How to avoid these 16 epic travel mistakes

Everyone has their own unique travel style. From those crafty travellers who know how to work a budget like nobody’s business to the cashed-up luxury travellers with matching luggage and cashmere sleep socks (are those a thing?). No matter what your travel style or experience level, there are still times you’re going to make a mistake. Look, I don’t claim to be perfect. In fact, I’ve messed up countless times, which is how I know all about these 16 epic travel mistakes and how to avoid them.

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1. Falling victim to common scams

Sadly, there are a lot of people out there who see tourists as potential marks and an opportunity to make a quick buck. Scams come in all shapes and sizes and a bad scam can ruin your holiday altogether and, potentially, leaving you feeling like you don’t like a destination because of your experience.

The Fix: Before you go, research common scams at the destination. A quick google search should reveal enough information for you to feel prepared and aware of what you might experience. That way, when it does happen, you’ll know how to spot it and avoid it with confidence. Read: How to avoid these 12 common scams in South-East Asia.

2. Using single-use plastics

When you start to take notice of it, you realise just how many unnecessary single-use plastics you encounter when travelling. Plastic water bottles, mini shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles.  Hotel amenities like plastic hairbrushes, toothbrushes and mini toothpaste tubes. Plastic bags, knives, forks and spoons, bowls, takeaway containers, wrappers and cling film. In a bid to offer convenience, many businesses are providing single-use plastics that have a huge negative impact on the environment.

The Fix: Be aware of single-use plastics and say no to them wherever possible. Pack a refillable water bottle and your own shampoo, conditioner and body wash from home. Don’t open or use hotel minis or plastic amenities. Carry a reusable knife, fork, spoon and straw in your day bag and ask for paper instead of plastic wherever possible. Read: 9 really easy ways to use less plastic when you travel.

3. Taking online reviews as gospel

When planning a trip, travellers often look to online review websites to see what others had to say. I’ve seen, first-hand, great local businesses be negatively impacted by bad reviews online. These reviews can be exaggerated or the person writing them has gone straight to the internet to blast the business, rather than raising their concerns with them and asking for help. Sadly, one bad review can far outweigh one good one and, often, it’s people with an issue who write reviews, not the people who loved it.

The Fix: Trust your instincts and don’t take online reviews as gospel. While it’s great to do your research and see what other people thought of the stay, what they’ve written may not necessarily be accurate or justified. If you see a business you like the look of, don’t let negative reviews turn you off if you really want to experience it.

4. Trying to pack too much into each day

When visiting a new destination there’s always the temptation to pack as much as possible into each day. When you’re spending hard-earned money on flights and accommodation and taking time off work, you want to be sure you’re making the most of your holiday. But enjoying a destination doesn’t have to be quantified by seeing and doing a certain number of things.

The Fix: Try to focus on key experiences that connect you with the heart and soul of the destination. Think about what you really want to get out of the trip and plan quality experiences that achieve that. For example, you might want to rest and relax, discover hidden spots, have a local’s experience or enjoy an adventure holiday – plan accordingly. Read: How to plan the epic Bali holiday of your dreams! 

5. Forgetting to stop and look up

With so much great technology at our fingertips, we often arrive at a gorgeous spot and immediately whip out cameras and phones to capture the moment so we can remember it forever. Sometimes it’s not until you leave that you realise you didn’t actually take the time to stop and enjoy the moment.

The Fix: Don’t forget to put down the phone or camera and just sit for a while, soaking in the beauty of the moment and truly enjoy it. The chances are you may not ever come back again and while a photo is a great way to remember it, being present is the best way to enjoy it.

6. Following an ‘Insta-worthy’ itinerary

Travellers have always gleaned travel inspiration from beautiful photos online, adding destinations, restaurants and activities to their list. That’s more true now than ever, with AI-generated recommendations, TikTok travel videos and Instagram reels all competing for your attention. The problem is, a lot of what you see has been edited, filtered, or filmed at 5am with a permit. A photograph is a photograph, and a viral short isn’t the full story.

The fix: Take inspiration from wherever you find it but verify it. Check recent reviews, look at the location in a realistic time of year and cross-reference what you’re seeing online with real-world accounts. Build an itinerary that reflects what you actually want to get out of the trip, not just what photographs well.

7. Blowing the budget

We’ve all done it. You start your holiday with a stacked back account and an urge to spend, splashing out on fancy meals and latte’s all day, every day. Then, a few days or weeks later, you check your bank account and realise you now need to live off bread rolls stolen from the breakfast buffet. The rest of your holiday is spent saying no to things you really wanted to do and saving your pennies.

The Fix: Work out how much money you can afford to spend then travel within your means. This doesn’t mean you have to stay in budget accommodation and eat at supermarkets the whole time. Start your holiday by staying at budget spots and eating at budget-friendly restaurants and step your holiday up as you go. Save money on the first few days then stay in mid-range accommodation the next few, ending your trip with one or two nights at a luxe spot. Read: 24 incredibly helpful tips to save money on travel. 

8. Seeing things from the tried and true tourist perspective

Often, the inspiration to visit a destination comes from amazing photos, books, movies and guides that show us iconic spots and well-loved tourist trails. When you visit Paris you have to see the Eiffel Tower, in Rome, it’s the Colosseum and in Venice, it’s the Grand Canal. But our sources of travel inspiration can often lead us to a specific spot, showing us these things at one tried and true angle.

The Fix: See it from that angle then find one of your own. Try to find a rooftop, window or another high vantage point to view it from. Explore laneways looking for a hidden viewing spot and find your own, unique take on a crowd favourite.

9. Saying no when you wanna say yes

I don’t know about you, but I can sometimes feel a little guilty when it comes to indulging on holidays. Maybe you want to have an extra scoop of gelato, slice of pizza or piece of pie. Maybe you want to indulge in a massage, special memento or once-in-a-lifetime experience but you feel guilty. It could be your concerns about gaining weight or feeling like you don’t deserve to have or do the thing you want.

The Fix: Treat yo self! How many times will you get the chance to have an extra scoop of gelato on the streets of Rome or slice of pizza in New York? Don’t let fears hold you back, enjoy your holiday exactly how you want to enjoy it within your means.

10. Packing way too much

When packing, there’s a real temptation to pack things, ‘just in case,’ and before you know it, you’re lugging around an incredibly heavy suitcase. A ridiculously hefty suitcase is very frustrating and can test your patience at the best of times. It also means you may not have enough room to pick up some new things while you’re on holiday and you may feel stressed about checked-luggage restrictions.

The Fix: Pack clothes you always wear – your ride or die outfits! Pack from your clean laundry as you know these are things you actually do wear and love. Don’t pack things, ‘just in case.’ I also recommend packing a few days before you leave, laying your clothes out on the floor so you can see them and auditing as you go.

11. Not protecting electronics with anti-virus software

Connecting to cafe, restaurant, hotel and airport wi-fi on unprotected devices is a genuinely risky habit. Most people don’t think about it until something goes wrong, but unsecured networks are a common way for people to intercept personal data and, in some cases, access accounts and financial information. My laptop is a particularly frequent target.

The fix: Install a reputable VPN and use it every time you connect to public wi-fi. It’s also worth having decent security software across your phone and laptop. It’s a small upfront effort that can save a lot of pain later.

12. Failing to backup photographs

If your travel photographs matter to you, a regular backup is non-negotiable. If your phone, camera or laptop were stolen or damaged tomorrow, would you lose everything from the trip? If the answer is yes, you need a better system.

The fix: I travel with a compact portable hard drive and do a backup every couple of days. It takes five minutes and means I’m never at risk of losing everything to a single mishap. Cloud storage like Google Photos or iCloud works well too, just make sure it’s set to auto-sync while you have wi-fi access.

13. Travelling without insurance

I’ve heard so many stories of people travelling without travel insurance and ending up in a genuinely terrible situation. I’ve been sick on the road more than once and have had to rely on my policy to cover hospital bills. Without it, I would have been seriously out of pocket and in a bad spot.

The fix: You absolutely must have travel insurance. Take out your policy as soon as you book your flights so you’re covered from the moment the money leaves your account. An annual policy is often far better value if you travel more than once or twice a year. Read: My essential travel resources

14. Paying too much on bank fees

Withdrawing money each day from your account while overseas can quietly add up to a significant amount in foreign transaction fees. Before you know it, you’ve spent a lot more than you budgeted for without anything to show for it.

The fix: Look into travel-friendly bank accounts or debit cards with no overseas transaction fees before your next trip. There are several good options in Australia that offer this. When you do need to withdraw cash, take out a larger amount less frequently to reduce the number of transactions. Just be smart about how you carry it. Read: My essential travel resources

15. Being culturally insensitive

Logan Paul immediately springs to mind and not just for his disgraceful suicide forest vlog but also for his other travel related vlogs where he is completely disrespectful of local culture. Of course, he is an extreme and not the norm, but I do often see tourists acting in a way that is inappropriate and it really makes me cringe.

The Fix: Before you go, do some research on the destination and find out what is and isn’t acceptable there. Some countries are more conservative than others and while it’s not necessary, dressing a certain way may be appreciated. It may also be appropriate to be quiet in social situations, like on public transport. In some situations, it may be inappropriate to touch people, for a man to be alone with a woman or for a woman to touch a man. Whether or not we agree with these beliefs doesn’t matter. I personally believe, by deciding to travel somewhere, we acknowledge there may be differences in beliefs but, as a good human, observe them and act respectfully.

16. Losing track of booking information and confirmations

Booking a holiday usually comes with loads of confirmation emails, booking reference numbers and travel details, like flight numbers, dates and times, hotel addresses and more! It can be overwhelming and hard to keep track off, leaving travellers with a mess of information and, sometimes, a missed flight.

The Fix: Go old school and put together your own trip itinerary, pulling all the information together in one place. Send it to your phone and you’ll have it on you at all times as a quick reference point for key information. There are also apps to help you with this if doing up an itinerary doesn’t quite appeal. I’ve used TripIt in the past and loved it, you just register an account then forward all your booking emails to the app, it compiles them all for you and will even send you reminders for flight dates, times and changes! Read: 7 apps that make my travel life so much easier!

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common travel mistakes people make?

The most common ones come down to poor planning, overpacking, skipping travel insurance and not doing basic research on local customs and common scams before arriving. Most are easy to avoid once you know what to look for.

Is travel insurance really necessary?

Yes, without question. Medical costs overseas can be extraordinary, and that’s before you factor in evacuation, cancellations or lost luggage. The cost of a policy is nothing compared to what you could be out of pocket without one.

How do I stay safe on public wi-fi when travelling?

Use a VPN every time you connect to a network you don’t control. Avoid logging into banking or sensitive accounts on public wi-fi where possible, and keep your security software up to date across all devices.

What’s the best way to avoid getting scammed while travelling?

Research the most common scams at your destination before you go. A quick search will usually surface the main ones. Awareness is most of the battle. If something feels off, trust that instinct and walk away.

How do I avoid overpacking?

Pack from your clean laundry, not your wardrobe. If it’s in your clean pile, you actually wear it. Lay everything out before it goes into the bag, audit ruthlessly, and resist anything added as a “just in case.”

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