What should I do before traveling?
Pre-Travel Steps and Procedures
Once you fall in love with a particular country and before preparing to travel there, some people—especially those planning their first trip—often wonder: What should I do before traveling? What are the important procedures I need to know? What are the key travel tips and packing guidelines? All of these are important to ensure that your trip is enjoyable, safe, and legal at the same time, and to avoid problems that travelers may face during their journey. So, let’s dive in together, friends, to answer these questions.
Travel Tips Before Your Trip
Here, dear visitors, we will try to cover the most important travel tips that every traveler should take into consideration, including essential information and pre-travel procedures. Our goal is to help travelers enjoy a smooth, comfortable, and enjoyable travel experience as much as possible.
1. The Security Aspect Before Traveling
First and foremost, the security aspect before traveling is one of the most important things a traveler should be aware of and committed to. Safety in the country you plan to visit is a top priority that must be verified to avoid facing difficulties that could turn your trip into a risky and regrettable experience.
For example, it would be unreasonable to consider traveling to a country suffering from external conflicts, unrest, or security issues. Choosing a country that is safe for tourists is essential, as it provides peace of mind and increases the chances of enjoying your trip—especially when combined with the beauty of the destination and the diversity of its natural attractions.
2. Traveling Legally
After the security aspect, we must move on to the legal side of travel. This involves checking whether the country requires a visa or not, and how easy it is to enter that country. Travelers should also be aware of the entry requirements and the number of days they are allowed to stay. For example, some countries allow visa-free entry but limit the number of days a traveler can stay, such as Malaysia, which grants citizens of many Arab countries the right to enter without a visa for up to 90 days. These are important details to be aware of.
Additionally, travelers should check the validity of their passports to ensure they are not expired. As a precaution, it is advisable to make several copies of the passport and other important documents. This helps avoid complications if these documents are lost, ensuring that the trip remains legal and more comfortable.
3. Booking Flight Tickets
Before traveling to a specific country, booking flight tickets is one of the first essential steps a traveler takes, making it a very important stage. This is especially true since ticket prices vary from one country to another and even fluctuate over time. Airfare can rise and fall rapidly from month to month, so it is important for travelers to constantly monitor prices, as airlines sometimes offer special deals and promotions.
Therefore, travelers should book their tickets calmly and carefully. It is recommended to book flights at least three months before the trip and to choose airlines that offer comfort, good service, and reasonable prices. It is also advisable to avoid peak travel seasons when prices are very high, such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and August, which is the holiday season in many countries.
4. Living Costs and the Country’s Currency
The cost of living and the country’s currency are among the most important things to consider before traveling. This helps the traveler get a clear idea of their budget during the trip, including food, drinks, transportation, hotel prices, and more. The cost of living varies from one country to another; for example, you may find a country where you spend $1,000 a week, while in another, the same week may cost no more than $400. This greatly helps travelers with a moderate budget choose the destination that suits them.
It is also important to know the local currency and whether it has a high or low value compared to the US dollar. However, this is not always an accurate indicator of the cost of living. Some countries may have a strong currency but low living expenses, while others may have a weak currency but high living costs.As a tip, we recommend that your first trip be to an Asian country, as most Asian countries are safe, easy to enter, and offer a very affordable cost of living—especially for Arab travelers.
5. The Country’s Climate and Language
Then we come to the fifth point, which is the country’s climate before traveling there. Is the destination known for its hot tropical climate, or does it have freezing cold weather? This is essential for travelers to know in advance so they can pack the appropriate clothing and essentials. For example, it would be strange for someone to pack summer clothes when traveling to Canada, or winter clothes when heading to Malaysia. This would only add unnecessary weight to their luggage.
On another note, language is also an important factor for any tourist before traveling to a country. The traveler should have at least a basic understanding of the country’s local language or, at the very least, be proficient in English, which is widely regarded as the global language. This will help them communicate more effectively during their trip.
6. Using Maps
Using Google Maps is extremely important for travelers, especially since they are visiting a country they have never been to or lived in before—they are strangers in a new place and cannot always rely on asking people on the street for directions to specific locations. Sometimes, they may be using the metro or buses to get around.
In such situations, it’s not practical to ask for directions every time you need to get off at a certain stop. The perfect solution that will save you from all these hassles is simply using maps. By following the directions step by step, you’ll smoothly reach your desired destination, starting from your hotel, God willing.
7. Heading to the Airport Before Traveling
And finally, heading to the airport several hours before your flight is extremely important. I left this tip for the end of the article so that it stays fresh in your mind, dear traveler, as it is crucial and should not be forgotten. It is essential and can be summarized as follows:
1● The first step is to make sure you haven’t forgotten any of your essential belongings, especially documents, passports, flight tickets, and so on. It’s best to gather them in one place three days before your trip, giving you enough time to recall anything you might have missed before your travel day.
2● Getting the necessary vaccinations is important before heading to the airport, especially if you are traveling to African regions and countries.
3● Arrive at the airport 3 to 4 hours before your flight departure to avoid the effects of crowds and to complete all the required procedures calmly.
4● Another important tip is to divide your money before traveling. For example, split it into two parts and never keep it all in one place. You can carry part of it in your small wallet inside the plane and keep another part on your credit card. We strongly advise against putting your money in your checked luggage.
5● Lastly, dear traveler, once you safely arrive in your destination country, make sure to exchange currency at an official exchange office. It’s best to exchange just enough at the airport to get you started, since exchange rates at airports are usually high. Save the rest for later and exchange it at certified official places, as we mentioned.
One final point to mention: try to avoid using taxis as much as possible upon arriving at the airport. Instead, rely on ride-hailing apps like Grab or Uber if available, or use the metro and buses as a last resort. If you find no other option but to take a taxi, be sure to agree on the price with the driver in advance or ask them to use the meter—this is always the better option.
