In two weeks, I will be going to Split, Croatia and it is again time to plan my trip. I have written about my preparations for travel before with both Greece and Portugal, showing exactly what I do to prepare for a journey. Yet I still get many a question about how to plan for an international trip. If you have never travelled abroad before the questions of what to pack or what documents are needed might seem overwhelming. Travelling internationally isn’t as daunting a task as many people believe. I will take the mystery out of it as well as provide an international travel checklist for the most important items. Being prepared will take some of the worry and hassle out of your journey.
International Travel Checklist: Documentation
- Visa Requirements: First, before anything else check if you need a visa for your destination. Most European countries we have been to do not require a visa, but many places around the world require one. A passport and a visa are two different items, in some countries you need both. There are a million websites that can tell you if you need a visa, hell, I might add a list on this site. To save me the work just go to the attached CIBT WEBSITE, this will give you the information that you need. Luckily for me, Croatia doesn’t require a visa, which saves me money and time.
- Passport Requirements: It might seem obvious, but I have heard of people having issues with (or even forgetting) their passport. A lot can go wrong with your passport. First, if you don’t have one, give yourself plenty of time to get one. Another thing you need to take into consideration is when your passport expires. Certain countries will give you problems if your passport expires within 6 months. It seems the whole concept of an expiration date escapes them, but I digress. A couple of tips regarding passports, make a copy and leave it with someone at home. Also, take a picture of it on your cell phone and email the picture to yourself (or use a cloud). Additionally, buy a good passport case. It can be helpful when organizing your documents and just looks nice (see below). Lastly, one odd thing is some countries ask for an entire blank page on your passport. I guess they want to feel special, point is checking the requirements is key.
- Vaccine Information: The last piece of documentation for your international travel checklist is anything related to necessary vaccinations. When I went to Panama there was a lot of discussion around getting certain vaccines as well having the proper documentation. Turns out I didn’t need it, but why risk being turned around at customs.
International Travel Checklist: Research
I am going on the assumption that you have already picked your destination and hotel. For me, at this point I do all the needed research to both ease my mind and know how to prepare for the trip. There are a series of question I ask myself. I don’t just show up to a place unprepared, that would be against my OCD nature. Below are some of the major things I like to know.
- What is the weather like in the month I am going? This is obvious, but sometimes it is over looked. For Croatia, the weather is a little like New York, highs in the low 70s at best, going down to 50s at night. Hardly, swimming weather, but I don’t think that will stop me.
- What are some customs I should know about? Things like tipping, eating times, how people dress, do they smoke at restaurants, even if you can drink on the street; getting a feel for the customs in the country you’re visiting will take some of the mystery away. It is good to find out what major hassles or scams you might expect and how to avoid them. In my previous article I discussed how to stay safe while travelling, it might be good to brush up on this piece.
- What are the must see attractions? When are the most crowded times? Imagine going to Rome and missing the Colosseum. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are plenty of things I would miss in other countries had I not done a quick google search. Lucky for you if I visited the country you’re interested in, my trip reports include everything you need to see (and some things you shouldn’t). You also need to take into consideration if you are going during the peak season or not.
- What are the best places to eat/what is the local cuisine? No international travel check list would be complete without discussing food. I need at least 5 highly rated spots in my back pocket at all times. This is best so I don’t end up in a tourist trap. I also like to know what the country is known for, I would hate to miss the black squid ink risotto in Split.
International Travel Checklist: Money
Hopefully, you know the currency of the location you are going before you go. Currency can be tricky so use the super computer in your pocket to tell you what is needed. Don’t just assume you know what is used. For example, not every country in Europe uses the Euro, Croatia uses the Kuna. There are also areas that use the U.S. dollar as easily as their own currency. Most importantly, if you aren’t careful you can get reamed in currency fees. A few simple things can help prevent this.
- Get their local currency from the Bank: When possible, I usually get a couple of hundred of local currency from my bank. It is always good to have cash, just in case you have problems with your card. Also, I like to have some cash right when I get off the plane for tipping. The bank offers the best rate, but an ATM is also a good choice.
- Set up Your Cards: Every card has a travel notice and it is important to set it up before you go. I stupidly forgot to in Panama and was on a two hour call with a terrible customer service agent.
- Have A back up Card: I like to worry…thus, I always keep a backup credit card in the hotel safe in case of emergencies. I usually throw some cash and my ATM card there as well. You never know when some nice foreigner will find your wallet (attached to your body).
- Look Carefully at ATMS: Two different ATMs, right next to each other can have different exchange rates. This can result in a substantial difference (think hundreds of dollars) to your funds. My advice is to look at your bank statement carefully after taking money out. Compare the fees of various machines until you find the best rate.
International Travel Checklist: Safety
I wrote an entire post on this topic on this link, so I will keep this short. You will always want to keep your money and life protected overseas. Items like wallet chains or special pants will help you avoid being robbed. My Travel shop (powered by Amazon) will give you some ideas. It can be found here: Travel Shop
International Travel Checklist: Shopping
You have your paperwork secured, all your vaccinations complete and you have done your research. Now it is time to do a little shopping. What you will need is trip specific, if you are going near water, you will need beach gear, etc..
There are certain things you should always have when travelling internationally.
Travel Chargers: These happen to be the number one thing left in hotel rooms, so buy a cheap one. You can buy some on Amazon for a relatively cheap price.
Electronic Plug converter: Some hotels will supply these if you ask, but it is best to have your own. This is especially true if you need to charge your phone at a layover, countries use a couple of different outlets so do a little research on your destination.
Kindle/iPad: If you don’t already have one they do come in handy. When I am on the plane for 8 hours it is good to have a couple of movies downloaded from Netflix. If you don’t want to carry around your $700 iPad, get an inexpensive Kindle just for the trip
Fanny Pack/Cargo Shorts/T-shirt with your local sports team: How else will the scammers know you’re a tourist if you don’t dress like one? It would be a shame to walk by a restaurant in Istanbul and NOT have someone try to drag you into their tourist trap! Pick up your fanny pack and look the part!
Other Things to Do
- Transportation: Make sure you have a way to get to the airport, there are several advantages to a car service over a taxi. First, if you set it up through the hotel they will be able to find it. Unlike Greece where 300 feet from your hotel is “close enough” for taxis. Secondly, there is less of a chance you will get ripped off if you know the price beforehand.
- Set up your International Data: The phone companies feel it is 1974, therefore we can’t talk overseas without a special plan. Verizon charges $10/day, this will allow you to take your local plan with you abroad. It is better than the alternative, spending $1000 on data.
- Freeze Your Mail: If you are going away for a long trip it is best to not advertise that you are leaving. Freeze the mail so you your mailbox isn’t overflowing.
Final Thoughts
AS promised, below is the easier version of my International travel checklist. The below list has all the things mentioned, rendering the reading of this post useless! Print this out or copy and paste it into Excel. Mark off the items as so you go can focus on having fun.
| International Check List |
| Proper Visa (if Needed) |
| Passport |
| Any Necessary vaccinations |
| Research the Location |
| Have some local currency |
| Call your Credit Card Company |
| Have a backup debit/credit card |
| Set up an International Phone Plan |
| Buy a travel charger and an International Outlet |
