WHY TRAVEL INDEPENDENT ?

Travel Independent VS Guided Tour

Traveling with own notes compared to traveling with the travel agencies is different. It not only involves financial factors, time and limitation of destination as well.

                                          

Recently,

Many of the travellers prefer to travel / travel abroad despite the lack of travel restrictions, time arrangements by own and follows the itinery programs organized by the travel agency.

Here,

I will share about my own experience traveling to destinations mostly as solo with self-port raising notes. It's very-very worth it!

¹Free travel

Allows for a slower pace, allowing you to recognize more local culture and create a richer experience in one particular area.

So it's okay if you're on a trip to New Zealand for example, walking across a couple, or eating cheese cake with your friends in the mountain villages of Sapa, it's authentic.

What I'm talking about here is the cultural journey we want to see and learn, that may be more difficult to do is about relationships from different destinations and also different country.

Sharing experiences when I speak and meet a family in Lombok. The family recently returned from a guided tour of Indonesia with a travel company. While the family really enjoyed the time, but the father complained that he had no "authentic" experience.

He was very disappointed not to have the opportunity to leave the world of tourism groups to recognize the life of the village. Not only that, the journey is too short with location to every destination not more than 30 minutes. It is fast and has no chance to enjoy the beauty of the city. In addition, at the beach of Gili Trawangan, they have no opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the low tide which will allow tourists to take pictures on a very beautiful and interesting cradle. Just because in Gili Trawangan Beach, Lombok only has this kind of beauty. Disappointed to it.

He was not even disappointed to hear that I had travelled the same, freely, walking freely among the villages and never had a problem even wandering alone.

²More Flexibility

                           

While you can usually find a guided tour that can fit into your travel plans, there is still a limit on where you want to go and what you want to do?

Benefits not bound to travel agency are not tied to the program provided. Because if planning to follow a travel agency, no last minute change plan is allowed and you cannot travel an hour or two to another city you expect to see as well.

And of course it is always possible that you hate the places you visit. What can you do now? You cannot change the plan of your trip suddenly. Or vice versa because you need to follow the program provided then, what if you fell in love with the place? There is no way you can decide to spend just one more day. Not easy!

So, if we are not tied to the travel agency it is easier for us to change the travel plan because all decisions are in our hands.

³Cheaper

                                         

Before going on a trek, I always try to find information about the destinations that will go and print it to bring. What's more important is collecting information- the cost of the destination, budget accommodation and the interesting location and travel method. Everything comes at the price attached and that's all relative to your experience.

Guided tours are always more expensive as you pay for others to plan for you. Though, sometimes small group visits are a cheaper option.

I have travelled to 27 exciting destinations. Most of the locations I visit are budget. I'm pretty good on my way with the budget. We see guided tour pricing and know that we can do the same and more, at a slower pace, with the same more or less frequent local experience. But of course it comes with troublesome prices, hard work, and discomfort.

⁴Social Dynamics

You launch a guided tour for the next 1 months throughout Europe, you have paid all your money, you are very excited and then on day 3 you realize you have nothing like 30 other people on the bus.

In fact, you cannot stand it. What you think of the adventure of your dreams, has turned into a nightmare. Tired of being able to get back home quickly!

One thing I learned from traveling with others is that you need to be truly selective. Friendship can explode quickly. You are in the pocket of each one for the days ending.

If social dynamics do not work it can be terrible. With free travel you can choose who you bring with it. If you find that you are not competing with your travel buddy, you can make a choice quickly and change directions apart from each other.

I have experience while studying at a Bachelor's Degree in University. Travel with six friends to Thailand. While in Thailand, we do not agree to the location but even night activities are different. So it's because we have decided to withdraw from next adventure. It is very sad.

I am more than happy to travel alone and have friends who share the same interests. Do not like being tied to any program and prefer to move in accordance with the self-prepared plan. More challenging, save, fun and profitable.

Good Luck and Be Patient With Your Own Step!!!

@Jackie San