Day trips abroad: what is it, why would you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What are day trips abroad?

• Day trips are short, one-day excursions from your accommodation, usually without requiring you to stay overnight elsewhere.
• They are small adventures within your larger trip that can provide depth in various ways.
• It is often a nice way to see a lot, but also to have a bit of stability.
• Day trips are often flexible, accessible, and ideal for variety and depth.
• They can often be booked or planned last minute. Sometimes with your own transport, and sometimes even with transport to and from your accommodation included.

Think, for example, of:

• a hike in nature.
• a visit to a city or village.
• an island tour.
• a cultural excursion.
• a wildlife experience.

In practice:

• you depart in the morning and return in the evening.
• you discover new places without changing your entire trip.
• you combine relaxation with adventure.
• you get to know a country better outside your “base base”.

What are the reasons for doing day trips abroad?

• To become aware of your surroundings and understand them better: you see more than just your immediate location.
• To make independent choices and take initiative: you decide for yourself where you go and how you get there. 
• To better organise and structure your trip: you learn to plan within a limited time. 
• To gain new experiences and deal flexibly with changes: every day trip is different and requires adjustment.
• To set out independently with more confidence: you learn to navigate, make decisions, and solve problems.

What skills and motivations do you need to organise day trips abroad?

• Planning: you can organize routes, times, and transport well. 
• Stress-resistance: you remain calm in the event of delays or unexpected situations.
• Forming judgments: you make choices regarding safety, routes, and activities.
• Awareness of your surroundings: you understand where you are and how to behave there.
• Self-confidence: you dare to set out independently and make decisions. 

What are the best countries and locations for day trips abroad?

• Good infrastructure: Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland.
• Nature: New Zealand, Norway, Canada, Slovenia.
• Culture: Italy, Spain, Greece, Vietnam.
• Islands and coast: Thailand, Indonesia, Croatia, the Philippines.

What are the risks of going on day trips abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

What are the risks of going on day trips abroad, and what happens with some regularity:

• that there is an unsafe environment due to infrastructure, health risks, political instability, social norms, natural hazards.
• that accidents occur with medical consequences or sometimes even costly rescue situations.
• that you miss connections and get stranded or incur extra costs. that you try to do too much in one day and become exhausted.
• that you end up in unsafe situations due to unfamiliarity with the surroundings.
• that you get lost or have navigation problems.
• that weather conditions change suddenly.
• that you are insufficiently prepared (water, food, clothing).
• that minor health problems worsen along the way.
• that you are dependent on tours or others and lose flexibility.
• that help or evacuation is difficult in remote areas.

Are you insured while going on day trips abroad?

• During activities and trips abroad, the coverage of your own health insurance in the Netherlands may be insufficient, or even lapse. See the pages on insuring activities abroad.