Immerse yourself in the culture
The typical British holiday often consists of spending two weeks on a beach surrounded by British hotels, bars, pubs and restaurants. Although this is all well and good, it tends to make those summers in Ibiza, Crete or Malia blend together. For a truly new experience ask the locals to point you in the direction of traditional markets and local eateries. This will help you soak in the culture and remember the holiday distinctly.
For an added extra why not try learning the basics of the language? It will make the locals trust you and it’s easier to navigate public transport to areas with less tourism.
Try new activities
There are probably hundreds of activities available wherever you’re visiting which would never have occured to you to try back home. Things like bungee-jumping, surfing or sphering which involves climbing into a large rubber ball and rolling down a hill. You can find information about these kinds of activities at websites like ExperienceMad.co.uk and other similar ones in different countries.
Some people even get tattoos or piercings for the first time on a holiday. Even though many of these things could be done anywhere, the idea of doing it during a holiday will make it extra special.
Make the most of every moment
Sometimes it can be tempting to spend most of your holiday having long lies-in and relaxing by the hotel pool, there’s nothing worse than being on a plane home thinking the last ten days could have just as easily been Cornwall. Of course a couple of evenings of parties are necessary during a holiday, but by trying to get a relatively early night most days will help you be up early enough to enjoy the mornings. This can be important particularly in countries in southern Europe, where many shops and attractions close for lunchtime, so by missing the morning you may not get another chance until 5pm.
Remember to relax
Even though it is important to experience as much as possible during your holiday, there is no point in making air-tight schedules and minute-by-minute plans. You may find that by the end of the holiday you feel just as stressed as when you left and it can be disappointing when your day doesn’t go exactly as planned.
A happy medium between trying to do everything and managing to do nothing will allow you to relieve the pressure yet experience an unforgettable holiday wherever you are.
Meet new peopleNothing makes a holiday as unforgettable as going back with new friends. When you’re sharing rooms in youth hostels it can seem easier but don’t be afraid to strike up conversations on the beach or exchange email addresses with fellow tourists you met in a cafe. You’ll always regret it if a few years on when you look back at your pictures and realise that you never even got a last name for those nice people you shared a jug of sangria with.
Images: http://vadim.oversigma.com/
