The top holiday planning websites and apps
Nothing beats the excitement of a potential upcoming trip and the opportunity to be in a different environment however the planning process can seem daunting - where to start your search, find good deals, bookings etc. There are tools - websites and apps, that simplify this process and make a myriad of information available to you.
Using a recent Bali trip as a lens for tools used, here is how you can plan your trip efficiently.
Trip planning
Having an idea of where you want to travel to in advance (at least 2 months), whether local or international, can save you a lot of money by giving you more options which means room for choice. This is important, especially for flights and accommodation which can make up a considerable amount of the trip costs. On the basis of costs, as always, everything begins with a budget, and these are the main items you will need to factor in an international trip such as Bali:
Visa and travel insurance
South African passport holders are eligible for a visa on arrival in Bali which costs $35, for other passport holders applying from South Africa, a visa is required before commencing your trip, which costs approximately R1 760 via an Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. Always check the travel requirements per country via the country’s tourism website or consulate before booking flights and accommodations to ensure you have enough time to gather what is required to enter the country. Passport Index is suited for this however primarily gather information on the country’s official tourism site. Regarding other travel rules and requirements especially health related including vaccinations, Travelbans can be another checkpoint. For travel insurance, your bank may offer a free travel insurance package if you pay for your flights using their card e.g. FNB with TIC insurance, Discovery Bank with Discovery Insure. Your medical aid could also provide travel insurance at a fee.
Flights
For Bali, flights were booked 2.5 weeks before the February 2023 trip for R10 378. on Qatar Airways booked via Travelstart. Subscribing to Travelstart’s newsletter made it possible to be aware of this flight deal but to track flights for a holiday in advance or know the optimum low season pricing, Hopper and Skyscanner are perfect for tracking flight prices and getting notified when they have changed. Booking at this price was also possible because it was in the budget range for a trip, entry requirements for Bali were minimal and the South African Rand is a strong currency compared to the Indonesian Rupiah, the currency used in Bali. Do not neglect your bank’s travel site and loyalty rewards as another avenue to get cheaper flights!
Accommodation
Booking.com is the ultimate app for all things accommodation, whether villas, hotels, or entire homes. Even better is signing up for the rewards program, Genius, which enables you to get discounted rates, free upgrades, free breakfast etc. To maximise on travelling for approximately 20hrs with a stop in Doha, the Bali trip was split between 2 locations. 3 nights in Ubud at 5* Garcia Ubud Hotel & Resort and 3 nights in Seminyak at 4* Annora Villas. Total accommodation costs were approximately R4 500 per person (2 individuals sharing) for the 6 nights including breakfast.
Transport
It will be optimal to find accommodation within the vicinity of the activities you will do to ensure you will minimise travel costs. This includes booking your transport to and from the airport to your accommodation - whether it’s a shuttle service supplied by your hotel or booking a taxi on Booking.com which cost R236.35 for 2 and booked in advance. The driver we received was very friendly and assisted in getting a 5gb data sim card and identifying an ATM to withdraw some cash, he became the driver used for the Ubud portion of the trip. He provided a daily rate and waited whilst we did our activities in various locations, including some he recommended with a rate of 500 000 Indonesian Rupiah(Rp) for 6 hours, approximately R605. You can also enquire with your hotel regarding recommended transport to use, which is commonly motorcycles and scooters in Bali, however, vehicle taxis are also available.
Food, activities and spending money need to be factored into your budget as well, which you can research in advance. Have an idea of the activities you will partake in and you can research the approximate costs on the direct website or platforms such as TripAdvisor to get a perspective of other travellers’ experiences. GetYourGuide and Viator are perfect for identifying and booking tours and activities taking place within a specified location and date range. Where possible, if you find a deal in advance for meals or activities, book it.
To take it a step further and consolidate all of your planning into one digital planning view including activities, Inspirock is ideal for this!
Pre-flights and during the trip
Before you depart for your international trip, ensure you have notified your bank and medical aid of international travel so that your cards are not blocked and your international medical insurance is available to you for any circumstances. The last thing you want to do is travel abroad and be stranded in this regard. Better yet, instead of using your usual debit and credit card abroad where you will incur charges, obtain a global or forex card that can be used in any location, whether swiping or withdrawing cash. We would highly advise you to keep physical copies of documents - flights, accommodation, vaccination certificate, and proof of residence in your home country for when you are processing through immigration and customs at your destination location, especially in Asia.
To ensure you do not exceed your budget, you need to keep track of your spending, this is where Tricount comes in handy. You can track each expense category against a specific currency and with multiple people or just for yourself. This is especially useful for group trips where expenses are shared across individuals, this will keep track of amounts to be reimbursed to each person within the group.
To keep a combined view of your flights, and accommodation as you kickstart your journey with reminders, prompts for navigating the airport, travel advice and more App in the Air keeps you on top of your itinerary. Once you have arrived at your destination, get a sim card and local currency cash at the airport or nearby stores. Having a sim card and communication options locally will assist in navigating your environment seamlessly with the likes of Google Maps as well as Whatsapp which is a common communication platform for service providers in Bali.
Social Media is an essential tool for planning or during your trip for finding hotspots in a location. Searching based on keywords on Instagram, TikTok or even Google will give you several options to narrow down on. On the flip side, be spontaneous, walk around the town and find random spots to try or better yet, ask the locals for recommendations. Ensuring your accommodation booking includes breakfast is one less meal to worry about! In Bali, cocktails are anywhere upward of 80 000Rp (approximately R97) with the tourist attractions charging in the range of 125 000Rp (approximately R150) whilst a main meal is anywhere upward of 55 000Rp (approximately R65).
Common tourist locations in Bali have an entry fee, such as Cretya Ubud 50 000Rp (approximately R60), and eating at the Asian cuisine restaurant within Cretya totalled 646 746Rp (approximately R785 for 2 cocktails, 2 main meals and service charge). The common swing spots such as Uma Ceking Resto and Swing’s entry fee is 300 000Rp (approximately R365) including access to 5 swings, venturing the gardens etc. Partaking in as many activities as possible is common when travelling, however, do not neglect to rest so that you also return home rejuvenated. What is more relaxing than a day at a pool, spa or beach club? DayPass can get you access to some of the best locations for the day.
Now that you know the platforms that enabled the incredible Bali holiday, you can apply a similar process to make your ideal holiday a reality.
“20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, and sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
