Traveling as a couple is one of our favorite things to do. It is more than just exploring new places together--it's about creating shared memories, navigating adventures side by side, and growing closer with every experience. From visiting famous locations to sharing meals in unfamiliar cities, our travels allow us to bond over the excitement, challenges, and joy of exploring the world hand-in-hand. Every journey becomes a story, every destination a chapter in our shared adventure.
When it comes to traveling, we love doing DIY or do-it-yourself trips. We want to experience the world on our own terms. We thrive on planning our travels from scratch, making each trip uniquely ours. And in this post, we'll take you through our travel essentials, tips, and how we plan our adventures as a team, sharing our love for exploring the world while staying true to who we are.
What DIY Travel Means to Us
For us, DIY travel is all about freedom. It's the joy of being in control of every single detail of our trip. No travel agents, no jam-packed itineraries, and definitely no waking up at 5 AM because of a group meet-up. We map out our own adventure from scratch, and that's what we love.
DIY travel means we plan our trips from start to finish. We choose our destination, book our own flights, pick out our hotels, figure out how to get around, and make sure we know where to get the best food. It's about tailoring the trip to suit us, without having to consider a group's different opinions and preferences. Just us, our plans, and endless possibilities. There's something exhilarating about it--knowing we can go wherever we want, whenever we want.
No waiting around for people, no need to feel rushed, no settling for things that don't interest us. When we're tired, we slow down. When we want to skip a spot, we go ahead and do it. And if we want to spend the whole day at the hotel instead of hopping from one landmark to the next, we do just that. Plus, it's almost always cheaper than paying for travel packages from agencies.
Of course, it's not all smooth sailing. If something goes wrong, we only have ourselves to blame--a true test of our relationship! DIY trips need a lot of planning, research, and logistics preparation. But the reward? A more intimate, flexible, and cost-effective travel experience. It's like our own little world--a truly exclusive adventure.
Our Travel Style: Tourists and Proud!
There's this idea that to travel "well," you have to immerse yourself in local culture and "live like a local." Some travelers also would like to explore the uncharted territories and less "touristy" spots and activities. But if we're being honest, we're tourists, and we're happy to be! Our trips are about enjoying the highlights, seeing the big sights, and indulging in activities that everyone's talking about. We're not trying to blend in--we're trying to see, experience, and eat our way through the places we visit.
It's all about comfort and convenience for us. We prioritize things that make our trip easy and enjoyable. We want to visit iconic places, do fund activities that aren't too exhausting, watch local shows, and--most importantly--eat really good food. We're here to experience the best parts of our destinations without stressing about taking the "off-the-beaten-path" route or pretending we're locals.
Planning and Budgeting
One of the first few things we do once we've decided to have a trip is to save for it. You know those travel jars or those coin/piggy banks that people use to save for their trips? Or the money envelopes which are famous in TikToks and other social media where they put in cash for different purposes, including travel? Well, we don't really do those. We find that creating a separate travel fund account in an online bank application is way more convenient. It's easy to manage, we can add to it anytime through bank transfer, and best of all, we won't accidentally leave it behind.
When it comes to cash, we also like to keep things simple. Instead of dealing with money exchanges (and their fees), we just withdraw cash from ATMs when we reach our destination. It's straightforward, and we usually get a better rate.
Divide and Conquer
Chino and I have our own specialties when it comes to planning, and we make sure to divide and conquer. Chino is in charge of the "big ticket" items--finding the best deals for flights and lodging. It's almost like a sport for him, hunting down the perfect combination of price and comfort (and if we can, luxury). He also checks the weather before we go to make sure we're prepared for any changes.
As for me, I take care of the fun details--the itinerary, food options, and local transportation. I love planning our day-to-day activities, from where we'll eat breakfast (which is usually from the hotel because Chino loves breakfast buffets) to which museum or park we'll visit first. And since packing is an art form (at least to me), I'm responsible for making sure we have everything we need in the most efficient way possible.
My planning always starts with a "scratch pad"--a Google sheet where I jot down all the information I come across. From flight options and hotel recommendations to potential stops on our itinerary, it all goes in there before I start narrowing things down. And when it's time to finalize, it's a quick and easy way to see all our plans laid out.
Our Search for Flights and Layovers
Finding a flight is one of those things that's half work, half thrill. Chino and I usually check applications and websites comparing prices and searching for deals. Chino usually checks Skyscanner, while I check Kayak. And while we usually book our flights directly through airline websites (for those perks like miles, extra baggage allowances, and easier modifications), there are times when a third-party site offers a price that's just to good to pass up.
Now let's talk layovers. They can be a real pain or a hidden gem, depending on how you plan them. We usually aim for layovers around 2-3 hours--enough time to navigate delays but not so long that we get restless. But if a longer layover is significantly cheaper, we'll consider it, especially if the airport has perks like free tours for transiting passengers. It's like getting a bonus mini-trip before you even reach your final destination.
Finding Comfortable Accommodations
When it comes to choosing where to stay, we have one rule: prioritize comfort. We're past the stage where we'd sacrifice a good night's sleep just to save a few bucks. If we find a place that's comfortable and offers a buffet breakfast, we're sold! A relaxing place to come back to after a long day of exploring makes all the difference. Sometimes, we'll even decide to spend an entire day lounging in the hotel--so it better be good.
And yes, booking online is our go-to, usually directly from hotel websites. Chino always checks for membership perks like complimentary breakfasts, room upgrades, and flexible check-in times. Therefore, we usually prefer to stay in hotels where we have membership. Trust me, those little perks add up and make your stay feel a bit more special.
Creating our Itinerary
If there's one part of travel planning that I adore, it's creating the itinerary. I love researching online, going through travel articles and blogs, and browsing social media to gather ideas. I also like talking to AI assistants, particularly GuideGeek, on creating itineraries. Once I have a list of possible places to visit, I narrow them down based on what fits our travel style. And everything goes in our trusty shared Google Sheet, so Chino can chime in whenever he wants. We stick to the big sights, try the best activities, and make the most out of our time.
I always start with one thing: the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. It's our favorite way to see a new city. I usually check out Big Bus Tours or City Sightseeing Tours first because they're efficient, convenient, and give us a good overview of the place without having to figure out local transportation. We hop on, hop off, stay as long as we want on each stop, and skip whatever doesn't interest us.
And to save money while maximizing fund, I check applications like Klook, Viator, Get Your Guide, and Wanderlog to look for activities and tickets. We're not shy about booking tours if they're efficient and help us see the city's best parts--we're all about making the most of our time.
Packing and Preparing
Packing is my art, and I take it seriously. Based on our itinerary, I determine the exact number of outfits we'll need and always add a couple of extras just in case. I either use packing cubes or vacuum bags. They keep everything organized and compact, and they make it easy to find what we need without rummaging through the whole suitcase.
Chino complements my preparation by handing other travel details. He manages our travel insurance (with my help in researching the options), makes sure we have the right local communication setup (sim cards and data plans), and looks into any departure or arrival requirements like customs forms. If possible, we also download the airline applications for free WiFi and quick check-ins.
Embracing the Unexpected
DIY travel is all about staying flexible and being ready for anything. Sometimes an activity or show might get cancelled, or a bus might not show up when it's supposed to, and that's okay. It's all part of the adventure, and learning to go with the flow has given us some of our most memorable experiences (but stressful for Chino 😆).
So even if things don't always go according to plan, or we get lost in the middle of an unfamiliar city, we've learned to embrace the unexpected, make new plans on the spot, and laugh through the hiccups. After all, it's those surprises that make the best stories. We also believe that these small challenges bring us closer together. We always say that if you really want to get to know someone, travel with them--it's the ultimate relationship test!
To us, DIY travel is about savoring every moment together, making memories we'll cherish for years. It's not about having a perfect trip or sticking to a flawless itinerary. It's about exploring new places, enjoying each other's company, and letting every experience become a part of our story.
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