Friday, January 12, 2018

10 Tips To Skip The Crowds While Traveling

Travel is much more than a fun vacation. Travel gives people a chance to learn about new cultures, meet amazing people, and gain a respect for a way of life different from their own. Trips to beautiful beaches are usually crowded, but an increasing number of people are taking trips to less-visited destinations, which mean more crowds.

By no means does that mean you shouldn’t travel. No matter where you go, you must be sure to respect the travel destination you are in. But you don’t have to avoid your dream trip just because of the crowds. Here’s how.

1.      Travel in the low season. It’s easy enough to look up the high season in any country or city you’d like to visit and plan a trip around that. Want to see Italy? Avoid summer and try going in fall instead, when the weather is still nice but the crowd sizes are much smaller.

2.      There may be the occasional exception to the above rule. If for example, you have always dreamed of seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan, there is absolutely no way to avoid the crowds. This is the highest season in Japan. If this is the case book your trip, but try to get out and see the sights earlier in the day and in the evening, when the crowds are less thick.

3.      If busy trains and busses drive you nuts, the best thing you can do is simply avoid them. Book accommodation near the big sites you’d like to see so you are able to walk. If you need to take public transportation, plan your sightseeing wisely. Plan your touring so you only need to take public transportation once or twice during the day.

4.      Do some sightseeing off-the-beaten-path. Tourist sites are popular for a reason, so we’re not saying you should skip them. But less popular attractions are less crowded and often still stunning. Do some research online to find great alternative attractions!

5.      Avoid major tourist attractions on weekends. Not only is this when tourists are out and about, it is when locals are as well. Use weekends as more laid-back travel days.

6.      We cannot state this tip enough; get up early. Yes you want to relax and sleep in, but it simply isn’t worth it. Wake up early and get to those top attractions before the crowds. We’re talking be at the door when they open.

7.      If you are heading to a city that gets a lot of cruise ships coming in, look at the schedule of those ships. Thousands of extra visitors pour into cities from cruise ships. Avoiding these ships will make your destination much less crowded.

8.      Sometimes, going early to a destination is not the solution. The sunrise at the top of Haleakala in Hawaii, for example, is packed. Do some research to see when the off-peak hours are. Sunset for example, is much less crowded and still plenty beautiful.

9.      Check out more than just tour guides when researching your trip. Books tend to focus on the popular, tourist-heavy areas in any destination. Instead check out some travel blogs. Ask around to see if you know anyone who has been there. They will give you much better advice than a book will.

10.   Buy your tickets to paid attractions in advanced when you can. Popular attractions aren’t only crowded, but they have long lines just to get tickets. Waiting for a ticket for the Eiffel Tower for example can take hours on its own. Plus when you skip the line, you have more time to explore!