If you google “useful travel tips”, there are about 1,040,000,000 results from websites and blogs giving different travel advice. I’ll go straight to the point and tell you about 5 useful travel tips that always work for me.
Get data on your iPhone and use Google map.
One of the reasons why I got an iPhone is because of the map – it is dead useful. I find it so easy to navigate around in a new city, and I never have to worry about getting lost. This is probably the best travel tip I can ever give anyone.
Tourists can usually get away with anything, just be polite and smile.
Don’t be afraid of embarrassing yourself. Remember, the best part about being a tourist is you can do anything. Nobody knows you, so there’s really no need to be afraid of doing/saying stupid things.
Stay away from the touristy restaurants. Eat where the locals eat.
You are doing it wrong if you are eating in a restaurant which is full of tourists. The most important thing when you are travelling is to try the local cuisine. Eat where the locals eat, stay away from the touristy areas.
Do your research.
Which is the best hidden restaurant? Where do locals go for a nice dinner? What are some of the must-try food? Read local food blogs to find good eating places, ask your friends who have been to that city, do your research before the trip.
Prioritise your objectives for the trip.
Are you there for shopping? Or are you there to explore the famous tourist spots? Unless money is no object, you must know what is your main objective for the trip, and plan accordingly.
Travelling is food for the soul. If you haven’t planned your next trip, it’s time to do so! Feel free to leave me a comment if you have questions, or tweet me at @ladyironchef.
Hi Brad! Do you have any recommendation for getting data sim cards in taipei?
great tips! i would add another tip: be safe! don’t go out alone after 10pm in foreign countries as most locals stay indoors after 10pm from observation.
Thanks for the tips! Tip 1 is especially relevant, but the data charges overseas are usually exhorbitant! Could you share what kind of data plan you usually take up?
@jianhao you can get them at the airport once you come out of the custom. They have different plans depending on the length of your stay, it’s very affordable.
@angel yeah I agree with that. It depends on where, though. If I feel safe enough, I don’t mind staying out slightly later. But in general, people should not stay out too late unless in a big group.
Rachel: Hello I would buy sim card (for internet data) when I reach there. It’s usually quite affordable; like when I went to Europe and US, it was around $3 a day?
Check out the iPhone app ‘Cartographer’ – you can download an entire city street map and run it in offline mode – very useful when you don’t have a data plan! It will allow you to locate yourself with GPS and you can even set waypoints with a custom Google Map (normal google maps on iphone does not allow you to create points/markings). This map is THE best iPhone travel app (though I like TripIt too)
Great advice! Thanks a lot!
Have you ever done bag packing in Japan before? I have 2 weeks to spend in Japan in August – will be travelling from osaka down to tokyo! wanna do exciting stuff over there! if u have done a trip there before, maybe u wanna share? =D
Just completed my 2nd alone trip to Taiwan, and I have to admit that data plans and google map are the best!
Do throw in additional portable charger on standby coz hp battery runs out fast. Haha
You are right Brad! Nothing beats Google Maps when you need to find a place in an unfamiliar country! That’s why my first objective when travelling is to always get a sim card with a data plan asap!