If it’s your first time jetting away, the concept of a holiday could be a daunting one. Don’t panic! Here are seven essential tips for you to make the most out of your travels and keep it as stress free as possible.

Keep an eye on your belongings

It goes without saying that you’ll need to be watching your luggage and personal belongings wherever you are. Check that your accommodation has a safe or an equivalent facility to keep your valuables protected when you aren’t using them. Be sure to not leave any bags or items anywhere as it’s probably not going to be easy to get them back, especially with issues of communication. Also, don’t be tempted to quickly leave your phone or tablet unattended in public – it’s one of the things you wouldn’t be covered for if it got stolen, as it could have easily been prevented!

Stay healthy

Although you shouldn’t be afraid to treat yourself on your travels, be aware of keeping a balanced diet that won’t throw you off track. Be sure to indulge in the local cuisine, but be mindful of not overdoing it! Fruit and vegetables shouldn’t be skipped, and nor should drinking water frequently. You’re going to want to stay hydrated, especially if your destination is an extremely hot one. Being healthy doesn’t stop there, either – bring some medication and necessary toiletries such as sun cream and insect repellent to stay feeling good on your holiday.

Learn about your destination

It’s worth brushing up on your knowledge of where you’re headed so that you know what to expect. Have a look at the country’s history and how it got to where it is today. Look at what there is to do locally, what events are on and the traditions of the local culture. It doesn’t pay off to be a clueless tourist, so it’s wise to be aware of how things are in order to avoid any mishaps or offenses whilst travelling. Most locals won’t expect you to know everything, so don’t be too worried – just know your basics.

Embrace the culture

Don’t be scared to blend in and live the life of a local! Wherever you are in the world there’s an absolute wealth of culture to experience, whether it be through food, festivities or simply talking to some of the residents. The majority of locals wherever you are will be more than happy to talk to you and guide you on your journey, and they’ll probably give you valuable tips on where to go and what to do that you wouldn’t get from any guide. In some places you can even stay with the locals for the true cultural experience!

Create an itinerary

When you’ve got to fit a lot into a short amount of time, it might be worth creating an itinerary to allocate activities to certain days. Don’t make it too strict so as to allow for any eventualities or different things you choose to do once you’ve arrived, but there’s definitely value in having a basic plan. There’s plenty of guides online to assist you, but in any case it’s important to be realistic and give yourself time to chill out alongside exploring and having fun.

Learn common phrases

You’ll find that when you’re holidaying, there’s a lot of people who will be able to speak English. It’s helpful when it comes to communicating with locals and staff alike, but it wouldn’t be a bad thing if you knew a few select phrases in the native language. Sayings such as “hello”, “please”, “thank you” and “goodbye” don’t sound like much, but will please the locals as you’ve made an effort to understand and appreciate their culture and ways of life. Perhaps research their methods of greeting and interacting with each other too, so that you can push it a little bit further.

Relax

Last but not least, don’t stress. A holiday is a time to enjoy yourself and let yourself go, so as long as you’re prepared you’ve got nothing to worry about! Get accustomed to the ways of life wherever you are, soak in the sun and lay on the beach for as long as you want. It isn’t often you get time away from the normalities of life, so savour the luxuries whilst you can.