MANILA, Philippines – Trips are always fun, but the planning? Not so much.

Turning your dream vacation from drawing stage to actual reality can be daunting and stress-inducing – logistics, malabong group chats, ubusan ng tickets, biglang nawawalang passport, and sudden budget probs, among other unreliable factors.

The good news is though that most of these factors can be avoided – all you need to do is start early and be prepared. 

Here are 5 pre-planning travel tips for you and your jet-setting barkada:

Start. Early.

Why wait for the chaos of peak season to start planning? As early as possible, get a solid travel plan going.

Answer these questions:

• Which of your non-flaker friends are game? (Game as in confirmed na confirmed na.)
• Which dates are the most leave-friendly for you?
• Where are you headed? If you aren’t sure yet: what are your top 3 travel destinations? 
• Are you travel-ready? Has your been passport renewed? Are you aware of which countries require a travel visa?
• How much are you willing to spend for this trip? 

“Check for long weekends and holidays in advance,” suggests a spokesperson from Cebu Pacific.

“These dates tend to have more crowds and a higher demand for flights. Better to research on experiences and places to see beforehand.”

Be prepared.

Before booking begins, have everything already on-hand and ready – this includes your passport details, credit card information, as well as the complete names and details of your travel buddies (yours included). Every second counts when booking online! 

Keep an eye out for seat sales.

As the internet already knows, seat sales are a great chance to score huge discounted deals on both domestic and international plane fares; hence the online unahan clamor and instanteously sold-out tickets.

“To take advantage right away, like the social media pages of your chosen airlines to stay updated on sales and promos,” said a spokesperson from Cebu Pacific. 

Another tip before you book? “Clear the cache and browser history of your device to allow faster page loading,” she added. 

Although seat sales’ travel periods are usually many months away from its booking dates, it’s always best to buy early, according to a spokesperson from Philippine Airlines. 

“Booking early is important because it gives you the chance to avail of the best buys, which are really the lowest fares.” 

Philippine Airlines also reminds travelers to mind even the smallest details when booking online. “Find out the conditions of your ticket to determine the free baggage allowance that goes with each specific fare type.”

“Also, always leave your contact details when booking so PAL can send you a notification via email in case of any flight schedule readjustment.” 

Make use of online “travel experts.” 

Travel booking platforms like Klook and KKDay aren’t called travel experts for nothing – these websites can give you access to the many experiences, tours, attractions, and restaurants found in popular foreign destinations, at a significantly cheaper price.

“You’ll find better deals if you go on travel e-commerce/discount sites versus if you go to the supplier’s site directly or you go to a travel agency,” a spokesperson from KKDay said.

Convenience while traveling is also an edge these platforms can offer. “You don’t need to carry around a printed voucher because you can access them any time through the app and just show it,” said someone from KKday.

Find accomodations through Agoda or Airbnb.

Same goes for accomodation bookings – finding a place to stay is cheaper through websites like Agoda, which gives you discounted deals at select hotels and destinations.

Airbnb is also a good option for those seeking a more “down-to-earth” vacation experience, away from ritzy hotels or boutiques. 

Homeowners offer their beautiful homes at reasonable prices, as well as hostels, small resorts, and family-owned properties that can usually house a large number of guests. – Rappler.com 

Out of ideas for your next trip? Find your next barkada adventure at Klook. Use this discount code when you book!