Resources

If you’re here, it’s because, like us, you prefer to travel independently. Planning independent trips isn’t complicated, and there’s nothing like the freedom and flexibility that come with these trips. We believe that the most important thing is to travel, regardless of how you do it.

What are independent trips?

Independent trips are a unique experience, where you are the architect of your own adventure. It means much more than just booking a flight and a hotel. It involves diving headfirst into the process of planning independent trips, from choosing the destination to the last detail of the itinerary.

Planning independent trips is the freedom to decide what to do, where to go, and how long to stay in each place. It’s having total control over your journey, without relying on pre-defined tour packages. From the exciting booking of flights and accommodation to researching the best local activities and experiences, every step is planned according to your interests and preferences. In independent trips, you are the master of your own adventure, and every decision is an opportunity to create unforgettable memories.

Our process for booking trips independently has been refined over the years and works for us. We invite you to use these resources and process as inspiration, adapting them to your needs and travel style.

By using the travel resources we recommend through affiliate links, you won’t incur any extra costs. However, for us, it represents significant support to maintain this project.

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Travel Insurance

It’s essential to include travel insurance, especially for more adventurous trips. So the question is, do you need travel insurance? Trust us, you never know what might happen! Check out our post about the benefits of travel insurance. We recommend Heymondo, a choice that won’t disappoint you. With the best offer of travel insurance, Heymondo offers comprehensive coverage that gives you that extra peace of mind to enjoy your trip to the fullest. Additionally, Heymondo allows you to purchase insurance online, making the whole process even simpler and more convenient. And the best part? By purchasing your insurance here with us, you automatically ensure a special 15% discount just for being our reader! It’s a way to thank you for being part of our community and to help you plan independent trips.

Entry Requirements

When it comes to planning independent trips, it’s crucial to understand the entry requirements of the countries you intend to visit. The IATA Travel Center offers personalized advice on passport, visa, and health requirements, ensuring a smooth trip, essential for those who enjoy planning independent trips. This resource helps you verify that your travel documents are in order before departure, avoiding possible setbacks and concerns during the trip.

Additionally, in Portugal, the Portal das Comunidades provides detailed information on the entry requirements of various countries. It’s always advisable to check entry requirements in advance and, in case of additional doubts, consult consular entities or embassies for precise and updated guidance. This fundamental step for planning independent trips significantly contributes to a smooth and hassle-free travel experience.

Flights

We are fans of Skyscanner, a flight aggregator that is a real help when it comes to planning independent trips. With Skyscanner, you can not only compare flight prices but also find the best deals for your trips. This tool allows you to explore different flexible dates, which helps you save money and find flights that best suit your budget and schedule. With Skyscanner, it’s easier to ensure that you get the best fares and can travel more for less.

Accommodation

To find and book accommodation, we rely on Booking. With a wide selection of options and useful search tools, Booking is our preferred booking method for planning independent trips. On the platform, we find everything from hotels to apartments, being able to filter our preferences and view locations on the map. Additionally, we appreciate the reviews and ratings from other travelers, which help us make informed decisions about where to stay. With Booking, we can easily and confidently book knowing that we will find the ideal accommodation for our needs in each destination.

Activities

We use GetYourGuide to search for activities worldwide. This platform is amazing because it offers a huge variety of options to make your trip unforgettable. From guided tours by experienced locals to tickets to the most popular attractions, GetYourGuide has everything you need to make the most of each destination you visit. It’s a convenient and reliable way to discover and book incredible experiences during your independent trips.

Outdoor Activities

Manawa is the leading platform for those seeking outdoor adventures. With over 8,000 experiences worldwide, it’s the ideal choice for those looking to live unforgettable moments. With a vast network of global partners, Manawa offers an impressive variety of activities, from diving to surfing. Manawa’s team of experts shares a passion for the offered activities, providing specialized advice to ensure the best possible experience. The platform is very user-friendly and has multilingual customer support, making booking activities easier than ever.

Choose Manawa and discover unique and exciting experiences you won’t find anywhere else.

Payment Cards

To avoid bank fees while traveling, we recommend Revolut and Curve, two financial services that offer innovative solutions for travelers. Revolut is a prepaid card and application that allows users to manage expenses and make transactions in multiple foreign currencies with favorable exchange rates.

With Revolut, you can easily convert money and pay in physical or online stores worldwide. Additionally, it offers features such as international bank transfers and access to cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, Curve is a payment card that aggregates multiple debit and credit cards in a single mobile application. With Curve, you can use a single card to make payments and withdrawals in different currencies without international processing fees. One of the main advantages of Curve is its flexibility, allowing users to switch between the associated cards in the app to optimize benefits and rewards.

The main differences between Revolut and Curve lie in their structure and functionalities. While Revolut is more focused on offering a wide range of financial services, including currency exchange and cryptocurrencies, Curve stands out for its convenience as a single card that simplifies the management of multiple accounts. Both services are excellent options for travelers looking to avoid bank fees and enjoy competitive exchange rates during their independent travels.

Mobile Data

MobiMatterWe opt for eSIMs, using applications like MobiMatter to purchase. This is the most efficient way to get mobile data on your phone almost anywhere in the world. MobiMatter is a marketplace that allows you to compare offers from multiple operators around the world. By using the code TWOBYTHEWORLD, you get 50% cashback on your first eSIM.

Car Rental

When needed, we rent a car through Discovercars, using a rate aggregator to find the best option.

It’s important to note that in some countries, such as those that are signatories to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, it may be mandatory to obtain an International Driving Permit to rent a vehicle. This permit is an official translation of your national driving license and may be required by car rental companies in certain destinations. However, requirements may vary from country to country, and it’s essential to always check with the car rental company what documents are needed to ensure a smooth and hassle-free rental experience.

Additionally, when renting the car, you should carefully evaluate the type of insurance offered and how it protects you in case of vehicle damage. It’s important to understand the terms of the insurance, including any deposit or deductible payment that may be required, to ensure adequate coverage during your independent travel. By making an informed choice about rental car insurance, you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind and security.

Claiming Flight Delays and Cancellations

In case of travel disruptions, Heymondo offers access to AirHelp, a platform that facilitates the claims process in situations such as delays, cancellations, or baggage mishandling. AirHelp specializes in helping passengers understand their rights according to international legislation and filing claims against airlines efficiently and effectively. This assistance is especially valuable for travelers who choose to plan independent trips, providing you with an additional resource to deal with setbacks during your adventure.

Packing

Ultimately, after all the planning involved in independent travel, it’s just a matter of packing up and setting off. To make this final step even easier, we provide a free packing list that you can receive by subscribing to our newsletter. This comprehensive list includes all the essentials for a successful trip, from appropriate clothing to important accessories, ensuring you don’t forget anything as you prepare for your next independent adventure. Subscribe now and receive your free packing list directly in your inbox, so you can travel with confidence and peace of mind!

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Additional Tips

• Buy travel insurance in advance: Make sure to purchase insurance before you need it to cover what it will, especially if it includes cancellation coverage.
• Always check cancellation policies: When booking flights and accommodations, it’s crucial to be aware of cancellation policies to avoid unpleasant surprises.
• Stay flexible with travel dates: Flexibility with dates can help take advantage of the best deals available.
• Explore public and private transportation options: Evaluate the transportation options available at your destination to choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.

Planning independent travel may seem daunting at first, but with the right resources and a little organization, it becomes a rewarding experience. We hope the resources and tips shared in this post help you plan your next independent adventure with confidence and success!

Travel planning is a topic that we take very seriously and this does not only include the best flight, the most convenient accommodation or the activities we want to do but also ensures that we take all that we need. When we started travelling, we packed our things with what we remembered and often ended up carrying unnecessary things or missing some essential items. It was then that we decided to build a packing list.

On the first trip, the packing list served the purpose perfectly since it had been made specifically for this trip. However, on the next trip, this was no longer true. Over the years, we have been refining this list, with everything we needed to travel, and tried to make it as generic as possible to serve both a summer trip and a weekend in the snow.

How to get your free Packing List

To get your copy of our packing list, subscribe, below, to our blog and you will receive a copy on your email box.

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How does this Packing List work

Our packing list is divided into the sections described below. The category of the items is divided by type or whether they should go in carry-on or hold baggage.

Each section contains the list with the respective items arranged in a table, where the first column contains the description and the second the amount you will need on your trip. The following columns are reserved for checking, a few days before you leave if you already have the articles or not and make sure you will put everything inside the suitcases.

Clothes

In this section, you can find a list of generic articles for both summer and winter travel. In this case, our list is more oriented to men’s clothing but is easily adaptable to women’s clothing.

Toiletries

In this category, you will find all the items of hygiene and first aid that you will need in almost all your trips. About first aid or SOS medicines, you should consult a healthcare professional for advice.

Extras

This section is reserved to place your most personal or specific items for the type of trip you are going to take. Typically we use this zone to place, for example, specific vouchers that need to be printed.

Misc

This was probably the category in which we forgot more things before making this packing list.

Hand Luggage

This zone is reserved for carry-on items. Typically they are the things that you may need during the trip or that have more value. You should always consider the value of the items you are going to ship to the aircraft hold.

In this category, there is also a change of clothes. Sometimes we can have the bad luck of our luggage being lost, and even having the travel insurance of Heymondo, that reimburses you for the loss, you should take some essential objects that can help you minimize the impact.

For us, this packing list helps us a lot in optimizing the planning of our trips and when it comes to packing we just follow this list.

You should always validate the luggage limits of the ticket you purchased and also see the payment if you exceed the limit. When you leave, you must avoid that the weight is close to the limit since you may want to make some purchases at the destination and thus avoid problems in the return.

To get your copy, just subscribe to our blog and you will receive the packing list in your email.

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