20 Obscure Yet Essential Travel Tips From Adventurers All Around The World
These tips might come handy when you are traveling.
Traveling is an exciting adventure, full of wonderful experiences and unforgettable moments but it also brings a certain amount of anxiety because of the unfamiliar things around. However, a little bit of pre-planning might make your trips more comfortable and successful.
When a Reddit user asked other folks to share the most obscure but vital travel tips, some seasoned travelers stepped up to share their best advice in the thread. These tips may be lesser-known, but they are undeniably vital for making your next journey a smooth and memorable one. So, without further ado, let's dive into the world of hidden travel wisdom!
More info: Instagram
Image source: Previous-Atmosphere6, Scott Gummerson
"If you are in a country where you don’t speak the language and might be taking taxis, have the staff at your hotel record a voice memo on your phone explaining how to get back to the hotel. Then just play it for your taxi driver. Or use this strategy for allergy messages to play in restaurants , or basically any message you can anticipate needing."
Image source: oh_no551, Erik Mclean
"I always take some sandwich bags. There's always a half eaten pastry, or leftovers etc when you're out. That way I can pop it in my bag for later."
Image source: sumadviceplz, Solen Feyissa
"Google local scams in the area before visiting somewhere new. It's helped me not fall for a few."
Image source: photoguy8008, Pixabay
"It’s ok to be sitting in your hotel room, across the street from the Eiffel Tower/palace/mountain and decide…today is a sit in my room and order an amazing pepperoni pizza and binge a tv show day.
You travel to relax, not to run a marathon of “how much can I fit in”."
Image source: virtual_human, Possessed Photography
"Never pass up a bathroom."
Image source: JulieRose1961, Rafael Cisneros Méndez
"Always schedule a quiet day after you arrive, especially if you’re coming off a long flight, jet-lag is a real thing
And always have spare days in your itinerary for either weather events, or just things you discover while you’re there
Carry more than one credit/debit card."
Image source: Finnbalt, Shiny Diamond
"If someone smiles a lot and appears overtly friendly when talking to you, leave."
Image source: Huge-Recognition-366, Mark Olsen
"Try searching for flights in the airline’s original language. I once saved $700 when booking tickets for a trip to Peru by using Spanish rather than English."
Image source: hzanahoria, Jamie Taylor
"If you need to poo in the center of a city, search for a public library and enter confidently. Library toilets tend to be much cleaner than those in other public buildings and are free."
Image source: sunbuddy86, Daniel J. Schwarz
"When visiting a city get up before sunrise and walk as the city wakes up. I did this in Venice and it was magic!"
Image source: lavidaloco123, Vinta Supply Co. | NYC
"Two things:
1) Make a color photocopy of your passport to carry with you and leave the original in your hotel safe
2) Learn a few simple words in the local language. Hello, goodbye, thank you, at a minimum. It will go a long way to making people friendly to you"
Image source: PieMastaSam, Daoudi Aissa
"Having light rain gear on a rainy day can make normally packed activities wait free."
Image source: ShtOutOfDuck, henry perks
"What’s available offline from google is insane. downloading an offline map on google maps for a region helps you navigate whether you have cell service or traveling on airplane mode. if in a country w a language barrier, you can download languages in google translate for offline use, and while you may not have a deep intellectual convo, you can get by with basics like food, bathroom, etc. particularly helpful in countries with different alphabets, as you can scan a photo you take or play out loud a phrase for someone helping you."
Image source: AlternativeMinute306, Miriam Alonso
"Brushing your teeth is the quickest way to feel human again after long flights. Have toothpaste and brush ready so you can do this before you leave the airport."
Image source: Historical_Wonder794, Scott Graham
"Get travel insurance… simple but seen many people forgetting and regretting."
Image source: nucumber, Jeff Weese
"In the EU and UK, carry about a dollar's / euro's / pound's worth in change, because some public restrooms charge."
Image source: lunch22, Sigmund
"It is not a requirement to pack your bag as full as possible."
Image source: hillbillygoat, Allef Vinicius
"If I’m going to a sketchy country, I carry a fake wallet. I have expired drivers license and credit cards in it and at the beginning of the day I put the amount of cash I expect to spend that day in it and that’s it. If I get mugged they won’t be spending the time to check expiry dates and they won’t get ALL my cash. I keep the rest of the cash and my functional credit cards somewhere else on me."
Image source: Gezuntheit, Tobi
"When traveling off the beaten track where personal safety is less certain ( basically anywhere that you're not supposed to be out at night ) carry at least $50 to $100 in cash in a separate pocket from your money/cards/etc. That's enough to give a potential assailant that warm feeling of achievement, so they will let you go."
Image source: AgentOrangina, Nick Pampoukidis
"When getting local currency from an ATM, use a weird dollar amount to get smaller bills. So if I need 2000 and the machine dispenses in 20s, I will withdraw 1980 so I’ll get an assortment of smaller bills rather than big bills that no one will break for me.
Also, I will always bring an after-bite stick for anywhere that has mosquitos. You will get bit at least once even if you’re good with the repellents and it will itch like hell. The after bite stick helps it itch less."
#1
Image source: Previous-Atmosphere6, Scott Gummerson
"If you are in a country where you don’t speak the language and might be taking taxis, have the staff at your hotel record a voice memo on your phone explaining how to get back to the hotel. Then just play it for your taxi driver. Or use this strategy for allergy messages to play in restaurants , or basically any message you can anticipate needing."
#2
Image source: oh_no551, Erik Mclean
"I always take some sandwich bags. There's always a half eaten pastry, or leftovers etc when you're out. That way I can pop it in my bag for later."
#3
Image source: sumadviceplz, Solen Feyissa
"Google local scams in the area before visiting somewhere new. It's helped me not fall for a few."
#4
Image source: photoguy8008, Pixabay
"It’s ok to be sitting in your hotel room, across the street from the Eiffel Tower/palace/mountain and decide…today is a sit in my room and order an amazing pepperoni pizza and binge a tv show day.
You travel to relax, not to run a marathon of “how much can I fit in”."
#5
Image source: virtual_human, Possessed Photography
"Never pass up a bathroom."
#6
Image source: JulieRose1961, Rafael Cisneros Méndez
"Always schedule a quiet day after you arrive, especially if you’re coming off a long flight, jet-lag is a real thing
And always have spare days in your itinerary for either weather events, or just things you discover while you’re there
Carry more than one credit/debit card."
#7
Image source: Finnbalt, Shiny Diamond
"If someone smiles a lot and appears overtly friendly when talking to you, leave."
#8
Image source: Huge-Recognition-366, Mark Olsen
"Try searching for flights in the airline’s original language. I once saved $700 when booking tickets for a trip to Peru by using Spanish rather than English."
#9
Image source: hzanahoria, Jamie Taylor
"If you need to poo in the center of a city, search for a public library and enter confidently. Library toilets tend to be much cleaner than those in other public buildings and are free."
#10
Image source: sunbuddy86, Daniel J. Schwarz
"When visiting a city get up before sunrise and walk as the city wakes up. I did this in Venice and it was magic!"
#11
Image source: lavidaloco123, Vinta Supply Co. | NYC
"Two things:
1) Make a color photocopy of your passport to carry with you and leave the original in your hotel safe
2) Learn a few simple words in the local language. Hello, goodbye, thank you, at a minimum. It will go a long way to making people friendly to you"
#12
Image source: PieMastaSam, Daoudi Aissa
"Having light rain gear on a rainy day can make normally packed activities wait free."
#13
Image source: ShtOutOfDuck, henry perks
"What’s available offline from google is insane. downloading an offline map on google maps for a region helps you navigate whether you have cell service or traveling on airplane mode. if in a country w a language barrier, you can download languages in google translate for offline use, and while you may not have a deep intellectual convo, you can get by with basics like food, bathroom, etc. particularly helpful in countries with different alphabets, as you can scan a photo you take or play out loud a phrase for someone helping you."
#14
Image source: AlternativeMinute306, Miriam Alonso
"Brushing your teeth is the quickest way to feel human again after long flights. Have toothpaste and brush ready so you can do this before you leave the airport."
#15
Image source: Historical_Wonder794, Scott Graham
"Get travel insurance… simple but seen many people forgetting and regretting."
#16
Image source: nucumber, Jeff Weese
"In the EU and UK, carry about a dollar's / euro's / pound's worth in change, because some public restrooms charge."
#17
Image source: lunch22, Sigmund
"It is not a requirement to pack your bag as full as possible."
#18
Image source: hillbillygoat, Allef Vinicius
"If I’m going to a sketchy country, I carry a fake wallet. I have expired drivers license and credit cards in it and at the beginning of the day I put the amount of cash I expect to spend that day in it and that’s it. If I get mugged they won’t be spending the time to check expiry dates and they won’t get ALL my cash. I keep the rest of the cash and my functional credit cards somewhere else on me."
#19
Image source: Gezuntheit, Tobi
"When traveling off the beaten track where personal safety is less certain ( basically anywhere that you're not supposed to be out at night ) carry at least $50 to $100 in cash in a separate pocket from your money/cards/etc. That's enough to give a potential assailant that warm feeling of achievement, so they will let you go."
#20
Image source: AgentOrangina, Nick Pampoukidis
"When getting local currency from an ATM, use a weird dollar amount to get smaller bills. So if I need 2000 and the machine dispenses in 20s, I will withdraw 1980 so I’ll get an assortment of smaller bills rather than big bills that no one will break for me.
Also, I will always bring an after-bite stick for anywhere that has mosquitos. You will get bit at least once even if you’re good with the repellents and it will itch like hell. The after bite stick helps it itch less."