How to Plan A Trip Abroad For Beginners
Help others learn how to prep for their first trip - share this post on your favorite platform!
I remember the stress and anxiety of planning my first trip abroad. I didn’t have someone to walk me through the process and had to figure out the majority of it on my own. My family helped when they could, but I also accepted the responsibility of managing my own trip from start to finish.
I didn’t want to screw up. If you’re reading this, you don’t want to either.
No matter how many youtube videos or pep talks I got from family members, I still felt uneasy about traveling on my first international trip alone. But lo’ and behold, I managed to do it. The good news is that you can too!
Here are my nine steps to planning an international trip.
Attention: All products/businesses mentioned are those that I genuinely enjoy and use/would like to use for myself, and that I am not being paid to write about them.
Let’s dive in!
Determine Your Destination
Of course, the first and most basic step of planning a trip abroad is choosing where you want to go. You may be thinking: But which country is best to visit? Where should I travel to for my first trip? In reality, every country has its own beautiful culture and is amazing to visit and learn from. To plan your trip, consider your
Safety
Comfort zone
Budget
Travel Time
Safety
Safety will always be your #1 priority when traveling. Check the weather reports for when you plan on taking a trip and make sure that there are no warnings, travel advisories, etc. It’d be a huge bummer if you spent all that money to get there only for the weather not to cooperate - or worse, put you in a dangerous position abroad. Also, look into any crime or violence rates before you travel. It’s always good to exercise caution in unfamiliar places, especially if it’s your first time abroad. You want to create a safe, fun experience that will leave you happy and fulfilled!
Comfort Zone
For novice travelers, it can be a good idea to stay within your comfort zone for your first time abroad. Or, if you’re like me and aren’t a fan of big cities, you don’t have to visit the most crowded and bustling cities on Earth to say you’ve traveled. I find that I enjoy slower-paced places that create a home-away-from-home feeling. My first time abroad was intimidating and overwhelming sometimes, but the smaller city helped me feel grounded and confident that I could adapt. Find that sweet spot of adventure and comfort - it’ll leave you with amazing memories from your trip!
Budget
Planning a budget is an essential part of your trip. It will largely determine where you can go, how long you can stay, and what you can/can’t do. Nothing is more stressful than planning for a long trip and finding out that you have insufficient funds for your last few days. It can cramp money for food, transportation, gifts for people back home, etc. Take into account your trip preparation, such as travel insurance and paying for any health services, as well as the activities and events you want to enjoy. Save yourself the stress and worry by creating a planned budget in advance.
Travel Time
If you’ve got wanderlust then we’re both thinking the same thing: So many places, such little time! I struggle with this a lot and I’m sure you do too. My Pinterest board is full of travel itineraries and travel bucket lists that I can’t wait to check off completely. However, not everyone can travel the world 24/7 (and that’s okay! I’m still working a job between trips and finding time to travel). Think about how much free time you have to travel abroad. This can help you budget your time and narrow down destinations, activities, etc. to fit within your schedule.
Secure Passport (and Visa If Necessary)
If you’re traveling abroad, you’ll need a passport. Word of advice: do this as early as possible. It’s a long process and you’ll be happy you got it taken care of sooner rather than later. Trust me. I almost missed a high school trip to Europe because of my passport’s processing and delivery time. Make sure you have your passport early enough in advance. If you already have your passport and are planning an upcoming international trip, make sure it won’t expire soon and that you have a couple of pages free for stamps.
Your visa situation will depend on the country you are traveling to. I haven’t had to apply for a visa for any of the countries I’ve visited yet, but I would exercise the same promptness as with a visa. You can check if your destination will require a travel visa by going to their government’s website and doing a bit of research. For example, the country of Argentina provides a list of visa-exempt countries that can travel with just a passport and return date. You can view that list here. A simple google search should also tell you if nationals from your country need a visa to travel to your destination. Again, get this done early and avoid any hassle or stress!
Check for Health Concerns/Vaccinations
You should double-check any health concerns or required vaccinations for your travel destination. The CDC has a great tool to see what health notices you should look for, any vaccines or medication you should get before travel, and general information/advice on traveler’s health. You can find country-specific health information here. Be on the lookout and get vaccinated for
Malaria
Yellow fever
Typhoid
Dengue fever
Hepatitis A/B
Covid
Choose How You’ll Travel
Now that you’ve picked your destination and learned how to stay safe there, decide on your mode of travel. If you’re far away from your travel destination, chances are that you’re going to fly. I’m more familiar with just booking a flight and navigating airports. If you live closer to your destination, you could probably get away with cheaper fares via train, boat, or even bus.
Note: if you’re traveling by plane, check the airline’s baggage policy. Do this as well if you’re traveling by train. If you don’t adhere to baggage rules then you may have to pay additional fees on what you pack. If you’re abroad and the currency exchange rate is in your favor, this might not even faze or bother you. However, if you’re leaving your country and end up being a couple of pounds over, you could pay anywhere from $60 to $100 on additional/overweight baggage fees. Drop a comment if you’ve ever had to shell out a couple of bucks for extra baggage!
Fortunately, all of my flight experiences have been great: I’ve never missed a flight or lost my luggage. I’ve used Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and Aerolineas Argentinas recently for my travels. I was particularly impressed with United on my trip to Argentina. Novice travelers, listen up: The United Airlines app shows you move in real-time through a virtual map of the airport you’re in. You can’t get lost on the way to your gate since your path is outlined on your phone. I’m *notorious* for being bad with directions even in the town I’ve spent all 19 years of my life in. Do yourself a favor and book with United Airlines if you’re flying for the first time - alone or with a group. There are tons and tons of websites to book flights from. Some of these may give you a better price than booking directly from an airline, although I can’t speak for a third-party site’s reliability for luggage or flights. For budget-friendly flights, check out
Buy Travel Insurance
Don’t even think about skipping on travel insurance when you’re going abroad. So many things can go south and you’d rather be safe than sorry with a travel insurance package. From getting your luggage stolen to getting an injury on your trip, there’s no telling what can happen on your adventure. Give yourself peace of mind by buying travel insurance for the length of your trip.
I used Travelex for my first solo trip abroad. For context, I was spending 3 months in Argentina. It was an easy process to buy it and I was relieved knowing everything would be taken care of if I got hurt. There are other travel insurance companies you can choose from too! SafetyWing is fairly popular and I plan on using their service soon. It was created with digital nomads in mind, so if you work freelance and/or remotely, check out their offers!
P.S. the site you buy your ticket from will likely offer some type of flight and/or baggage insurance as well. This could come with the type of seat you bought (i.e. United’s Basic Economy which is more restrictive than their Economy and Economy Fully Refundable). Pay attention to what each ticket offers or excludes. On the other hand, your airline may offer additional insurance towards the end of your ticket purchase. If you want the extra blanket of security, feel free to tack this on your purchase. However, a travel company will likely include some form of baggage protection so I skip out on my airline’s offering.
Book Accommodations
Choose the Right Location
Depending on your travels, you may be seeking a spot in the heart of a busy city or somewhere far away and more secluded. Whatever the case, the Internet has plenty of sites and tools for finding travel accommodations. My favorite platforms are Airbnb and Booking.com.
I haven’t used Airbnb abroad yet. It was difficult to find affordable stays in Argentina that were actually available due to the renters advertising and getting booked across other platforms. I prefer to use Airbnb for domestic travel within my country. You can either pay in full or go on a payment plan with your card.
I had a great experience using Booking.com during my trip to Argentina. The site makes it easy to compare various listings and see which is the best fit for you. I secured my reservation with my card, then paid the full amount in their local currency. Booking.com does a great job at listing each amenity that is included in your stay, any rules or regulations, FAQs, and all the guest reviews.
Once you find a stay that you like, make sure to pull up Google Maps on your phone or laptop and see what amenities are around. It’s incredibly helpful to have a bird’s-eye view of the area when you aren’t a local there. This will show you any nearby restaurants, hospitals, recreational areas, and more.
You may notice that one accommodation is better centered around amenities like grocery stores or a hospital, while the other rental stay is closer to the activities you have planned for your trip. Determine which is more of a priority for you as the traveler as both have their pros/cons.
Check Reviews and Book Early
I cannot stress this enough. Read. Those. Reviews. Seriously, this has saved me from staying at nightmare rental units both in my domestic and international travels. People have already passed through the house so why not hear their experience with it, right?
When you book an accommodation and see that they offer transportation services for your stay, read the reviews too. During my first time planning a trip alone I had forgotten to check the reviews for a taxi service offered during my booking. Had I not read those reviews (albeit last minute), I could’ve experienced 1 to 3 hour-long delays in pick-up times, no-shows, and awful refund policies. I decide to go with a private driver from Welcome Pickups and had a good, reliable person come get me. Don’t be like me and check every review you can before you spend money or book somewhere.
Book your stays early in advance in order to get the best selection and prices! Leaving this step to the last minute can raise rental prices and lower your chance of finding the perfect fit. Don’t settle for an average or poor-quality rental stay. Give yourself enough time to research!
Check Any Cancellation Policy
Always read the cancellation policy for your accommodations. You may not end up changing anything for your travels - if so, congrats on planning so well! If you do have to make some changes, or something unexpected comes up and you have to cancel the trip completely, that’s normal and 100% okay. Know the cancellation policies for the accommodation you were planning on ahead of time. It’s better to know extra information instead of skipping over important rules that the hotel will expect you to know.
Research Transportation Options
How do you plan on getting around in your travel destination? There are plenty of budget-friendly transportation options to choose from. As always, plan according to budget. Look into the prices for
Bike rentals
Public transportation fares (bus, subways/metros, and trains)
Tour companies or travel guides
The most cost-effective form of transportation will always be using what you got: your feet! If all the amenities and places of interest at your travel destination are within walking distance, you’ll save the most money by walking everywhere. Invest in some good shoes (and possibly a SIM card or international phone data if you need a GPS to navigate). You’ll be good to go!
Learn About the Culture
It’s common courtesy to learn about the culture of your travel destination. The last thing you should do is expect other people in a different country to adjust to you. Remember: you are the visitor and you’re there to learn. The locals will appreciate it and you’ll adjust better if you know what to expect. Do some research about the country you’re visiting as well as the city/cities. It can be very educational to learn about any customs, traditions, taboo topics, etc. of the country. I also suggest learning about the city you plan on visiting as each town can be unique.
For example, I learned that Bahía Blanca, Argentina (the town I visited and talk about in this blog post) is more of a smaller, slower-paced area that centers around the two universities there. Tourism also wasn’t popular in Bahía, which is drastically different from my hometown of Anchorage, Alaska where tourism is the main industry (among others). Boeing this ahead of time can help with planning your trip + finding other towns to visit if you’re seeking other interests. I learned that Sierra de la Ventana is a cute town about 1.5 hours away. It boasts more cute and local shops than I found in Bahía Blanca, so I’ll be planning a trip back there shortly. 😉
Pack Light
Travel has taught me to embrace minimalism when packing LOL. I used to struggle with overpacking a lot, but flying has helped me learn to only pack travel essentials. I’ve narrowed down everything that I need (toiletries, electronics, clothing) so taking off will be easier next time. You can always buy things once you reach your travel destination - it might even be cheaper! This will help you carry less stuff while you travel there, plus avoid expensive baggage fees and backaches. If you can, leave a portion of your suitcase empty for bringing back gifts and souvenirs. Better yet, try to leave an entire luggage piece!
You should also determine how you will carry money with you. I recommend getting a travel passport holder that is flat and hangs around your neck. You can keep your travel passport, money, boarding pass, etc. somewhere safe and secure. The nice thing about these document holders is that they can fit flush against your body when you’re walking around. Theft can be a big problem for travelers; a passport holder like this will hide and protect your valuables.
You’re Ready for Your Adventure!
Follow this guide when you plan your first trip abroad. If you follow these steps as a first-time traveler out of the country, you’ll have an amazing experience. International trips are super fun and teach you so much about the world. I’m excited for the adventure you plan for yourself or your group. Leave a comment where you’d like to visit!
The last warning I’ve got for you: beware of the travel bug. Once you start you’ll never want to stop! 🌎❤️
