Have you Planned your Vacation yet?

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January through March is normally a period which keeps you busy and thinking in various ways. As if the worry about planning your tax saving investments is not enough, there will be other things playing on your mind too. Amidst the entire hustle and bustle, remember it is very important to live a life and what better way to do this than to take a break and head away with family or friends to a place which can help you rejuvenate for the next bout of routine grind. Here are some simple pointers on how to plan a vacation which will not only brighten up your life but will also be light on your pockets.
DIY vs. Readymade Packages
To begin with, there are two approaches that could help you have a great and memorable vacation. One is a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach wherein you take care of all the nitty-gritty associated with your vacation. This includes everything from booking your travel, accommodation, local conveyance, and sight-seeing on your own. But all this is good enough only if you have the time and the inclination to hunt for the best deals all by yourself. Though not a very easy task, the internet comes in handy for those who love to have it their way rather than depend on readymade tour operators. This brings us to the second option which is to pick out from the many offers laid out on our tables by tour operators.
Plan In Advance
Whichever the option you decide (whether planning on your own or picking up readymade tours from operators),one of the most important things to remember while planning a vacation is to plan well in advance. This is important especially while you book for your travel. Last minute bookings are not only expensive but also have a limited choice in terms of convenience. Flight bookings done in advance come at a much cheaper rate than those that are done just in time. Even when we talk of domestic destinations, where at times rail travel is far more convenient, one needs to book well in advance to avoid the last minute rush. This is applicable across the spectrum of services, including accommodation. For those looking at travelling abroad on a vacation,it gives ample scope to take care of formalities such as vis processing which at times can be pretty lengthy.
Planning The Destination
Once you have decided to take a vacation, the first and the most important factor that needs to be considered is the destination. The marketing pitch for various destinations,domestic as well as foreign, as interesting places of tourism has been on the rise. The pitch gets louder as the attractiveness of destinations increases depending on the best season to visit these places. Your choice would

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depend not only on your home climate but also on the climate of the destination that you choose to visit.
For instance, for anyone from Mumbai or for that matter from Western India, getting away from the summer heat is a more than a welcome thought. In such a case, travelling to a destination like Goa which is equally hot during the summer period of February and May would not really be an appealing idea. However, it would be a good idea to snap cheap deals during an off-season period rather than wait for the climatically right moment to visit destinations of your choice.
Mode Of Transport
Once you have decided on the destination, the next most important thing that you need to zero in on is the mode of your travel. As pointed out earlier, advance planning goes a long way in determining the comfort of your travel. With the advent of low-cost, no-frills airlines, a completely new avenue for those wanting to take the aerial route has opened up. This however calls for bookings to be made well in advance to really be able to take advantage of the low cost that is on offer. Many international airlines have begun offering special rates for particular destinations which are known tourist attractions. As for our very friendly railways, it is always advisable to book in advance, not only for the convenience in cost but for the convenience of comfortable travelling. Bookings can be done online through various travel portals which offer the convenience of snapping the best deals across the various options that are available. As for rail bookings the parent site www.irctc.com is the best for anybody who wants to do it by himself. The other option is to get your travel agent book for you (which normally comes at a nominal cost).
Accommodation
Staying put in a place which is comfortable and reasonable is equally important. Striking a balance between comfort and cost is of utmost importance while planning a budget vacation. If you are out to do it yourself make sure you have researched the place you want to stay at in a thorough manner. The best options that are available for planning a budget vacation within India is booking with state-owned hotels which offer a reasonably good staying experience as,for instance, the ones owned by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) which has its hotels across the length and breadth of the country. While travelling abroad it is always better to look at standard places of repute in order to avoid any inconvenience after reaching there.

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Insurance
One very significant point to keep in mind while planning your vacation is to ensure that you are adequately insured. This is particularly true for those planning a vacation abroad. In case you are taking up a readymade vacation package, the tour operator himself gets this insurance done. However, in case of a self-planned tour, it would be better to be keep this point in mind and get valid and adequate travel insurance before your proceed to that coveted spot to chill out. There are a host of other factors that need to be taken into consideration while planning your vacation all by yourself. For example, when you travel abroad the most important is the processing of your travel documents. Making sure that these are in order will help in avoiding unnecessary hassles especially when you are in a foreign country. The easiest way of dealing with this is to get hold of a valid travel agent and ensure that the documentation has been properly done. While detailed attention to these points will help you in planning an enjoyable vacation at reasonable cost, it would be a good idea to look at some of the options that are being offered by tour operators who may be throwing in many freebies and discount options on your table.