Pack Light, Travel Smart: The Ultimate Guide to Travel in 2024

Lucky I am to be able to travel so much. I’ve learned through experience some helpful travel tips to share with you!

I hope it can help people around!

3 Travel As Light As Possible

I’ve become a very minimalist person throughout the years of traveling, and let me tell you, it makes traveling a lot easier. If you are going to a summer destination, try to carry only a small carry-on or even just a small backpack.

I’ve spent a month in the Philippines and another month in Vietnam with just a small 25-liter backpack (including half a kilo of Yerba Mate). I know it sounds like a lot, but if you’re constantly on the move, it makes everything easier.
I’m always finding clothes, usually in almost perfect condition, either through volunteering or in hostels.
But I have a rule: whatever I acquire as new, I have to leave something in return, so I always carry the same amount of things.

I think this is my favorite travel tip.

4 Use Different Types Of Search Engines And Go Directly To The Airlines’ Websites

It’s always a good idea to check multiple websites to find the best price. I recommend Skyscanner as one of the largest and often the best for searching for flights.
Other good ones are

• Kiwi
• Google flights
• Cheapflights

Sometimes, you’ll find that the price which should be cheaper is actually more expensive. A good idea is to visit the airline’s website directly and check if the flights are indeed cheaper or not.
If you are traveling through Europe, you can try for low coast airlines directly because they have the best own offers.

• Rynair
• EasyJet
• Vueling

Pro tip for low-cost airlines: Always check in online before your flight! They’re notorious for charging extra for check-in at the airport. Don’t let them get you like they got me! Twice I’ve been caught off guard by these fees: once flying from Berlin to Budapest and again on a trip from Cartagena to San Andrés. In both cases, the check-in fees were outrageous – practically the same price as the original ticket!

5 Use The Incognito Mode For Flight Searches

I also recommend using a VPN (I use and recommend Nord VPN) to change your location. It works in some countries, but be careful. I once managed to get a very cheap flight from Santiago de Chile to Copenhagen by changing my VPN to Malaysia.
The problem came later due to a medical situation, and we couldn’t use the tickets. So, for over 48 hours, I had to chat and call Malaysia to explain the situation and try to get a refund for those tickets. You can imagine that it wasn’t an easy task, requesting a refund for two tickets without any cancellation insurance. But after speaking with many employees, I was finally able to get my refund.

6 If Having A Long Journey Try Searching For Multiple Ways To Get There

It can sometimes happen that the ‘direct’ or connected flights are not the cheapest option. For example, when we were searching for flights from Thailand to South America, all the flights went through Europe and the connections seemed endless. Then, Fernanda, my partner, had the idea of searching for flights through the Pacific, with a stop in Hawaii. To our surprise, it was cheaper to fly from Thailand to Hawaii and then from Hawaii to South America than to fly directly from Thailand to South America. So, with the price difference, we ended up staying in Hawaii for 5 days, which I think is crazy!

7 Never Change Money At The Airport

If there’s anything I’ve noticed about airports, it’s that they will try to gain as much profit as possible. The fees they charge are often much higher than those you would find at most currency exchange facilities.
Having an international card with you is always handy for covering your initial expenses, such as food or transportation.

• Wise (over 40 countries currencies)
• Revolut or N26 if you are in Europe.

Nowadays, almost everywhere you go, there are EFTPOS available. You can easily find currency exchange offices around the city center, but be aware that fees vary. You can check online for some options and get a better idea of where to go.

8 Check Beforehand For Any Visa Requirements And Expiration Dates

Always check if you need a visa to travel anywhere, especially if you are outside the European Union or the Schengen area.
You’d be amazed at how many people encounter problems with visa situations, and that’s a waste of time and energy.

• If you’re traveling to South East Asia, America, Africa, or elsewhere, check online on the official immigration website of each country to see if you need a visa.
• Pay for the visa before arriving in the country.
• Make sure to have all the necessary documents together so you can easily present them at immigration.
• Check the expiration dates on your documents.
  It happened to me that my passport expired in Australia before I went on a 4-month trip to Southeast Asia. I had to overstay in Australia for over 4 months while waiting for my new passport because I couldn’t travel to any country other than Argentina (my home country). This delay forced us to postpone our trip to Asia. All of this could have been avoided if I had renewed my passport sooner.

9 Always Use Reviews And Ratings To Find The Best Accommodation

I know this sounds obvious, but be mindful of the comments and ratings of a place where you want to stay. At the beginning of my journey, I always prioritized money when it came to accommodation and had some pretty awful experiences. Nothing too bad to ruin a trip, but I certainly didn’t feel comfortable at those places. Since I started traveling with my partner, she handles finding places to stay, and she is a lot more careful than I am.
With some basic rules you can end up with a very nice place for not much money.

• Try to see places above 7 stars
• Sort the comments by the latest added so you can see if there are any new issues at each place
• Staying closer to city centers will often result in higher prices. However, there are some areas further away that are very well connected and offer accommodation at a cheaper price

For those who have made it this far, here’s an extra tip

10 Ask For Weekly Rates At Hostels

Most people don’t know that almost all hostels offer weekly rates, but to access these rates, you have to contact the hostel directly. Trust me, it makes a big difference compared to any other budget option you may find. I usually search for the hostel’s number online and call them directly.
You’ll never see these ‘weekly rates’ on any accommodation app out there.

I’ve seen something similar, but not as good, on Airbnb, where they sometimes offer discounts for staying a full week.

Thank you for reading and safe travels! Hope you find my best travel tips 2024 useful!