Holidays are never stress-free. Here are 4 ways to stress less when planning for your next trip

Travelling can be quite a hassle.

Planning the itinerary, exchanging currencies, and applying for a visa just add to the list of things you need to do before your trip.

Your next vacation should be relaxing, so here are some items you can strike off your travel to-do list while visiting popular holiday spots.

No need to take on arrival Covid-19 tests

In our post-pandemic world, one thing that can be a worry is taking a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before travelling.

Different countries have different rules, and different time windows before your flight (or, before your arrival in the country), which can be confusing.

Thankfully, more and more destinations are lifting travel entry requirements entirely for travellers.

Switzerland is one of the countries that will not need an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) or PCR on arrival.

Also, on Mar. 30, the Swiss government lifted the last of the country’s pandemic-related requirements — the mask requirement in public transportation and health facilities.

On top of that, travellers don’t have to pull out their Covid-19 vaccination certificate when dining in at food establishments.

So, you can go skiing in the Swiss Alps, and go kayaking in turquoise blue lakes, without worrying about your masks.

Other countries that have lifted Covid-19 testing on arrival include Vietnam, Greece, the UK and Indonesia.

Planning and booking for everyone

Unless you’re on a solo trip, you might need to plan an itinerary for not only yourself but your travel companions.

To avoid arguments on where to go and what to do, think of cities that have activities for all travellers, whether they’d like to visit cultural sites or shop.

Bangkok, Thailand is a great place to fly to if you’re planning a trip with a group of friends or your family.

Just a two-hour flight away, Bangkok has a range of activities for everyone.

Ride a tuk-tuk across town with your family and friends, and shop and eat at Chatuchak Weekend Market and many night markets in the city.

Or soak in the culture and visit one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bangkok, Wat Pho.

Also, Bangkok has its very own theme parks, Dreamworld and Siam Park City, which would be perfect if you’re travelling with kids.

And if you’re travelling with friends and would like to enjoy Bangkok’s nightlife, your group can do just that at Royal City Avenue (an area also known as “RCA”), the epicentre of Bangkok's clubbing scene, where nightclubs like Route 66 and Onyx club are located.

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Also, if you’re looking to go on a shopping spree, Bangkok has a ton of local clothing stores like Frank Garçon and ​​Hide Selected.

To help you lessen the load even further, DBS Travel & Leisure Marketplace (TMP) is your one-stop site to book flights and hotels of over a million hotels and properties overseas and 250 airlines for the best flight prices.

For round-trip tickets to Bangkok, Thailand from Jan. 16 to 27, 2023 the prices are going as low as S$290.60 for Singapore Airlines (fares checked on Aug. 19, 2022).

There are other airline options like Scoot available on DBS Travel & Leisure Marketplace.

Unlike booking on other sites, DBS and POSB cardholders can use their points to offset their flights (without getting waitlisted) and hotels where 100 DBS Points is equivalent to S$3.00 on TMP, for a limited period of time only.

Also, users can split their purchases into 0 per cent interest monthly instalments.

So, you can save while you spend with DBS.

Include some relaxing activities

You finally have time out of work or school and you think to yourself: “I’ve got to make the most out of my break.”

And you plan your trip, not missing a single activity, tourist site, food place or shopping destination. Chaos ensues as you frantically try to find all available activities to cram into your itinerary before the trip.

And the biggest irony? In the end, your “break” isn’t giving you a break.

If you want a good balance, weaving in some relaxing activities into your jampack itinerary, London, U.K. will be a good option for you.

London is known for its culture, scenic locations, food and shopping.

You could plan a day filled with tourist activities like museum trips at the V&A or the Natural History Museum.

Or go shopping in Oxford Street for luxury items or buy unique, handcrafted souvenirs at the Covent Garden Market.

And of course, visit iconic landmarks in the city like the London Eye, the London Bridge, and Buckingham Palace.

But, the great thing about London is that there are also must-go spots that are great for a relaxing day,

Take a stroll at Kew Gardens, which was named the top 10 most beautiful botanical gardens in the world, or a cruise down the River Thames.

And end your day catching popular plays and musicals from The Lion King, Wicked, School of Rock, Wicked and Les Miserables.

Just like you would in the theatre, you can sit back and relax when you purchase on the DBS Travel & Leisure Marketplace.

When you book a flight or hotel on the site, all travellers who booked on the same itinerary will receive complimentary travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage.

Save the extra step of searching for an insurance site and finding the right travel insurance for your trip because you can do it all with DBS.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Pay with card at almost anywhere

Personally, I prefer not to carry a lot of cash when I’m travelling and would rather go cashless.

In January 2020, data and analytics company GlobalData named Australia one of the top countries going cashless.

Especially in commercial cities like Sydney and Melbourne, businesses welcome you to tap and pay almost everywhere you go.

So whether you’re getting brunch at a cafe, buying flowers at a weekend market or shopping, you can tap and go.

With DBS’ multi-currency account, you can exchange up to 12 foreign currencies including the Australian dollar instantly without overseas transaction fees.

Other currencies they offer include the US dollar, Hong Kong dollar, Euro and more.

All you have to do is link your multi-currency account with your DBS Visa Debit Card.

The best part is that you’ll earn 2 per cent cashback on all foreign currency spending, including online purchases.

And if you think it’s difficult to keep track of your spending overseas, you can manage that and check your FX balances without incurring FX fees overseas on the DBS’ digibank app.

You can also activate your card for overseas use, raise your credit limit or even block a card all within the app.

Now, you can go forth on your trips with less stress and worries.

Top photo on Unsplash

This sponsored article by DBS is making the writer plan for her next holiday destination while at work.