Where do you want to go?

Start with what you actually want, not where you think you should go. After relaxation? Southeast Asia or the Caribbean. Culture and history? Europe. Adventure? New Zealand or Peru. Budget matters too: Southeast Asia, Central America and Eastern Europe stretch your money furthest. Nervous about language? Australia, the UK, Canada or the US take that worry off the table. Every guide here has budget breakdowns and an honest difficulty rating so you can compare like for like.

Southeast Asia, pretty much every time. Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand are comfortable on roughly £25 to £35 / $31 to $44 / €29 to €41 a day including a bed, food and transport. Central America runs similar. Eastern Europe sits a little higher but still well under Western European prices. South America is a mixed bag: Peru and Bolivia are cheap, Argentina and Chile much less so.

Depends entirely on your passport and where you're headed. UK and US passport holders get into most of Europe, the Americas and a lot of Asia visa-free or on a quick e-visa. Others, like India, Australia and parts of Africa, need applying for in advance. Always check before you book anything. Our Entry Requirement Checker does the legwork for you.

For flights, 2 to 4 months out is the sweet spot for most places. Long-haul routes like Australia, New Zealand and Japan reward booking 3 to 6 months ahead. Short-haul European breaks can turn up cheap just 4 to 6 weeks out. Accommodation is more flexible, but the famous spots in peak season (Santorini in summer, Patagonia in December) go months early. Rule of thumb: the more popular the place and the firmer your dates, the sooner you book.

Yes. No asterisk. One medical emergency abroad can run into tens of thousands. A cancelled flight or nicked bag without cover means you eat the cost. Decent insurance starts around £20 to £40 / $25 to $50 / €23 to €46 for a fortnight, less than a nice dinner out to cover thousands in risk. We compare policies on our Travel Insurance hub.

No continent is all safe or all risky. That said, Western Europe, Oceania, Japan and Canada consistently rank among the safest for visitors. Parts of Central America, Southeast Asia and Africa want more care but are still hugely popular and perfectly doable with sensible precautions. Research your specific destination rather than tarring a whole continent. Every country guide here has an honest safety section.

The spread is huge. Two weeks backpacking Southeast Asia might be £500 to £800 / $630 to $1,010 / €580 to €930 all in, flights aside. Two weeks in Western Europe can be £1,500 to £2,500 / $1,890 to $3,150 / €1,740 to €2,900. Flights are usually the wildcard. Each destination hub breaks down realistic daily costs across backpacker, mid-range and upscale tiers.

Less than you think. A carry-on and a daypack handle about 90% of trips. The bits people forget: a universal adapter, digital and paper copies of key documents, a small first aid kit and a reusable bottle. Everything else is destination-dependent. Hot means light fabrics and sun cover, cold means layers over bulk. Our packing guides break it down by place.