Tips to do a SMART Traveling

nikensmartini July 15, 2017 6 Comments

Hi all,

Have a nice Saturday all. Today, I want to share my experience to do smart traveling, especially to get the best price for airline ticket and hotel voucher. It would be so fun if we are able to do traveling twice a year or even more. Because we should have a time refreshment after daily routines and get the best mood ever after holiday. I, personally, use to do traveling twice a year to the destination that require a visa to entry the country and also to the country that need a passport only. Actually, anybody can go anywhere and anytime as lots of airline companies and hotels offer the best deal every season.

The challenge will be how to select the best destination with the cheapest costs.

When I started my traveling hobby years ago, I just simply go to the travel agent and buy the airline ticket in a package with the hotel voucher and a visa arrangement. It was so simple and I don’t be bothered with arrange everything by myself. However, after doing some experiences, I feel more convenience if I arrange most of the traveling processes by myself as the transactions can be done through online. And also it will be much cheaper. Some of the time, I still need the travel agent to do the visa arrangement to shorten the time and also to book the tour in the country that I am not familiar with.

I ever get ZERO airline ticket to go to Singapore from Indonesia and also I ever made the travel itinerary of 7 days from Jakarta to Osaka and Kyoto for only IDR 6 million (approx. U$ 600). Is it fascinating? Now, I want to share to you how to plan the traveling with the best price to get the best feeling all over the year.

Imperial Palace Osaka, Japan

Don’t miss the PROMOTION period! Always keep updated with the information about the promotion period that is being offered by airline provider, hotel, and travel agent annually. They usually conduct the exhibition twice a year or just do the ticket sale without any exhibitions. They usually send the email to their members to announce the promotion announcement weeks before and also put in the newspaper or as part of the radio program. If you look the best deal, don’t think too much, just buy it straight away before it run out.
Be the member of the product that related to traveling. Just select one or two of your favorite brand of airline companies, hotel providers, online travels and online hotel booking and apply to become as their members. Why? Because sometime they gave the best deal for members and also they give the information about the promotion period earlier than the non members. It means that we have the opportunities to get the best price earlier.
Buy the ticket a year before! I used to buy the airline tickets and hotel vouchers a year before the departure. Because I will be able to get the cheapest price and I still can do saving until the departure time. Some of the online hotel booking offer the booking service with later payment.
Choose Tuesday and Wednesday to travel. In my experiences to book airline ticket, these days will offer the best deal other than other days for both travel out from Indonesia and back to Indonesia.
By air or by land? If you plan to travel out of town, you better check in advance the price of airline and comparing with train, bus or car transportation mode prices. Sometimes, the airline ticket much cheaper than the others.
Plan the itinerary effectively and efficiently before buying the ticket. The itinerary is very helpful to manage the traveling expenditure costs and also able to see the best day to travel. It also can give you the information about on which day you need the local transportation or you just need your foot to explore the city.
Prepare the offline map and the REAL MAP! This is very useful to avoid getting lost, which will be costly. You just download the map and save it in your phone and also get the map from the hotel or airport.
Book the hotel that comfort and suitable with your needs. Mostly, during traveling, I spent most of the time outside the hotel and back to the hotel just for 5 hours sleep. But, I just realize that I have to balance the time between resting at the hotel and do some outdoor activities. Because, when I get sick during traveling and need a doctor, it’ll be very expensive. So, it is better to choose the comfort hotel to refresh the body and get ready for the activities on the next day.