Posted by Let’s be real, a majority of us crave to travel. New adventures, experiences and insights which allow us to tap into the undiscovered is enticing and exciting. Alas, the reality is; getting bitten by the travel bug comes with the hope that time and money is on our side. For most working people, finding the time to travel often requires countless hours of deliberation concerning timing and financial stability. Fret not, if you happen to question the possibility of traveling with a full-time job because we’ve got some tips on how you can make it work:
Get Organised
Leave entitlement is pretty straightforward for working Malaysians and you can crosscheck your rights via our Malaysia Labour Law portal here .The average employee would usually get a minimum of 14 days leave and some companies do allow a portion to be carried forward. Once you’ve determined your number of leave days, map out your long weekends and festive breaks so you’ll maximise your holiday planned. If your company observes a strict attendance policy, remember to discuss with your superior beforehand and coordinate amongst your colleagues to avoid backlogged work. You can even offer to step in for your more senior colleagues during festive season breaks and request for a weekday replacement on either a Monday or Friday so you get a long weekend!
“Backpacking is a passion of mine and I simply can’t say no to travelling! Once, I volunteered to be on duty for a company event over two consecutive weekends in order to get a solid one week off to travel as a replacement. My advice is to speak to your boss and see how you are able to work out flexi ways to use up your leave.”– Sandra Chan, 27, Sales and Marketing Executive
Piggy Bank It
Set up a travel bank account. This means all the savings parked in that one account will be used for future travels. You can be flexible with the amount you save each week or month, depending on your next travel destination. Our advice is to have a budget and stick to it. You can do this by listing your essential spending needs varying from food, tours, transportation, accommodation and air fare. Then, decide on whether you’ll be using your credit card, debit card or cash only during for your travels. This will allow you to estimate how long you will need to save up for your trip; using credit and debit cards will mean you can sort your online payments immediately.
Another great thing about setting up a bank account for your travels is you can purchase the foreign currency with ease. CIMB Bank offers this option and it’s so convenient (say adios to long queues at the bank and money changers), you can collect your foreign currency at the listed CIMB Currency Exchange locations in Malaysia.
Shortlist Your Destinations
Save your time and dash to the airport after clocking off from work on Friday evening, folks! Opt for short haul flights or even better, explore locally first by car or ferry. Being in Malaysia, we are blessed with over 40 idyllic islands, and an example is Rawa Island in Mersing District, Johor, protected rainforests like Mulu World Heritage Area in Miri, Sarawak, and a vast cultural pot to explore sights and sounds in popular states like Malacca and Penang.
Prepare to Travel Solo or During Off-Peak Season
Often times, when you plan group travels with friends, family or colleagues, the planning can become overwhelming which lead to disappointments like a postponed or cancelled trip. Many factors may affect your plan, ranging from budget constraints to lifestyle choices.
Take it from us and why not travel solo? If you’ve never done it before, it’s an exhilarating experience and allows you to mingle with the locals, plus you get a peace of mind by your lonesome. If you like company and still want to make the travel feasible, try doing it during the off- peak times. Meaning no iconic sea of cherry blossoms in Japan on your Instagram and water fights in Thailand during the Songkran Water Festival.
Lastly, don’t forget to use websites and apps like Google Flights, Skyscanner and Traveloka to search for the best deals and compare flight schedules and prices which best suit your timing.
“My sister and I travelled to Seoul, South Korea, a week after the cherry blossoms bloomed and to our pleasant surprise it was still very beautiful. The best bit? Our flight tickets were a fraction of the high peak prices and there were fewer tourists. Score!”– Mabel Tan, 24, IT Executive
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