Scoured through tons of images on Instagram for travel inspiration but still unsure of the activities and experiences, accommodation, and whether you’re getting the best deals? Planning a trip can get quite stressful - especially if it’s your first time at the destination. To ease your planning woes, here are 4 tips to keep in mind.
1. Keep an open mind
Try out things you would otherwise avoid. Try out local delicacies, unique activities, or take a cooking class on local dishes. That way, you'll get to try a new thing and fill your itinerary with novel ideas too. BlackBook’s integrated review system and photos shared by other users on the 'Attractions' page in myBlackBook will give you a sense of the activity or attraction. This means that it’s tried and tested so that’s one less thing for you to worry about.
2. Select an accommodation in your desired city centre
There are just some neighbourhoods that appeal to my preferences and lifestyle more. For example, I prefer staying in bustling city centres so my accommodation searches are typically centred around major neighbourhoods.
Whatever your preferences are, narrow your search for the perfect accommodation by viewing hotels’ locations via the ‘map’ function (found on the bottom menu bar) once you've entered your destination. Find your desired location via the black location tags (indicating it’s a neighbourhood) and zoom in to view available nearby hotels. It’s super convenient, and you can skip the hassle of calculating its distance from your desired area.
3. Plan visits near your selected accommodation
Getting around in a new country can get quite daunting. It’s always best to start with attractions around your accommodation as you slowly get used to the public transport system. After booking a hotel, go over to the ‘Attractions’ tab in myBlackBook to view popular attractions around your booked hotel.
Tip: On your first day, explore the neighbourhood you’re in! You’ll find some hidden gems you’ll otherwise miss if you only rely on Google.
4. Share your itinerary with your travel buddies
Now that you have your accommodation and activities planned out, share the itinerary with your travel buddies or save it straight to your phone’s calendar in a single click.
In total, I took less than 10 minutes to plan my next trip. How long did you take?
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