Experienced Travelers Are Sharing The Tricks They've Learned Abroad, And Some Are Low-Key Genius
International travel can be stressful, expensive, and frustrating. But it can also be incredibly rewarding and eye-opening...especially when you have a few good tips up your sleeve. So redditor u/mpolo76 asked, "World travelers of Reddit: What's your travel hack that you think everyone should know?" Here are some of the responses.
1."Never delete from your phone or throw away your boarding pass before you've actually entered your destination."
"I've seen border security ask for them at the last minute." —u/giver_of_the_snark
"Your boarding pass is also very convenient if your bags don't arrive. The baggage agents can track your bag faster with the sticker on the back of your boarding pass." —u/KevinAtSeven
2."Keep copies of important travel documents on your phone and in the cloud so you can always access them."
"Keeping a copy of your passport and ID in the cloud is super helpful if you ever get robbed or lose the original. It's much easier to get your stuff replaced if you can present everything to your embassy."
3."When you can, book directly through airline and hotel websites rather than through third-party travel websites. This will reduce the chances of your reservation getting lost, and it also allows more flexibility to make changes to your booking. Hotel or airline staff can't change reservations that were not made on their own system."
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"I've also heard you often get better rooms and upgrades if you book directly with the hotel."
4."Instead of buying expensive international roaming and data from your cell provider, just buy a cheap prepaid rechargeable SIM card in whatever country you need service."
"Having access to your phone and to data makes for a fun traveling experience, since you can keep in touch with people and also post photos, but also use GPS and book Uber/Lyft rides, which are often more convenient and usually cheaper than taxis."
5."Pack a change of underwear, a toothbrush, some cash, and a charger in whatever bag will be on your body the entire time you're traveling."
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"Bags do get lost, and having a fresh pair of underwear to change into can make all the difference." —u/ameliabedelia99
6."Hotel lobbies have great bathrooms. Find a luxury hotel and go to the bar, order an iced tea or a Coke, and then you can use a nice bathroom. Plus, most also have free Wi-Fi these days as well."
7."Research how the locals dress. I’m a woman, and I have travelled alone many times. Every time I travel solo (especially when traveling to Europe), I look into how the locals dress so that I look like a local and don't stand out. If you look like you fit in and pay attention to your surroundings, no one will bother you."
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8."If you're taking long flights, carry a travel-size pack of baby wipes. After you reach your destination, go into the restroom and wipe down. It's not a shower, but you'll be amazed how refreshed it makes you feel."
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9."When booking hotels or airline, use a private (or incognito) browser. Travel sites often track your visits and your search history to other similar sites, so turning on private browsing may save some money."
10."Thanksgiving can be a great time to travel internationally. Since it's an American holiday and people are traveling between states, ticket prices abroad go way down."
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11."Download Maps.me. Forget Google Maps. This app lets you download a map of the country you're visiting for free while you're using Wi-Fi, and later it can function as GPS and even recalculate without cell signal."
"I never use a cell plan when I'm out of the country, and Maps.me always works." —u/weremallard
12."Street food can be amazing, but do your research about where it's safe to eat first. There have been times when we were warned against eating the street food, and those who ate it anyway got pretty ill."
—u/m4d4e02be6
13."Instead of renting a car from a company like Hertz or Enterprise, try using the app Turo. It's like Airbnb for cars and usually saves money."
14."Map out some activities, but leave the majority of your trip unplanned. Whenever I travel, I choose two must-do activities beforehand, then leave the rest of the trip unplanned. I just walk around and see what I discover."
"It helps with burnout because I can rest when my body needs to without worrying about missing my next scheduled activity."
—u/egc26
15."If you plan on sightseeing, try to walk from place to place. You'll learn much more about a city and the people by walking. You'll see small neighborhoods and the off-the-beaten-path shops and restaurants that aren't located next to major attractions."
16."Don't exchange money. Rather, use an ATM for the best exchange rate."
17."Do the research and plan your meal times according to local customs. Many European restaurants close at 2 p.m. for a break and begin serving dinner later than when you might be used to in the States."
18."Hostels are filled with friendly, well-travelled, and knowledgeable people. Staying at them is a great way to see the world. Just bring a lock for your stuff at night."
19."Travel doesn't need to be as expensive as you think, and you can make it affordable by doing a home swap, staying in hostels, or camping if you're really on a budget. Travel after the busy season too: July and August can be very busy, so try booking a trip in May or September."
20."If your plans change and you need to cancel your hotel reservation against the hotel's cancellation policy, don't call and cancel. Instead, call the hotel and move your reservation to the following week — because many hotels will allow you to change a reservation without issue. Then, call a few hours later and cancel your 'new' reservation."
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21.Always check the expiration date of your passport well before traveling. Many countries require six months of validity to grant entry, so the effective deadline might be sooner than the actual expiration date written on your passport."
22."Travel with a a microfiber towel. It dries sooo much faster than a regular towel, and it folds up into nothing."
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23."Don't just choose a restaurant based on a nice appearance. Eat where the locals eat or where you see people forming long lines."
Turin, Italy - June 18, 2017: The Quadrilatero, nightlife and restaurant district of Turin (Italy) at evening, on June 18, 2017, with people sitting at the tables, eating and walking
24."You only need to pack one power adapter and a powerboard. It's much cheaper than buying multiple adapters, and you end up with more sockets for all your electronics."
25.If you're traveling throughout Europe, buy an Interrail Pass. It's basically a continent-wide train ticket. Not only is it the best way to travel, but you also meet all sorts of people."
26."Buy a diaper bag to pack photography equipment. They're cheap, waterproof, and nobody steals a diaper bag."
27."For US travel, pick up a National Park Service map and guide along with an annual pass. Just about anywhere you go, you'll be near a park system area, and so many are amazing. I wasted a lot of years driving past these places, and I wish I knew to stop and explore."
