You’ve booked your flight, chosen a hotel and perhaps even planned a rough itinerary. But do you know exactly what time you’ll arrive at your destination? And what sort of weather you can expect there during your trip? These are the sort of practical matters that many travellers only think about just before setting off. Yet it is precisely these details that can make a big difference. Misjudging the time difference could mean you miss a transfer or arrive at your accommodation far too early. Fortunately, you can avoid a lot of problems with a few handy tools. Want to know which ones? Then read on!
What do you bear in mind before going on a trip?
During our travels, we’ve sometimes found ourselves standing in front of a locked door, given a taxi the wrong arrival time, or thought we’d be landing in the morning when it was already evening at our destination. These are all things we could easily have avoided by checking a few practical details in advance.
Many travellers spend hours researching flights, hotels and places of interest, but overlook simple things such as the time difference, the local weather conditions or what time the sun rises. Yet it is precisely these details that can make a big difference during your trip.
Our tip: check these 3 things before you set off
- Use a time difference calculator to compare arrival times directly with Dutch time. This will help you avoid mistakes with transfers, hotel check-ins and excursions.
- Check the local weather forecast well before you set off. It might sound very Dutch, but we’ve often found ourselves having to buy a pair of long trousers somewhere.
- Check the times of sunrise and sunset when planning special outings, such as a safari, a hike or a photo shoot during the golden hour.
Why time zones cause so much confusion
Time zones seem simple, until you’re in the middle of planning a trip. Let’s say you’re flying from Amsterdam to Bangkok. You’re leaving at 22:00 Dutch time and the flight takes about eleven hours. But what time exactly will you land? And will you arrive early in the morning or in the middle of the day?
This is precisely where things often go wrong. Many travellers make a quick estimate, whilst a difference of just a few hours can actually have a significant impact on the planning of your first day’s travel. Think about arranging a transfer, booking a hotel or meeting up with someone at your destination.
Thailand is in the UTC+7 time zone, whilst the Netherlands is in either UTC+1 or UTC+2, depending on the season. This means that the time difference changes throughout the year. It can be particularly tricky to keep track of all this in your head, especially if you’re visiting several countries on a single trip. What’s more, not all time zones are based on whole hours. India uses UTC+5:30 and Nepal even uses UTC+5:45. Australia has several time zones coexisting, and some countries do observe summer and winter time whilst neighbouring countries do not. In other words, it’s certainly worth taking a moment to look into this.
A time difference calculator as a handy travel companion
Fortunately, these days you no longer have to do the maths yourself. With a good time difference calculator Within seconds, you can see what time it is at your destination compared to the Netherlands. Simply enter your departure point, destination, date and time, and you’ll immediately see the time difference. No complicated calculations and no surprises on arrival.
Checking the local weather: more than just the temperature
The time difference is often the first thing travellers look at, but it is certainly not the only factor that affects your planning. The local weather conditions are useful to know. Yes… perhaps very Dutch, but it might be worth pausing for a moment to consider this.
For example, it’s useful to know whether you’re travelling during the rainy season. A tropical downpour doesn’t have to ruin your trip, but it can affect activities such as a boat trip, a safari or a multi-day hike. The climate can also vary enormously from one destination to another. Whereas in Thailand Whilst it may be the height of the dry season in one place, you could find yourself in the middle of the rainy season in another part of Asia. By checking in advance what to expect, you’ll have a better idea of what clothes to pack, which activities are best to plan, and whether you might need to allow for a bit of extra flexibility in your itinerary.
Also check the times of sunrise and sunset
And whilst we’re at it, we always check sunrise– and sunset times. We mainly do this so that we know when we can take some great photos, but also to avoid having to get out of bed at 5 o’clock for several days in a row.
Because suppose you were to witness the famous sunrise at Angkor Wat in Cambodia want to experience. It’s worth noting that, at certain times of the year, the sun rises as early as 05:30. This means you often have to set off from Siem Reap well before sunrise to secure a good spot. We do think it’s a bit over-enthusiastic to then go straight on a sunrise hike the very next day.
Are you travelling through several countries? Then make sure you keep track of everything
When travelling through several countries, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of all the time zones, climate zones and travel distances. This is certainly the case when, for example, you’re travelling from Thailand to Japan, or combining several destinations in Asia.
We’ve found that it’s useful to check in advance what the time difference is between the various destinations. This helps not only when booking flights, but also when planning online check-ins, transfers and phone calls home. The easiest way to get a visual overview of this is via a time zone map. You can see at a glance which time zones are adjacent, the time difference between your home country and each subsequent destination, and which countries happen to be in the same time zone.
When is the best time to check this?
Of course, you don’t have to obsessively check time zones and weather forecasts every day. We usually stick to this simple plan:
- Before booking: Check the climate and weather conditions for the time of your trip. Are you travelling during the rainy season? Or during the driest time of the year?
- Immediately after booking the flight: Check the local arrival time at your destination. That way, you’ll know straight away whether you need to arrange a late check-in or whether you’ll be arriving early.
- For special activities: Are you planning to watch the sunrise, go on a safari or take a boat trip? If so, do check the sunrise and sunset times the day before.
A good journey often starts at home
Proper preparation doesn’t have to be complicated at all. With a few simple checks, you can avoid common mistakes that we ourselves have encountered in the past.
Check the time difference in advance, have a quick look at the weather conditions and check what time the sun rises or sets if you’ve planned any special activities. It’ll only take you a few minutes at most, but it could save you a lot of surprises during your trip. As far as we’re concerned, travelling well-prepared doesn’t mean everything has to be set in stone. It’s precisely by sorting out the practicalities in advance that you’ll have more time on the road for spontaneous adventures and exciting discoveries.
We try to keep our blogs as up-to-date as possible but this cannot be done without your help. If anything has changed in this blog about beaches on Milos, please let us know at info@thousandtravelmiles.nl.
Some of the links in this blog are affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase via these links, we’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. By using these affiliate links, you’re supporting Thousandtravelmiles. This enables us to travel the world, fund the website and offer you free information to help you plan your trip. It means that a ‘real’ person does a little happy dance whenever you make a purchase via this link!
