What do we do next? How do we even start? How do we know if we have done all we could?
As the main family decision-maker, I started off with picking up a brochure from a travel agency and let them do the work. After a few trips, we felt that we wanted more flexibility, more things that we want to see or do, more time in one place versus the more popular ones…which some travel agencies simply do not provide. That is when we decide to do our own planning.
Here is a checklist of things to do:
Duration
A short getaway is about 4 days: typically, during long weekends. That means leaving on Fri night (or early morning Sat) and reaching back home on Mon or Tue night.
A longer duration will be max of 10 days – any longer and you will need a vacation from the vacation. Depending on the airline, you will likely leave on a Mon/Tue and return on a Fri but do check the price using Flexible dates to make your decision.
Passport and Visa requirements
Most countries typically would require that the passport is valid for at least 6 months (after your return). To prevent any issue, do apply for new passport as this rule is quite strict – you do not want to reach the airport and not allowed through immigration. Also, do check the visa requirements or if there is visa waiver and for how long. Apply for visa if necessary.
Flight to your destination
While there are many ways to get to travel, the majority will likely to arrive via the airport.
There may be 1-2 airports in the same city which is determined by the airline. For example, Tokyo is served by Haneda and Narita. If you are getting items for pick-up at the airport e.g. wi-fi device, the collection point is usually at Narita.
Ideal case: utilize your airline miles esp. if you have accumulated sufficient miles for free flights. For others, here are the general rules:
- Book the flight tickets are early as you can once you have decided on the vacation (inform your boss and apply for leave this time as well)
- Tickets are best purchased at least 3 weeks and up to 3.5 month in advance - the earlier, the better (6 months ahead if available and provided your plans are firm).
- Best day to book flights is on a Sunday (according to Expedia). I find this to be true for certain US airlines and Singapore Airlines. For Asian airlines such as JAL, EVA, the better timing is on weekdays. Better yet, set a reminder with Expedia or Trip.com - once the tickets fall below a threshold price, they will send you an email
- Aim to fly on weekdays (Tue to Thu) as weekend tickets are more expensive. This is not applicable to all airlines – mainly the US and European ones. For airlines, there is no price difference.
- Use Trip.com to look for the cheapest tickets (choose the lowest price first option). Note: direct flights are the most expensive. Another interesting finding: booking via the mobile phone app is usually cheaper than using the PC.
- If the arrival time is weird (midnight to 5am), choose a different airline or book directly from the airline website (good timing = more expensive...but worth the extra cent). It may be good to arrive when the subway/bus is in operation to save the cost of private taxi, if you are not getting a rental car.
Travel insurance
In the post-Covid era, most (if not all) travel insurance covers or includes optional cover (highly recommended) when we fail to make the trip for whatever reason. That said, do buy the insurance as early as you can, i.e. when you have gotten the flight tickets. Should your plans change, you can use the insurance to claim for the additional cost of re-scheduling or even cancelling the flight.
Some airlines bundle the flight ticket with insurance. My recommendation is to separate the 2. This is so that you can get the best deals for travel insurance rather than just accepting what is available by the airline, which usually is just an OK deal (not the best).
Internet connection
Having internet access is essential. While Wi-fi is available most places, Murphy's Law states that you will have zero Internet access when you most need it. There are 2 way of getting Wi-fi: one is to get the SIM card which you can use on your phone while the other is the Wi-fi device for sharing purposes.
Obviously, the SIM card (usually cheaper) is for personal use. The device is when you are travelling as a couple or family. Book this in advance rather than last minute - see Murphy's Law.
Transportation
The first transport upon arrival is from airport to the hotel. The cheapest will be via the subway/bus while the most expensive will be via private taxi. My recommendation - try using the train and Tube as first choice. One can always take the private taxi (almost always available) if things do not work out.
In Dec 2022, there were several "industrial action" aka strikes by railway and Tube workers that caused even the Gatwick Express to stop operating. Nonetheless, there was excellent support from the airport staff to enable folks to reached the hotel safely via Tube.
Of course, if the travel plan is road-trip, then the obvious choice is the rental car. This should be booked in advance on popular dates (weekends especially). I have found that the best car for road-trips are the Nissan ones that uses the E-power technology. It is an electric car that uses the engine just to charge the battery. So it is as quiet as the EV but runs on gas.
Take note that some countries (e.g. Japan) will require the driver to have a valid International Driving Permit. This needs to be planned ahead of time. Japan is very strict on this: no IDP = no rental car.
Accommodation
AirBnB is one option. Another option is via Booking.com for the best prices (you can compare the prices with the other sites such as Agoda) and free cancellation - you may be able to get the apartments on Booking.com as well...just need to compare prices before deciding.
As with all properties (short term or long term), it’s location, location and location. Use the Google Maps function or click the map from Booking.com. Take a look at the surrounding area and check what is available. Important items to look out:
Location of market or grocery store
Food market, bakery or restaurants
Proximity to MRT / subway
If you plan to stay 5-7 nights (depending on hotel) or longer, it is best to search the actual hotel website or write to them if there are discounts for long stays. Most do, and the savings are substantial. Some will even you a free room upgrade or one with a view.
For a groups of 4 or more, do explore serviced apartment versus the standard hotel room, esp. if you plan to cook or use the washing machine frequently.
Travel Debit Card
Cards such as Revolut, Youtrip and Wise are getting very popular these days as they allow the users to buy the different currencies and store them in the account. If one does this correctly, then it is similar to currency trading, i.e. buy when the currency is at its lowest and then sell (or use) when it goes up. Which one is the best? Well, I am happy with Revolut and Youtrip (so far) but with the many competitors coming up, it is probably wise to shop around before deciding.