To make your life easier, I’ve created the ultimate list of 27 long haul flight essentials that you should always bring with you. From the most obvious items to things you probably haven’t thought of, this tried-and-true carry on check list will come in handy time and time again.

There have been many times where I’ve forgotten to pack one of my favourite items on a long flight. Learn from my mistakes and read on to find the 27 long haul flight essentials that are guaranteed to make your next flight more comfortable!

Long Haul Flight Essentials – 27 Carry On Essentials for Long Flights in 2023

Must Have Items for Every Long Haul Flight

Carry On Bag

Before stocking up on any of these long haul flight essentials, you’ll need to make sure you have something to pack them in. You should choose a backpack that can fit everything you need for the flight without being too big to take as carry on.

A personal favourite of mine is the Matein Travel Backpack. For a very reasonable price, this carry on backpack is specifically designed for travel. Some of the best features include a USB charging port, laptop compartment, anti-theft pocket and a luggage strap making it easy to slide over your suitcase handle.

On top of being the perfect travel sized bag, it’s also lightweight and comfortable to carry. Another great option at a similar price point is this one which comes in a few different colours and fun designs. You can’t go wrong with either backpack.

Passport/Wallet

Before you roll your eyes, I know this one sounds obvious. However, it wouldn’t be the first time someone forgot to bring their passport to the airport! To make it easier to remember, I use a passport wallet whenever I travel. I leave it in my carry on bag even when I’m not travelling to ensure it doesn’t get left behind.

I love this one and the fact that it comes in many different designs and colours makes it perfect for both men and women. It’s cute, practical and also makes a great gift idea for the travel loving friend or family member in your life.

Snacks

When sitting on a long haul flight, chances are you will get hungry between the scheduled meal services. In case I start to feel hungry, I always pack a few essential items into a zip-lock bag. I like to pack protein rich snacks that keep me feeling full for longer.

Bringing your own food will also come in handy if you have a tight connection to make and don’t have enough time to stock up on snacks during your layover.

A few of my favourites:

• Protein bars – Clif Bars are always a good choice!
• Small bag of almonds/peanuts
• Dried chickpeas
• An apple or banana
• Small bag of popcorn

Chewing Gum

The feeling of pressure and discomfort building up in your ears is something you can’t avoid when flying. For some people it can be quite painful but luckily there are a few tricks you can try to help relieve the pressure. Simply yawning or swallowing can work for some.

For me, chewing gum seems to be the best way to equalize the pressure. On top of that, it’s a great way to keep your breath feeling fresh and smelling good during the flight.

Portable Battery Charger

You’ll be using your phone, kindle and other devices a lot throughout your entire journey. The last thing you want is for the batteries to go flat mid flight and be stuck without any form of entertainment. Some newer planes have USB charging ports available to use at your seat but to be on the safe side, you should come prepared.

This portable charger has been a life saver for me on long flights. It’s slim, lightweight and easy to fit in your carry on bag ensuring your electronics can be charged whenever needed. Once you arrive at your destination, it’s also great to keep in your hand bag when your out and about sightseeing all day.

Reusable Water Bottle

Ever feel like your mouth and throat completely dries out after hours of sitting in a plane? The lack of humidity inside the cabin can cause dehydration if you’re not careful. Staying hydrated on long flights is really important, especially if you’re going to be fighting jet lag on the other end.

Do yourself a favour and pack a water bottle in your long haul flight essentials bag! Just make sure it’s empty before going through security. Many airports have water filling stations after security. If you can’t find one, just ask the flight attendant to fill it once you board the plane.

Even though the flight attendants will bring you water any time you ask, it’s much easier to keep a bottle at your seat. This way you won’t have to disturb the sleeping guy beside you whenever you feel thirsty. I really like this collapsible bottle because it easily folds up and fits nicely in your carry-on bag.

Toiletry Bag

To keep your carry-on bag organized, you’ll need a small toiletry bag to pack your personal care items/medications in. Make sure it’s waterproof, transparent and TSA approved. This will help you get through security quicker and avoid having to take each item out and transfer them to a plastic bag.

Don’t forget you should only pack travel sized products that don’t exceed 100ml otherwise they will be confiscated at security! Click here to purchase your airline compliant toiletry bag.

Pen

When taking a long haul flight, it’s a given that you’ll have to fill out an arrival card before entering a new country. Don’t be one of those people who has to borrow a pen from the stranger sitting next to you. To ensure you never forget to bring a pen again, put one in your carry on bag and keep it in there at all times.

Carry-On Essentials for Personal Care

Tooth Brush and Toothpaste

As a former dental nurse, you’ll never catch me leaving home without these two essentials. When I travel I make sure to bring my toothbrush packed in its travel case with a travel-sized toothpaste and some dental floss. You can call me crazy, but I can’t go a day without flossing my teeth (even on long flights)!

With that being said, I know not everyone is as dental hygiene focused as me. If you’re one of those people who prefers not to brush on long flights but still wants to have fresh breath, you could opt to bring some mouthwash instead. This kit is perfect for travel.

Hand and Face Moisturiser / Lip Balm

The dry, recycled cabin air can leave your skin feeling itchy and irritated. On top of that, frequent use of hand sanitizer only makes matters worse. Bringing a good moisturiser and lip balm is crucial to keep your skin from drying out.

Nivea Soft is my go-to for face and hands during long haul flights, the added Vitamin E really gives your skin the extra boost that it needs. Just make sure that the bottle is 100ml or under!

Deodorant

Being on a long haul flight typically means that the time between your showers will be much longer than usual. Not to mention sitting next to a stranger for more than 12 hours can make you feel very conscious of your personal hygiene/body odour.

I personally like to pop into the bathroom to freshen up every now and then during long flights. Bringing a travel-sized deodorant stick with you can make all the difference. You might even want to try these underarm deodorant wipes to keep you feeling extra fresh.

Facial Cleansing Wipes

Even though I don’t wear makeup on flights, there’s something about being able to cleanse my face that makes me feel 100 times better. You definitely won’t regret throwing a pack of these in your carry-on bag!

Basic Medication

There’s nothing worse than being stuck on a long flight with a pounding headache and no pain killers. Based on my own experience, it’s best to pack some ibuprofen in your carry on bag just in case.

If you’re one of those people who is affected by motion sickness, you should definitely make sure to get some of these motion sickness tablets before you go. You really never know how bad turbulence will be on your flight so it’s a good idea to be prepared. The person sitting next to you will also be very thankful you did.

Long Haul Flight Essentials for Sanitization

Hand Sanitizer

I’ve always been one to religiously carry a bottle of hand sanitizer with me on every long haul flight. Airports and planes are a breeding ground for bacteria with thousands of people touching the same surfaces on a daily basis.

The mere thought of it makes me want to clean my hands constantly when I travel! That’s why I always make sure to keep a bottle or two of my favourite hand sanitizer in my carry-on bag at all times.

Face Masks

At the time of writing, most airlines and airports no longer require that you wear a face mask on planes. However there is nothing wrong with wearing a mask to prevent catching a virus or avoiding spreading germs if you’re flying while sick. 

Wearing a reusable face mask is a much more comfortable and environmentally friendly option. If you feel the need to change your mask throughout the flight, these reusable masks come in packs of two or three.

Antibacterial Wipes

For peace of mind, it’s a good idea to give the hard surfaces around your seat a quick wipe before settling in. Disinfecting things like the arm rests, tray table, seat buckle, screen and remote will act as an extra precaution to keep you from getting sick.

Don’t forget to clean your phone, laptop and any other items that you regularly touch throughout the journey. It’s also worth mentioning that you should avoid touching your face as much as possible during the flight.

Even if you clean everything around you thoroughly, you’re far less likely to transfer any unwanted germs to your face if you don’t touch it. Throw a travel-sized pack of disinfectant wipes into your carry-on essentials bag before your flight.

Long Haul Flight Essentials for Comfort

Eye Mask

It’s hard to get any sleep on planes with bright lights and people constantly moving around you. An eye mask is certainly one of those long haul flight essentials that you cannot forget to pack!

You’ll want one that is soft and comfortable yet completely blocks out all light. This popular eye mask makes an excellent choice.

Ear Plugs

To ensure you get some peace and quiet on your next flight, you need to pack a pair of good quality earplugs. Lately I’ve really been liking these silicone earplugs. They’re noise cancelling and mould perfectly into your ears. An essential for being able to sleep on long flights, I’ll never fly without them again!

Travel Pillow

Sitting upright in a small, cramped space isn’t the most comfortable way to sleep but having a decent travel pillow can make all the difference. The drawback to these is that they can be bulky and annoying to carry around, most of them being far too big to fit inside your carry-on bag.

The NeckSnug Pillow is the perfect solution. It easily rolls up into it’s own compact bag which clips onto the outside of your carry-on backpack. The bonus is that it also comes with a super comfy eye mask as well as earplugs all for a surprisingly reasonable price. Say good-bye to neck pain and head-dropping on your next long haul flight!

Compression Socks

When you board a long flight, the first thing you’ll want to do is take your shoes off and get comfortable. Having a pair of comfy socks is a must. Going a step further than comfort, you should consider bringing a pair of compression socks.

When you spend many hours sitting in one spot, circulation becomes restricted in your legs which can result in swelling. Wearing compression socks has become a popular way to prevent this from happening during long flights.

Read more about the benefits of wearing compression socks while flying and then grab a pair of your own before you go.

Wear Comfortable Clothing

Do yourself a favour and don’t wear jeans on a long flight. After 12 hours of wearing the same clothing, pretty much anything you wear becomes uncomfortable. You’ll want to go for something stretchy like leggings or yoga pants.

Change of Clothing

If you have more than one long flight to catch, bringing a spare outfit to change into on your layover can also help you to feel more comfortable.

The other reason I always pack a change of clothing in my carry-on essentials bag is to be prepared in the unfortunate event that my luggage gets lost at the other end.

Hoodie/Pullover

Going hand in hand with wearing comfy clothing, you’ll want to pack something to keep you warm. Sometimes those blankets that they hand out on long flights just don’t cut it.

The aircon inside of the cabin is almost always too cold. Bringing a simple hoodie or pullover can make all the difference to your comfort.

Carry-On Essentials for Entertainment

Noise Cancelling Headphones

This is one of my favourite long haul flight essentials that I bring on every flight, no matter how long or short it is. After investing in a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones a few years ago, I’ll never go back to using regular headphones on flights. The reduction in background noise is amazing and makes a huge difference to comfort.

Whether you’re planning to watch movies or listen to music, I promise you nothing will cancel out the noise around you better than these! They’re not cheap but if you travel often and spend a lot of time on planes or busses, it will prove to be well worth the investment.

Kindle

If you’re an avid reader, there’s no better time to dive into a good book than during a long haul flight. Kindles are perfect for travel as they take up very little space and allow you to bring hundreds of books along on your travels. Gone are the days of carrying bulky books around in your luggage.

An added bonus is that having a Kindle will save you money in the long run. The Kindle version of any book is pretty much always cheaper than the paperback copy. If someone gives you a great book recommendation, all you have to do is jump on wi-fi and you can download it!

Laptop/Tablet

Bringing a small laptop or tablet with you allows you to watch your own movies or tv shows during the flight. If you have some work to catch up on, you could also use that time to be productive.

Even if you choose not to use your laptop during the flight, it’s best to bring it in your carry-on bag. This way you’ll still have your most valuable item with you if your luggage happens to get lost at the other end.

While most people will swear by the MacBook Air for travel, the laptop I use for blogging has proven to be an awesome travel laptop. After researching laptops for months, I ended up going with the Dell Inspiron and couldn’t be happier. It’s compact, lightweight and easily fits into my travel bag. The battery life is great which means you will be able to watch hours of movies without having to recharge it.

Spotify

This one is more of a travel tip than a long haul flight essential. If you have Spotify Premium on your phone, you will be able to download your playlists for offline use. This has been a game changer for me on long flights and something that I cannot travel without!

Being able to drown out the sound of babies crying and people coughing with your favourite music is a great way to enhance your flying experience. Not to mention, I find that listening to a relaxing playlist actually helps me to sleep better on flights.

Read More Travel Tips:

• 5 Best Ways to Backup Photos While Travelling
• 25 Essential Tips for the First Time Solo Traveller
• How Much Money Do You Need For Long Term Travel?
• Budget Travel Hacks That Will Save You Hundreds 

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Nevertheless, it’s really important to have a rough idea of what you need to save to make sure that you don’t either quit your job to travel for 6 months and then end up lasting 2 or spend years saving and never getting to go on the trip because something gets in the way.

The first thing to point out is that this guide is designed for aspiring backpackers who want to travel for time-frames of several months to over a year. A lot of people who ask the question “how much money do you need to travel?” have only experienced package holidays or short trips to expensive resorts. It always shocks them to hear that you can actually travel for over a month for what they’ve spent on 5 nights!

How Much Money Do You Need To Travel Long Term?

This is where it is important to be honest with yourself and identify what kind of standards you are willing to accept and what you can’t do without. The amounts listed in this article are based on a budget conscious traveller, this means mostly hostels and cheap eats with local transportation to get around.

A bracket is given to include a lower end for the very stringent and a higher end for people who wish to do more activities and have a little higher standards for accommodation.

Pagoda in Bali

Keep in mind that this is just a rough guide, there are people who can travel on almost nothing and people who can’t help blowing money like crazy. If you know that you can’t stomach hostels or need to eat in nice restaurants or want to fly a lot instead of bussing it then you might need to lower your expectations of how long you will be able to travel for. Conversely, don’t budget so tightly that you miss out on doing or seeing things that you may never get the chance to do or see again.

The region or regions in which you wish to travel obviously have a big impact on your budget, a month in South East Asia will differ significantly in price to a month in Europe. Long flights between regions also add a huge chunk to the budget vs overland travel or remaining in one area.

Countries within regions can also differ significantly, the price ranges here are averaged over the countries within a particular region but if you spend much longer periods of time in the more expensive countries then your budget will be thrown off.

Rye, UK – One of the most beautiful English villages 

Below you will find the answer to the question of how much money you need to travel. I have selected several of the most popular regions for new travellers and given a range of expected budget needed per month. I have also included a brief description of what amenities that budget is likely to get you.

A lot of budget guides are based on what you will spend whilst already in each country; this is helpful but tends not to include things like inter-country transport, insurance and inevitable unforeseen expenses. I have tried to account for these extra costs so as not to paint an unreasonably optimistic picture.

South-East Asia Travel Budget

Beautiful Islands of Thailand

Monthly Budget $750 – $1500 USD 

South-East Asia is one of those place where you can travel really cheaply if you want to. The lower end of the budget will get you mostly a hut without air-con or a bunk in a basic hostel. You will need to eat at local restaurants and bus around the place on mostly local busses. Expensive activities are still possible but will have to be managed and not gone overboard on.

The higher end is more reasonable if you want to do a lot of expensive activities like scuba diving, treks, boat trips, etc. You can also stay in private rooms with air-con part of the time or nicer dorms with less beds. You still won’t be flying around or eating at expensive restaurants but it gives you more room to be picky on quality.

South America Travel Budget

Machu Picchu in Peru

Monthly Budget $1200 – $2000 USD 

South America is a region in which the price varies pretty significantly between countries. It is also a huge area which is both expensive to get to and to get around within. This budget is averaged between the countries but you will need to be aware that Argentina and Brazil are significantly more expensive and so the budget is based on less time being spent there in proportion to the cheaper countries.

I travelled on about the middle of this budget, which included a flight from Thailand and pretty much incessant partying. You’ll be able to get a comfortable hostel or a cheap shared room and eat at mostly local restaurants with the occasional hostel meal.

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

You will need to be very careful with the expensive drinks sold at the hostels and mostly procure your own; You will need to avoid flying and take busses but you should have enough for one internal flight if needed. I did a few expensive activities but they were mostly kept to a minimum, I walked to Machu Picchu and didn’t do Patagonia for instance.

The upper end of this budget will get you a couple more internal flights if you really don’t think you can manage 24 hours plus on a bus. You can also do more short tours / activities such as the Inca trail, jungle tours, etc. You also probably won’t need to be sneaking booze into the hostel and having dorm parties as much! Which isn’t to say you can’t if you still want to…

Speaking of hostels you can afford to take a break from the often raucous party atmosphere of South American hostels and experience some of the beautiful guesthouses on offer. 

Western Europe Travel Budget

The breathtaking Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany

Monthly Budget $1500 to $2500 USD 

Western Europe is not a cheap place to travel however it is possible to backpack with a fairly reasonable budget. The thing is with travel in this region is the lower the budget the more time and sacrifice is needed.

To travel on the lower end of the budget you will need to get a lot of your food from supermarkets which will involve preparing meals. You will also need to do most of your drinking at the hostel and just have a few when you’re out. Private rooms are definitely out of the question unless you can share with several friends.

You can see quite a bit without paying entry fees, but if you want to delve deeper into a place and see some of the attractions then entry fees can really add up. Getting between countries however can be done quite cheaply if you’re willing to spend a bit of time on a bus.

The picturesque village of Roussillon in France

The higher end of the budget means you can enjoy some of the amazing restaurants on offer occasionally. You can also feel a little more comfortable buying drinks in bars and clubs and spending on entertainment/events (there are some amazing festivals in Europe!). You will also be able to take some train trips between countries which are more comfortable and faster than the bus but significantly more expensive.

Europe has so much to see and do as well as amazing cuisine and entertainment options, it really is a shame to miss out on truly experiencing the countries visited. If you have a limited budget I’d recommend shortening the trip rather than trying to spread the budget thin however there’s something to be said for bumming it through as many countries as possible as you can have some amazing adventures along the way!

Another great tip is to travel Europe during off season or bumper season. When you book your holiday outside of the busy summer months of June-August, most properties lower their prices to try and attract tourists when business is quiet. The other bonus of this is of course, there are far less crowds during off season in Europe!

Eastern Europe Travel Budget

The beautiful town square of Bratislava, Slovakia

Monthly Budget $1200 to $1600 USD 

I’m using the kind of outdated term ‘Eastern Europe’ to encompass the Balkans, Baltics and everything in between. There are some amazing countries and bargains to be had travelling through these regions and I really recommend spreading your trip between east and west to help stretch out those euros.

The lower end of the budget is easily doable in these countries without having to sacrifice much. Restaurants, accommodation and activities are mostly all cheap and of good quality.

Hostels aren’t as widespread however outside of major cities so travelling with someone else will help to keep costs down. Some places are quite a bit more expensive, popular cities like Prague and Budapest will set you back a lot more than Albania or Bulgaria for instance.

The higher end of the budget here can mean some really nice accommodation options and a lot more activities. If you want to spend more time in the popular tourist destinations like the aforementioned cities or the Croatian coast then you might be tipping toward this end of the scale.

There is also a lot of ground to cover in this region so trains are the much nicer option. Frequent bus rides can get a little old, especially over longer distances.

Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina

I hope this has been helpful and provided some rough targets to aim at. If you need some tips on how to reach your target then have a look at how developing a minimalist mindset can help boost your travel savings.

I’ve found that the best policy is to pick a rough target then just let whatever happens happen. Don’t spend your days fretting about money, be conscious of your budget but not obsessive. Focus on having the best time possible, there’s no point getting an extra month out of your budget if you’re compromising past your point of comfort/enjoyment.

Maybe you’ll find the opposite and revel in the more spartan style of backpacking and end up going for years on barely any money at all. Either way I hope you have an amazing time!

Get Inspired! Read More Travel Tips

• 25 Essential Tips for the First Time Solo Traveller
• Budget Travel Hacks That Will Save You $100’s
• When is The Best Time to Visit Europe?

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When travelling there is an inverse relationship between your time constraints and the cost of getting around. More time means more flexibility and being flexible will always save you money. However there are many other cheeky little tips that you learn from years of travelling that enable you to sometimes save a significant amount of money. 

I’ll save you the time and expense of learning the hard way by giving you my best tips for the cheapest ways to travel; whether it’s just flying back and forward to your destination or continuing overland on a longer journey.  

Cheapest way to travel – 6 Useful Tips for Saving Money on Transportation

Beach camping along the coast of Western Australia on our Perth to Exmouth road trip

Flying 

You don’t have to fly directly to your destination! 

Most people don’t ever consider this simple tip. It’s natural to think, ‘well I’m going to Turkey so I’ll fly in to Istanbul’, or any other variation of country/city. Airfares often depend on the capacity of the route, that is, how many airlines cover it and how many flights per day are available.  

Have a look at Google maps, are there any major cities nearby or any popular destinations? Some flight search engines also let you search nearby airports within a radius you set. Then check if you can easily arrange a bus or train to your final destination. 

I once flew from Brazil to Spain to Bulgaria to Egypt and finally to Australia for the same price as a direct flight from Brazil to Australia would have cost me (don’t worry I stopped in each country for some adventures in between each long haul flight!). 

Spend some serious time browsing a variety of search tools 

I have friends who will book flights by pulling out their phone, opening their favourite app, searching an exact date then booking the cheapest flight that comes up. This is easy and it works for some, but as previously stated, convenience often costs you extra. If you’re looking for the cheapest way to travel, then you really have to look! 

My preferred method is to use several different tools. I start with the Kayak flight search tool as this site allows you to specify a period of up to 3 days before and after your selected date and will show you the cheapest flight combination within that date range. 

Once I have found a flight that meets my needs I will then use those dates to try and find the best deal. I plug them in to Momondo, and if I am feeling extra motivated I’ll also have a look at Skyscanner.

The reason I do this is because each search engine searches and prioritizes different operators. While there is a lot of crossover, you can sometimes find a deal offered on one site and not others.  

Once you have settled on a flight and date then the final thing you can do is to take a look at the airline’s own website, sometimes they will offer it cheaper. Another thing to be really cautious of is that sometimes the third party booking sites will charge double what the airline does for baggage and other amenities. 

Book far in advance with cancellation option 

Needless to say, flights tend to be cheaper the further out you book them from your intended date of travel. I like to stay very flexible with my plans so booking in advance isn’t my thing. If you want to reap the rewards without locking yourself in then check if the amazing flight you’ve found will offer free cancellation for an extra fee.  

I have used this in the past and often the cost of both flight and fee is cheaper than booking a flight closer to the date. Worst case you can’t travel or you find a cheaper flight near the date, you cancel for free and book again! 

Overland travel 

Buses are always the cheapest way to travel – book overnight journeys to save on accommodation 

They might not be the most comfortable but buses are certainly the cheapest way to travel! Often they will cost you less than half of a train ticket and hundreds less than a flight.

Even better, many companies offer overnight journeys so you can skip a night of accommodation and hopefully get some sleep before waking up in your destination ready to go for the day.

I’ve found the best way to compare your potential savings is to use a comparison app like Rome2rio to easily see the difference between a plane, train or bus. Or you can try Flixbus to easily book bus tickets throughout Europe and be assured of a similar quality no matter where you are.

Another option is to research each countries’ public provider and book direct, this is more work but will often yield the best prices. 

Hire a car 

Road tripping through Germany was a big highlight of our time spent in Europe

This is our favourite option, not only can it work out the same price or cheaper than buying flights or expensive train tickets, it also gives you the flexibility to pull over or detour whenever you want. A car also allows you to book accommodation outside of expensive areas as you can drive in and out to sight-see. 

Depending on where you are a car won’t always be cheaper than public transport, but on complicated routes or in more expensive countries it is definitely worth considering. Use a car rental comparison site such as Rentalcars.com alongside your other search tools to see what you can find. 

Remember to consider the cost of fuel and insurance when making your decision. 

Find passes and special offers 

Many countries rail networks offer multi-day or multi-journey passes for a discount. Some special tourist passes will even offer free or discounted entry to a load of attractions and can even include bus journeys in some places. 

The famous Eurail pass is quite pricey but if you will be travelling a lot it can work out to save you money over the course of your trip, and who doesn’t love to travel by train? 

Have a look at what is on offer to book online in each country or region, if you are already in a country then have a look at the tourism website or visit a local office to see what the options are. 

Road tripping through Portugal was definitely the way to go!

More Travel Tips and Hacks

• 27 long haul flight essentials you need to pack in 2021!
• Save a ton of money on travel with these 11 useful hacks!
• Keep your travel photos safe while on the road with these 5 tips
• 25 essential things you need to know before solo travelling
• How much money do you need to travel long term?

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I can tell you however that memory is a fickle thing and no matter how amazing the sights and experiences, the images will slowly fade away, making your photos more precious than ever as the years pass by. 

I heard a number of devastating stories whilst I was travelling of people losing months’ worth of memories. These things can happen to anyone but very few people take the time to learn how to protect their photos adequately.

The 5 Best Ways to Backup Photos While Travelling

I’m writing this article to share my best tips on how I’ve protected my travel photos over the years. These 5 tips are the easiest and most convenient ways to backup your photos while travelling in order to ensure they are kept safe. 

Photos can be lost in a variety of ways, there is physical loss such as theft, damage or misplacing equipment and there is electronic loss such as corrupted data (from water, damage or viruses) and accidental deletion/overwriting. This means the best approach is to have a variety of methods simultaneously to backup your photos while travelling. 

Use multiple lower capacity memory cards

Your camera is often your most valuable item when travelling and is an obvious target. The thieves don’t care about your photos, they just want the camera. Unfortunately they tend not to be considerate enough to remove the SD card first! 

The simplest way I found to protect my photos while travelling long term was to use lower capacity SD cards and replace them more often. The price of SD cards goes up rapidly with capacity so it’s not much more expensive to use multiple cards. When full you just store the SD card in a separate bag to your camera. 

Stock up on these before you hit the road:

• 32GB SD card or
• 64GB SD card

Backup your SD cards Using a Wireless Hub

When I first went backpacking technology wasn’t quite what it is today. Backing up photos from an SD card to USB usually meant using a hostel computer and a cheap SD to USB adapter. Hostel computers are awful for viruses. If your drive gets infected then when you get home your own virus protection is likely to wipe out your photos along with the virus. 

The WD My Passport Wireless Pro is an amazing device which acts as an external hard drive as well as a battery pack and wireless router. Plug your SD card straight in and you can copy your photos onto the built in hard drive. You can also connect to the hard drive’s own built-in Wi-Fi and transfer directly from your phone or camera!

On top of this it can be used to charge your devices as it features a 6400mAh lithium battery. You can also boost weak Wi-Fi signals from a guesthouse or turn wired internet into Wi-Fi. If you are being extremely cautious you can even backup your photos again onto a USB.

Use the cloud

Cloud storage is ubiquitous nowadays and increasingly cheap. A lot of services can connect directly to your phone or a Wi-Fi enabled camera and automatically back up your shots. This is a great option but has some drawbacks.  

Modern photos have pretty huge file sizes so the data and connection speed required to upload a large number is high. This is fine if you are travelling a developed country or have unlimited mobile data. It can throw up a lot of issues when visiting multiple countries or less developed areas. 

One method with slower internet is to keep your gear in your locker at the hostel and just run the transfer overnight. Keep in mind with cloud storage that it is never 100% secure and accidental deletion or overwriting can happen. Try to copy photos and not just transfer them. 

External storage devices

Call me overprotective but I didn’t stop with using multiple SD cards, I also backed up every card to a second storage device. USBs and external HDDs are so cheap now it’s crazy not to use them.

USB Flash Drive – If you aren’t using the cloud then make sure that you bring a USB to create a second backup as a USB can be kept in your big bag and is much less likely to be stolen. Make sure it’s the newest USB 3.0 like this one, so you have the best transfer speed.

External Hard Drive – If you want more space than a flash drive and something that can store all of your travel photos from multiple trips, then check out these portable external hard drives that come in a variety of storage sizes. This option provides more than enough space to store and protect travel photos, videos and other files.

Travel with a small laptop

I left this option to last as it is the most expensive and means you’re carrying another high value item. Yet many people are now travelling with laptops and it’s a super convenient option to back up photos while travelling. 

As long as you ensure that you have enough storage and remember to copy the photos then you are set. Your photos will remain virus free and can be easily backed up to the cloud.

ASUS Chromebook Flip – Chromebooks are perfect if you are looking for a simple device to watch some movies, check social media and transfer photos. They are super compact and lightweight however you will need a separate external hard drive to store your photos.

Dell Inspiron 13 5310 – If you do a lot of heavy photo processing or video editing on the road, then you will need something with more performance. We use a Dell Inspiron as it has the processing power, RAM and SSD storage that we need for managing and editing large amounts of photos. It’s intelligent design means that it’s still lightweight and compact.

I hope you have gained some valuable tips on the best ways to backup photos while travelling. I recommend using several of these methods simultaneously to ensure your memories are safe and secure for years to come. That way, you’ll always be able to re-live the amazing times you are sure to have! 

Safe travels. 

Find more useful travel tips

• 27 long haul flight essentials you should pack in 2021
• These budget travel hacks will save you hundreds on your next trip!
• 25 essential tips for the first time solo traveller
• 21 minimalist lifestyle tips to help you save money and travel more often

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In either case a little foreknowledge can go a long way on the road. Below are 25 practical tips for people preparing to go travelling alone for the first time, put together from years of mistakes and lessons learnt by myself and other experienced backpackers.  

25 Essential Tips for the First Time Solo Traveller

1: Don’t over pack

It always causes many rolls of the eyes and smirks when someone walks into the hostel with a giant backpack that is taller than them and probably just as heavy.

What you pack is obviously very location dependent but unless you are planning on doing a lot of camping or other outdoor activities then you should be able to fit everything into a pack no more than 65L.

For most things you can hire gear and there are shops in every country if you end up needing more. Bring the minimum and work it out later. 

2: Don’t blow your budget on transportation 

Your transportation can be one of the biggest costs of the trip. New travellers often aren’t aware of the cheapest ways to get around and can end up spending a lot more than necessary.

The luxury of travelling alone is that you have flexibility and that always saves you money. Click here for a detailed guide on how to save money on transportation. 

3: Don’t book too much in advance 

One of the best parts of travelling alone for the first time is the ultimate freedom it can provide. When planning ahead try not to book too much. The place you’ve booked might end up not being in the best area, you might not like the destination or maybe you meet some cool people who are staying somewhere else or moving on and you want to follow. Most of the time you can extend your stay if you are happy and most tours or activities can be booked on the day or the day before. 

4: Find out the best/cheapest way to access your money before you travel 

The modern world has made it so much easier to access money and make payments when travelling. Most destinations have ATMs and so many businesses now take card. The days of travellers cheques, wire-transfers and exchanges are thankfully mostly over.

All cards however are not created equal and the fees can take a huge chunk out of your funds. See here for tips on the best way to access money while travelling. (This isn’t to say everywhere has easy access to ATMs/card payments, make sure to always research your next destination). 

5: Get involved! 

Your first few nights in a hostel can be intimidating, not many people are used to living in such an environment. There are some people who have been travelling for a long time and people of all different ages, backgrounds and experiences. Don’t worry about it, travellers tend to be super friendly and welcoming!

Don’t pull out your phone or laptop, it is like an impenetrable social shield. Go to the bar/common room, get a drink and introduce yourself to random people, let people know it is your first time travelling or first time travelling alone and you are sure to make some friends who will show you the ropes and take you out for a good night.

I learnt so much about travelling from just sitting down next to people in the common room and saying hi. 

6: Meet different people 

Following on from the last point, it can sometimes be much easier to just slide in with the group of people from your own country where the conversation and interaction is familiar. This can be awesome sometimes when you have been travelling for a while, but you should try to branch out.

Meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds massively widens your perspective on the world and you can learn a lot, not to mention making friends and having meet ups all over the world in years to come. 

7: Don’t sweat the small stuff, inconvenience will happen… frequently! 

When you are new to travelling it is common to see people getting super frustrated over delays, procedures, red-tape and all the myriad of other things that can happen in a foreign country. Time is perceived differently between cultures and if you happen to be from a western country you likely have keen sense of time and efficiency.

If you can’t learn to let go and just go with the flow then you might find yourself annoyed and upset far too often. Just have a smile, always carry a book and try to remember that sometimes the hardships and obstacles are an integral part of the experience and may even make great stories one day!

8: Learn to take good photos 

A lot of people think that their hastily snapped phone pics are masterpieces, but unfortunately that is often not the case from an objective point of view. I’m not saying everyone should rush out and buy a super expensive camera, some mobiles take amazing shots these days.

What I mean is that you should invest some time learning about shot composition and browsing professional travel photography to see what kinds of things make a great shot. Memory is so fallible and one day all you will have left are your photos, so make sure they’re good! 

Since there may not always be people around to take your photos, make sure to bring a compact tripod with you so you never miss a good photo op!

Capturing the beauty of Albania

9: Protect your photos 

Leading on from the last point, I think this tip is the most important of all. It’s always tragic and heart-breaking to hear of or meet people who have lost months’ worth of memories due to a stolen or lost camera. There are a number of ways to ensure your photos are safe, see this post that details all the best methods to keep your precious memories protected. 

10: Chat to hostel staff and listen to their advice 

Hostel staff are often a fount of knowledge, whether they are local or foreign. They’ve often been in the area a while and have seen many travellers come and go, they will have heard all the stories of woe and wonder and will usually be happy to pass their knowledge along.

Local scams, tips on safety, best places to eat, drink or dance; have a chat and you get to socialise at the same time as getting some pearls of wisdom rather than mulling over old google reviews probably left by some package tourist. 

11: Double check which bus you’re on! 

This may sound like a joke, but once you’ve attempted to navigate a huge foreign bus depot with no English signs and make it on time to your bus, usually after leaving too late and still drunk from your hostel… then you will know the pain! Double check the bus and stand number at the ticket window and on the ticket.

Check the front window of the bus for a destination name, ask the conductor or driver, and just for good measure say the destination name to some locals and see what response you get. This isn’t for every station of course, some are very well organised and marked, but you’ll know the ones I mean. 

Trying to figure out a Bulgarian bus schedule

12: Have a plan to get home and don’t go off alone 

There’s an unhealthy level of caution, which is what stops some people from having great and adventurous experiences that are usually safer than driving a car back home. However there is a healthy level of awareness and caution that you should always have when travelling or even when in a new and unfamiliar place back home. 

Let loose for sure but always know when and how to get home safely and have a plan, make sure you are always with someone you trust (and preferably met before getting annihilated in the bar!). This goes for guys and girls, most crimes are ones of opportunity, don’t be an easy target. 

13: Say YES to new experiences 

Most people travel because they want to have an ‘experience’, what that means is a rather esoteric and subjective concept and difficult to put your finger on. I will simply state my opinion that it is not about seeing things and being comfortable. You can do that with an armchair and the national geographic channel and save money on plane tickets. 

The best way to grow as a person is pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone and shedding your shell; meet people, take part in activities and try things that you wouldn’t normally have a chance to do at home. 

14: Follow people, not plans (but always maintain your freedom). 

One of the biggest mistakes I made when travelling alone for the first time was sticking rigidly to plans I had made in advance. I was going to see this and go here and do that and never deviate from schedule.

I met some awesome people along the way who I was having a great time with but I would still just leave and follow the plan; sometimes it worked out alright, other times I was miserable and wished I could go back in time and keep travelling with them.  

I learned that the people you meet are definitely the best part of the travelling experience and compromising your plans can lead to much more fulfilling adventures.

In saying that, sometimes there are things you just have to do and places you just have to go, don’t lose your freedom. If it’s meant to be you will meet up again somewhere! 

15: It’s ok to fall in love – but don’t let it ruin your trip! 

Finding love on the road can lead to some amazing and fulfilling relationships. You will meet so many like-minded and adventurous people it might be hard not to fall in love (multiple times)! This is ok, explore it, cherish it, have an amazing time but always remember why you went travelling alone in the first place.

If your love affair starts interfering with the enjoyment or fulfilment of your trip then consider going your own way for a while. You might find it wears off quickly and if it’s meant to be you can always meet up later.

I once met a girl who flew in to South America for an amazing 6 month trip; 2 weeks later she met a guy and ended up staying in the same country for 5 months, spending almost all her money, just for the relationship to fizzle out. 

16: Think twice about valuables 

Nowadays we are flush with technology, most people in the west have a laptop, smart-phone, tablet, e-book, smart-watch, and the list goes on. The more you bring with you, the more stress you will be under to look after it all.

On my first backpacking trip I travelled with just an iPod and camera and was completely carefree. Admittedly smart-phones and e-books are just so useful it is hard to imagine travelling without them now.

If you don’t want the stress then consider what you can live without, if you have the latest top of the range phone then think about using an older one for travelling. Most hostels have computers and there are internet cafes everywhere so laptops aren’t essential. 

17: Don’t be a dick to locals (unless you have to) 

I once had the misfortune of witnessing the supremely ugly spectacle of a western backpacker screaming abuse at a poor shopkeeper in Bangkok. The guy was red-faced, saliva flying everywhere, hurling abuse at this poor unassuming local – and it was all over about 50c extra charged on a t-shirt.

This is disgusting behaviour is an extreme example, but you see people being dicks to locals all over the place in a variety of ways. 

Making friends with a local in a Bulgarian pub

In a lot of places you have more money than almost every local you meet, this should make you humble and gracious, don’t let it make you arrogant and overly self-assured.

I have to add the caveat that unfortunately in some situations (luckily quite rare) locals can be overly forceful, there are always scam artists and some people can behave inappropriately; if you are uncomfortable or afraid then sometimes you just have to lose your shit and tell people where to shove it. 

18: Don’t obsess too much over budget 

A lot of travellers can be overly strict with their budget, I was certainly one of them! Setting a daily budget to try and stretch out those travelling days for as long as possible is great but you should also consider how much value you’re getting from your days.

You will go to places that you may never visit again, do you really want to miss the opportunity to participate in a unique experience or join a fun group on a pub crawl, just because it is a bit over budget?

On my first solo trip I pinched pennies and ended up travelling 2 months longer than expected. On my second solo trip I travelled one month less than expected, but I bet you can guess which one I had more fun on and remember with greater fondness? 

Making new friends at the full moon party while solo travelling in Thailand

19: Watch out for scams 

The art of the scam is ubiquitous and you will encounter scam artists frequently on your travels. As mentioned in previous posts, many people in many countries are so much poorer than you are it is hard to comprehend.

While I do not tolerate people trying to scam me, I also try to have some forgiveness and understanding and I don’t let it affect my mood. You will inevitably get scammed for small amounts frequently, it’s just spare change for the most part. What you want to identify and avoid are the bigger scams; money changers, fake tours, vehicle rentals, fake fines/police, etc.

You can read about a lot of scams by googling scams and the country name and also by chatting to other travellers about things they have seen or heard. There are plenty of honest people and operators, arm yourself with knowledge and let your intuition guide you. 

Markets in Morocco are notorious for scam artists…

20: Learn to reflect 

Running around to loads of different attractions, shooting hundreds of photos and then settling in to a good book on a bus journey to the next place is often the norm. This can however leave you with a feeling that the experience wasn’t quite real and the memories can fade away rapidly.

I made the mistake on my first overseas trip of spending way too much time with a camera glued to my face. Learning to reflect means taking the time at a destination to just sit and take it all in, feel gratitude and immerse yourself in the moment – this will lead to much richer memories.

Long journeys are also a great time to just put some music on and replay all the great memories, reflecting on what you’ve seen and learnt.  

21: Find your travel style 

When I first started travelling I had a short attention span, I just wanted to race around and see as much as possible, experience as many things as possible. The lure of the unknown was much stronger than the satisfaction of the here and now.

There was nothing wrong with this as I had a great time and met plenty of like-minded people to travel with. Nowadays however I like to slow it down a bit, spend longer in places I enjoy and just really take in a destination. 

When you travel alone for the first time you will get the opportunity to try both and will naturally find your own style. The key is to be having a great time and not to worry about what anyone else thinks you should be doing. 

22: You’re not invincible because you’re overseas 

You see it all the time travelling, people land in another country and suddenly think that they can get away with anything. People with no experience will hire motorbikes (and likely ride without a helmet), do potentially dangerous activities while drunk, take substances given to them by random strangers and a whole host of other things that they would never do back home.

I have seen the results of this behaviour and it often ends horribly. The rush of endorphins you have when travelling makes you feel great and it can make you feel like nothing will ever go wrong. Before doing anything potentially dangerous, take a little step back and think ‘should I be doing this right now?’ 

23: Get travel insurance (and read the fine print)! 

Following on from the previous point, you probably will do at least a few silly things when you are travelling, I certainly did! Even if you are the most responsible and safe person in the world, bad things can happen. Good insurance can be the difference between it being a horror story or an inconvenience.

Most travellers have heard the horror stories, but how many have read the fine print of their own policy? On my first trip I engaged in a lot of activities that I later learned weren’t covered on my insurance. Good policies often have an easily accessible activity list so you can scan it before you buy and take copy with you to double check before doing any activities. 

Heymondo is great for backpackers and adventure travellers. As a reader of The Road Is Life, you get 5% off your Heymondo travel insurance by using the link below!

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24: Believe in yourself 

It is perfectly natural to be apprehensive before travelling alone for the first time. I put my trip off for a month after second guessing my decision and had all sorts of crazy ideas about what travelling alone was going to be like. Trust me, you will be fine, many people before you have taken the leap and they are no different than you.

Everyone feels some sense of trepidation and insecurity before plunging into the unknown but it’s often not until we take the plunge that we experience just how capable and resourceful we can be. 

25: If you can’t take the leap all at once – start with a tour

If you really feel like travelling alone is what you want to do, but you just can’t quite push yourself to do it, then consider booking a short tour to start. Book a one way ticket and a one week tour, that way when you fly in you have someone to meet you, an instant group of companions and a protected realm in which to adjust to the world of travel.

If the thought of continuing on alone afterwards still terrifies you, you can always book a ticket home, but I have a feeling you will be anxious to ditch the guide and venture onwards! 

Discover more solo travel inspiration!

• 15 Inspirational Quotes to Inspire Solo Travel
• 8 Benefits of Travelling Alone

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Who doesn’t love a good inspirational quote? Before I went travelling for the first time, on a 1.5 year solo backpacking adventure, I read a LOT of travel literature. The words of famous adventurers throughout history really inspired me to get out and see the world and their most poignant quotes, especially about travelling alone, can help to assuage some of the fears that you naturally have before travelling alone for the first time.

I truly believe that while travelling with others can be a lot of fun, travelling alone is an experience that is second to none. The freedom you have to choose your own path and make all of your own decisions and mistakes is extremely liberating and will also teach you so many valuable lessons about yourself and the world.

Keep on scrolling down to find some of my favourite quotes about travelling alone, along with a brief overview of the author and why I think they are so good. Let me know at the bottom if I have missed any gems!

The Ultimate Collection of Inspiring Quotes About Travelling Alone

1: “To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure. You have no idea of what is in store for you, but you will, if you are wise and know the art of travel, let yourself go on the stream of the unknown and accept whatever comes in the spirit in which the gods may offer it.” – Freya Stark

Freya Stark was an extremely daring and intrepid explorer, she travelled alone through areas of the middle east in the 1920s that may have never before been seen by western eyes.

She continued to travel alone on daring adventures until well into her 70s. Freya Stark wrote numerous books about her travels and I would highly recommend reading them for some inspiration into just what you can accomplish if you dare.

You may have seen the shortened version of this quote by Freya Stark but I have included a few extra lines here because for me this whole passage is so beautifully written and the second part is arguably the most important.

When you travel with others you are always restricted in some way as to where/what you can do; when you travel alone however you can “let yourself go on the stream of the unknown”, and that truly is the best feeling in the world!

2: “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready, and it may be a long time before they get off.” – Henry David Thoreau

Henry Thoreau was an American writer and philosopher who famously built a cabin in the woods to live in solitude for several years and learn the lessons that it can bring. While not a great traveller like others in this list, he wrote beautifully about spending time alone in his book ‘Walden’, whose lessons are perfectly applicable to travelling alone.

This quote is pretty much self-explanatory! When I was first planning to backpack I was just as nervous as most people and looked for friends to join me. I spent several months waiting for others and wasting time before realising that I would probably be sitting around waiting forever if I didn’t just take the plunge.

I have read ‘Walden’ a couple of times as it is not only beautifully written but also demonstrates the clarity and realisation you can have when you embrace some level of solitude. I would encourage anyone to read it prior to travelling alone to get some affirmation of just what a beautiful and enlightening experience it can be.

3: “I think one travels more usefully when they travel alone, because they reflect more.” – Thomas Jefferson

I don’t imagine Thomas Jefferson needs much introduction, one of the founding fathers of the United States and former president, he also spent time as a minister to France. He was one of the main authors of the constitution of the United States and known for having great wisdom.

I think this particular quote is easy to brush over but is actually very important. The key word in this quote is ‘usefully’; you need to look at why you want to travel and what you hope to gain.

The great ‘use’ for travel is as an education, learning about yourself, your culture, beliefs and values, and those of others. This you cannot gain without reflection, and having the time to reflect effectively is much easier when you are on your own.

4: “There are three basic rules of travelling. Travel on the ground. Travel alone when possible. Keep notes. That’s it.” – Paul Theroux

There are so many fantastic quotes from Paul Theroux it is hard to pick out my favourites! He is a prolific travel writer and has been on countless adventures in pretty much any part of the world you would care to name. He is also a great proponent of travelling alone and as such has many perfect quotes about just that.

I am a huge fan of Paul Theroux’s work and I have always favoured the type of travel he espouses. Travelling on the ground is the best way to see a country, and when you travel alone (which is rule number 2), it is a much easier way to meet people and make friends.

5: “If you follow the crowd, you will likely get no further than the crowd. If you walk alone, you’re likely to end up in places no one has ever been before.” – Alan Ashley-Pitt aka Phil Wernig

The origins of this quote are quite interesting, often attributed to the name of ‘Alan Ashley-Pitt’, this was actually a pseudonym for a number of authors who wrote captions for greeting cards and posters for a particular company. This particular caption, part of a longer paragraph, was written by the American author Phil Wernig.

These days it is hard to go places that literally “no one” has ever been before but that is not important. In the modern world it is too easy to compare ourselves to the whole collective group of humanity, which is far too great a goal.

How about going places no one in your family, friend circle or maybe even town have never been before? If you do what everyone around you is doing/wants to do then you will never get to push the boundaries of what you can do or what you are capable of.

6: “I have no reason to go, except that I have never been, and knowledge is better than ignorance. What better reason could there be for travelling?” – Freya Stark

I just had to throw another one in here from Freya Stark because they are just so good. Have you ever wanted to go somewhere and people ask you: ‘why would you want to go there?’, ‘what’s there to do?’ or ‘Isn’t it dangerous?’.

This quote perfectly captures that deep inner drawing of the true traveller, to see places and experience new things just for the sake of experience itself. Leave those people behind who are waiting for a reason to go or a pre-packaged experience, travel alone and you will find reason enough on the road.

7: “It seemed an advantage to be traveling alone. Our responses to the world are crucially moulded by the company we keep, for we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others…Being closely observed by a companion can also inhibit our observation of others; then, too, we may become caught up in adjusting ourselves to the companion’s questions and remarks, or feel the need to make ourselves seem more normal than is good for our curiosity.” – Alain de Botton

Another longer one but just so insightful and perfect for the person needing inspiration to travel alone. Alain De Botton is a Swiss/British author and philosopher and he wrote this quote in his book ‘The Art of Travel’. I am a big fan of his work, which relates philosophy to everyday life and how you can use it to improve your own.

I have written about this exact concept here; ‘who we are’ is a collection of stories, concepts and past actions we tell ourselves and other and which are reflected back onto us by others. I believe you cannot have a truly transformative travel experience whilst travelling with other who know and seek to preserve the old ‘story of us’.

8: “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

Andre Gide was a French author from the late 1800s and winner of the nobel prize in literature. He travelled throughout Europe and Northern Africa and was a friend of Oscar Wilde. He wrote an extensive collection of letters and fiction and is considered one of the greatest French writers.

This is a great metaphorical quote for those who travel alone. The shore can be your own hometown, state or country; but it can also be your familiar surroundings such as friends, family and companions. Sometimes the new oceans you can discover are within yourself, sometimes they are new connections with other people. When you leave the old familiar shore behind you open yourself to infinite possibility.

9: “Travel is never a matter of money, but of courage.” – Paulo Coelho

For those who don’t already know Paulo Coelho, he is a Brazilian author most well known for his book ‘The Alchemist’, an international best-seller and brilliant travel fiction. Coelho had a difficult childhood and eventually dropped out of law school to live the hippie life, traveling through South America, North Africa, Mexico, and Europe.

A super common reason people give for not being able to travel is money. While a bit of money certainly helps matters, it is very true that it is almost never a matter of money. I know people who went travelling with just the shirt on their back, finding work along the way and living extremely cheaply.

Don’t let others finances pull you from your path, travel alone with courage as the quote says and things will work out. Read this post for tips on how to simplify your life to allow you to travel more!

10: Life is too important to be taken seriously. – Oscar Wilde

The famous Irish poet, playwright and author Oscar Wilde was born in the 1800s and was one of the greatest playwrights in London in his time. He also travelled through Europe and North Africa after being released from prison in England where he was sent due to being gay.

While this was not necessarily related to travel when uttered I think it fits perfectly with a theme of travelling alone. A lot of people who wanted to travel back when I did were too concerned about leaving their jobs/careers or putting off study. They always thought they would do it later and while some did, many found that life only becomes more complicated.

Don’t take it too seriously! Be free, have adventures, go crazy and let yourself experience life. Believe me that study and a career will always be there waiting for when you are ready, and when you are ready you will likely approach them with more ease and confidence.

11: “And then there is the most dangerous risk of all — the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” – Randy Komisar

Randy Komisar is an American venture capitalist and author. As an investor and by all accounts a very busy man, he knows something about risk and time management.

What he is talking about in this quote is the ‘one day’ or the ‘after retirement’ that so many people frequently say when discussing the things that they are passionate about but just never manage to do.

He is right that it’s a huge gamble; we never know what is around the corner and even if we get lucky and have good health into our twilight years, we have such a narrow time period in which to fit in travel and adventures.

12: “In The End, We Only Regret The Chances We Didn’t Take.”

– Lewis Carroll.

Lewis Carrol was the pen name of the author of the classic book “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. A keen philosopher as well as logician, this famous work has many messages under the surface.

I am yet to meet any traveller who regrets the time they have spent travelling or the things they have experienced. I have however in my work as a paramedic, spoken to many elderly people who deeply regret chances not taken in their younger years.

No one will ever utter the terms “I regret not focusing more on my career” or “I regret all those adventures I had” when on their deathbed.

13: “A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu is a legendary historical figure from ancient China. A philosopher, scholar and writer, he is also reputed to have travelled far and wide however it is difficult to gain accurate information about his life due to the time that has passed.

Regardless of the exact origin of this quote, it is one of the great travel quotes worthy of any list. A tourist plans everything down to the minute and the holiday doesn’t start until you are firmly planted in your destination.

Travellers revel in every part of the journey and understand there can be joy in every part of travel. Letting go of plans and pre-conceived ideas always results in the best experiences in my opinion. Travelling alone allows you to fly on the winds of opportunity, staying longer, leaving sooner or tagging along with people you’ve met.

14: “I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility.” – Jack Kerouac

I just had to throw in a Jack Kerouac quote, the author of ‘On the Road’ as well as many other classics, Kerouac was a true vagabond and always managed to capture the true essence of what is in every traveller’s heart in his work.

If you have travelled alone before then you will identify with this quote, the unbeatable feeling of soaring into the air on a plane, music blasting, with everything in front of you and nothing holding you back.

If it is your first time contemplating travelling alone, then I know how hard it sometimes feels to take that step into the unknown, but believe me that when you do you will look back at how easy it was and how beautiful the sense of possibility feels.

15: He who is outside his door has the hardest part of his journey behind him. – Flemish proverb

For the final item in the list I will leave you with a proverb rather than a quote just to shake things up a bit! This fairly counter-intuitive quote brings attention to the fact that sometimes the hardest part of any journey, or any undertaking at all, is overcoming the mental barrier preventing you from doing it.

This can be said of many things in everyday life (new diet, exercise regime, etc) but is especially true and difficult when making the decision to drop everything and go gallivanting around the world on your own.

So just stop thinking, buy the ticket, pack your bag, hail a cab and step outside your front door! You’ll find the fears start to melt away rapidly and are replaced by a sense of joy and freedom unlike any you’ve ever felt.

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Backpacking is an experience, a lifestyle and an education. In this article I have tried to identify the most valuable things I have gained from travelling solo and I hope to inspire you to take the leap and experience the benefits of travelling alone for yourself!

The Top 8 Benefits of Travelling Alone

1: The freedom of the road

Once you take that step and embark on a one-way voyage to a distant land you will begin to feel a profound sense of freedom and clarity. It may not happen immediately and it can be a subtle transition as your mind slowly lets go of all the superfluous worries and baggage that we accumulate in our day to day lives.

We’re often so busy at home worrying about possessions, debts and responsibilities that we don’t have time to ‘feel’ or just be present.

If you can break away from this and reduce everything you own to what fits in a backpack then you may just experience a sense of ‘waking up’ and realising just how little you’ve lost and how much you stand to gain. This is probably one of the most valuable benefits of travelling alone!

You will truly never feel a sense of freedom so acute as that of being on the road, just you and your backpack, having let go of the past and having no responsibilities in the immediate future. This is being present and this is the freedom of the road.

Solo travelling through Albania was one of the best experiences I’ve had!

2: Lose yourself

The oft used travel cliché of ‘finding yourself’ is one that I must admit was initially a strong reason for my global travel escapades. What I began to find on my travels however is that the opposite is far more beneficial and important. The ‘self’ we identify with is a collection of stories, labels, titles, objects and expectations that we have accumulated over the years.

This swirl of words and concepts influences how we interact with others and how they interact with us and the urge to preserve the overarching story of the ‘self’ is a strong one. If you are like me you may have felt a strong sense of no longer identifying with that story and then encountered enormous resistance from friends, family and colleagues to any changes you try to make.

Exploring the city of Prague on a solo adventure through Europe

“Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost.” – Erol Ozan

The great thing about backpacking is that no one knows your ‘story’! You are free to lose any of those aspects of your story up until now that you no longer identify with. You can dump all of the conceptual baggage that surrounded you at home and speak the truth about how you feel and what you think.

Try on a different personality for a day! If you have been seen as shy back home then go out and talk to everyone for a day, if you are the life of the party back home then try and spend some time alone. If it doesn’t work out then hey, you will never have to see any of those people again!

Try it out and you never know, you might come out the other end renewed or you might realise that you are actually perfectly happy with the way you are.

3: Make loads of new friends!

There is a great big global travel community out there and you will find that on the road no one is truly a stranger. It is so easy to make connections with new people, it’s as simple as asking ‘where are you from?’

When you stay in a backpacker hostel you can walk in alone and a few hours later be out on the town with half the other guests having crazy nights out which so often leads to many days of adventures with people you’ve met.

Just another typical night out with a whole bunch of random people from the hostel!

It is hard to imagine before you travel because back home everyone is in their pre-established social circles where everyone shares stories about their identity and expected behaviour (see above), it would be very hard to walk up to a table of strangers in a bar and make new friends.

On the road it is different, everyone is equal, one of the best things is being able to sit down at a table with people from a huge variety of backgrounds and realise you have so much more in common that you would have guessed.

You will likely come home with a Facebook friends list overwhelmed with contacts from all over the world and you will get to experience the joys of travel reunions for many years to come.

4: Truly connect with others

In this modern world many countries are experiencing what has been called an ‘epidemic of loneliness’. We are so connected via all sorts of social media yet so disconnected on a real level. How often do we allow ourselves to just sit in conversation with another person, no distractions, no time constraints, no barriers?

Long term travel inevitably involves the occasional rained in day and not so occasional long bus/train rides. Some find these days vexing but I found them to sometimes be truly eye opening and some of the best experiences of my travels.

Those days are an opportunity to be stuck with another person, a ‘stranger’, for a long period of time with nothing to do but talk (and drink). I have had some truly deep conversations with people I had only just met or just happened to be sat next to on a bus.

Another long bus trip, this one was 12 hours through India, with nothing to do but talk and connect.

The best thing about a stranger on a bus is there are no preconceived ideas about the other person, no appearances to maintain and no worries about secrets being shared to others. I have told strangers on buses things I have told very few others on Earth and I have also had the privilege of having others open up to me.

You may never see these people again, or they may just become some of the closest friends you have. Either way, try getting lost in conversation with a stranger and see what happens!

5: Open your mind!

No matter where you live in the world, there is only so much you can experience in one place. We tend to become surrounded by people who share our lifestyle and opinions and this can sometimes close us off from new ideas and experiences. We can’t know whether we will like something if we never try it and we can’t know if our opinions and ideas are correct if we never seek to test them.

Istanbul sits at the crossroads of Asia and Europe and is a great place to explore some history.

“Discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

You will delve far more deeply into other cultures and realise that they all have something to offer, and none are perfect. You will meet a lot of very interesting and intelligent people, if you are willing to listen you may hear ideas and opinions which make a lot of sense to you.

The humility to admit your opinions may have been built on less than solid ground and adopt new ones is a sign of wisdom. Alternatively you may find that openly discussing your opinions with others serves to solidify them, or you may modify them only a little.

You will also have the opportunity to experience a vast range of new foods, activities, feelings, landscapes and lifestyles. Some would argue that the essence of life is movement and experience. So go and move, go and experience!

Exploring Buddhist monuments and thought in Nepal.

6: Find love

Back at home we tend to cast our romantic net in quite a limited pond, bounded by geography and convenience. Well imagine endless hostels, night after night, full of single guys and girls from all over the world! Solo travel not only gives you the opportunity, it almost forces you to meet dozens of new people every day.

Coming together during such an intense experience as travel can forge strong bonds between people and as previously mentioned you can have the opportunity to truly connect with someone prior to signing yourself up to a relationship. I met a lot of people (this includes myself) who met their partners while travelling and who never would have found each other if they didn’t take the leap to go and solo backpack!

7: Travel for the moments you never see

With social media platforms like Instagram we are constantly bombarded by pictures of exotic places. While it can be amazing and awe inspiring to see some of the great natural and man-made wonders in the world, when you have travelled for long enough you begin to realise that seeing these places is not the most fulfilling part of world travel.

Trying to make my way to the airport in Bulgaria! Had to find a friendly local quick if I was going to make my flight.

In between these pictures is the real story, the part of travelling you never see unless you go. Attempting to interact with locals that don’t speak your language, looking down an alley and seeing some crumbling ancient shrine, watching the shenanigans from your bed on an Indian sleeper train or the sudden and overwhelming realization of how crazy your life is right now that makes you just stop and laugh.

In between the pictures are countless small experiences every day that make travelling alone what it is, in the end you might just find that these are the things that keep you coming back for more.

Rajasthan desert. What you don’t see is a guy riding his camel for 2 hours to go and find beers for the sunset! Legend.

As well as this, we all know that a photo can never quite convey the true sense of wonder inherent in a place. What you see in a picture is only a small part of being there; the sounds, smells, the journey, the company and the emotions you feel form a rich tapestry that can never be conveyed in photos.

8: Have a shitload of fun!

I have to admit that in the end, one of the biggest reasons I love to travel alone is that you can party like you never have to go to work! Because you don’t.

You can dance all night on a beach with thousands of others, covered in glow paint and drinking booze from a bucket under a full moon in Thailand. Get your rave on inside an ancient castle in Croatia before watching the sun rise over the Mediterranean. Dance your way through a Brazilian street festival surrounded by locals in the most amazing costumes. Explore the dark underground of the Berlin club scene and see some of the world’s best DJs in their element. Or experience a truly crazy party without ever leaving your hostel.

The opportunities to party are endless and you will find that the hardest part is actually finding a way to have a night off!

Thai Full Moon Party on NYE to welcome in 2012. A great time with some old travel friends flying in just for the occasion.

I hope that this article inspires you to solo travel for the first time or to get back on the road if it’s been awhile. These 8 benefits of travelling alone are truly too valuable to miss out on and I think everyone should experience them at some stage in their lives!

I’ll leave you with some last words from one of the greatest adventurers of all time:

“To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure. You have no idea of what is in store for you, but you will, if you are wise and know the art of travel, let yourself go on the stream of the unknown.” – Freya Stark

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From our early days of living the hostel life to our current mid-range style of travel, Rick and I have spent the better part of the last 8 years on the road. Over that time we’ve made countless mistakes and learned some valuable lessons when it comes to saving money while travelling.

Although it’s taken us a while to figure it all out, we now have it down to a fine science. These budget travel hacks have literally saved us hundreds – maybe even thousands over the years. We implement these hacks every single time we travel, allowing us to maximize our travels and minimize spending extra time, money and stress whilst on the road!

Exploring the streets of Porto by foot

Would you believe it if I said that these budget hacks don’t require you to sleep in a 24 bed dorm in a hostel or eat beans on toast for every meal? We often get asked how we can afford to travel so often, well our secret is now out! Continue reading to find our tried and true budget travel hacks below.

1. Off-Season Travel

It’s no surprise that we’re starting this article off with our best money-saving travel hack. After living in Europe over the past 2 years, this tip alone has probably saved us hundreds!

Not only do flights lower their fares during the off-season, you can also find much cheaper accommodation (I’m talking the exact same rooms for less than half the cost of high-season).

This is our favourite time of year to travel and the benefits extend much further than just saving on flights and accommodation. From less crowds and more flexibility to friendlier locals and getting better travel photos, the list goes on! Find more info on travelling Europe during off-season here.

Off-season doesn’t have to mean the middle of winter and awful weather, we try to travel in what is known as ‘bumper season’, the transition between off-season and high-season where you get some of the benefits of each and less of the downsides!

Exploring Malta in November

Note: This doesn’t just apply to Europe travel! The benefits of travelling during this time of year applies to pretty much any destination, just run a few Google searches to figure out exactly when it is for your destination of choice!

2. Use a VPN/Incognito Mode

When you use websites to search for deals on flights, you may have noticed that over time the price increases each time you search. Flight booking websites actually save a cookie in your browser which tracks your browsing history. If you continue to return to these sites without making a booking, they will notice your interest and increase the price to force you into booking a flight quickly.

This is 100% true and we’ve seen it happen many times. We’ve now switched to using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for all flight bookings. A VPN basically allows you to browse the web with a different IP address which prevents websites from identifying and tracking your search patterns based on the unique number your internet provider assigns you. You can even make it look like you are located in a different country.

For example, if you’re located in London, a VPN can make it look like you’re searching from Germany (or whichever country you choose!) This is a really handy travel hack that allows you to bypass those sneaky flight website’s tactics of trying to over charge you!

Aside from booking flights, we think a VPN is something every traveller should have to protect your data and privacy online. As travellers, we constantly rely on unsecure free Wi-Fi networks which put us at risk of becoming a victim to online crime. We use Nord VPN for a number of reasons and can highly recommend them. For more information and to create an account, check out their website here.

Alternatively, you can just open a new window in incognito mode which doesn’t allow cookies when browsing. Either way, you are guaranteed to save money on flights by private browsing. Give it a try next time and see what happens!

3. Use Booking.com

If you frequently book your accommodation using Booking.com, you will eventually get “Genius” status which can save you a ton of money when making a booking! We’re not just telling you to use Booking.com because we’re affiliates.

We’ve been using Booking.com for years (long before our blog was ever created). It’s a quick, simple and affordable way to find any type of accommodation you could ever imagine. It helps you to find the most conveniently located rooms in any city for the best prices, perfectly suited to your needs and travel style.

Can you imagine booking a room inside this epic castle in Portugal? Well, you’re in luck!

One tip we use is to find out where the best area is to stay in a city, then set the search filter to your budget, you can now view all these properties using the map view and see which ones are located closest to where you want to stay.

Their app also stores all your bookings and provides all the contact details for the property, including a taxi view of the address. This has been a lifesaver in places where a non-Latin alphabet is used!

We’ve saved a lot of money using this website over the years and we can highly recommend it to anyone planning their next trip!

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4. Pay Cash

To avoid racking up those insane overseas ATM fees, withdraw large amounts of cash in one transaction; you’ll want enough to last you at least a few travel days. Not only does this save you from accumulating a ton of fees, it also allows you to physically see what you spend in a day.

Instead of casually tapping your credit card each time you make a transaction, seeing exactly what you have left to spend helps you to stick to your daily budget and not get too carried away.

5. Find an Online Bank

If you don’t feel comfortable carrying wads of cash around with you, run a Google search for online banks in your country. We’re currently living in the UK and we can’t recommend Starling Bank enough! This tip alone has literally saved us hundreds by now.

Starling has no physical branches, it doesn’t charge for overseas transactions or ATM fees, and sends you instant notifications when you spend. It also comes with a super handy app which breaks down exactly what you’re spending your money on so you know where to cut back.

All you have to do is download the app and then you can open an account in minutes. So far we’ve only used our Starling account for travel but we think it’s perfect for everyday use as well.

Most countries now have some sort of similar system, as more people realize the value of branch-less banks. If you are unable to find one that suits your needs then it’s worth researching travel credit cards which don’t charge on overseas transaction fees or ATM withdraw fees. Another great option so long as you pay the balance off before the end of each month to avoid those awful interest rates!

6. Use Public Transport and Uber

Ever get the feeling that you’ve been over charged for a simple taxi ride whilst overseas? Chances are you have. Taxi drivers are notorious for over charging tourists simply because they don’t know better. This app has been a life saver for us on many occasions.

Not only is Uber cheaper than most taxi companies, it’s so much more convenient. Since all payments are done through the app, this means no cash is physically exchanged between you and the driver. This way, you don’t need to worry about being robbed, or not receiving your change back etc.

You can also see the approximate fee before you travel taking the stress out of arguing rates or feeling like you’re being driven in circles!

We often find that one Uber trip is equal to the cost of both of us taking a train/bus to where we need to go. Cheaper and more convenient, what more could you ask for?

All you have to do is download the app and then find out if Uber is available in the city you’re in. If it is, we highly recommend using it as you will save yourself a ton of money and hassle!

Public transport is another great way to save money on getting around. It used to be a major adventure before the advent of smart-phones. Now it is usually as simple as a quick search on Google maps to plot an efficient and affordable route.

Even in countries where google maps is unreliable, we have found that guest house owners, random locals on the street or restaurant staff are all super helpful and happy to point you towards the right bus or train!

It’s also a great way to get a more real feel of a place and sometimes tickets can be less than a dollar for a trip that would run a large bill by taxi.

7. Stay In Apartments

We almost never stay in hotels when travelling. Renting an apartment is a great way to book cheap accommodation while allowing you to live like a local. Having a kitchen to cook and store your own food will save you a lot of money!

Over the years, we have noticed that the two biggest expenses of travel are accommodation and dining out. By making your own food (even if it’s just breakfast), you will be surprised at how much money you’ll save.

Hanging out at our super cute, budget friendly guest house in Cordoba, Spain

We live by the rule of making our own breakfast, having a cheap lunch on the go and then finding a decent restaurant to sit down and enjoy for dinner. In the past, we’ve made the mistake of dining out for every single meal while travelling and it’s a quick way to blow the budget!

Staying in a guesthouse is another great budget travel hack. Try and find the ones that include a breakfast. We’ve had some amazing breakfasts served in guest houses (along with some below average ones too), but it’s all worth it for one less meal to buy.

Apartments and guesthouses are often conveniently located, come with good Wi-Fi and other perks like washing machines, free tea and coffee etc. It’s easy to find them on websites like Booking.com.

8. Put On Your Walking Shoes

Walking is always the best way to see a new city. Skipping out on public transport will kill 3 birds with one stone. You’ll save money, burn the calories from those extra few croissants you had at breakfast, and get potential photo ops you never would have gotten.

It’s a great way to see a side of the city you might not have planned to see if you had just taken the bus or train to get where you’re going.

Cycling the streets of Amsterdam

If you’re not keen on walking a million steps in one day, rent a bike. This allows you to cover more ground while avoiding pricey sightseeing tours and having the freedom to go whatever you want. In cities like Amsterdam that are set up well with cycle paths, this is an absolute must!

Tip: Take advantage of free walking tours that a lot of cities offer. It’s a great way to see a new place, get some background history from a local guide and not have to plan it out yourself. All you have to do is Google the city you’re visiting + free waking tour, and you should see results!

9. Travel Light

The less you pack, the less you pay. There is truly an art to packing efficiently and light all at the same time (something that’s taken me longer to learn than I’d like to admit).

When we first started travelling Europe, I was checking in my large suitcase for every flight. It’s great to have 3 pairs of shoes on a trip, but it sucks to fork out an arm and a leg for checked in luggage (never mind waiting in giant queues at the airport).

Cut out the costs and queues by fitting everything you need into a carry on bag! As soon as we found Cabin Max backpacks, our lives were changed. It’s the best £30 we’ve ever spent, plus it’s probably helped us to save hundreds since we stopped checking our luggage. It’s surprising how easy it is to fit everything you need in them, I’m never going back.

→Click here to browse through the many colourful options of Cabin Max carry on backpacks on Amazon.

Using carry on luggage also massively saves on time at the airport as you can walk on and off flights with your luggage, skipping queues and not having to wait for your luggage on the other end!

Now all you have to do is practice not over-packing

My trusty Cabin Max backpack and I travelling around Morocco

10. Stay Outside of the City Centre

When you book a room outside of the city centre, often times you’ll find the prices to be much lower! This might mean more walking to and from the main sights, but it’s definitely worthwhile if you’re on a tight budget.

Not only will you save on accommodation when you book in the suburbs, you’ll find the cafés, restaurants and bars to be much more affordable than the tourist traps in the city centre. You will also have a better chance at finding more authentic local dining experiences than choosing the main restaurants who cater primarily to tourism.

11. Experiences vs. Things

Prioritizing moments and memories should be at the top of your list when travelling. Forget about stocking up on souvenirs and focus on savouring that precious holiday time which is all too rare.

At the time it can feel like having a souvenir to remember a place is cool. Unfortunately once your back home they usually end up collecting dust in your basement. It’s just a fact.

We’re a big fan of collecting travel photos as souvenirs. They freeze those special travel memories for life, don’t take up space in your bag and best of all they are free! One can never have too many photos

Budget Travel Hacks For The Win!

We hope you found these budget travel hacks useful and they save you $$ on your next trip. Got a favourite money-saving travel hack that’s not on our list? We’d love to hear it, let us know in the comments below!

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Douro Valley, Portugal – November 2018

The Best Time To Visit Europe

After living in Kent, England for the last two years, we’ve taken every opportunity possible to take advantage of England’s proximity to Europe. We’ve now travelled to over 22 European countries. At this point, we can confidently say we know exactly what time of year is the best time to visit Europe! If there’s one thing we can recommend to others planning their next trip, it’s that off-season is totally under rated.

When picturing being on holiday during the fall, winter or spring months, people often imagine they’ll spend their entire trip indoors escaping downpours or miserably sightseeing under an umbrella. This is definitely not the case and even though you might deal with a bit of rain or have to wear a few extra layers, your trip won’t be ruined. Find our 6 reasons why off-season is the best time to visit Europe below!

When Is “Off-Season”?

Before we dive into all the benefits of travelling at this time of year, when exactly is “off-season” or “low season”? In Europe you can expect to start seeing the benefits of off-season travel from mid September through to mid June.

One could argue that the spring or fall months are technically called “shoulder season”. However,  the only real difference is the weather. For the sake of this article we will refer to these months as “off-season” as in the opposite of peak season.

→You might also like: The Ultimate Portugal Road Trip Itinerary←

Soaking up some lovely winter sun in Valetta, Malta

1. Accommodation Is Much Cheaper

Yup, you heard that right. During the off-season, accommodation is typically as much as half price compared to the busy summer months of July – August. You could potentially save yourself hundreds by not travelling during those months. We have found this to be true in pretty much every place we’ve stayed.

Hotels and private apartments lower their prices in order to attract more guests when the weather might not be as perfect. You will often find rooms that are totally out of your budget, become completely affordable all because of the month you choose to travel! So this is the time you should take advantage of that nice hotel with an epic view and pool because, why not?!

2. Better Deals On Flights

Similar to cheaper accommodation, airlines will often lower their prices during off-peak times when flights are less full to try to encourage more people to book. Flights around Europe are pretty affordable for the most part but imagine finding flight fares that are cheaper than taking the train one hour out of London? (OK, we know the train prices are crazy in England, but still!)

There have been many times where our flights were cheaper than our train journeys! It doesn’t take long to browse through Skyscanner to find out how much money you will be saving by booking low season flights.

Crowd free at the Plaza de España – Seville, Spain – February 2019

3. Less Crowds

Fancy waiting in line for 3 hours to see the Colosseum? No? We don’t either. This is one of the biggest reasons why off-season is so awesome. From waiting in long queues, to battling crowds of people at popular attractions, and not being able to walk into any restaurant you choose; These are all things that you will be able to avoid during off-season.

Also, When there’s less crowds, you have more time to get to know the locals. Without masses of people, the locals are free to engage in conversations and tell you their story. You will get to know them on a more personal level. They might even recommend their friend who owns a nice restaurant that isn’t on TripAdvisor or a local tour guide who costs much less than booking through big tour organisations.

You will be sure to get a more authentic European experience when there are fewer people to compete with. You can’t go wrong with that!

4. Fewer People in Your Photos

Going hand in hand with fewer crowds, you will have a much better chance at getting that classic Colosseum shot without a hoard of tourists walking through your picture. If you’ve been following us on Instagram for a while, you will know we are pretty obsessed with getting photos without people in the background.

This can still be a challenge in off-season, particularly in those popular hot spots, like the Eiffel Tower for example! In these cases it’s important to arrive early (8 am at the latest). Getting fewer people in your travel photos is just another reason why off-season is the best time to visit Europe!

Nimes Arena, south of France in late September 2017 Amazing weather and not a crowd in sight!

5. More Flexibility

Instead of planning out your trip weeks or months in advance, you are open to more possibilities and last-minute deals during this time of year. You won’t have to book restaurant tables, day activities, bus/train journeys or accommodation well in advance when it’s not busy.

We recently spent a week in the South of Spain and visited the popular attraction, The Alhambra. During peak season, you can expect to book your tickets a few months in advance to see The Alhambra on your day of choice. We booked it a week in advance, and we probably didn’t even need to.

We much prefer being able to decide what to do on the day rather than planning everything out months in advance! This way your trip will be carefree, less stressful and more relaxing.

6. Win-Win

Just think about all the money you will be saving just by travelling at a different time of year. Now take all of that money and put it towards your next off-season holiday, and boom! You now get to have two epic holidays pretty much for the price of one. Alternatively, you could even extend your holiday for a little longer than originally planned.

Now if that isn’t a win, I don’t know what is! People often ask us how we travel so often, well there it is. Our secret is out!

Strolling around the beautiful Alhambra in February

It’s Not All Sunshine and Rainbows

Among all the benefits of off-season travel, there are of course a few things you should take into consideration when planning your trip.

You should come prepared for any kind of weather. Depending on where you choose to go in Europe and what month you go, the weather can potentially be miserable. Along with that, the days will also be shorter (in the winter months). It goes without saying that you should pack an umbrella, raincoat and waterproof shoes just in case.

A drizzly, overcast day in Florence, Italy but we still had a great time sightseeing! – March 2018

Some sights actually close down during winter months and most others will change their hours of operation to match the hours of daylight. In large, bustling cities, business is usually as normal. It’s the smaller towns that tend to close some of their sights and restaurants, giving off those ghost town vibes.

Travel is still completely possible in the quieter towns, just make sure you look up what you are planning to visit ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

Tip: we like to check Holiday Weather when planning any trip so we know what to expect.

Off Season = Best Time To Visit Europe!

Something else to consider when planning a trip during the off-season is where should you go during what month. For example, we would advise saving Paris, Rome or London for the fall or spring months. That way you can still expect reasonable weather with minimal crowds. We visited Italy in March and it was a bit chilly, but we lucked out with mostly sunny days!

Between the months of November-March, the northern European countries will still be pretty cold and wet. Try to visit places like the south of Spain, Malta or Greece during that time, as the weather will be nice (around 15-25 degrees). During our recent trip to the southern Spain (in February), we were wearing short sleeves and sipping sangria while soaking up the sun on outdoor patios. We didn’t have a single day of rain on that trip.

Burano, Italy In March 2018

We love off-season travel, but that doesn’t mean we don’t travel during high season. We tend to save the off the beaten path destinations for the summer months. Last summer, we did a trip through the Baltics and it did not disappoint. The places less travelled are naturally less expensive and less crowded even during the peak season.

From saving money to battling less crowds and getting better photos; if we haven’t convinced you that off-season is the best time to visit Europe, then I don’t know what will! So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get booking!

→Click here to compare prices on accommodation on Booking.com!←

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