Travelling the world is an experience to cherish, and ensuring that you align your trips with the best international festivals is a memory that will last a lifetime.
Whether it is listening to your favourite artist in a new country or witnessing stunning lanterns or light and music festivals worldwide, knowing the right international travel tips to make the most of your experience is crucial.
If you are looking for budget-friendly foreign trips from India to attend international festivals, this guide will provide you with the necessary tips and tricks to plan your entire trip.
Top International Travel Tips for Festivals
Going to an international festival requires more than just booking the festival tickets. Especially if you are looking for budget-friendly international trips from India, you need to ensure you spend within your budget and plan properly.
Thus, here are some tips to save on international festival tickets and overall trip bookings for your next global adventure.
Festival Tips for Budget-Friendly International Trips from India
Shoulder Season Bookings
When buying your festival tickets, choose festivals in countries where shoulder season is on, as it not only reduces the festival ticket price but also impacts the overall trip expenses.
Advance Booking
Whether it is one of the popular international spring festivals or a music festival in a unique international destination, booking the festival tickets months in advance can help you save a lot of money.
Group Bookings
Instead of buying individual tickets, buy festival tickets for the entire group together to avail of different discounts and other benefits that come with group bookings.
Set a Budget
At most international festivals, there are multiple merchandise, food, drinks and other counters or stalls that help enhance the festival experience. However, you must set a budget for on-spot expenses prior to the festival to avoid overspending.
Accommodation Tips for International Spring Festivals and More
Choose Wisely
Hotels around the festival location often charge very high prices due to the high level of crowd inflow. Thus, when it comes to accommodation, you must spend some time in research to find alternative accommodation options in place of expensive hotels.
Book Early
Book your accommodation well in advance to avoid last-minute price hikes and expensive bookings on the spot.
Review Locations
When choosing the appropriate location for your stay during festivals, instead of limiting yourself to the event location, explore nearby locations to find cheaper accommodation options with better deals and services.
Packing Trips for International Festivals
Study the Season
When packing for your next trip abroad to attend an international festival, study the ongoing weather conditions to pack the right clothes. Moreover, be prepared for seasonal changes in countries where the weather is unpredictable.
Carry Limited Options
While packing, focus on keeping the essentials that can enhance your festival experience. The list includes sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, a water bottle, and a small bag.
Comfortable Footwear
No matter which of the
international spring festivals or others you choose, walking is crucial for all. Thus, when packing, keep comfortable footwear like slides, sports shoes or sneakers that can help with proper support and stability without straining your feet.
Transportation Tips for Festivals Worldwide
Use Public Transportation when Possible
Instead of booking cabs to and from the festivals, research and use public transportation that is easily accessible and well-connected to your destination.
Book with Groups
If you prefer personal cabs or taxis, instead of going, book bigger rides for groups as it will be more affordable and convenient, with complete freedom of personalised transportation.
Find Local Festival Transportation
Many times, festival organisers also offer buses and other ride options as a combination purchase with the tickets. Thus, you must check out different deals to find good and affordable transportation.
Safety Tips for Festivals Worldwide
Vet the Surroundings
Festivals are fun, but you must take care of your safety at all times. So, before going to a festival, check your surroundings and map out the exits along with the security checkpoints to ensure you know where to go when you need anything.
Keep all Personal Documents Safe
Avoid carrying all your personal belongings to the festival as the crowd is intense, and the risk of losing your stuff is high. Moreover, you must keep all the necessary documents required to attend the festival in a small bag with a lock to avoid snatching concerns.
Go Around in Groups
Do not step out of the festival alone and choose groups for moving around to maximise safety, especially for female travellers.
Cultural and Religious Awareness Tips for Festivals Worldwide
Be Mindful
Many festivals around the world have cultural significance, which celebrates their local traditions on a grand scale. For such events, you must be mindful of the local traditions and religious practices that are being celebrated to avoid hurting the sentiments of the locals due to unintentional disrespect.
Dress Appropriately
Based on these cultural values of different countries, the dress code for certain festivals might be limited to modest outfits that do not reveal skin or make locals uncomfortable. Thus, you must check for the dress code requirements for different local festivals prior to attending them.
Have an Open Mind
Do not enter any festival with a closed mind. Be open and accepting of different cultures and avoid making other people uncomfortable due to your limited knowledge, as that can make it difficult for you to blend in with the locals and be open to new experiences.
Respect People
Regardless of who you meet during the festival, being polite and respectful is necessary to share a friendly connection with everyone around. This will also provide you with an opportunity to explore networking and friendly connections during your travel.
Review Food Options
For religious and cultural festivals, the food options might be limited to local cuisines, especially non-vegetarian delicacies. This might be an issue for many Indian travellers. Thus, you must check the food options available at the festival and bring your food to the festival if permitted to enjoy it to the fullest.
Check Entry Requirements
The entry requirements for certain festivals go beyond the age and dress code prerequisites.
These entry requirements may include vaccination certificates, tickets, IDs as per specifications, health certificates, and so on. Check these requirements and prepare the required documents to ensure your attendance at the festival.
Important Things To Do Before Travelling Internationally for Festivals
Do your research for the festival in regards to location, close-by accommodations, entry requirements, and more.
Check for the necessary international visa requirements for the festival destination and apply in advance to avoid a last-minute rush and the increased risk of delays or cancellations.
Learn a little about the local cultural dos and don'ts of the country you are visiting before leaving for your festival to ensure you do not offend the locals due to lack of knowledge.
Get your local currency beforehand and set aside the festival budget to spend as per capacity without compromising on the fun.
Download all the necessary applications, like maps, spending trackers, digital document folders, ride-sharing options, translation apps, etc., on your phone to enhance the trip experience.
Need for Travel Insurance for International Festivals
For many countries, especially in Europe, having valid travel insurance to apply for a visa is mandatory. Without this crucial document, you might not be permitted to enter the country to attend the festival.
Other than the mandate, travel insurance also ensures maximum financial support and protection during and before your international trip, whether you choose single-trip or
annual multi-trip insurance.
With coverage for flight delays or cancellations, loss of baggage, loss of a passport, third-party liabilities, and medical emergencies, a travel insurance plan can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses significantly.
Reliance General Insurance offers a wide range of travel insurance plans, such as
international travel insurance, Schengen travel insurance, Asia travel insurance, senior citizen travel insurance, and so on, to cater to specific traveller needs.
Conclusion
No matter how many international festivals you plan on attending, knowing the right way to plan your travel is necessary to avoid unfortunate incidents and excessive out-of-pocket expenses.
With this detailed guide on various international travel tips and festival-related recommendations, you can witness endless festivals worldwide while enjoying budget-friendly international trips solo or with family and friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 5 international festivals one must experience in their life once?
The five must-see international festivals include the following -
La Tomatina in Spain
Tomorrowland in Belgium
Glastonbury Festival in England
Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Thailand
Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil
Are there any festival-specific rules and regulations I should follow?
The standard rules and regulations applicable to most international festivals include -
Avoid substance consumption as it is prohibited.
Do not litter at the festival grounds.
Respect the lines.
Be aware of and respect any cultural or religious rules of the festivals, such as dress codes, specific restrictions, etc.
Refrain from using disrespectful language when in public or while interacting with other festival participants.