14 Biggest travel mistakes and how to avoid them
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They say you learn better when you make mistakes and I couldn’t agree more. This applies of course, for traveling. The best part? You can improve your travel experience a lot more by understanding your mistakes and finding better options or solutions which suit your goals.
Because I believe sharing is caring (which this blog is all about), in this article I will be sharing all the mistakes I made during my trips and how I learned to overcome them. In addition to my own mistakes, I will also add others which I learned while doing my research. I hope you find this useful. If you are new to traveling, I hope after reading this article you will have an idea of the overall dos and don’ts.
That being said, no matter how many articles you read and how much advice and tips you take from other travelers, you are going to make your own mistakes. Every traveler is different and every destination has its unique particularities and you cannot prevent all the uncomfortable situations, but it’s good to at least have a starting point.
Here are all the biggest travel mistakes and ways to avoid them:
Overpack
Oh, yes, this is a travel mistake. You will think that this can’t happen to you, but believe me when I say that overpacking is so easy to do, that you won’t even realize it until it’s too late. I always start with his naïve idea that I’m going to pack only my essentials, but surprise, surprise, I end up packing my whole closet.
Now I’m standing confused in my living room with my suitcase in front of me overflowing with clothes. How did I get there? (Really Roxana? You are really asking this? – this is my inner voice, which most of the time is the voice of my husband as well 😂 ).
Here is my thought process (let me know if any of this sounds familiar): “hmm, I need this T-shirt, and this one as well and five more…hmm, but what if I don’t feel like wearing this dress? I should pack three more just in case! Hmm, but what do you do when it rains? Yup, I need clothes for rain too and two more T-shirts, and this pretty dress”
And what do you know my luggage is full and heavy and hard to carry. Of course, during my trip I wear like 30% of the clothes I packed. I promise myself that next time I will be more responsible and pack only clothes that I’m going to wear. But the next trip comes and the mentioned thought process starts again. Sounds familiar?!
Well, if you are in the same repetitive situations, here is what you can do to make your life easier while traveling, because believe me, you don’t need this stress of carrying a heavy luggage full of useless items.
Solutions:
- Plan your outfits for everyday and pack an extra two outfits, just in case you dirty them;
- Pack items that can be used to create multiple outfits (less is more). For example, you can pack a white T-shirt that you can match with two different skirts. Maybe this kind of planning sounds like a joy killer, but try it before you form an opinion. Having fewer options, and also having your outfits already done will take away that part of the stress each day. Also, it will take you less time to prepare every morning.
- If you are traveling during summer, or to a tropical destination, try to pack dresses because they occupy less space (and are perfect for photos)
- Don’t pack too many shoes, because you are not going to wear them. Instead, pack one pair of comfortable shoes that fit most of your outfits (beside the one you are already wearing). With two pairs of shoes you will be fine.
- Check the weather before your trip and plan your outfits accordingly.
Failing to check the weather forecast before the trip
Failing to check the weather forecast can be a real bummer and a travel mistake especially if you are planning hikes or spending time on the beach and the weather decides to change from sunny to cold or rainy.
You need to know the weather conditions to plan activities accordingly. We failed to do this in Croatia and planned our visit to Plitvice Lakes on the most foggy and rainy day possible from our whole holiday (you know..that wonderful natural park with lakes and waterfalls at each step..yeah that one). So you can imagine our disappointment when searching for those glorious and perfect landscapes, we found foggy and unclear views that ruined most of our photos. We still could enjoy the visit, but our experience would’ve been better on a sunny day. If you want to see how our day was in Plitvice Lakes on a rainy day, check out this complete travel guide here.
Anywaaay, back to our main subject. If you include on your itinerary hikes, walks in nature, sunbathing or sunset watching, make sure you plan those activities on sunny and cloudless days. Of course, checking the weather isn’t a guarantee, but still I recommend you do it, because it will increase your chances for a successful holiday.
Not live room in your luggage for souvenirs
If you are used to buying items that act as reminders of every trip, then make sure you leave some free space in your luggage. This is another reason for you to try to avoid overpacking (first travel mistake mentioned in this article).
When we went on a road trip through Tuscany, we visited a lot of cities and villages and found local products and hand made stuff that we ended up buying, like local wines (several bottles) and statues. My husband also bought me a beautiful painting as a gift. You can imagine that putting everything safely in our luggage was a real struggle. At one point I took into consideration leaving some clothes behind.
If you don’t want to repeat this mistake, make sure you leave room for additional stuff.
Not doing research before a trip
Depending on the type of traveler that you are, doing research about a future destination may or may not be a priority for you. I know that there are people that prefer to be spontaneous and walk freely around places and discover by mistake landmarks or hidden gems, or people that go to an exotic destination and spend their vacation on the beach or at the resort. And maybe this is not a travel mistake for you, but here me out.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with any type of traveling. In fact, I think it’s important to enjoy our experiences how we see fit. So, before I start explaining why I consider not doing research a mistake, know that I’m not trying to change your mind (but maybe..keep an open mind).
If you read any of my previous articles you may have concluded by now that I’m a planner. For me it’s important to do my “homework” before a trip and structure an itinerary (a flexible one – this is another lesson I learned over time – more about this further in the article). But there were times, when I was a complete noob and of course the lack of knowledge affected my trips.
Here are the things I noticed happening when visiting a new destination without prior research:
- You miss out on some amazing places, especially hidden gems.
Of course even if you don’t research a certain destination, chances are you are going to find the main landmarks by asking your host for a promotional map, or by asking directions. That being said, keep in mind that every place has that secluded wild beach, that beautiful narrow street, or hidden scenic overlooks that aren’t promoted. If you are a fan of the off path road, or unknown places, then I suggest you do a little research beforehand.
- You end up spending more money
There are a lot of great deals that you will miss out on if you don’t do your homework properly. Also, in certain cities the food is pretty expensive and it’s better to choose a local, family-owned restaurant. How to find such a place? You guessed it! By researching!
If you go on a road trip, free parking and road taxes are important things you need to be aware of, in order to avoid fines. We struggled a lot with this issue during our trip to Tuscany, but no worries, I got you. I will write a detailed article about it soon.
- You risk wasting time roaming the streets without seeing the places you want
If you plan to visit churches, museums or other institutions that require a ticket or that have a visitation interval, you need to know the days and the hours when those places are open. Furthermore, in some cases, there are art galleries, or museums that will give you priority if you book or buy the ticket online (this was the case in Florence for example).
I know that the obvious solution in order to avoid all these things is to do research. But, I know that there are a lot of people that don’t have the patience, energy or time to do it, so here are some tips that maybe can help you out, with minimal work required.
Solutions:
- Make a simple list on your phone with top landmarks or things to see and do on your trip while using Google Maps, or Pinterest (there are a lot of travel bloggers, myself included that write list type articles that you can copy paste in a couple of minutes)
- Use Google Maps for finding the best restaurants by using filters. You can choose places with the highest rates or lowest prices (bonus point: you can also see real and unfiltered food pictures taken by customers).
- Ask a friend, if you know someone that has already gone to your dream destination, ask them for recommendations and other tips.
- Fall in love with the process of preparing for a trip. I know we get really excited when we book a new trip and we daydream about it until we board the plane or get in the car. It’s totally possible to extend that feeling for the rest of the process that includes researching and making lists. I always get high-up when I see how beautiful our next destination is and how many things you can see. I pour myself a coffee, sit in a comfortable chair and start my research.
- Help yourself with the travel guides I wrote so far for countries like: Thailand, Croatia, Greece, Slovenia, Romania. You will find detailed articles with a lot of tips and tricks.
Not doing a minimal itinerary / or write a too strict itinerary
This travel mistake goes hand in hand with the one mentioned above about researching, because it requires some work and planning on your part. Not doing itineraries is not that bad, you can make the most of a trip with a little research. However, by doing an itinerary you will know how to properly group your objectives based on the distances and the transportation method. Furthermore, you can choose the accommodation based on the itinerary and reduce the time you spend walking to those desired spots.
I know that travel itineraries are time consuming and also they may seem constrictive, but if you do them according to your travel goals, it will make the whole experience more fulfilling and easier. For example, I do my itineraries based on the things I want to accomplish on a certain trip. Do I want to relax? See all the places? Hike? Or do all the things that are possible? After answering these questions I start my research and plan my days.
Solution:
- If you don’t have the time, or you don’t like this part of the travel process, you can always find detailed itineraries written by travel bloggers. You can use them as they are, or you can adjust them to your own travel goals. On my blog, you can find itineraries within the ‘Travel itinerary’ category (let me know if you find them useful).
On the other hand, having an over-ambitious itinerary, with every hour decided ahead can be frustrating and lead to burn out. Not leaving leisure days or hours, you risk overwhelming yourself with the list of things you want to see. I observed that it can feel like the trip is more like a chore and less like a vacation. Traveling should be fun and liberating, not something you ‘need’ to do, no matter what.
Solutions:
- Don’t overdo the planning of your trip. Make a list of all the objectives you want to see and group them for each travel day depending on their distance. The key is to not put a lot of them in just one day, and leave more flexibility in your itinerary. Also, leave days without any specific plan, so you can decide during your trip, if you want to rest or just freely roam the streets, or do a random hike.
- Another thing you can do is prioritize them such that if you feel tired or don’t have enough time to skip those with less priority
Didn’t read reviews before booking a place
Usually, there are so many accommodations to choose from, but booking a great one at a reasonable price can be a struggle. No matter the platform you use for your bookings, the case is the same, it’s hard to make a choice based on their photos or descriptions. There were times when we booked a place because the photos were so dreamy and the view from the balcony looked unreal. When we got there we quickly understood that all those pretty shots were an illusion and not every room had those views (even if you specifically booked said room).
The disappointment was big because we were so excited about that place (it was in Phuket, Thailand) and it ruined a small part of our experience there (not to mention that we got into a fight with the staff there (who didn’t speak English very well – this is another thing you should look for).
Solution:
- Read reviews before you book a certain place. If you can, check them out on different platforms. Of course, we are different and our preferences may be opposite, but there are certain aspects that scream “red flag” from a mile away.
- Here is a list of things to look for in people’s reviews: if there are complaints about how clean the rooms are or how nice the staff is, if the staff knows English, if there were problems in discussing with them, if the room’s aesthetic is different from the promotion photos and so on.
Forget to check your phone plan
This is a travel mistake that can lead to big additional costs and frustration. My husband and I suffered the consequences of this mistake during two trips. On the first trip I didn’t check my phone plan and after we entered another country my phone didn’t work anymore, because apparently I didn’t have the roaming option in my plan.
On the second trip, my husband called the company that we used to rent our car in Italy. The headquarters was located in the UK, and as you know this isn’t an EU country anymore, so the costs for that phone call were huge!
Solution:
- This may sound like a shocker, but the solution for this travel mistake is to check your phone plan, see how much data you have and which countries are covered by your plan.
Not establishing a realistic budget
Budgeting is an important part of every trip and you should take it into consideration when you are making travel plans. Lacking a budgeting plan or establishing an unrealistic one can really quickly transform into a disaster.
Believe me when I say, you don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you run out of money in a foreign country. It’s not fun and definitely it shouldn’t be considered an adventure (well, for me it isn’t, let me know if you ever went broke on a trip and how it went). There are countries or regions that are more expensive than others. For example, in Northern Thailand the food was very cheap, in comparison with Bangkok or Phuket, where a salad could cost up to 1000 Baht (approx. 30 euro), but in Chiang Mai I ate an appetizer, a main course and dessert with 400 baht (12 euro).
You need to know how much you are going to pay for parking or road taxes (if you are traveling by car), which differ in every country. Especially as these costs can affect the entire budget.
Solutions:
- Establish a realistic budget and try to stick to it. Make a list with all the things that you need to pay for and write down the costs for accommodation, car rental (if you opt for it), plane tickets, public transportation, tickets for museums and so on. After you have a total of all the fixed costs, you can establish an approx. amount for food by researching some restaurants and seeing how much a complete meal can cost. From there you can estimate the number of meals and establish an approx. total. After that you can designate an amount for souvenirs and other perks. Keep in mind that this process is not without error, because additional costs can pop-up any time. Of course, the idea isn’t to have a strict budget and to think about money every time you want to buy an ice cream. Being too strict can take the fun out of traveling, but having an estimated budget that is realistic can save you from bad situations (especially if you are traveling on a budget)
- Make a list with all the free things you can do and visit in your destination
- Research for deals or discounts ahead of time
Forget important papers or documents at home
This is not just a simple travel mistake, this can become a disaster! One of my biggest fears (travel related) is arriving at the airport and discovering that I forgot my passport at home. I can’t be the only one, right?!
Solution:
- Make a general list with all the important things you need to have on you every time you travel. Planning to write an article regarding this subject, but here is a general list: passport (or other ID), credit card (especially if you plan to rent a car), travel insurance, tickets (or the confirmation for your plane ticket). After you prepare all your documents, take the time and actually check every item from your lists (please don’t skip this step, even if you think that you got them for sure).
- Buy a small and portable wallet that can fit all your important documents like passport, cards, cash.
Having unrealistic expectations
Having unrealistic expectations was one of those travel mistakes that kicked me in the butt many times. I feel like this is a thing that every traveler (especially if you are starting to experience more and more adventures) has suffered at least once from having unrealistic expectations.
The internet is amazing and full of resources. Nowadays it is very easy to find everything you need to know about a certain place, with photos included. Regarding traveling, the internet is packed with beautiful, glorious photos. You know, those photos with girls in stunning dresses in this famous place, where people are nowhere to be seen, the lighting is perfect and the angle is right? Yeah, those ones. I know that sometimes these photos tricked me into believing that these scenarios are possible and real. But in reality, in most cases there are very few attractions where you can take photos without people (maybe in secluded or hidden places) and if you want that perfect lighting situation you will need to plan ahead your photo session.
Solution:
- Maybe this is not a solution, because we all have our own way of enjoying traveling, but I would like to give you some advice. Enjoy your trips without expectations, or at least without high expectations. Trust me that the most beautiful places are those that aren’t in the “top things, or top attractions” type of lists. The best places for photos are those that are hidden from the typical tourists. Also, be open minded and understand that a crowded area isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You still can enjoy seeing an attraction even if there are a lot of people around. There is more about traveling than lonely and perfect choreographed photos.
I would also like to share with you a personal story (well, repeat one I already mentioned, but from a different angle). When we planned our trip to Croatia, of course Plitvice Lakes was high on our itinerary and I dreamed about all those gorgeous waterfalls that the Internet was full of. Unfortunately, the day we planned our visit was cloudy, rainy and foggy. As you can imagine, most of our photos were ruined and of course the best scenic overlooks didn’t look very clear through the fog. Don’t get me wrong, the park was stunning and the views were amazing, but if we hadn’t started this trip with expectations so high, maybe we would’ve seen it with other eyes and instead of being sad or frustrated, we could have focused on enjoying the whole experience.
Not booking ahead (accommodation or tickets to museums etc)
Being spontaneous is a great thing, but sometimes not planning ahead will lead to additional charges or to lost opportunities.
In terms of accommodation, you risk being left without a place to stay. The best places get booked really fast and you will need to reserve them in advance. Likewise, if you want to visit museums, churches or other cultural places you should know the visitation schedule and if they offer discounts. There are museums (in Florence, for example) that offer priority (you can skip the major lines of people that usually visit these places) or discounts if you decide to buy the ticket online.
Solutions:
- Book your preferred accommodation ahead of time. If you want to get the best deals or the most rated places I suggest you do your bookings as soon as you buy the plane tickets. For my accommodations I use Booking. Don’t worry about losing money, because there are a lot of places that you can cancel at any time (or they offer free cancellation until the last week prior to your trip).
- Make a list of the places you want to visit and see if they offer deals or discounts if you book online. If they do, you need to decide if it makes sense for you to buy the tickets, or wait until the day prior to your trip.
Make a chaotic luggage
We all know that when it comes to packaging it can be challenging to make the perfect organized and easy to access luggage. I hate when I need to take out all my stuff to reach a product that I use every day. I suggest you make your luggage according to your itinerary. For example, if you are spending a night in one place and several more in another location, put in your small luggage the essentials you need for that first night. Having a chaotic luggage is a travel mistake because it will make you spend more time searching through your bag than it’s necessary. I hate when I’m on the road and I have to spend hours packing and unpacking.
Solution:
- Organize your luggage according to your itinerary. If you booked several accommodations, try to plan your outfits and essentials for each day, in a way that is easy to access every day.
- Try to find a backpack with compartments that will make your organization easier and also, every item will be accessible without stress and frustration (link amazon)
- Every item should have a designated spot in your backpack or luggage. Especially important things like your passport, cards, cash or other important documents. I recommend you buy a wallet where you can put all of them (link amazon).
- Don’t overpack (as I already mentioned in this article). Overpacking will automatically make your luggage more disorganized. I know that every time I put too many things in my bags I run out of space and thus I will put things in places that are hard to reach.
Rushing things during trips
This is one of those travel mistakes that is so easy to do sometimes. I feel like sometimes we transform our trip into races, instead of vacations. I have to admit that I also did that a few times and it kind of ruined my experiences. Trying to see as much as possible and setting an impossible goal of checking things off an enormous list can make traveling feel like a chore, like sometimes you NEED to do, not something you want, love and enjoy doing. Remember there aren’t any judges that are going to congratulate or punish you at the end of your trip for your “performance”. Try to remember that traveling is a way of living, an experience. You need to live your travels, not check them from your list.
Solution:
- This is very simple, so simple in fact that I feel silly just by mentioning it. Slow down! Breathe, stop and smell the roses. There really is no need to rush things. If you are visiting a country like Italy, for example, that has so many cities and places to visit, plan multiple trips in Italy, instead of trying to see as much as possible in just one go.
Booking connecting flights to close together
When it comes to traveling, what is your biggest fear?
Here is a horror story for you. You leave your home excited for your trip, even if you know that a long flight is between you and your dreamed destination. Of course, you had to book two connecting flights. You get on your first flight, but you notice that the departure is delayed and you start to calculate in your mind the time you will have to get on your next plane and figure out that your connecting flight is very close now (too close). So, after the plane lands you start to pick up your luggage and think about all the ways you could get yourself teleported at the gate to your next flight. You are seated somewhere in the middle of the plane and there are a lot of people that stand in your way that don’t move fast enough. You start to visualize the possibility of failing to board the next plane and panic is installed. After you finally get out of the plane, covered in sweat and with your heart close to exploding you basically run while trying to figure out where the next gate is located. Swearing, sweating and praying you give yourself a pep talk and promise to NEVER book two connecting flights too close. By a miracle you arrive on time and board the plane, but you are not going to forget this experience too soon (well, until the next time). Isn’t this a great scary story?! For me it is for sure.
Solution:
- DON’T BOOK CONNECTING FLIGHTS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER 🙂. Don’t be offended I’m not yelling at you, this is more for me than it is for you 😂. Make sure you have plenty of time, because no matter if there are delays or not, every airport is different, some are small and very easy to navigate, but others are so big that will make you feel like you are participating in a marathon. While your dream destination waits for you, you don’t need any additional stress and problems, so don’t make them yourself.
- I know that it’s frustrating to waste a day of your trip in airports, but try to make the process as easy as possible. Bring your tablet, Kindle or book with you. Drink a coffee, read, watch a movie, do research for your itinerary and make this part of the whole travel experience.
I hope you find this guide with the biggest travel mistakes useful. These mistakes can happen to all of us, no matter if we are in the beginning of our travel journey or more experienced. Every solution offered is tested by myself or other closest friends of mine. If you encounter other travel mistakes, please let me know, I would love to update this article.