Destinations
Researching a destination properly saves money and avoids unwelcome surprises. Before choosing where to go, and again before you book, check the practical things that decide whether a place suits the trip you have in mind.
Start with timing. Weather, rainy and hurricane seasons, school holidays and major festivals all change prices, crowds and what is open. Check the entry requirements for your passport and your government's travel advice on safety, health and local laws. Then look at the day-to-day cost of food, transport and places to stay, how easy it is to get around without a car, and which neighbourhoods suit where you want to stay.
Travel guide publishers are useful because they cover all of this in one place. Official tourism boards are good for events and opening times, and traveller forums for recent, specific questions, although answers there vary in quality.
Lonely Planet's destination guides are the best-known place to start, covering countries and cities worldwide with free articles online and more detailed paid guidebooks. For visa and entry rules, use the tools in Visas, and to estimate what a trip will cost, Budget Your Trip's daily travel costs by destination.
