How to Plan a Trip: A Beginner's Guide

Want to know how to plan a trip and don't know where to start? You are not alone!

For experienced travelers, booking flights and planning an itinerary is an easy task. But many people are on the verge of a nervous breakdown when planning a trip alone. To prevent this from happening to you, you can invite a travel companion on your trip. Many people also travel alone, but at the same time find travel companions. By choosing someone who is heading to the same place, you gain company. In this way, you can become ideal companions, comrades, or meet your soulmate.

So, how to prepare for your first vacation trip.

1. Select your destination

Researching and choosing a travel destination is definitely one of the most exciting parts of planning a trip.

At the moment, the whole world is in your hands. You can go anywhere and do anything!

On the other hand, the world is a damn big place, so it's good to have a strategy for narrowing down your options.

Here are some ways to choose your travel destination:

• Look for inspiration. Browse Pinterest - the app contains a huge number of places that will capture your soul. Follow travel bloggers on Instagram!
• Select the cheapest destination to fly to. Open to travel anywhere in the world? 
• Make a list. Whenever you come across photos of a new destination or interesting landmark on the Internet, jot it down in the Notes section of your phone. It can be easy to forget what initially caught your eye in a city or country, so having a few notes on hand when it comes time to book your trip can help you make a decision.

2. Decide How Long Your Trip Should Be

Four days? A week? Two weeks? Month?

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to the length of your trip, but the decision usually comes down to a few factors:

1. Vacation time. How much of it do you have? How much of it do you want to spend on this trip?
2. Travel time to destination. In general, the further you travel, the longer your trip should be. If your destination is only a three-hour flight away, you can definitely only spend a few days there. However, if you spend 20 hours on a plane, you'll likely need at least a full week (or better yet, two) to make the travel time worth it.
3. Time needed to enjoy the destination. Countries come in different sizes, and the time required to “properly” study China versus Costa Rica (for example) would be completely different. It's true that you will most likely never see totalwhat the country has to offer, no matter how much time you have. But if you're visiting a major destination or something that really captivates you on a deep level, it's wise to allow more time.
4. Cash budget. The longer your trip, the more you will spend. Which brings us to...

3. Set Your Budget

Some people may prefer to determine their budget earlier in the process; for example, even before deciding on the destination or duration of the trip. And it probably makes sense if you're on a budget.

For example, if you know you absolutely can't spend more than $1000 in total, then it's wise to make that decision first and then look for destinations that fit your budget (either because they have a low cost of living or because they are cheap to fly).

But how do you actually determine your travel budget?

Essentially, you simply figure out how much you can comfortably spend and then force your spending to fit within that budget. Take it easy, right?

It can be helpful to think in terms of dollars per day; for example, if you have $2000 (not including airfare) and want to travel for 10 days, you know you can spend $200 per day on accommodation + food + activities, etc.

Having this estimate at hand can help you make decisions about hotels and activities later in the planning process.

Spend time usefully for your life!

Planning a trip definitely takes work, but it's one of those things that will save you a lot of stress.

Enjoy your trip - eat all the food, see all the sights, take in all the culture, and take all the photos. Have a nice trip!