The Guide for Beginner International Travelers
When it comes to choosing a destination. I am always watching my budget. As a first-time international traveler, you should start any travel ideas by evaluating your budget.
As a single mom, I had to spread out paying for my international trip. For example, if I would find a cheap ticket for my destination, I would purchase the ticket at least six to nine months before taking the actual trip.
This has been very successful for me, especially when I had to pay for my kids when they were at college.
For instance, when my daughter Janine went to university in London. She asked me in August if I would come visit her over the Christmas holiday, when I was on break from teaching.
Many people plan a trip and try to pay for everything at the same time, which is okay, if money is not an issue, however, I do not want to overpay for anything, including traveling across the world. Yes, that’s right, I love a bargain, whenever I can get one, even on my travel excursions.
So here are my best beginner friendly ways for those new to international travel to choose a destination without feeling overwhelmed.
What is Your Total Budget
Start with how much money you have to spend or pay for items a little at a time. For example, purchase your airline tickets in February and take your actual trip in August or later.
For my first trip to China, I purchased our tickets (as we took a group tour) in January, purchase our visa in April and the actual date of our trip wasn’t until November.
I had 10 months left to pay for the extra excursions, side trips and dinners that were optional parts of our China group tour.
What will be the length of your trip?
A trip that is 5 days is very different financially than a trip that is 10 days. Also here are the most expensive costs that most travelers incur:
- Round Trip Flights
- Hotel or other Accommodation
- Food (Restaurant Food vs Street Food)
- Activities (Pick a few things you absolutely do not want to miss during your travels)
- Emergency Fund (for those just in case emergencies)
Choose a Country that Matches Your Budget
Research which countries will stretch your budget further if you don’t already have a country in mind.
Mexico, Portugal and Colombia just to name a few budget friendly countries with great cultural activities.
There are times when I don’t have a specific travel destination in mind. So, then I will go to the destination where there is a cheap flight.
A fitting example is when visiting my daughter Janine over the Christmas holiday a few years ago, there was a cheap flight with TAP airlines from Boston to London England.
The flight cost $250 round trip, which was a great fare but there was a catch for this cheap flight. I had a 39-hour layover before getting to London. But I did not mind at all because my stopover was in Lisbon Portugal, so for no more money, I was able to spend 2 days and 1 overnight in Lisbon, before my final destination of London.
At the time, I had never been to London and never traveled to Lisbon, so this was a win-win for me. I did have the extra cost of finding a place to stay overnight in Lisbon as my flight was not until 7 pm the following day. I had literally two whole days to see Lisbon.
Since Janine was already in London, she decided to meet me in Lisbon for our two-day excursion, then we flew to London together. Neither of us had been to Lisbon and her flight from London’s Gatwick Airport was about $90 round trip at that time.
Seek Out Cheap Flights
The flights are usually your biggest expense
Use tools like: Google Flights or my favorite Skyscanner
Tips:
- Be flexible with your travel dates
- Search all the airports in your city to find the cheapest destination
- Book at least 3 months in advance for the lowest prices (for example the Washington DC area has BWI airport, Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport).
- And most of all, don’t be afraid to take your first international trip based on which country has the cheapest flights from your home country.
Find Out the Visa Requirements for your Destination
- As a beginner traveler, avoid countries with complicate visa requirements.
- Choose a country that is visa free or visa on arrival countries
- Choose a country that has easy online visa applications
Compare Daily Costs at your Destination
Note: A cheap flight does not always mean that your trip will be inexpensive or within your budget. For example: A $500 round trip flight may be fairly cheap to London, England, but the daily costs for hotel, food and getting around can be a bit expensive. Whereas a $900 flight to Bangkok will still be cheaper overall with food, accommodation and activities.
Choose a Destinations that is Tourist Friendly
- Easy to get around the city
- Have both cultural and a nightlife
- English is widely spoke in the tourist areas
Match a Destination to Your Travel Style
Do you prefer a:
- Relaxing on a Beach, surfing or snorkeling
- Adventure and Safari destinations
- Cultural or Historical destination
- Wonderful markets & stalls
- Or like me – I’m a foodie, so I want delicious cheap food
As a first-time international traveler
- Start Simple
- Choose one country
- Choose 1-2 cities to thoroughly enjoy
- Avoid tight, hurried travel schedules
Here’s a sample 5-day budget to Mexico from US
Your Planned Travel Budget = $2,000
Flight Round Trip: $422
Hotel: $50/night = $250
Food: $20/day = $100
Entertainment/Souvenirs = $30/day = $150
Miscellaneous=$150
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Total budget 5-day budget to Mexico = $1,072
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