There are as many different ways to travel as there are places to visit in the universe.

The Internet is the modern-day traveller’s best friend. But sometimes, it’s not the only source for travel tips and secrets. In fact, many travellers learn about their favourite travel tips by word of mouth. In this article, we pay homage to both sources. We gathered some of the most helpful travel tips travellers learned from other travellers, and put the travel tips on the list that can be readily accessible through the web.

Here are 15 secrets about travellers that nobody will tell you.

travellers

Book your ticket in a hidden or “incognito” browser

Have you ever tried to book airline tickets, refreshing the page continually to see if the price drops? As it turns out, you may actually be the cause of it going up. Airlines and travel websites can track cookies and hike up prices based on a user’s activity with certain flights. Avoid price hikes by searching only in incognito mode, expert travellers suggest.

See what your plane looks like before you even board

Next time you travel, don’t blindly pick your seat. Before booking your next flight, type the airline and flight number you are interested in into SeatGuru. The free and easy website provides seat maps showing the exact layout of your plane, customer reviews of exact seats, photos, and user comments to help you select your seat wisely. For your next flight, know your proximity to the lavatory, which seat has extra legroom, where to find power jacks, and if a particular row doesn’t recline.

Don’t ignore air + hotel bundles

Booking both at the same time may cost a lot less than booking separately. If the hotel doesn’t have to show their price and the airlines don’t have to show their price, both are willing to give lower prices not available other­wise.

Charge your phone from an airport TV

Low on battery? Avoid the hordes of people tethered to one small charging dock, and instead, locate your nearest TV (assuming you can reach it). Most TVs have USB ports on the back, allowing you to charge your phone in peace and quiet.

You’d miss your bed…so much!

Frequent travellers says that your bed is the only thing you will dream about, especially if your travel is a long one.

Bring half your luggage

A tough lesson by travellers but ultimately the most important. It’s something that I don’t think you really learn until you’ve come back from your first trip. You’ll pack all your toiletries, towels, six pairs of jeans, a hairdryer, mosquito nets and those money belts which you ‘definitely need’ (not). Your back will be breaking with that pack that’s bigger than you. Then you’ll realize you used about 30% of it and wonder why you ever packed so much.

Stay in a house over a hotel

So much yes on this, for several reasons, the first being that if you’re staying in a hotel, you’re probably in an area with an extremely high tourist concentration and you’re only going to bump into other tourists.

Take public transportation

Travellers favorite thing to do while traveling is to take the bus through a scenic part of town. It’s a budget way to get from one place to another and take in the sights without getting on a campy tour bus. You really get a feel for the inhabitants of a place when you see them going about their everyday lives.

Read up on places in advance

You don’t need to buy a guidebook, though they can come in handy. You probably have Internet access, don’t you? Google your destination to learn about the places you are going to.

Travel size detergents

The secret to look always fresh during long travels? Have a travel-size detergent with you so that you wash your clothes for repeated wear. Make sure to have quick-dry clothes, though!

Learn some local customs and a few key phrases

Literally everyone speaks English, but it’s a gesture of goodwill if you can manage to say hello and thank you in every language. It doesn’t matter if your accent is terrible because at least you’re trying.

Talk to your taxi driver

She or he knows a lot about wherever you are. You should be cautious/think about your safety and not give everything about yourself away, but you can still ask questions about places to eat and fun things to do.

Charging tools

Bring a universal adapter and a charging hub in case your hotel or Airbnb only has a few sockets!

Keep digital files of important documents

Frequent travellers experienced that you will never know when an emergency happens. Take pictures of your documents and data, in case of emergency this will help a lot!

It’s sooo addictive

When you start to travel or come to the end of your travels, you’re constantly planning where to go next. Travelling is the most addictive habit you can have…that’s actually good for you!