Where, Why, When and What it Costs...

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e When & What it Costs?

e Airline Reservations?

e Packing List Planner

e Sightseeing & Itineraries?

e Where & Why?

e Lodging & Transportation

e Before You Go_

Marquestra's Independent Travel Planner Choosing where to go on your next trip can be as easy as booking a week-long stay at a resort, but when it comes to life-long dream destinations, bucket list "must see places" or wherever else you're planning to visit of the beaten path, it can become a bit overwhelming.

If you like to travel without limits, free to wander and explore the world, our "Independent Travel Planner" is a perfect starting point for your next adventure. We've put together this free guide, filled with tips and advice which should help you narrow down your next destination though our easy to navigate travel planner.

*Disclosure: Occasionally, we'll use affiliate links for products and services that we use and recommend.

If you purchase these through our website links, the price will stay the same to you and we get a percentage as a commission.

Sightseeing & Itineraries? Packing List PlannerWhen & What it Costs? Airline Reservations?Lodging & Transportation Before You Go...

There’s no set formula to select a destination, but the following considerations will help you focus on your criteria.During which month(s) do you plan to travel?

January February March April May JuneJuly August September October November December

What kind of weather/climate do you want to travel in?Tropical Temperate Nordic

Where is the selected weather/climate occurring during your chosen period?Northern Hemisphere - Higher Latitude Southern Hemisphere - Higher Latitude Northern Hemisphere - Lower Latitude Southern Hemisphere - Lower Latitude

What are your interests and activity types?Cultural Beach Water Sports Relaxation Spa/Yoga Nature/OutdoorsSpecific Event

Choose 3 countries that correspond to the selected information above*Option #1 Option#2 Option#3

Do I need a Visa? Do I need a vaccine(s) to visit? Weather warnings, monsoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, mudslides?

Option #1 Visa Vaccine(s) Option #2 Visa Vaccine(s) Option #3 Visa Vaccine(s)

Option #1 Weather warnings Security advisoryOption #2 Weather warnings Security advisory Option #3 Weather warnings Security advisory

*Need inspiration? Search Instagram, travel blogs, TripAdvisor reviews and talk to friends about places they’ve been to and activities they’ve enjoyed while traveling to interesting destinations. You can also visit our travel boards on pinterest.com/marquestra and start your own inspiration board.

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Where & Why?

Sightseeing & Itineraries? Packing List PlannerAirline Reservations?Lodging & Transportation Before You Go...

You’ve narrowed down your selection to 3 options, now let’s figure out which of these places will best suit your budget.By evaluating the time of the season you’re considering to go, and, of course, the cost associated with getting there, you can further narrow down your trip planning by researching and by answering these questions.

When does high season occur? Option #1 Option #2 Option #3

When is the shoulder season? If you’re looking to save money, consider right before or right after high season. Option #1 Option #2 Option #3

What’s the average r/t airfare cost to get there? Get a quick estimate on skyscanner.comOption #1 Option #2 Option #3

What’s the average cost of living? Get the info on numbeo.com/cost-of-livingOption #1 Option #2 Option #3

What’s my currency exchange for these countries? Get the conversion rate at xe.comOption #1 Option #2 Option #3

What’s my BYT* travel style? Low budget Mid-range Luxury…Get your travel cost per country according to your travel style with budgetyourtrip.com*

What’s my total travel budget/savings for this trip? $ TOTAL / BYT* Daily p.p. results = # DAYS How long can I afford to travel with each option?Option #1 Option #2 Option #3

AND THE WINNER IS? PLACE I’M GOING TO!

Where & Why?

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When & What it Costs?

Sightseeing & Itineraries? Packing List PlannerAirline Reservations? Before You Go...

Before booking airfare/lodging, answer these questions in order to decide on the exact date and time of your trip.Date range for your trip: Departure: START DATE Return: END DATE

Transportation considerations:Is it a walkable city? Yes NoDoes my destination have public transportation, bus and subway? Yes NoWill you have easy access to taxis, Uber and tuk tuks? Yes NoWill you need to rent a car? Yes NoAre there out of city sites you want to see, hard to reach places? Yes No

Check online for average airport shuttle fares, train tickets, and/or rental car rates on rome2rio.com

Lodging considerations:Are my travel dates during an important event or festival? Yes NoIf Yes, consider moving the dates in order to avoid high fees.

Have you located the accommodations on a city map before booking? Yes No

Is where I will book close to the activities I want to see? Yes NoVisit Airbnb, Booking.com and HostelWorld to get a wide sampling of available lodging options.

Check for availability and save your selection in your favorites or wish list!We’ll conclude this selection once you’ve answered the remaining sections of this planner...

Once done, create your trip’s itinerary with our favorite app. Visit Tripit.comBy doing so, all of your reservations will be automatically filed under one easy to access list.

Where & Why? When & What it Costs?

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Lodging & Transportation

Sightseeing & Itineraries? Packing List PlannerBefore You Go...

Airfare is usually the most expensive part of your trip, prices vary from cheap to expensive depending on the destination.Here are some tips and extra help, including our tried and tested travel planning advice to help you find the best airfare deals around.

Try searching for 2 separate one-way flights. Round-trip (RT) flights are typically cheaper to book, but that’s not always the case.Before you book a round-trip flight, price out options for 2 one-way (OW) tickets.Consider booking through two different airlines, it might end up being a cheaper option.

Consider adding a layover to your itinerary. Nonstop flights are typically the most convenient and therefore the most expensive.Instead of choosing the easy option, look for flights with at least one layover.Most times, this minor inconvenience adds up to big savings.If the layover is in an interesting place, consider the longest layover option and enjoy a half-day or more there.

Use Hopper to figure out the best travel dates, it’ll help you plan if you should “WAIT” or “BOOK NOW”.

Book in advance. If you’re planning an international flight, booking 3 to 5 months ahead is always a good idea. Look out for early booking deals to save even more!

You flight options:Flight#: Airline: Cost: Booking Portal:Flight#: Airline: Cost: Booking Portal:Flight#: Airline: Cost: Booking Portal:Flight#: Airline: Cost: Booking Portal:

Check out some flight options on skyscanner.com

Where & Why? When & What it Costs? Lodging & Transportation

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Airline Reservations?

Packing List PlannerBefore You Go...

Trips are often influenced from bucket list items, places and activities we’ve always wanted to visit, accomplish or do.If you’re like us, you’ve probably set aside a collection of ‘’pins’’ while daydreaming of far away placesand you might also have saved TripAdvisor must do’s…

Top 10 activities/excursions* you want to do and/or see during your trip? List website, email or phone:#1:#2:#3:#4:#5:#6:#7:#8:#9:#10:

Map them out on Google maps • Go to google.com/mymaps and select “create a new map”. • Type in a destination.• Enter the first waypoint such as your hotel or centre base location.• A new PIN will appear, simply add it to the newly created map.• Add other destinations such as activities and sightseeing points of interest.

This is a great way to visualize where your areas of interest are. This planning step should help you adjust hotel bookings to nearby activities - Refer to page 3.

Still undecided on your country’s itinerary?Get inspired by checking out group tours from reputable companies such as Gadventures or Intrepid Travel…

Where & Why? When & What it Costs? Lodging & Transportation Airline Reservations?

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Sightseeing & Itineraries?

Last but not least, some extra tips and tricks to make your travels more enjoyable, and safer as well...1. Bringing your own laptop and phone? Back it up before you pack it up! When attempting to access data from a server in a different country, most websites and web apps have security features that will force your device to log in again. A lastpass.com account keeps all your logins secure and accessible from anywhere!

2. Download helpful travel apps to your phone or tablet before you leave… Think currency conversion apps like xe.com, Google translate, foreign language translators or any destination specific guides such as TripAdvisor City guides and our favorite phone app, Fongo. More free travel ressources here.

3. Notify your embassy online on your travel plans, your itinerary and dates...

4. Let your bank know what your travel plans are, the dates and the countries you’ll be visiting as cards may not work in certain countries with high fraud and hacking history unless you get pre-authorization. An ATM card is a great way to get local currency at current exchange rates, and at a lower fee.

4. Purchase travel and /or medical insurance for your trip. This might seem like a waste of money, but you’ll be glad you did if ever your luggage is lost or if your flight gets delayed or cancelled due to bad weather. WorldNomads or Allianz are good starting points to consider...

5. Set up your email autoresponder and voice mail “I’m away message” at work to let coworkers and clients know that you’ll be away for a period of time.

6 Download your favorite magazine, TV series or movies to your tablet or laptop to keep you entertained during cheap flights that don’t offer onboard entertainment or on long bus rides. Furthermore, you’ll have something to watch if you’re ever stuck somewhere in transit. We love watching movies that take place in the destination we’re headed to, think of it as a sneak peek of things to come!

7. Email a copy of your passport and credit cards to yourself. Use a web accessible email account such as @gmail.com, and also email to an emergency contact person. You might consider hiding a photocopy of these documents in your suitcase or keep these numbers buried somewhere in your phone.

8. Learn a few local words! The best way to be polite is knowing simple phrases such as hello, thank-you, please and where is??? and of course, How-much???

Where & Why? When & What it Costs? Lodging & Transportation Airline Reservations? Sightseeing & Itineraries? Packing List Planner

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Before You Go...

Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before... DESTINATION # OF DAYS WEATHER FORECAST

CARRY-ON MUST HAVES Laptop & iPad chargers Sim card/USB drive/Memory cards Adapters/Converters Headphones Travel guides (digital or small print) Inflatable neck pillow Eye mask/Ear plugs Lip balm/Eye drops Facial moisturizer Nasal flight spray Antibacterial wipes Mints or chewing gum Ibuprofen & prescription meds Gentle sleeping pills Empty water bottle/Canteen Reading glasses Sunglasses Pen Large scarf/Pashmina

ESSENTIALS Web check-in 24 hours ahead Travel insurance cards laminated Diver’s licence* Passport* (Valid - 6 months) Credit card* Credit card contact info ATM bank card House keys Emergency contact info Backup contact list in your phone Travel wallet/Money belt Cash** Emergency secret stash *e-mail yourself pictures **check currency conversion before leaving

MUST DO’S Check roaming and mobile calling packages for your phone Check hotel & car reservation files on Tripit.com

WOMEN’S | Warm weather clothes Casual tops Shorts/Capris Light pants Long sleeve tee/Light sweater Dresses Swimsuit + Cover up/Sarong Sandals/Flip flops Walking shoes/Athletic shoes Sun hat

WOMEN’S | Cold weather clothes Waterproof jacket Sweaters/Shirts Long pants/Jeans Warm hat Gloves/Mitten Boots /Athletic shoes Scarf

MEN’S | Warm Weather clothes Casual tops Shorts Light pants Long sleeve tee/Light sweater Swim trunks Sandals/Flip flops Walking shoes/Athletic shoes Sun Hat

MEN’S | Cold Weather clothes Waterproof jacket Sweaters/Shirts Long pants/Jeans Warm hat Gloves/Mittens Boots/Athletic shoes Scarf

WOMEN’S INDISPENSABLES Bras/Underwear/Socks Belt Leggings/Pajamas Workout outfit Accessories (watch, earrings, necklaces)

MEN’S INDISPENSABLES Underwear/Socks Belt Pajamas Workout outfit Accessories (watch, tie, rings)

TOILETRIES (under 100ml if carry-on) Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Floss Moisturizer Bar of soap Shampoo Conditioner Hair styling products Razor Deodorant Tweezers Nail clipper/File Hair brush/Comb Sunscreen Q-Tips/Band-Aids Sleeping pills Pepto-Bismol tablets Polysporin (First aid) Prescriptions meds Sanitary products (tampons/pads) Hair accessories/Makeup/Remover Travel mirror

MISCELLANEOUS Laundry soap bar Self-hanging clothesline Medium/Gallon sized plastic bags Insect repellent

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Packing List Planner