about being kind to yourself as you travel. Many people travel with a guidebook, or a detailed itinerary, and proceed to tick boxes and destinations off a seemingly unending list. Where’s the fun in that? Don’t feel like you have to see and do literally everything; instead make sure to take your time, take days off if you want and don’t stress over getting to all the “top” destinations — they may not be all that, anyway.
Travel doesn’t have to be stressful at all. Instead travel should be about fun, about experiencing new things, seeing new places and learning things about the world (and the people who live in it) along the way. Keep our tips in mind and your next vacation or adventure is bound to be a positive one!