We asked and they answered. After querying numerous top travel bloggers for their very best travel advice we are excited to bring to our readers a collection of some of the best travel advice ever put to paper. From travel savings tips, to easier travel, to eco travel tips, healthy travel tips and more, this is the best travel advice — straight from the mouths of travel bloggers!
Best Travel Advice – from the Mouths of Travel Bloggers
What’s a travel blogger know about travel? Travel Bloggers have a blessed role. They not only enjoy the benefits and joy of regular travel, they share it with all of you. Their stories, trip reports, pictures, money saving tips and yes, their best travel advice.
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Here at the CBoardingGroup we are travel bloggers too. But, we wanted to find out what the rest of the community is doing. And while we tend to focus a bit more on business travel, the travel bloggers featured here cover the gamut. From eco travel, to solo female travel, to family travel and more. We’ve covered it all.
Be sure to check out 147 Business Travel Tips and learn how to apply the tips and tricks travel pros use everyday to your next trip
So, grab a notebook and pen, a cup of coffee (of course!) and prepare to learn from top travel bloggers how to make your travels better!
Best Travel Advice #1: How to Pick the Best Accommodation to Base Your Travels From
From by: Mint Habits
One of the most overlooked items during travel planning is the location of where you will stay. I find a lot of people get fixated on whatever is cheapest, yet don’t pay much attention to where the accommodation is located – which is crucial to saving you time and money.
For example, if you are spending 5 days in Paris, the ideal location would be close to the center of Paris or close to the main attractions you will be visiting. The accommodation will cost more money, however stepping out of your accommodation and walking 5 minutes to restaurants, transportation hubs, tourist attractions, or a beach saves you an incredible amount of transportation time and possibly transportation money too.
On top of that, the convenience of having fun things to do nearby will make your holiday a more enriching experience. I personally would spend roughly 50% more money to stay at a location that’s “at the center of it all” over a location that is further away, requires several transportation stops to get “central”, or a sketchy area.
My tip here is to treat the price and location of your accommodation equally as important when you’re looking for accommodation options! If you’re looking for more trip planning tips, read here.
Best Travel Advice #2: Always Travel Light!
From: World in Paris
My best tip for new and seasoned travelers is to travel light, ideally with a small backpack (preferred!) or a carry-on suitcase. There are many advantages of traveling light. First of all, you are carrying less weight, which is better for your shoulders. And even if you decide to travel with a carry-on suitcase, in places like the Parisian Metro you will end up carrying it when you need to take the stairs.
Check out the #1 Travel Hack of All Time (and learn how this ties into traveling light!)
As most of us know, today some air and bus companies charge a fee for hold luggage so if your luggage is small you can avoid this cost. Traveling light is also eco-friendly because overloaded planes or buses consume more fuel so the more fuel-efficient they are, the less CO2 they will produce.
And, finally, do you really need all the stuff you carry when you travel? Be less materialistic and pack wise, traveling light will benefit us all.
Best Travel Advice #3: Learn Key Phrases in the Local Language
From: Navigating Adventure
When exploring new countries, knowing just a few key words and phrases of the local language can make a world of difference to your holiday.
Greeting and thanking people in their own language (even if it’s not perfectly pronounced or executed) is a great place to start. Your effort goes a long way in showing courtesy and respect. People will appreciate this, and they will be more likely to help you out with advice, assistance, kindness or good customer service.
Photo by Satoshi Hirayama on Pexels.com
Researching and practicing a few basics questions will save you a lot of time and trouble once you’re on your holiday. I recommend learning the first few words in commonly used questions such as “where is†or “can I please have.†Even if you can’t recall the rest, you can generally fill the other person in on what you’re asking for with some creative communication.
Use Rosetta Stone to start your language journey!
And if you suffer from allergies or health issues, knowing how to explain this is very important. If you’re allergic to peanuts for example, it’s vital that you can very confidently communicate “are there any peanuts in this?†to the waiter.
Take the time before you leave to work on this travel hack, and it will always pay off!
Best Travel Advice #4: Purchase a Good Body Wallet (and Sew a Few Pockets inside your backpack)
From: Beyond my Border
Having lived in 5 countries and traveled to 23 altogether, my best travel advice would be to purchase a good body wallet and sew a few pockets on the inside of your backpack.
Top Seller! Hidden Body Wallet
Preparation is key to overcoming the unexpected! To prevent theft, I usually have a body wallet at all times. I keep small change in my backpack but place larger bills and important documents in a body wallet under my shirt. I can access the money if needed, but this hidden department is extremely helpful when wandering around a new city.
Along similar lines, I usually sew a small pocket inside the backpack or purse that I travel with. I’d stash some extra cash within these hidden pockets. This way, I don’t have to worry about a stolen wallet!
These tactics have helped me a lot as a solo female traveler. Hope they help you as well!
Best Travel Advice #5: Pack travel items that allow you to reduce environmental impact
From: Zen Travellers
One of our favourite pieces of travel advice is to pack some items that allow you to reduce your environmental impact while travelling.  Travel is expensive and carbon intensive, and not all of us can afford to purchase carbon offsets but we think it’s important to at least pack some items that allow you to reduce the impact in the country you’re visiting.
This especially applies if you’re travelling to a poorer country that doesn’t have the ability to properly process the waste you produce while travelling.  For example, in many developing countries plastic garbage bags, water bottles, and straws aren’t recycled as they don’t have the capacity to do so.  Instead, they’re burned, or worse, left as pollution that makes its way into waterways.
We always pack a set of stainless steel reusable straws and sporks so that we don’t need a plastic utensil with our meal. We pack re-usable grocery bags so that we don’t need to get a plastic one. Most of us do this at home when we go the grocery store, so why not abroad as well?
Reusable Travel Straws!
Finally, we pack a re-usable water bottle or a filter bottle if it’s a destination that doesn’t have clean drinking water. It’s much easier and better for the environment to fill up your water bottle along the way than to leave a trail of plastic water bottles behind on your travels.
Best Travel Advice #6: Get Global Entry and TSA Precheck Now!
From: Empty Nesters Hit the Road
If you’ve ever inched along in an airport security line or waited for hours at passport control while returning to the U.S., then you need Global Entry and TSA Precheck. The application process can be a bit intimidating, but it’s worth the effort in order to minimize standing in line at airports.
For $100, you can have Global Entry and TSA Precheck for five years. Here’s how it works. Apply online here. Then wait for your acceptance letter which may come a few weeks, or even a few months later. Next, go online to schedule your interview at a local airport.
Assuming you pass the brief 10 minute interview then wait for your card to arrive in the mail. Next, be sure to enter your Known Traveler Number whenever booking a ticket (if you are a frequent flyer for any airlines, be sure to enter this information into your account). For all future flights, look for the Precheck sign at airport security and the Global Entry line when returning from an international flight.
Be sure to check out our article on TSA Precheck and Global Entry Scams!
If you really don’t travel often, but want to skip passport control when returning to the U.S., then check out Mobile Passport, an app which allows you to breeze through the lines when returning from an international trip.
Best Travel Advice #7: A Hotel hack – always check multiple sites for the best deals
From: The Elusive Family
There are numerous ways to book hotels. Some of the more popular ways include using huge search engines such as booking, hotels or several all in one travel search engines such as Expedia or Skyscanner and Hotels.com. However, this doesn’t always ensure you will find the best price for your hotel.
An essential hotel hack is to ensure that you check rates at multiple sites. You can also call the hotels themselves. There will be hotels where you can negotiate a lower booking price with extra upgrades. Hotels want guests, and if you call them, you simply never know what kind of discount is available that wouldn’t otherwise show up on booking sites.
Give it an extra few minutes and compare various sites and call up the hotels you are interested in scoring potentially cheaper deals.
Best Travel Advice #8: When Traveling, Confirm the Price Before you Buy!
From: Travels with Talek
The all-time best travel advice is…drumroll…Always confirm the price of something BEFORE you agree to purchase it. You may think that’s obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times this simple admonition falls by the wayside when you’re traveling.
Some examples include:
You get into a taxi in a foreign country you are not familiar with. You ask the driver to take you to a location but when you get there the fare is exorbitant. To avoid this, get at least an estimate of what the ride will cost BEFORE you set off. Insist on a meter, If there is none, get an approximate price anyway.
Photo by Niki Nagy on Pexels.com
Meals can be another obstacle course. If the item doesn’t have a price on the menu, insist on knowing what it is before hand. You will sometimes see these un-priced items under “specials.” Seafood dishes are especially prone to overcharging if you are not vigilant.
Tours or cultural activities are also subject. Beware of things like local cultural dances or tea ceremonies, etc. The entry price may be reasonable but whatever is served inside like “special tea” can be a jacked up tourist price.
No matter how diligent you may be, are chances are you will be fleeced at least a couple of times. Confirming the price of something BEFOREhand will at minimize your exposure.
Best Travel Advice #9: Use TripIT to keep track of your trip!
From: The Travelling Expat
In today’s travel space, you just can’t travel without technology. Although I am pretty old school in most areas (yep, still own a journal), I am sure I am like most where the beloved wifi and smartphone rule my travel world.
TripIt is an app that pretty much does most of the organising for me as it builds a visual schedule, so I can figure out travel times, dates and other travel events. I am a planner by nature, so every time I book a flight, accommodation or even order tickets and tours online, this app automatically picks it up and puts it in an itinerary for me. There is a manual function for those bookings that were not sent via email, to ensure you capture everything, this is also great if you plan to have some downtime or rest days because you can manually schedule these times yourself.
There are some great functions on this app; such as adding other travellers to your itinerary, tracking points from your loyalty programs or seeing your yearly travel stats. All these functions I mentioned are free, however, if you would like more then upgrading to TripIt Pro will see you spoilt for choice.
Best Travel Advice #10: Go Beyond the “Normal Hotel†to save money while traveling (and get a better travel experience to boot!)
From: Intentional Travelers
Finding budget accommodations doesn’t have to mean bunking with a bunch of strangers in a sketchy hostel. In fact, you can significantly reduce your costs while enriching your travel experience by doing a “work away” or “help exchange.”
HelpX.net and WorkAway.info are online listings of host around the world – farms, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for room and board.
Speaking of “Travel Jobs” you might like our article 23 Jobs with Travel – how to find a career or a job w/ heavy travel
These networks provide a cultural exchange for travelers who would like the opportunity to stay with local people and gain practical experience. Time range, tasks, and accommodation arrangements vary depending on the host. As an example, you might work four hours per day painting, gardening, or teaching English; and you’d receive free accommodation, meals, and a local friend (or whole family) in a new place.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Our first exchange was helping out at a chateau-turned-B&B in the French countryside. We stayed in an apartment on the castle grounds for two weeks and didn’t spend a single euro of our own money during that time.
Best Travel Advice #11: Invest in Packing Cubes
From: The World Was Here First
One of our biggest tips for travellers embarking on a trip is to invest in a good set of packing cubes. Packing cubes are an absolute lifesaver for maximising space in your bag and keeping your clothes and possessions organised and protected. It makes things a lot easier to find and you don’t need to rummage through your bag to locate the one item you’re looking for!
Check out these Top Packing Cubes – a hot seller on Amazon!
Many packing cubes also have compression capabilities so you are able to save space in your suitcase or backpack. We have been using packing cubes for a couple of years now and is undoubtedly some of the best travel advice we can offer when travelling — we wish we would have caught on sooner!
Best Travel Advice #12: Always Eat Local!
From: Food & Drink Destinations
For people who travel for food, we always offer a few recommendations on how to find great food while traveling. First, always avoid the restaurants on the main square, or across from main tourist attractions, particularly in Europe. They generally focus on typical tourist menus.
Instead, just walk a few blocks away to find something more local and authentic. In Asia, many travelers are nervous about eating street food. We suggest looking for the stalls with the longest lines. It may take longer to wait, but a long line means it’s where the locals eat. And, the constant turnover in food means the ingredients are likely to be more fresh.
When it comes to looking for what to eat in a new destination, do a Google search for “What to eat in….†or search for a food blog in that destination. This is a great way to come up with a list of what is most local. This is how you find out, for example, that in Spain, you only want to eat paella in Valencia. It’s also how you find out that in Bologna, Italy, you want to eat tagliatelle ragu and not spaghetti bolognese.
Best Travel Advice #13: Carry a Travel Board Game
From: Globe Trove
A friend gave us the greatest travel advice we have encountered a couple of years ago. He had just introduced us to our new passion of playing board games and at that time it just seemed to fit. Now I tell everyone that I meet that the best tip that I can offer a person on the go is to carry a travel board game with them.
It is beneficial for many reasons. One of the main reasons is because it is fun. These board games are light, easy to play and do not take up much place. In places like hostels where you want to make friends they can act as a social icebreaker.
Check out this fun Travel Board Game – Exploding Kittens (Check Price!)
Aside from all this, anyone who travels knows that things never go according to plan. Delays with transport, unpredictable weather, health issues and so much more can stick a pin in your plans. Board games really take your mind away from it and keep you entertained when all seems at its lowest.
If you are travelling with kids, it also is a great way to keep them entertained! My advice is don’t travel without one!
You might be interested in 15 Super Awesome Kids Travel Tips – from Kids!
Best Travel Advice #14: Learn how to Avoid Dodgy Water (and Montezuma’s revenge!)
From: Travel Collecting
My top travel advice is teaching folks how to avoid dodgy water. The water in many countries isn’t suitable for drinking, and it is common for travelers to not drink the tap water. However, tap water is in many other things. Salads and fruit are washed with tap water, so it is best to avoid them and only eat fruits that have skins or eels that you can remove yourself. Ice in your cocktail also probably comes directly form the tap, so ask for your whiskey straight up!
You can also digest germy water when you brush your teeth. It is a little strange to brush your teeth with bottled water, but is much safer. Be careful when you have showers too – it is easy to get water splashed in your mouth. Taking these precautions has helped keep me from getting the dreaded travelers ‘stomach in many countries.
You might be interested in Travel Tip Tuesday #1: Don’t Leave your toothbrush in the hotel room
Best Travel Advice #15: Learn How to Get Over Jet lag
From: Universo Viajero
According to many travelers, jet lag is one of the worst things about travel to places where the time zones change a lot. Imagine that your body is perfectly used to wake up and sleep at certain hours, but suddenly you force it to do so at completely different ones because the time zone in which you find yourself is much different from that of your home.
One of the easiest ways to get over jet lag it is planning ahead and finding out in advance the time zone of your destination and start slowly preparing your body. The week before your trip, start going to bed earlier (or later) and you will see how everything will be much easier during the first days of your trip.
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If you think that this is too difficult because of your commitments and social life, then it is best to eradicate the problem from day one by forcing your body to comply with its new schedule.
For example, it does not matter if you want to sleep because at home it is 11 in the night if where you are now its 6 pm, you must do your best to stay awake as long as possible. This way you can get used to your new routine more quickly.
If you are looking for more travel advice on how to get over (and avoid) jet lag, check out our article How to get over jet lag while you travel – 11 Jet Lag Tips for every traveler
Best Travel Advice #16: Use Airport Lounges!
From: The Round the World Guys
Some of the best travel advice that we always recommend for people why fly frequently is the use of Airport Lounges. For the most part, when you fly, you will have to wait in an airports for your flight, and airport lounge access can make a huge difference.
Some of the benefits of airport lounges are the free food and drink, comfortable areas to lounge and to work, and even take a nap. Many lounges also have a shower facility. These are great to have before your long flights to your final destination, or when you get there.
You can purchase your airport lounge membership through Priority Pass, or get it from credit card companies such as Chase Reserve or American Express Platinum as part of their travel perks.
Best Travel Advice #17 Fully Research Your Trip (including the hidden gotchas!)
From: Uprooted Traveler
Before you head on a trip, carefully think about the steps that will be necessary for you to get into the destination’s airport and to your accommodations. It may seem simple, but there are a surprising number of steps required to get you from Point A to B- and a thousand things that could go wrong in the process. Do you need a visa? How will you access the internet? Are there rideshare apps there? Are credit cards widely accepted or do you need cash? Will your debit card work there?
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I am a well-traveled lady and generally, thoroughly research my trips ahead of time. When I recently had a long layover in Shanghai, though, I figured I could mostly wing it. Seemingly everything went wrong- to get a visa, I needed to show a copy of my departing flight- but couldn’t pull it up on my phone due to lack of internet before exiting customs.
Even once I had Internet, Google maps didn’t work due to China’s firewall and I couldn’t download any other apps, because my only means to download apps, Google Play and the iTunes Store, were also blocked. While I had previously downloaded China’s ride-hailing app, Didi, it wasn’t working on my phone for some reason.
So, while Shanghai seemed like a fascinating city, I spent my entire time there frustrated and trying to find solutions to these problems. Had I researched ahead of time, I would’ve been able to enjoy myself and now, have adopted this approach for every other place I visit.
Best Travel Advice #18 Be Flexible with your Travel Dates to get the best prices!
From: My Path in the World
The number one way to find cheap flights and accommodations is to be flexible with your dates and be open to different destinations. Searching for specific dates and a specific destination will never reveal the best deals. Cheapair.com, for example, allows you to look for flights to all destinations at once and within an entire month (or show you which month is the cheapest), so you get maximum flexibility in your search.
Other websites have different options, but most of them offer some kind of flexible search. If you are not traveling during high-season, accommodation prices will also be a lot more budget-friendly.
Best Travel Advice #19 Use a VPN to Protect your Data (and Score Cheaper Flights!)
From: A Social Nomad
Using a VPN while you travel provides a level of security for your personal data when you’re connecting to all the free Wifi networks in hostels, bars, cafes and even parks!  We all have to book accommodation, flights and buses, so protecting your personal and financial data is key.
You’ll also get huge benefits using a VPN when travelling by allowing you to spoof the location you’re accessing the internet from.  If you’re booking a flight through a site like Expedia for instance, then you tend to get the cheapest flight if you book through the website of the country where it departs from.  So, if you want a cheap flight from Chile, then you’d need to visit expedia.cl.Â
If you use your VPN to spoof (or mask) your location to where you want to pretend to be, then you’ll see the rates change for your flight.   The more comprehensive VPN’s will provide servers in multiple countries so you’ll have lots of options.Â
We’ve been saving money booking flights like this for 8 years now.  Most recently in Colombia, but our biggest saving was 700 euros on the last minute flight from Bulgaria to the UK when none of the budget airlines had seats!
Final Thoughts on Best Travel Advice
We hope you enjoyed this collection of some of the best travel advice ever uttered. Did we cover it all? Of course not. But this primer in how to travel should get you started on your next adventure. Be sure to check out all of the great travel bloggers who joined this collaboration and make sure to follow them on social media too!
If you liked this content, please do us a favor share it on social media and click the “like” button below and don’t forget to follow us on social media including Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.
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