The word “tour” may bring images of golfing excursions and luxury cruises, but for many people, the reality seems far more prosaic. With budget airlines constantly slashing tariffs and hotel pricing, how can you plan a world tour that won’t break the bank? One option is to travel as much as you can when you have some free time.
This is a great way to see new places and meet new people. In fact, one of the benefits of such a trip is that it will make you want to return home again sooner rather than later. However, if you don’t have much time or are looking to stretch your trip into something more substantial, then planning your world tour might be just the thing. Here’s how:
Research your destination
Before putting together a list of places to visit on your world tour, you’ll need to know where you want to start out. In other words, where do you want to begin? This may be based on a particular interest or theme, or it may be a result of where you choose to visit first. For instance, if you want to see the most amazing places in the world, then starting in Europe is a good idea.
From there, you would have the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the French Riviera as potential first destinations. As you develop your idea for your tour, you might want to expand on your initial “destination idea” and look at several nearby locations as well. While you travel, you’ll encounter people and places from all over the world, and seeing them all will help you to better understand the world.
Choose a route and time of year
Next, pick between a one-way or two-way (round-trip) trip. Depending on the time of year you choose, these will depend on how expensive your trip will be. For example, in-season travel can be far cheaper than in autumn or winter. You will want to choose the route that makes the most sense for your trip. For example, if you are interested in visiting the South Pacific, then it would make sense to visit Australia and New Zealand first.
From there, you could sail or fly on to Fiji. And while you are at it, pick a route that includes a few countries that you have been meaning to visit. A world tour can be a great way to extend your travels in this way. Alternatively, you can also choose to visit a few countries that you have been meaning to visit for a long time. When you are on the road, you can plan to have a stretch of road trips in a certain time period.
Decide where you’ll stay
If you are staying in hotels, then you will have to decide whether you want to stick to a particular chain or look for a bargain. Depending on which country you are traveling through, you might want to choose a specific hotel chain or stick to a budget-friendly hotel. Make sure you pick somewhere close enough to your destination that you can easily get there on foot or by public transport.
Ideally, your chosen hotel should be either within walking distance or a short taxi ride from your planned destinations. You can save money by staying in a hostel or cheap hotel if you are willing to spend a couple of extra days or weeks in a different city. This is ideal if you want to see multiple cities in a relatively short time period. This is especially easy if you are staying in a hostel or cheap hotel.
Confirm your plans
If you have a booking confirmation for your chosen hotels, then you can cross that item off your list. However, if you have not yet booked your hotels, then you should confirm this as soon as possible. If you are traveling during the high season, you may want to book hotels several months in advance.
It is best not to change your plans if you have booked your hotels. If you find that you have to change your plans, then changing your hotels can be a good idea. It is best if you can change your plans on a whim or see how the day goes before committing to a schedule change.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
While planning a world tour sounds like a fantastic idea, it is important not to put too much emphasis on this idea. It is true that you will likely have more flexibility in terms of where you stay when you travel as opposed to when you are at home, but it is also true that you will have less time to see everything you want to see.
While planning a trip of this kind can be a good way to stretch your travels, it is also important not to put too much pressure on yourself. Planning a world tour can be a great way to see some amazing places and meet some great people, but you will still miss out on many of the experiences that are only available to visitors who travel to a particular place.
Don’t miss out on the local culture or food
As you may have already noticed, many of the places you will visit on your world tour are also great places to eat. This means that you will have access to some incredible local food. Make sure that you try as much of this as you can while traveling.
As well as eating local food, you can also get involved in local culture. You can learn how to dance, play an instrument, or paint. This can be a great way to spend some time with people from a different culture that you have come across on your trip.
Final thoughts
If you have the time and money, then a world tour is a great way to travel and see the world. However, it is important to remember that you will likely miss out on many of the experiences that are only available to visitors who travel to a particular place.
If you are interested in seeing some amazing places, then a world tour can be a great way to do this. However, it is important not to put too much emphasis on this idea, as you may end up missing out on other great experiences that are only available to visitors who travel to a particular place.
