Once you've settled on a destination, it's time to consider what you'll do when you get there. Most luxury travel destinations offer you lots of activities, so you need to prioritise based on what interests you most.
Brainstorm the potential attractions, and make sure to include everybody (friends and relatives) who's coming on the trip. Some of the things that might catch your imagination include:
Local events (e.g. festivals)
Museums, zoos, and aquariums
Notable restaurants
Unique shopping opportunities
Guided tours
Theme parks
You can even go for a unique geothermal spa experience in Hrunalaug hot spring in Iceland.
Remember that you're in control of your dream vacation here. While you want to take full advantage of the unique possibilities your destination has to offer, you don't need to commit to anything you're not sure you'll enjoy.
Just because you're planning a luxury vacation, that doesn't mean you need to empty your savings account! A little financial planning will ensure that you get your money's worth.
With a memorable trip like this, you want to prioritise the things you're especially interested in experiencing. Start with the cost of the activities and attractions you consider "can't miss" opportunities.
Next, look at how much money you have available for the absolute necessities of travel. Set a budget for accommodation and transportation. You'll study these points in more detail later, to make sure you travel and sleep as comfortably as possible.
Finally, try to set a realistic daily budget for incidental expenses. Consider what you'll be spending on food, souvenirs, and impulse purchases -- be as generous as possible!
By this point, you have a firm idea of where you're going, what you want to do, and how much money you have available. This is the right time to look into travel packages and all-inclusive deals.
Package deals always involve certain trade-offs. They can reduce the cost of your dream vacation, but committing to a travel package may also reduce your options when it comes to scheduling, activities, and your choice of hotels.
To stretch your budget to its utmost, look for vacation packages that fit as closely as possible with your existing plans. The more of your goals a package deal fits, the more attractive it becomes.
With virtually every vacation destination, you'll find that there are better and worse times of the year to visit. Now is the time to pick out the perfect schedule for your vacation.
If there are any seasonal events that you absolutely have to include in your vacation, then scheduling your trip becomes simple. It may also become expensive, though, as popular events tend to attract lots of travellers.
If your schedule is more flexible, you can strike the right balance between low demand and maximum opportunity. Travelling in the off-season can save you a lot of money -- provided it doesn't close off the activities you want to participate in.
Additionally, consider exploring luggage shipping services to conveniently transport your belongings and avoid the hassle of carrying heavy bags.
Although the main point of a great vacation is what you do with your waking hours, spare a little thought for where you're going to be laying your head! Picking the wrong hotel can spoil what might otherwise be a once-in-a-lifetime getaway.
Based on what you want to do on your vacation, you need to pick out accommodations that offer you safety, comfort, and convenience. Don't compromise on these core principles to save a little money; the knowledge that you got a good deal will not make up for the hassles and risks you experience staying in a sub-par hotel.
Before you finalise your accommodation plans, gather as much first-hand feedback as possible. If you have friends or relatives with direct experience, listen to their advice. And you should be able to find online reviews for virtually any hotel you're considering. From there, you can utilize a tracking tool to compare accommodations and luxury packages, such as ConnectOtels.com for the best results.
Now that you have good ideas about when you're travelling, where you're staying, and what you're doing, you're prepared to study the transportation opportunities available to you.
Some trips will be easy to plan in advance. You can settle basic questions like "how do we get from the airport to the hotel" and "what's the best way to get from the hotel to the attractions" months before you start your vacation.
Take the time to learn about your destination's transport infrastructure in general, though! Are there buses, subways, taxis, or trains? Is public transportation common or rare? What's the best way to pay for transport?
For example, when you are considering exploring the many wonders of Tasmania, it would make a lot of sense to opt for a motorhome hire Tasmania rather than relying solely on public transportation. Not only can you avoid the hassles of public transport, but you can also travel in absolute comfort and luxury.
Researching these questions in advance will give you valuable flexibility during your vacation. If you have the impulse to go check out something that you didn't plan for, it'll be a lot easier to do if you're familiar with the local transport options.
Bon voyage!