There are many reasons why you might want to embark on a multi-city trip. For starters, multi-city trips can be a cost-effective way to cover many destinations in one go. If your desired locations are near each other, it is certainly much cheaper to hop from city to city as opposed to flying back home each time and taking multiple trips.
Having a new location to look forward to every couple of days will have you constantly excited about the next destination. Your taste-buds will also thank you for the variety of new cuisines you’ll get a chance to taste. Regardless of your reasons for a city-hopping adventure, here are a few tips to keep in mind before embarking on the journey of a lifetime.
Planning is Key
Having more than one city to cover means that the logistics of your trip will multiply. Good planning does not merely extend to keeping track of your numerous flight and hotel bookings, but also to staying on top of your daily itinerary. Unless your goal is to explore the city spontaneously, it is best to have a detailed itinerary of places to visit and things to do.
You do not have to pressure yourself to complete all of them, but it’s handy to at least have a list on hand. Some even choose to make a custom Google map for each location. This way, you’ll know that you’re making the most of your precious time soaking in these new experiences.
Save Some Money
Travelling to many locations in one go also means that you’ll be spending more money on multiple flights and hotel bookings for your trip. Consider using an app like Wego to help you find the cheapest options available.
The Wego app is designed to scour for the lowest flight and hotel deals across the internet, and it even has a great multicity feature to help you book all your flight tickets in one go. Using this app can save quite a bit of money (and time!), allowing you a bigger, more flexible budget for other areas of your trip.
Research, Research, Research
Longer trips covering multiple locations can often be intimidating to plan. One way to alleviate anxiety is to prepare yourself with adequate research. This means to research general things like the weather and temperature, cultural etiquettes and the local transport system, but also to go into more details on specific activities/locations on your itinerary such as their visiting hours.
It would be a shame to go to Paris only to find out that certain museums close on either Mondays or Tuesdays. Likewise, it would be disappointing to be barred entry from an iconic mosque, cathedral or temple because you did not think to pack a modest outfit. If you have specific dietary requirements, you’ll be better served if you come prepared with a list of restaurants or food joints catered to your needs.
Manage your expectations
Get ready for challenges along the way. Some things are simply out of your control. There’s really not much you can do but wait it out if your flight is delayed due to stormy weather, or if your train breaks down halfway along the journey.
Travelling with companions will likely test your patience, especially if you have different travelling styles or prefer different activities. If a site is unexpectedly closed for the day, or if the skies look gloomy despite the forecast, have a backup activity in mind, and go there instead.
Be Flexible
In some cases, it might be best to have an open-ended itinerary or to schedule in blocks of free time for individual activities. You might also want to rank or prioritise the items on your itinerary in case you decide to spend more time in one place.
Many things can affect the way the trip goes, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll stick to your original plan to a tee. What if you decide you’re not in the mood for a particular restaurant that evening, or if you would rather spend the whole day at the beach instead of backpacking through the jungle? It’s ok for plans to shift—it might be more relaxing to go with the flow. You are, after all, on a vacation.
Stay Organised
Have on hand a physical and digital copy of all your important documents, and your itinerary at all times. Keep your physical papers organised in a folder—you never know when you might need them. There’s nothing more frustrating than desperately digging around the bottom of your bag for an important ticket or booking confirmation at the very last minute.
As for digital copies of your documents, it is best to have them downloaded to your device and accessible even when offline. This way, you won’t have to rely on a wifi connection to view them. On a side note, send a copy of your itinerary over to your family members, so they’ll know where you are and will be able to contact you in case of emergencies.
Record Your Memories
The saying “time flies when you’re having fun” never seemed more accurate than when on vacation. Before you know it, you’ll be back home languishing from a case of the Monday blues. On a multi-city trip, your amount of new experiences will be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled. Consider keeping a travel diary or a journal to help you remember what you did at different locations and cities.
A short note every night accompanied by a single highlight picture in your phone app will go a long way in helping you remember these treasured memories in the years to come.
