So you have vacation plans coming up and you’re ready to romanticize your life again. We love that for you! Of course, we also wish that planning a trip could be as easy as the jump cuts we see on TikTok. But the truth of the matter is that ample preparation is the key to a smooth trip.

From flight transfers to entrance tickets to commute routes, it’s a good idea to get all the hard work done beforehand so you can be fully present during your adventures. Luckily, the pre-trip process becomes so much easier with a travel companion like Klook. 

Rappler visited their recently-concluded Klook Travel Fest 2024 last September 14 and 15. The hotel-themed event let visitors grab the hottest deals and win once-in-a-lifetime experiences for dream destinations from Palawan to Japan to Switzerland. 

We even got a taste of an iconic travel destination, Madame Tussauds. Broadway star Lea Salonga dropped by for the unveiling of her new wax figure, and we were definitely seeing double! The event was also graced by internet personalities like Hazel Quing, Jax Reyes, and Lissa Kahayon, who shared their tried-and-tested traveling tips.

You’re probably feeling the FOMO creep in, but don’t worry – we have listed some top tips for you. To plan your perfect vacation, read on for our best takeaways from Klook Travel Fest 2024. 

Identify your top interests so you can pick the best destinations

Time is gold during a trip, so it’s important to distill your itinerary to do the most memorable activities. It’s overwhelming to choose between thousands of activities available at a location, so start inward first. Ask yourself: What do you enjoy doing the most?

If you’re a sporty person, you can try skiing in Japan during the winter. If you love cooking, find a cooking class in Bali. If you love striking a pose, hire a photographer for a street shoot in Seoul. The possibilities are endless, and even if you make it to popular tourist destinations or not, you’ll be sure that you did something you love!

Book services that help you focus on having fun

No one likes hauling their 32 kg luggage around or figuring out a new terminal in an unfamiliar language. The good news is that for every travel inconvenience, there’s probably already a service that solves it, so take advantage of them!

There are airport-to-hotel or hotel-to-hotel luggage transport services available in Japan, South Korea, Bangkok, and more. You can also book train passes in advance in many countries, whether it’s Switzerland or Singapore. If you need mobile data to navigate or translate on the go, you can look for an eSIM for your destination.

Bring an overseas-friendly card for payments

Of course, a traveler’s most important tool is money. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get smart about how you spend. As the internet’s personal finance guru Jax Reyes would say, use cards that would offer the lowest forex transaction and ATM withdrawal fees, and take advantage of the swipe/tap to pay features of certain cards.

During the Klook Travel Fest, GCash offered an exclusive GCash Klook Travel Card that offers the lowest forex rates in the country. Don’t underestimate the transaction fee savings you can get!

Book accommodations close to public transportation

When you’re already at your dream destination, you don’t want to spend even more time between point A to point B. To get your day on track as soon as possible, it’s best to stay near public transportation.

Travel content creators Hazel Quing and Mommy Haidee gave their best hotel recommendations in Japan depending on your region of choice. For starters, try Vessel Inn if you’ll be in the winter wonderland of Sapporo, or Dormy Inn Aomori Natural Hot Spring in the “Atumumn Field City” of Akita prefecture. They also said it doesn’t hurt to check which hotels have the best breakfast buffet offerings. 😉

Plan ahead to score deals

Now that you have a vision for your trip, it’s time to book, book, book your way to reality! Planning months in advance lets you score the best deals all on the Klook platform. 

In fact, Klook is celebrating its 10th birthday this October, and they’re going big with giveaways, events, and deals! Make sure to join their Money Can’t Buy Experiences by October 31 for a chance to win spectacular activities across the globe. Plus, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for their upcoming birthday sales.

Another great thing about booking with Klook is that you have all of your tickets and passes in one convenient app. As content creator Justine Sy said, the dakilang taga-book member of the travel party should have everyone’s info onhand – which the Klook app can do for you.

So, are you already dreaming up your next adventure? Build the perfect trip with Klook now! Download the Klook app on Google Play Store or the Apple Store to find your next awesome experience. Stay updated with Klook on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. – Rappler.com