Day trips or moving hotels? How to decide

By the Nexara Holidays travel desk · 2 min read

Should you stay in a new place or visit it on a day trip? Here is how to decide.

Day trips make sense when

• The place is within about two hours of your base.
• You need only a few hours there.
• Accommodation at the destination is limited or poor.
• You want to avoid packing and unpacking.

Examples of good day trips

• Ayutthaya from Bangkok.
• Nara from Kyoto.
• Fatehpur Sikri from Agra, or on the way to Jaipur.
• Mount Titlis from Lucerne.
• Mahabalipuram from Chennai.
• Sintra from Lisbon.

Moving makes sense when

• The journey is more than three hours each way.
• The place is best at sunrise, sunset or at night.
• You want to experience it after day-trippers leave.

Examples of places worth staying

• Phi Phi Islands, to see the lagoons without crowds.
• Hampi, for sunrise and sunset among the ruins.
• Zermatt, for the Matterhorn at dawn.
• Varanasi, for the dawn boat ride.

A middle path

On road trips, see a place on the way between two bases.

See How many places can you really see in a week? and our Customised private tours page.

Questions to ask

1. How long is the journey each way?
2. How many hours do I need there?
3. Is the place best at a time of day when day-trippers are not there?
4. Is there good accommodation?
5. How tired will I be?

If the journey is long and the place is best early or late, stay overnight. If it is close and compact, a day trip is easier.

Luggage tip

When you do move for one night, leave big suitcases at your main hotel and travel with a small bag.