Travel Series - Research
In today's post, we're gonna be going into the topic of researching your destination before your actual trip. Planning a trip involves much more than just packing, and here, I'll share with you the steps I take to gather all the necessary information for a smooth and enjoyable travel experience. So, let’s into it!
The first aspect I always look into is the country and location I'll be visiting (obviously). It's crucial to familiarize yourself with the tourist visa requirements if any, moreso for the tourists interested more into longterm travel like myself. Research how long one can stay in a country and any possible visa extensions if you’re interested in staying longer. Make sure you are aware of the visa application process and any associated fees. This information can usually be found on the official website of the destination country's embassy or consulate. Doing this before the trip is easier as you are still in the comforts of your home country where communication won’t be any trouble. For some of the countries I’ll be looking to stay long term, Japan and Korea let tourists stay for 90 days w/o a visa for tourism. As long as I don’t surpass that amount of days at once, then I should be fine (though there is a fine line between going to a country until the max limit, then hopping to another country and back. That can get you in trouble, so avoid that). Other countries I’m interested in visiting is Thailand which has a 30 day initial stay (no visa needed), with a 60 day tourist visa extension if a longer stay is preferred, and Vietnam, which is a 30 day tourist visa with no available extension.
Cultural differences play a significant role in shaping your travel experience. In my opinion, it's essential to learn about local mannerisms and customs, as they can greatly impact your interactions with locals. Also, research the appropriate clothing for your destination, considering cultural norms and weather conditions. Understanding and respecting the local culture will help you blend in and show appreciation for the places you visit. I love interacting with the locals in whichever country I visit. So to make sure I don’t offend anyone with any type of miscommunications, I always try to learn about the local mannerisms beforehand. This also lets me immerse within and learn more about the culture firsthand, which is always a good experience. (obviously, you can’t learn everything before, so learning a few things and learning more when you’re there is what you can do)
Language is another crucial aspect to research in my opinion. Learn a few basic phrases in the local language to help you navigate and communicate with locals, even better if you attempt to study and learn the language. This can make a significant difference in your overall experience and may even open doors to unique encounters and insights. It also shows you’re trying and attempting to learn and commucate with the locals and I’m sure they appreciate the effort. It’s one of my biggest pet peeves when I see people who just expect everyone else on the planet to understand English (or whatever language they’fe communcating in) and get angry when nobody understands them. Please don’t be that person. Be understanding and respectful.
When planning your trip, consider the time of year you'll be arriving. Find out if it's the rainy season or hurricane season, as these weather conditions can affect your travel plans and activities. Pack accordingly to ensure you are prepared for the climate. For example, in Japan, the rainy season or Tzuyu is normally from early June to late July or early August. During this time, it is basically a big downpour almost everyday with rarely any sun. This might make or break some of your plans such as biking around the city (unless you don’t mind the rain) or going to the beach in Kamakura. For me personally, I love walking and taking photos in the rain for the rainy type of look with all the interesting reflections from the puddles and just the overall vibe that rain brings to photos so I don’t mind that at all. But for sunrise… yeah, rainy/cloudy mornings may not be for the best. So plan your trip accordingly!
If you're interested in driving during your trip, it's essential to research whether you need a driving permit or license in the country you're visiting. Different countries have varying requirements, so make sure you have the necessary documentation to operate a vehicle legally. Personally for me, I’ve never driven internationally, but I am very interested as I want to do a week or two on Jeju Island in Korea and a month or so (maybe longer) in Hokkaido. Since local transits may not be the best if you want to explore those areas, I’d want to rent a car when visiting. That’s when an IDP, or an international driving permit, would be helpful. From some research, I found AAA, a company that offers an IDP. For a small permit fee of $20, it gives you an IDP good for one year. For me, I’d rather stay on the safe side so when I start my travels, I’ll be applying for one.
While exploring cities, it's always helpful to be aware of any health hazards or vaccines recommended for your destination. Check with your local healthcare provider or visit the website of your country's health department for updated information on necessary vaccinations. It's better to be prepared and protected against any potential health risks.
Additionally, researching dangerous locations to avoid is crucial for your safety. It’s best to avoid those areas when possible. A simple google search on reddit or something can help you spot such locations as locals or people more knowledgable about the area can probably help you a lot. A tip that I’ve heard quite a bit is when heading into a new country (especially as a solo traveler), try to get there during the afternoon. This lets you enter a unknown area while there’s still daylight for you to navigate around the city, but also, more people are out during the day so it’s more unlikely that anyone will do anything to you. Obviously in big cities, there are very small petty crimes such as pickpocketing that can happen at any time of the day. For these types of crimes, you just have to be mindful and careful.
Now, let's talk about the fun part—planning your itinerary. I’ll be making an entire seperate entry on this for this series as I could go on for a while about it. But in general, while I usually have specific places I want to visit, I also enjoy the freedom of exploration within a city. I love getting lost and discovering hidden gems along the way. However, I think it's always good to have a general idea of what you want to do in each city. Create a list of potential places to visit, but keep in mind that you may (or in my case, probably won’t) not be able to cover everything. Be flexible and open-minded, allowing yourself to embrace unexpected adventures and spontaneous discoveries.
In conclusion, researching your destination thoroughly is something I’d definitely recommend for a well-prepared and memorable trip. Of course, you can still enjoy your time and travels with no plans at all. But from my experiences, I’ve found that being able to at least attempt to communicate is always something appreciated by the locals. To make sure you aren’t disappointed with any specific plans you had in mind, that’s when looking into information about visas, weather conditions, driving permits, and/or health hazards can help prepare you. And once you get all the information down, you’re good to go! For me, I plan my travels with a mix of must-see events/locations as well as time to just to embrace the unexpected and roam around. Personally, I think it's better to be over-prepared than underprepared, which is why I have more than enough locations written down in my notes.
I hope you found this helpful for your own travels. If you have any additional advice or personal experiences, please share them in the comments below. I’d love to hear about them.