April is definitely my favourite month of the year because it’s my birthday! I find it the best time to go on a vacation with my bf because it feels like a special celebration trip as compared to just any ordinary trip. This is the second time we are flying to BKK together and we’re so excited! Last year, it was a disaster before our trip because of a mistake I made and you’ll find out more in my post.
Some people prefer to go on a spontaneous holiday because of excitement and unpredictable experiences. Personally, I cannot stand it without an itinerary. I would rather spend a little more time planning my trip than to waste our time deciding where to go in the middle of our trip.
I’m not a travel expert but I’d love to share some of the things I would do when planning for my holidays 😉
How to plan for your trip?
Choice of Destination
Why did we chose BKK when there are tons of other interesting places? I think the reason is pretty obvious. BKK remains as a popular tourist destination for most Singaporeans because it is so AFFORDABLE. I feel that BKK is one of the few places where we are able to shop and eat without worrying so much about our budget. And we both love Thai food so why not right? Last year, we had quite many bowls of Thai Boat noodles and the bill was less than S$10 for 2!
Check for Festivals
The first thing to do before booking your flight ticket other than to compare flight prices, is to check for any festivals/happenings! I didn’t think of this and booked our holidays during the Songkran festival last year. I know there are people who would fly there just to enjoy Songkran but it was a big no-no for me. From friend’s experiences, most markets would be closed and you risk getting drenched the moment you step out of the hotel..
It was kinda a blessing in disguise in the end as we postponed our trip and extended it due to my job resignation in April. But let’s not mention about the additional costs due to my mistake.
Plan your Itinerary
Like I’ve said, I don’t really like wasting time deciding where to visit while we’re already at the country. Planning your itinerary smartly also saves you on transport and time, especially when you group activities on the same day where they are located near one another. For example, we planned to visit the new Rot Fai Night Market after Big Dog Cafe as they are only opposite each other. This might seemed like a very obvious thing to do, but if you’re not familiar with the country, failing to plan your itinerary might result in missing out the small details.
If you are not familiar with the country, just do a little bit of research on Google. There are many blogs and articles recommending the popular places and it’s really not difficult to find and shortlist those that you are interested in!
Remember to check all the opening hours as well! Most night markets tend to close on Mondays-Wednesdays. And cafes are usually closed on Monday as well. Check all this info prior to your planning and it will make things a lot easier. If you don’t mind the extra work, you can even check if the cafes take reservations. And some places have strict timings e.g. True Love Neverland only opens at certain timings and is always sold out daily. You wouldn’t want to travel all the way there and be disappointed.
Not sure about you but I usually plan my outfits according to the places I visit as well! The itinerary really comes in handy!
It’s not necessary for us to follow the itinerary strictly but at least we have a plan!
Budget your trip
Unless you have too much to spare, it’s best to budget your trip and know how much cash to bring (At least extra SGD in case you need to change money). Having a rough budget in mind will also prevent you from overspending unknowingly.
I like to mark down the cost of every item and meal so that it’s easier to refer when we wish to know how much we spent. It can also be a gauge for us to know if the next item we buy is worth the money.
Checklist
I have a default checklist for the items that I need to bring along for my holiday trip. Seems quite kiasu but I don’t want to reach the hotel and regret not bringing something I need. Always be prepared especially if you’re traveling for more than a couple of days! And you wouldn’t want to forget important documents like your passport anyway!
I guess that’s the main things to take note when planning for your holidays! (At least that’s what I usually do)
#countdownto18april
YAY I CAN’T WAIT!
