Any kind of leisure trip will definitely make you wanna say, “Let’s go!” When travel is the topic, most people would be ready to trade any school or office day for it. I mean, it’s a time of fun, excitement and relaxation, so the answer is definitely a quick “Yes!” at all costs.
Now, it’s so easy to think of planning to go on a trip, but the truth is there are so many factors to consider first. Every successful trip is born out of a good-quality travel plan. Spontaneous trips may seem cool and adventurous, but they do not always produce the best travel experiences, to be very honest. It’s still very important to prepare, organize and plan. Still and all, it’s better than anything else.
One of the major things to ponder on is about the management of your trip. Do you want someone else to do it for you? Or do you want to do it on your own? If you prepare the latter, know that it’s really a good idea, while at the same time, it has some downsides to also watch out for. Yes, it has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages, too.
If you are wanting to craft your travel plans on your own, below is a list that will greatly help. Here are the pros and cons of do-it-yourself trips.
PROS
1 – Having the freedom to do and go as you please
The most obvious benefit of do-it-yourself trips is that you do not have to wait for someone else to decide for you. Having the freedom to do, go, move and choose as you please is surely a boon as everything will be based on your preference.
You will choose your itineraries, settle your schedule and arrange everything you want to experience during your trip. You will not be withheld by any third party in coming up with your travel map and time table.
Stay for as long as you want in one place. Leave whenever you want as well. Skip the places you do not want to drop by. You can be somehow spontaneous when your initial plan cannot be fulfilled. Enjoy this kind of freedom from do-it-yourself trips.
2 – Taking it slow and easy
There’s a high possibility that trips can become stressful and exhausting because of how fast things happen. You need to move from one place to another in a day and within your limited travel period.
However, in do-it-yourself trips, you can take things slow and easy. You can calmly and collectedly take your time and relish every second of your trip. This is one of the ways to travel mindfully. With this, you will be able to make awesome memories that you can vividly remember even after years!
It’s great to do a lot of activities and to visit a lot of destinations, but the most meaningful thing is to make every moment worth-remembering. The quality of your trip is much more important! Essentially, you need to take a rest, too, and you can better achieve that with do-it-yourself trips.
3 – No need to pay for travel agency services
When you put in your own effort, time and brain cells into planning everything for your soon-to-happen trip, all the credit goes to you and to your travel buddies who take part. You are not seeking help from any travel company to systematize your trip routine. All the hard work comes from you. That means there’s no need to pay for travel agency services.
Although they are truly helpful and will lessen a lot of your concerns, you can reduce your travel expenses without them as well. Like if your trip is already classified under luxury escapes, working with a travel agency will just make this trip more lavish, especially if the agency’s rates are quite high.
If you want to cut financial costs in traveling, do-it-yourself trips are the way to go!
CONS
This time, take a look at some aspects of DIY trips which might not suit everybody’s taste.
1 – Planning is very time-consuming
Since you will be doing everything by yourselves as the travelers, expect that the planning segment will be very time-consuming. It’s not the only thing you do in life, plus it takes a lot of time to think of where to go, what to do, how to buy essentials, how to book tickets for flights, how to book accommodation, and many more!
You will have to sit down for it, do some research, read or watch travel guides, ask around. Your travel documents, tickets and passports must certainly be geared up. The preliminaries of such trips are not so fast and simple. If you are looking for a quick method to compose a leisure trip, the DIY technique is not the most ideal.
2 – Getting lazy to move and wasting time
Because your freedom while you travel is in your hands, you might have the tendency to be stubborn towards your own travel plan. You might get lazy to move because there is no tour guide or tour driver waiting for you at a specified time. This might result in wasting a lot of time instead of wisely using it to see a lot of places, eat nice food and enjoy various tourist spots.
There’s only a little sense of responsibility in do-it-yourself trips. Since you are your own manager, you somehow lose that time pressure which is also quite necessary when spending a limited time for a trip.
3 – Possibility of spending more money
Although you might be able to lower your travel expenses by not hiring a travel agency, it’s also likely for you to spend more money on do-it-yourself trips, only if you do not plan smartly.
Travel agencies are skilled and knowledgeable in many things, if not everything, about travel requirements and tourist concerns. If you do your trips on your own, you are losing their professional tips and help, which aim to aim their clients to lighten financial costs for trips. You might not get travel package offers and might opt for individual purchases, which are often more high-priced.
In do-it-yourself trips, you may not be sure about the amount you will spend during the trip. Your estimate might be more inaccurate compared to when you pay a travel agency that helps you with everything, including the budget allocation. More often than not, travel agencies offer one-time payment deals to their clients, so you can definitely know the extent of your spendings without having to be clueless.
Without sensibly looking after your budget, you might really spend more on do-it-yourself trips than on those with third-party assistance.
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DIY TRIPS OF YOUR CHOICE
Now that you have found out and realized the perks and the problems which you will or might encounter from DIY trips, you can decide on your own. It’s best to choose it if all its components and effects on you and on your trip are all favorable for you. For mostly independent travelers, this will work really well.
Enjoy your much-awaited trip without hassles and without worries! Pick and plan according to what’s convenient, comfortable and less costly for you. While looking at the possible challenges that await, doing your trips yourself is nevertheless not a bad idea.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nicole Ann Pore is a writer, an events host and a voice over artist. Quality and well-researched writing is her worthwhile avenue to enlighten and delight others about things that matter. She is a daytime writer for Kims, a beachside retreat in Australia offering awesome beachside lodges like no other. Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.
