GuideTravel Tips

How To Make Your First Getaway With Your BFFs Happen (And Remain Friends After The Trip)

They say one of the greatest tests of friendship is going on a trip with your BFFs—it’s true. Traveling, after all, isn’t just fun and games, especially if you’re jetting out of the country for an adventure of a lifetime. 

More often than not, traveling abroad involves a lot of planning, exchanges of ideas, nerve-wracking document processing, and—well—more planning! Needless to say, amid your looming excitement, the grueling process that goes down before your trip can possibly put a strain not just on your money and energy, but also on your friendship. *shudders*

Because you don’t want your dream vacation to turn into a horror story of sorts, here are some tips on how to stay sane while planning and going on a trip with your besties:

 

 

Choose A Destination Or An Activity That You Really, Really Want To Experience Together

StockSnap via Pixabay

You’d think choosing a destination should be easy, but that’s not always the case for some friend groups. Sometimes, everyone has varying opinions on where to go or what to do, and things might get frustrating if you don’t agree on everything from the get-go. 

One of the easiest ways to get on the same page about your destination is to find out what everyone wants to do. Are you up for a dose of history and culture in Japan? Maybe, a shopping escapade in South Korea? How about an island-hopping tour in the Philippines or a close-to-nature retreat in Taiwan?

If you have common interests, great! Selecting the best places to go will be much simpler. But if not, talk about the places you want to see or things you want to do all the while considering your budget and the number of days you can travel. After your discussion, shortlist the similarities you’ll find, and then base your destination from there. 

 

 

Set A Safe Date

rawpixel via Pixabay

Everybody’s got their own life and not everyone will be free when you are, so when deciding on your travel dates, it would be best to lay out all your upcoming plans and schedules, and then check which days you can block for your vacay. Keep yourselves updated, too, on approaching holidays and long weekends. You might want to set your vacation on those days if you don’t like spending your leaves too soon or if you don’t have any leaves left. 

 

 

Designate Roles

rawpixel via Pixabay

Don’t leave the stress of planning the perfect trip to just one person! And if someone in your group insists on doing everything, then make them realize that the trip will be more enjoyable if everyone’s involved in the planning stage. Some of the tasks you can divide among yourselves are: booking your flight, searching for lodging options, and researching fun activities that you can try in your destination.

 

 

Don’t Be Afraid To Talk About Money

Bru-nO via Pixabay

Some people are quick to shy away from money talks for whatever reason at all, and that’s understandable. Indeed, talking about money can get quite awkward at times. But if you’re traveling with friends, it’s important to be honest about the amount that you can and are willing to shell out for the trip. 

Talk about your budget and set a realistic maximum spending limit per person. If it will make things easier for you, encode your expenses on a sheet or use free apps like Splitwise and Billr to easily divide the costs and monitor who owes who during the trip. 

 

 

Work On Your Itinerary Together

gregroose via Pixabay

This is not your trip. This is you and your friends’ trip, so it’s only right for everyone to have a say on what you will be doing in your destination. Do some individual research, pitch ideas among yourselves, and trim down your activities with an open mind. 

Try your best to accommodate everyone’s suggestions, but also accept that you wouldn’t be able to do everything you want. Learn to compromise, and make your itinerary as flexible as possible in case of mishaps—say, a change in the weather or unexpected closures of attractions. 

 

 

Know Your Travel Styles

Natalia_Kollegova via Pixabay

Everyone has their own travel style and it will definitely show once they travel in a group. If you and your friends have contrasting travel styles, it might spark issues along the way, which is why it’s best to acknowledge and address your differences before your trip. 

Familiarize yourselves with each other’s travel style—from budgeting methods to accommodation preferences to bizarre travel habits or rituals—and try to align yourselves on common ground. Again, making a compromise is key. Give way to them, just as how they give way to you. 

 

 

Never Make Any Decisions When You’re Hangry

StockSnap via Pixabay

The last thing you want to happen during your trip is doing something regretful after deciding on it while all of you were hangry—hungry and angry. 

It’s natural for people to get cranky and irritable when they have an empty stomach. So instead of leading a conversation to an argument, just eat. Go get some food, fill yourselves up, and then talk things out. 

 

 

Allow Everyone To Get Some Me-time

lucillemarnelli via Pixabay

Going on a trip with friends doesn’t necessarily mean doing things together 24/7. Sometimes, you or your best buddies just crave some time alone and that’s totally fine! This is why setting aside a bit of me-time is important—it gives everyone the headspace they need as well as the opportunity to do things they want to try on their own. 

 

 

Ready for your trip? Book your adventure with KKday now!

 

 

*Featured image sourced from Shutterstock

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