Reading our confidence labels before you trust a number
Every measured figure on our destination pages carries a confidence label, and this page explains what those labels mean in practice. The short version: high confidence means we verified the number against a primary source or measured it ourselves, medium means we derived it from reliable inputs, and low means it is our best estimate and you should treat it as a starting point, not a fact to book around.
- Confidence levels
- High, medium, lowApplied to measured and derived figures across destination pages
- Dated facts
- Time-sensitive figures carry a dateVisa, baggage, and driving details are footnoted with an access date
Why we attach a confidence level to a number at all
Most travel content presents every figure with the same authority, whether it was measured with care or copied from a listing three years ago. That flattening is the problem. A transfer time we routed ourselves and a room count we could not verify should not look identical on the page.
So we label them differently. The confidence level tells you how much weight a single number can carry when you are deciding where to spend money and time. It is a signal about the evidence behind the claim, not about how good the destination is.
What each level actually means
High confidence means the figure is either measured by us or confirmed against a primary source, and we would stand behind it in print. Medium confidence means we derived it from inputs we trust but could not confirm the final number end to end. Low confidence means it is an informed estimate, useful for orientation and nothing more.
Read the level before the number, not after. A high-confidence distance is something you can plan a tight connection around. A low-confidence one is something to check yourself before you commit.
How a figure earns high confidence
High confidence is the hardest to earn and the one we apply most narrowly. It covers things we compute directly, such as a routed driving time between two fixed points, or a measured water-entry gradient at a specific beach. It also covers facts pulled from a primary source and dated, so you can see when we last checked.
When a number is dated, that date matters as much as the figure. A confirmed baggage rule or driving requirement can change, so we footnote anything that goes out of date and record when we accessed it.
When we show medium or low, and why we still show it
We could hide every uncertain number and show only what we verified. We do not, because a labeled estimate is more useful than a blank space. If you are weighing two areas and one has a rough, clearly flagged estimate for how far it sits from the center, that estimate still helps you rank them.
Medium and low levels are a request, not a verdict. They ask you to confirm the number for your own dates and party before you rely on it. What they never do is disguise a guess as a measurement.
How to use the labels when you book
Treat high-confidence figures as planning-grade: transfer times you can build a schedule around, measured beach and shade details you can pack for. Treat medium as directionally right but worth a second look. Treat low as a prompt to check the operator, the listing, or the local authority yourself.
If a decision turns on a single number, find its label first. Where the honest answer is that it depends, we say what it depends on in the same sentence, rather than leaving you with an uncertainty you cannot act on.
What confidence levels are not
A confidence level is not a rating of the place. A beach can be excellent and still carry a low-confidence figure for its walking distance, simply because we could not verify that one input. Do not read low confidence as criticism of the destination.
It is also not a substitute for your own final check on anything time-sensitive. Visa terms, baggage allowances, and driving requirements all change, and even a high-confidence label comes with a date for exactly that reason. The label tells you how far we got; the date tells you when.
What works
- Every measured figure is labeled, so you can see the evidence behind it
- High confidence is applied narrowly, to numbers we measured or verified against a primary source
- Time-sensitive facts carry a date and a footnote
- Estimates are shown rather than hidden, so you can still rank options
What does not
- Medium and low figures require you to confirm them yourself before booking
- A confidence label describes the evidence, not the quality of the destination
- Even high-confidence facts can go out of date between our check and your trip
Who should go somewhere else
readers who want a single star rating — confidence levels describe evidence, not overall quality, so they will not collapse into one score
Instead: use the pros, cons, and best-for sections for a summary judgment
Questions people actually ask
what does high confidence mean on your pages
It means the figure was either measured by us, such as a routed transfer time, or confirmed against a primary source and dated. High-confidence numbers are planning-grade: reliable enough to build a schedule or packing list around. Even so, anything time-sensitive carries a date, because rules and conditions can change after we check.
should I trust a low confidence number
Treat it as a starting point, not a fact to book around. Low confidence means the figure is our best estimate rather than a verified measurement. It is still useful for ranking two options, but before you commit money or a tight connection to it, confirm it with the operator, the listing, or the relevant local authority.
why show a number you are not sure about
Because a clearly labeled estimate helps you more than a blank space. If you are comparing two areas and one has a rough, flagged distance from the center, that estimate still lets you rank them. We show it with a low-confidence label so you know to verify it, rather than hiding the uncertainty.
does a low confidence label mean the place is bad
No. The label describes the evidence behind a single number, not the quality of the destination. A beach can be excellent and still carry a low-confidence figure for its walking distance, simply because we could not verify that one input. Read the label as a note about the data, not a verdict on the place.