Returning to the same destination or discovering somewhere new: which makes the better holiday?

Collaborative Post | When you’re looking to recuperate during your downtime, you might gravitate to familiar comforts. On the other hand, you might deliberately seek to get out of your comfort zone.

This is a balancing act that you might perform every time you book a holiday. Do you want the rush of endorphins that comes from a strange, unfamiliar environment? Or would you prefer to go back to somewhere you’ve already visited?

Photo by Link Hoang on Unsplash

The case for familiarity

Let’s try to set out the case for going back to somewhere familiar. Since you’ve already gone to the trouble of exploring the place, you won’t have to deal with the stress and uncertainty that comes with finding your way around. This goes for everything from the layout of the streets, to local customs and traditions.

You’ll also be able to explore more deeply, and go beyond the tourist hotspots that might have drawn you in the first time around. Finally, you might have regrets about your first visit that you’re looking to set right. For example, you might have failed to visit a particular landmark or attraction.

The science of novelty

Of course, if we never went anywhere new, we’d have nowhere to return to. What’s more, we wouldn’t know what we were missing out on – which might be a good or a bad thing.
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It’s worth contemplating the effect that a novel environment might have on your brain. Since you’re constantly processing new information, and trying to make sense of everything around you, you’ll end up feeling like more time is passing. If you’re having to interact with locals in their native language, then a week-long holiday might seem as though it lasts much longer.

The financial advantage of flexibility

If you’re committed to going back to a certain part of the world, then your options will necessarily be limited. This can push the price of your trip up, and cut off your access to the best deals. If you’re willing to spend some time browsing for last-minute holidays, then you might have your attention drawn toward destinations you would not otherwise have considered – and you’ll spend much less money at the same time.

Managing expectations

If you’ve had a particularly positive experience in a given destination, then you might end up feeling disappointed when you return. The joy you felt during your initial trip might have resulted from factors that aren’t present when you return. The weather, your state of mind, and who you are as a person might have changed. To make another trip risks souring your happy memory of a given time or place.

The hybrid solution

There’s a compromise worth thinking about. You might visit a new place that’s in the same part of the world as the familiar one. That way, you’ll get a new take on many of the things that made your trip memorable – and you’ll get just enough novelty that you won’t risk getting bored!


Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.