The countdown is officially on for your dream beach getaway–woohoo! Now that you’ve booked your flights and hotel, there are just a few things left to do before you hit the beach. Here are five steps to help you prep for your beach vacation.
1. Make sure your passport is up to date
There’s nothing worse than reaching for your passport a week before your vacay and realizing it’s expired or within three-to-six months of expiration (travel tip: many countries, like Mexico and Belize, won’t accept travelers without at least three-to-six months’ passport validity). So, rule of thumb, just make sure your passport is up to date to avoid any airport mishaps! Check out Passport 101 for MORE info.
2. Let your bank know you’ll be traveling internationally
Banks and credit card companies are all about making sure your money and identity are safe–so a random charge at a local gift shop in Mexico or Jamaica might flag a warning. We highly suggest logging into your bank's app or calling to add a travel notice to your account for the days you’ll be on vacay to avoid your card getting blocked or declined.
You'll definitely need more than sand dollars to get by on vacay–sorry! (Photo by: @aldijana.myrick)3. Get an international phone plan
When you’re traveling out of the country, it’s always a good idea to add an international phone plan to your normal phone service. Having an international talk, text and data plan will help you know exactly what you’ll be able to do on your phone while you’re away, plus you’ll avoid racking up your monthly bill with extra fees.
Pro tip: many beach resorts, especially all-inclusive resorts, offer Wi-Fi, so try enabling Wi-Fi messaging on your phone to stay in touch with family and friends via iMessage, WhatsApp and DMs on social media apps when possible to avoid using up your cellular data.
4. Book your transfers & excursions
You’ve booked your flights and hotel–congrats! Planning your beach vacay doesn’t stop there, though. Finding safe and reliable transportation to and from the airport can be stressful. Before you jet off to paradise, we suggest booking your transfers and excursions ahead of time to avoid overpaying, not having a ride or feeling overwhelmed.
You'll always have a ride with Amstar DMC! (Photo by: @rach_greve)5. Block your calendar & set your OOO
Now that you’ve prepped for your beach vacay, it’s time to let your co-workers know you’ll be too busy on the beach or by the swim-up bar to respond to their emails.
All that’s left to do now is pack your bags and see what other travel hacks you can bring along with you on your all-inclusive beach vacation!
