The exciting part of the year has finally arrived, you and your family will soon be flying off to your choice of Holiday destination. The kids are all excited, you’re partner has checked the luggage more than 5 times already, and you’re sitting there smiling while thinking it’s only just the start of a relaxing few days away in holiday paradise. Though going on holiday is all about enjoying yourself, relaxing, and having fun, what many people tend to forget is the memory making part. With any holiday you’ll make many beautiful memories which you’ll remember for years to come, but the question a lot of people end up asking themselves upon returning is “could I have made more?”

Each holiday should be perfect. You choose your holiday destination, the Hotel you want to stay in, and the certain landmarks and attractions you plan on visiting. Though no one wants to feel rushed while on a relaxing getaway, you also don’t want to miss out on the best parts of your host country. Just like everything in life, you want to make the most of it while it lasts. Truth be told, the next time you end up on a relaxing beach in a tropical country sipping fresh coconut juice probably won’t be for another year or two, at least you’re one of the lucky ones that gets to travel every now and then. The point of a holiday is to make the most of the time you’re away. You can forget about any worries or responsibilities back home, just like you can forget about the work pilling up for you upon your return. It’s your holiday, your time to rest, your time to relax, and your time to make the most of it.

But what does ‘making the most’ of your holiday really mean? For some people staying in their comfortable hotel all day and all night is good enough, but does that really allow you to live your holiday to its fullest? Staying in one place while on holiday is perfectly fine, you may prefer to relax at the hotel you’re staying at while you take advantages of its facilities, but that won’t allow you to explore and see what your destination of choice is hiding outside the hotel grounds.

Travelling should also be about exploring, meeting new people of different backgrounds, trying out different halal cuisines, and discovering the ins and outs of your holiday choice. Depending on where you are, you options of exploring may be limited, but even if you’re on a luxurious tropical island surrounded by palm trees and miles and miles of sea, it never hurts to step out of your comfort zone and see what the island is all about. A simple 15 minute walk around your hotel grounds could end up with a handful of new memories and a long film of pictures to develop, something you may not have got to experience if you had stayed in your hotel room.

If you’re in a bigger city or a country with lots of activities and places to see, make sure you get out there and go exploring to see what there is to see. A lot of halal friendly destinations offer so many joyful holiday extras, but for many they end up losing out due to simply not bothering to stretch their discovery grounds. Although many simply want to relax while away, imagine coming back from a holiday and your family and friends asked what it was like, yet all you can answer is how nice the hotel was? Your holiday destination is your home for the few days you’re away. You made the effort to book time off, you spent the money to get yourself there, so why not make the most of it and explore every inch possible?

Making the most of your holiday doesn’t have to cost you more. While you may end up going to a few different places you hadn’t originally planned on visiting, and you may end up taking part in a few more activities that weren’t on the list, at the end of the day you’re on holiday for a reason, and the reason is to make the most of your reality break while enjoying yourself and your host country to the fullest. If you are on a strict budget and don’t want to travel afar, a simple walk on the beach or outside your hotel grounds can open up so many doors to more memories. Even a stroll down a busy market street will let you discover something you would never have experienced if you had cut your holiday exploration short.

No matter where you decide on going, or what you decide on doing, there is always more for one to discover and enjoy if they simple let themselves to.  The next time you’re on holiday try to step outside of your comfort zone and go and explore your surroundings. You never know what hidden beauties you’ll come across, and what picture perfect memories can be added to your list of happy moments.