While you’re in the workplace, going outside and taking a refreshing walk is definitely mesmerizing. But, what’s more, thrilling is thinking of travel destinations you’d wish you were traveling in rather than doing work.
However, you think travel can be more stressful than your work because you’ll be dealing with long lines, rowdy crowds, and everything in between. If that should happen, then it will just be a waste of money
On the other hand, compromise always works best when it comes to amazing travel experiences. One compromise that guarantees this is traveling off-peak season.
By definition, peak season is the time tourists all over the world flock to a single destination. For example, many travelers anticipate winter in Japan because of the cherry blossoms. However, everyone knows Japan has plenty to offer during both summer and winter.
8 Reasons Why You Should Travel Off-Peak
If you’ve got a destination in mind, consider traveling off-peak season. In fact, you might just discover uncommon amazing travel experiences outside the cliche your target destination is known for. Additionally, you’ll get to enjoy the following conveniences.
#1. Pay Less Airfare
Anyone making travel budgets knows airfares sometimes take 30-40% of the entire travel budget. In fact, it can even reach as far as 50% if you travel during your destination’s peak season. We can’t blame airlines for increasing their prices when there is high demand because there are only so many passenger planes and seats available.
But, what if you decided to travel during a season the destination isn’t too well-known for?
For example, you can skip your trip to Santorini in Greece during winter and instead head to Agriolefkes. There, you can take a look at the best ski resorts or take a hike into the famous ancient farming villages.
In fact, maybe you can head to Santorini during winter and see what most travelers cannot see during the shiny and beautiful summers that highlight the seaside town’s radiant and colorful neighborhood. This contrast makes the experience all the more beautiful, and you paid less airfare for it!
#2. Almost No Lines Everywhere You Go
Lines make a traveler’s life extremely excruciating. Picture this: you’ve just barely survived waiting for the long queues going outside the airport.
Next, you’ll have to deal with lines to the cabs, buses, or local transportation. Then, if you’ve checked in at accommodations nearest the best attractions during peak seasons, you’re going to wait quite a while too.
Imagine all the hours you won’t waste if you traveled to lesser-known areas your destination offers. In fact, when the destination travel season dies down and you head into these hotspots, you won’t need to wait for queues almost anywhere.
For example, hundreds of tourists queue outside an Italian restaurant well-known for its seasonal dishes. This is the situation during peak season: they’ll wait for it to open its doors because it’s a travel highlight.
Come off-season, you’ll find they have amazing dishes most travelers wouldn’t know because they went there during peak season and if you’re blogging about it, that will definitely be an interesting topic!
It will be a world of difference when traveling off-peak. You can go beyond the destinations peak season travelers have with their rigid and linen-bound schedules because there will be no queues almost anywhere!
#3. Top Destinations Have More Availability
Because of fewer lines, top destinations can accommodate almost every traveler during the off-peak season. Sometimes, tourist magnet venues and events can become quite a spectacle.
For example, Japan’s Ueno Zoo features the most adorable pandas. However, during peak season, you’ll be queuing in line for at least two to four hours! You could ride on all of Japan’s national railway routes with the same amount of time you’ve spent lining up to see pandas!
On the other hand, consider traveling to Ueno Zoo during off-peak season and on a weekday (you may still have to queue during weekends because local families love their pandas as much as travelers do!). You’ll see a huge waiting time cut in the queues and get to see too-adorable pandas!
You see, when traveling off-peak, you get to more destinations and enjoy what it offers to the fullest! You may not enjoy the travel cliche known about your destination, but it doesn’t mean it has nothing similar or even better to offer you during off-peak season.
#4. Cheap Yet Richly-Rewarding Accommodations
So, traveling off-peak has helped you save money in both airfares and gave you better value by saving time and doing more. In addition, the low demand for accommodations drives down even the most famous hotels’ premium room prices.
Think about it: you’ll be paying 30-50% off of the original price of your hotel. That’s huge!
But that’s not all. This price reduction trickles down to local goods, restaurants, museum fees, local tour packages, transportation, and others.
Speaking of transportation, cab rides become cheaper because there’s not much traffic (unless you travel during rush hour — which any traveler is advised to avoid at all costs).
You’ve saved so much money, yet the value your destination and its featured travel spots give you (cliche or not) are worth more than what you would have enjoyed by traveling during peak season.
In fact, by saving both time and money, you will have enjoyed everything a city or town can offer within the duration of your stay.
#5. Friendlier And More Helpful Locals
Local people welcome travelers and love sharing their customs, traditions, and anything else they can offer. However, too much of anything is never a good thing.
Locals may find themselves ignoring or finding travelers annoying. Congested cities, differing cultures, and having to explain one’s self and their respective traditions can be frustrating (except for tour guides because they’re professionals).
During off-peak seasons in your chosen destination, locals are more relaxed. They won’t have to deal with too many tourists. If you’d ask any off-peak traveler, they can tell you that locals are friendlier and more helpful when you travel without the huge crowds.
In addition to the affordable experience workshops (which known travel accommodation platforms offer) with discounted prices, you’ll get more value because the local teacher overseeing the session feels relaxed and genuinely compelled to share the local culture with travelers willing to learn.
#6. More Photo Opportunities!
Without lines and crowds to deal with, you have better opportunities for amazing photographs. This is greatly advantageous for scenic photographers. Often, crowds can make or break a photograph.
In addition, off-peak travelers can take their selfies in-destination without any bothersome obstacles. And because locals are quite happy to see fewer travelers, they will be willing to help you take photographs that serve as your memories during your travel or point or guide you to the best spots they know.
The off-peak season makes it easy to reach top destinations and even access some areas peak season travelers cannot head into due to huge crowds.
In addition, sometimes venue caretakers may allow off-peak season travelers unrestricted photographing time. Without a queue for taking photos, you can take as many photos as you want of a single destination. And that adds great value to any off-peak travel.
#7. Go Off-Itinerary Without Schedule Problems!
Delays are the biggest enemies of any traveler. It even comes to a point that travelers will rather wish to spend more than their budget just to make sure they arrive at their destination, appointment, or any engagement on time. This often happens during peak season, which sometimes sours the entire vacation for many travelers.
However, you only sacrifice one thing during off-peak travels: the cliche travel route most tourists go for. With your own itinerary into the unexplored and undiscovered yet beautiful and rewarding destinations, you won’t have to deal with long lines and will have you stick to your budget (or even save some). The best thing about it is spontaneity.
You can head to almost anywhere outside your itinerary if you have to. Enjoying the local street food? Spend some more time and money to make sure you remember it! Want to know more about the museum’s other sections? You can save time because there are no queues anywhere.
Go off-peak you’ll never have any bad experience. Remember, traveling is all about making memories — and it’s more about your experience rather than your destination.
#8. Engage Your Wanderlust Without Any Worries
Off-peak season travel is one of the best and most rewarding experiences for any traveler. While you can save so much time and money and adding value to your travels, never neglect your personal safety.
Travel insurance is always a must when traveling either on or off-peak season, and AXA’s Wanderlust Travel Insurance guarantees your safety anywhere in the world.
AXA Wanderlust Travel Insurance guarantees up to S$150,000 medical expenses coverage. If you’ve suffered any form of injury or ailment after your travel, you still get $10,000 coverage for your convenience.
Aside from personal safety, AXA Wanderlust Travel Insurance gives you an emergency hotline you can call at any time anywhere in the world for assistance in any form from medical evacuation, lost properties or passports, and more.
Other benefits include the following
- S$5,000 ceiling reimbursement for trip cancellation or curtailment
- An additional 50% on top of Sum Insured if a natural disaster cancels or curtails your itinerary
- Coverage for any form of high-risk adventurous activities such as skiing, diving, mountain climbing, etc.
Also Read: Tips for Backpackers Traveling in Europe
AXA is all about protecting you and making sure you enjoy the best of what your destination and the entire world can offer. Learn more about AXA Wanderlust Travel Insurance and maximize your off-peak vacation today!
For More Latest Travel Updates and Information about Why You Should Travel Off-Peak, Visit The Ground Systems Index.
