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IELTS speaking vocabulary—talking about travel and vacations
The IELTS test often asks about travel. To get a high band score, you need to go beyond simple words like "trip" or "beautiful" and use specific academic collocations and idioms that have to do with holidays and places to visit.
1. Planning Your Holiday
There are a number of things you need to do and decide before you leave your house:
Travel agent: A shop that specializes in booking holidays.
Holiday brochure: A glossy publication with details of holiday packages.
All-in-one package: A holiday where you purchase the travel and accommodation together.
Charter-flight: A cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight.
Holiday destination: Where you go for a holiday.
2. At the Airport
To talk about a trip, you need to know how to plan it:
Check-in desk: The place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit your luggage.
Departure lounge: Where you wait for your flight to be called.
Passport control: The place where your passport is checked.
3. Describing the Destination & Scenery
These descriptive phrases will help you impress the examiner when you talk about a place:
Breathtaking view: An extremely beautiful view.
Stunning landscape: Extremely beautiful countryside.
Picturesque village: A very pretty village.
Far-off destination: Somewhere a long way away.
Holiday resort: A place where lots of people go for a holiday.
4. Tourist Activities & Experiences
What do you do when you arrive? Here are some high-level expressions:
To go sightseeing: To look around the tourist sites.
Guided tour: An organized group shown around a place of interest by an expert.
Places of interest: Sites of interest to tourists.
Wildlife safari: A holiday, often in Africa, to observe wild animals.
Local crafts: Objects produced locally.
To get away from it all: To take a holiday to escape a busy, stressful lifestyle.
5. Avoiding the Crowds
Tourism can sometimes come with drawbacks:
Hordes of tourists: Crowds of tourists.
Tourist trap: Somewhere where too many tourists go.
Out of season: Outside of the main holiday period.
6. Types of Accommodation & Trips
Self-catering: A holiday where you supply your own food.
Youth hostel: A cheap form of accommodation.
Short break / Long weekend: A short holiday, often including Friday or Monday.
Summary Table for Quick Revision
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Breathtaking view | An extremely beautiful view |
| All-in one package | A holiday where you purchase travel and accommodation together |
| Charter-flight | A cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight |
| Check-in desk | Where you register for your flight and deposit luggage |
| Departure lounge | Where you wait for your flight to be called |
| Far-off destination | Somewhere a long way away |
| To get away from it all | To take a holiday to escape a busy stressful lifestyle |
| Guided tour | Organized group shown around by an expert |
| Holiday brochure | A glossy publication with details of holiday packages |
| Holiday destination | Where you go for a holiday |
| Holiday resort | A place where lots of people go for a holiday |
| Hordes of tourists | Crowds of tourists |
| Local crafts | Objects produced locally |
| Long weekend | Extended weekend including Friday or Monday |
| Out of season | Outside of the main holiday period |
| Picturesque village | Very pretty village |
| Passport control | The place where your passport is checked |
| Places of interest | Sites of interest to tourists |
| Wildlife safari | A holiday to observe wild animals |
| Self-catering | A holiday where you supply your own food |
| Short break | A short holiday |
| To go sightseeing | To look around the tourist sites |
| Stunning landscape | Extremely beautiful countryside |
| Travel agent | A shop that specializes in booking holidays |
| Tourist trap | Somewhere where too many tourists go |
| Youth hostel | A cheap form of accommodation |
Travel vocabulary quiz
