How Do I Decide Where I Want To Travel?
Travel is exhilarating! Even though there are innumerable destinations to explore, deciding WHERE TO TRAVEL gets overwhelming sometimes. Well, I’d say that even the process of deciding on a destination is fun. You need to feel inspired to be able to travel. I believe the first and foremost thing to have, more than money or resources, is the inspiration and curiosity to travel.
After you have sorted a few important things out, such as your budget, the weather, your health, your personal and professional commitments, picking a destination shouldn’t be much of a task.
Also read: Post Lockdown Travel – How To Be Safe?
How Do I Decide Where I Want To Travel?
So, how do I choose my travel destinations? To be honest, I don’t really have to think too much about where I want to travel, because I always have a list on my mind. If you need a dose of travel inspiration or you are just curious to know why I choose a particular place to explore, this post is for you –
Beautiful travel photos and videos
There’s so much of travel content out there that you don’t really lack inspiration these days. There’s Instagram, YouTube videos, travel blogs, travel shows and the like. It’s quite easy to get drawn towards a place after seeing a beautiful photo of it. So yes, I mostly get curious for a destination after I have seen it or read about it somewhere.
Tip: Follow good travel accounts on Instagram for your constant dose of travel inspiration.
Also read: 10 Tips On How To Travel More
I get fascinated by movie locations
I have visited many places after I have seen their glimpses in movies. For instance, the movie Lamhe (by Yash Chopra) inspired me to visit Rajasthan. As a kid, I had no idea what the world was like beyond North India. When I used to shut my eyes, all I could see was the lushness and the mountains of Uttarakhand. I had no idea there were seas and deserts, too.
Tip: Watch movies with good locations and find out the exact locales in the end titles or Wikipedia.
I find travel blogs inspiring
It may sound a bit self-propagandistic, but travel blogs are the best sources of travel inspiration. I have found a lot of my destinations from various travel blogs that I have been following over the years. I visited Hampi because it was a highly recommended destination for solo travelers by many travel bloggers.
Tip: Always be on a lookout to follow good travel blogs.
My curiosity makes me pick places
Although I’m open to traveling to any place in the world, there are places that fascinate me for certain reasons. I like places with some soul and character, which I believe come from culture, heritage, and the way locals live. There has to be something about the place that should make me curious. I don’t care how famous the place is or how cheap it is to travel there. It has to appeal to me in some way.
Tip: Be curious. The more curious you get, the better traveler you become, and the better places you visit.
Also read: 10 Things I Love About Travel
I’m mostly drawn towards mountains and hills
It’s very easy for me to choose a place that has precincts of mountains or hills. Besides the Himalayas, I’m also quite fond of the Aravallis, Western Ghats and the Satpura hills of India. So, if a place has oodles of culture, beautiful streets, great culinary and lovely locals with the sprinkling of mountains around it, I’m booking my tickets.
Tip: Find out what you truly like about a place.
Also read: The Unsung Valleys Of Kashmir
I like cities with good cafes
Being a digital nomad, I choose cities with good cafes where I can enjoy some good coffee and sit for hours to do my work. I love the café culture of Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. And, I have to mention Fort Kochi (Cochin, Kerala), whose café scene is painted with heritage, art and culture. So, it’s like getting to absorb so much with just a cup of coffee or masala chai.
Tip: If you like cities and you want to take in the local vibe, choose cities with good cafes, markets and by-lanes. On the other hand, if you like museums and historic sites, then pick cities with historic value. For instance, Delhi is a good blend of history and avant-garde cafes.
I love exploring villages
Rural travel is the best kind of travel. I want to visit every village in the world. There’s so much of untouched beauty to savor in a village that I simply go crazy! My most recent village trip was in Uttarakhand – I explored a lot of Kumaoni villages. There’s something about the villages of India. I have observed that people in the villages have more aesthetic sense and they like to keep their homes and surroundings beautiful and clean.
Tip: Always make your base in the villages. Don’t stay in a hotel, which is in a busy market. Look out for local home stays, which would give you authentic travel experiences.
Also read: How To Choose Accommodation As A Solo Female Traveler?
How do you decide where to travel?
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