Travel Forums

Many first-time travellers worry about their first trip. Some of our favourite tips from previous discussions on this include:

• Stay in hostels so you can meet other people
• Find accommodation in advance so you have one less thing to worry about
• Pick somewhere easy like Thailand or Western Europe
• Don't overpack!

There is no one answer for this, as it is a somewhat individual choice and can depend on a lot of factors. However, the general consensus is that you should keep it as small as possible. You generally do not need as large a backpack as you think. Be sure to test out the backpack with a load in it at a shop if at all possible.

Of course that's impossible to answer as there are so many possible places. But this question does keep popping up in various forms. If you are keen to get an answer to this question, we recommend starting a thread where you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your likes and dislikes when it comes to travelling. Be sure to let us know where you are travelling from and what kind of budget you have for your trip. We'll do our best to offer suggestions!

It does depend somewhat on the destination, but these days a combination of cash and some form of debit/credit card tends to be the preference. One general recommendation is to always have at least 2 different cards with you - stored in separate places. If one gets blocked or stolen, you will have a backup.