Best Travel Advice from fellow travelers:

The best travel advice gathered from years of travel during adventures from ALL over the world – right here! Are any new to you?

Try not to plan too much. Leave yourself open to new opportunities. You never know where life will take you….    Mallory of Mal’s Away

Balance is everything. Don’t be afraid to go to touristy places – they became famous for a reason – but be weary of tourist traps. Camilia of Adventitious Violet

Ask the locals where they eat. Look for a lineup of cabs outside a restaurant around lunch or dinner. Not only will you find great food, but it’s likely going to be cheap, too. – Marissa of Darling Escapes

Slow down. Don’t try to cram 5 countries in 5 weeks of travel, all the great stuff can be experienced when you take the time to explore. Make conscious choices, be mindful, take a moment to relax and soak in the magic of a new place.  Ankita of Transforming Escapes

Always carry a basic first aid kit. Even if you can’t fit in another item, you must! You’ll never know when it’ll come in handy! Christianna of Expecto Adventures

Travel is education in a less formal environment, so open your eyes, don’t get too worried and enjoy the experience. Kimberly of A Walk Aboot

Don’t overplan – leave room for magic to happen. Build in some free days because travel can be exhausting. Laura of Roam Far and Wide

Pack light! Lay out everything you think you need, then cut that in half. Twila of Twila Grissom

Pack lightly, travel widely, smile brightly, explore confidently. Ankia of BeautiFulfillment

Be happy and friendly to the locals. The friendlier you are, usually the friendlier they are to you. Even if you went to your destination to see a place, you will fall even more in love with the people! Aubrie of Globetrotting Ginger Travel

Don’t be afraid to go solo! It’s fun to travel with friends but when you go solo you get to do exactly what YOU want to do. You also learn to rely on just yourself and no one else – a life lesson that can’t be beat.  Ally of Go Seek Explore

Don’t be afraid of what others think of your travels. It’s your life. Don’t have regrets of not doing what you wanted to do in your lifetime. Nicole of Adventures of Lil Nicki

Everyone travels for their own reasons. Whether you’re traveling with someone or looking at someone else’s experiences to plan your own trip, it’s best to keep in mind that no two people will feel the same way about everything while traveling. You need to learn what you like and learn how to compromise.  Kaley of Communication is Difficult

Learn a little language, don’t drink too much and respect the locals. Also, don’t get too stressed out when you get lost- you won’t be lost forever. Alexa of She Tells Travel Tales

Always have your hotel/accommodation address written down and with you so that you can give it to a taxi driver or ask directions! This is particilarly helpful in countries with different alphabets! Alex of Gin and Giraffes

Visit the places that YOU want to go, not the places that you feel you should go to just because everyone else goes there. I’m skipping the East Coast of Australia in favour of a road trip to the north, through the centre and along the west coast. Create your own adventure! Becka of Seek the Mysteries

Carry a sarong. It can be used in many ways (for boys and girls both) – to cover your shoulders and head when you visit a temple, a wrap over your beach wear, a beach mat, a bed sheet if your hostel doesn’t have clean linens, an eye cover to sleep on the bus and so much more! It can be rolled into a pillow, used to tie things to the backpack, or worn as a cute asymmetrical skirt over hotpants – I usually carry a bunch of them when I travel. Sonal of Drifter Planet

Talk to locals, learn a little of the language, and wander until you’re lost; or you’ll never truly know a place. Madison of Gap Year Girl

Stay in Airbnb’s, apartments, and with families to get the local feel of a city. It’s a great way to meet people and be in the part of town where you can see everyday life of the people who live there. Natalie of From Tourist 2 Local

Travel in comfortable shoes! Some of the most charming streets in the world are cobblestone…a girl-in-heels’ nightmare! My travel rule for shoes is one pair of broken in walking sneakers, versatile leather sandals (sub for boots in winter) and a pair of lightweight disposable flip flops to use as shower shoes. Taylor of The Global Darling

Not everything will be 100% amazing all the time, and that’s okay. Don’t worry if your holiday doesn’t look like everybody else’s Instagram feed – it’s okay for things to go wrong, as long as you pick yourself back up and remember all the good things that happened too! Sanchia of 260 Degrees West

Bring a towel. Kari of Words and Other Such Things

Plan wisely, and with detail, but leave room for spontaneity. Laura Baustian, Independent Travel Consultant

If you’re wanting to travel somewhere cheaply, rather than decide where to go and then despair how expensive the flights are, instead find some cheap airfares and plan your trip around that. Of course, this works best if you’re also flexible with travel dates (or patient if you book flights for next year)! Shandos of Travelnuity 

Sequins travel really really well! Bramhall of Haute Culture Fashion

Let go. Totally letting go when it comes to trying to control the outcome of a situation, or trying to make sure a trip goes “perfectly.” It’s so much better to let things unfold naturally and unexpected (and often better) memories are made that way. Amy of Two Drifters

Meet the locals. Solo travel allows this a lot more, but whoever you are traveling with, whether you are out for dinner or at a pub for drinks…talk to the people in the city or town you are visiting. That’s how you truly understand a new place better than anything else.  Toni of One Tree Hill

Don’t wait on friends or family. Get out there alone! No conflicting schedules, no conflicting personalities.  Tyjuana of The Black Traveler’s Blog

My opinion of the best travel advice is: GO. Anywhere, anyway, alone, with someone, for a short time or a long time – just GO.

Happy travels creating your own top travel advice,

Natalie, The Educational Tourist