Self-sufficient vacation: Tips for independent travel

What exactly is a self-catering or individual vacation?

The term 'self-catering' pretty much explains it - it's a vacation where you're responsible for yourself. So there's no room service, no restaurant (unless you go out to eat), and no drinks delivered to you at the pool. You have to take care of all that yourself.

A self-catering holiday has the great advantage that you are more independent and flexible. With an all-inclusive holiday, for example, you have to stick to specific meal times, but if you're traveling independently, you can have breakfast whenever you want. As a night owl and someone who likes to sleep in, this naturally suits me very well.

Moreover, you have the freedom to choose your meals, and if you don't feel like cooking, there's certainly a restaurant nearby where you can at least indulge in some culinary delights. Some holiday homes or apartments also offer a bread roll service. In some countries, it might even be cheaper to cook for yourself. Self-catering holidays are not limited to Germany.

Another advantage, at least if you have booked a holiday home or apartment, or if you are vacationing with a van, caravan, or motorhome, is that you don't have to share the breakfast buffet or lunch with what feels like 1,000 other people, as is often the case in many hotels during peak season. Self-catering holidays are therefore perfect for people who prefer a less crowded environment (which, by the way, I definitely count myself among) and you have much more space in a holiday home or apartment than you would, for example, in a hotel room.

What one should have with them on an individual vacation

Of course, there is no such thing as the ideal packing list. If you're going on vacation with a van, for instance, your list will probably look different than someone who has booked a holiday home or apartment. Nevertheless, there are a few basics that you should always have with you.

Groceries:

· Pasta (because pasta just always works)

· Muesli / Oatmeal / other breakfast cereals

· Coffee

· Long-life milk / Plant-based milk

· Crispbread or rusk

· Cured sausage or vegetarian / vegan alternative

· Canned soup or canned meal (for instance, we never run out of ravioli)

· Tomato paste

· Packet soup / Instant noodles / Broth in a jar

· Spices - at least the basics like pepper and salt

· Vinegar and oil

With our Pantry.App, you can check, for example, which foods you still have at home, saving you the hassle of shopping. The hygiene products you take with you, of course, also depend on your individual needs. In addition to toothpaste and a toothbrush, basics such as shower gel, deodorant, shampoo, a brush, a hairdryer depending on the season, and of course a first aid kit are recommended. I know people who drag half their household with them to the vacation rental, even though these are usually fully equipped. It's a bit different when camping or traveling with a van or RV, as space is more limited there.
Again on the topic of food: Favorite snacks and drinks should not be missing, of course. Something that I also see as a huge advantage of self-catering vacations is that I can snack whenever I feel like it - and wherever I want. In a hotel, the options are rather limited, and if I feel like having chips, then I probably have to buy them somewhere outside.

Additional benefits of a self-catering holiday

I'll mention it again here: Of course, a self-catering holiday is not the ultimate experience for everyone, and all-inclusive, worry-free packages have many advantages. But so does a self-catering holiday. For me, the most important aspect is independence. On one hand, I can explore the country and its people on my own. This is often frowned upon in hotel resorts abroad (and then there's the issue with meal times). On the other hand, we can have a barbecue or just sit down on a picnic blanket - and look however we want. If I feel like dining in a bikini with wet hair, I can do that quite easily on a self-catering holiday. In a hotel, that's probably not so well-received.

The budget for a self-catering holiday

Whether a self-catering holiday is expensive or affordable is largely within my control (apart from fuel prices). If my budget is more limited, I can, for example, cook more myself and also shop more cheaply locally. If I have a larger budget available, then I can also dine out more often.