6 Tips to Enjoy Your Travels During the Rainy Season

6 Tips to Enjoy Your Travels During the Rainy Season

First question to pop in your head upon seeing the title: who ever travels on a rainy day? Though it seems preposterous to schedule a trip on a rainy weekend, this isn’t what we think about when we book seat sale flights. Sometimes, we completely forget we’re choosing flights that fall between June and September because tickets are enticingly cheap. Also, there have been times when we schedule weekend trips only to arrive at a beach made unappealing by rain showers, but we still try to enjoy every bit of it if we can.

So rainy days are part of a traveler’s trips. Although you’d probably cancel a weekend when forecasts tell you it’ll be cozy at home, you’d still find yourself sightseeing in the rain somehow. But a trip doesn’t have to be as gloomy as a sunrise being obscured by clouds and unforgiving rain, not if you take note of the following.

Check the weather

Since that day my friends and I arrived at a signal-number-three-stricken Bolinao four years ago because none of us watched TV, I never passed on the chance to check the weather before my trip again. Not that it had been less fun. It was just, you know, catastrophic outside. Most of us rely on weather forecast to know if our trip’s going to be cancelled or ruined. Unfortunately, we don’t get to hear it until the day itself or the night before. Good news. Weather forecasting tools are available online and you can check the weather in any locality five days ahead. I use accuweather, though based on my experience, it has only been accurate 60% of the time.

Make Plans A and B

Okay, some forecasts are not even close. If it means a lot that it doesn’t rain on your trip, seek an alternative. Create a plan that can be adjusted the moment you decide rain’s going to be part of your trip after all.

Create an escape plan

Part of your planning should include access to basic comforts when the rain becomes difficult to handle. A hot meal and dry comfortable room are among those. However, in case of a destructive LPA or typhoon, which I have experienced in the past, on an island no less, it is important to understand the safety details of your location beforehand.

Prepare for the rain

The happiest of travelers are those who react positively to random situations. Dealing with rain shouldn’t be stressful if you embrace the possibility and prepare for it ahead. For one, you can make your things rain-proof, as in placing your things, camera, and other electronics inside a large plastic bag before putting it inside your bag if it doesn’t have a rain cover. You can always count on your umbrella and poncho or rain coat to keep you dry so don’t forget to pack them as well.

Also, rainy days serve as a cue to take those pretty rain boots or cardigan out of the closet. Camping out? Rain cover or fly sheet  should be the second on the list, after your tent.

Bring life-savers

Being stuck in your hotel room when it’s pouring outside wouldn’t be as uninteresting if you brought, say, a deck of cards or board games if you still play them, your iPad loaded with e-books or movies, or anything else portable that can save you from boredom. A pack of hot choco would be a nice addition to that.

Bring your sunny personality

Remember that it’s just the rain. In a tropical country like ours, it’s unpredictable even if the sun rose beautifully when you woke up. It’s your sunny disposition that’s going to save your trip from total ruin.

I’ll be in Palawan and Boracay and my fingers are crossed for a fine weather, though no rain will make me stay at home (unless flights get cancelled).

So where are you off to this rainy season?