First-Time Traveler Checklist
Mong Kok, Hong Kong’s electric town. October 2018.
So, you've never been abroad before. Or maybe you have, but you're just anxious about traveling in general. Where do you begin? Here's a quick list to help you out.
1. GET A PASSPORT AND VISA.
Depending on where you're a citizen, you may be able to travel with just your passport. For Americans, you will be able to travel to 174 countries without needing additional visas. Most of these countries offer the same no-visa necessary policy for Canada and Mexico, most European countries and exclusively those in the Schengen Zone, the Caribbean, a good chunk of Latin America, and some of the Middle East and Asia. However, the best way to check if you need additional documents is to visit your country's official travel department (for Americans, you can head to the U.S. Department of State's Travel website) for more details on entry and exit requirements per country.
Learn how to apply for your passport for the first time by visiting the United States Post Office website. You'll have to do it in person at a post office. Getting your passport should take six weeks or less (unless you need it in a jiffy, and can get it expedited).
2. BOOK THE FLIGHT.
So, you have all of your travel documents or know what you need to get to your desired destination. Next comes planning for how to get there. In my opinion, booking the flight (or any primary mode of transportation) is the single most important part of planning a trip. Buying the ticket transforms the trip from being a mere consideration to reality.
How? If you're planning a long-haul trip and estimate paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a flight, the secret is to not book the entire flight at once. You can purchase a one-way ticket first and book the return later (but don't wait too long). Sometimes buying a round-trip ticket will spare you a little money, but generally not by much. It's a good idea to split the trip into stages or acts. For example, if you're visiting New Zealand and want to head there during t, you can purchase a one-way to Auckland first (Act One), save a little money and wait, unless you see a better deal (Act Two), and then when you're ready, shop around and buy the return flight (Act Three).
There's also some helpful fare aggregator websites that can really help you save hundreds of dollars as well, such as Cheapoair, Skyscanner, and Google Flights and the Hopper app allows you to enter your travel dates and find rates up to a year in advance. And then there's also low-cost carrier websites like Southwest, Norwegian, RyanAir, Virgin Airlines and many others country or region-specific. A few other tips include:
Flying to a destination during its low season
Driving to or flying out of a nearby major airport for cheaper prices
Flying out on weekdays (except Fridays)
Accumulating points and benefits with a credit card
3. FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'LL STAY.
It's nice to have options when thinking about where you'll lay your head for an upcoming long trip. As many have done in the past, you can be frugal and stay in a hostel (which comes in handy if you're with a group), or keep it simple and hassle-free with a hotel. Booking.com and Hotels.com offer some great rates and hidden discounts for account holders. If you don't mind a bit more personal accommodation, you can also try Couchsurfing, where you can get paired with a host and learn more about the spirit behind this incredible community of fellow globetrotters. Some other alternatives include apartment-swapping or if you'll be at a destination for an extended period of time, doing a work-accommodation exchange, such as working on an organic farm.
4. LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
Anytime I head to a new destination. I always hit up Wikitravel. The user-built website gives a consistent and thorough overview for most places and regions around the world, including history, how to get around, recommended sites and other helpful tips for travelers. Wikitravel articles are also available in mutlitple languages.
Lonely Planet's website and famed book guides are also worth looking through to get you excited about a destination, and you can get the inside scoop about places and reviews from fellow travellers via TripAdvisor.
5. PREPARE FOR THE WORST -- AND BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE.
As a rule of thumb, buying travel insurance when heading abroad is one of the best ways to mitigate unforeseen but possible mishaps. Not only will you have a recompense for a variety of situations such as medical emergencies, lost luggage, stolen items or airport delays, but a general feeling of security when away from home. Some other things to keep in mind:
Pack all necessary medications.
Learn about the carry-on restrictions at airports.
Carry one or two extra phone chargers or power banks.
Set up your phone for international calls texting and roaming, or buy a temporary phone or sim card. Also, download Whatsapp for free international texting (wherever you have a wifi signal).
Place all of your travel documents together, ideally in a document cover or ziplock bag.
Carry a handheld map with transit information respective to where you'll be or download map photos to your phone.
Carry copies of your passport and keep one in your luggage.
6. DO I NEED ADAPTER PLUGS OR A CONVERTER?
If you're going abroad, you'll need to know what kind of adapter plugs to use for your electronics and if you need a converter. If you're an American, you use a Type A/B plug. A quick overview:
Adapter Plugs (full guide available on World Standards):
Type A/B (two rectangular prongs with or without a grounding pin) - North America, Japan
Type C (two cylindrical prongs) - Some parts of Europe, South America and Asia
Type D (two cylindrical prongs and a grounding pin) - India
Type E/F (two pins) - Most of Europe
Type G (three rectangular prongs) - Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom
Type H (three cylindrical prongs) - Israel, Palestinian Territories
Type I (three slanted rectangular prongs) - Argentina, China, Australia, New Zealand
NB: It also doesn't hurt to pack USB cables and chargers.
Converters:
First, you'll need to know if your electronic gadget runs on 110 volts or 220 volts or higher. Items made in the U.S. and most of North America run on 110 volts, while the rest of the world usually goes by 220. The good news is that most modern electronic devices like laptops, phones and cameras have converters already built inside that switches the voltage automatically.
However, smaller electronics like blowdryers, hair curlers, and electronic razors don't, so you'll need to buy a converter to turn down the voltage to prevent the item from overheating and possibly exploding (or conversely, not getting enough juice to work). You can usually get these at Best Buy, any electronic goods store and even your airport in most cases.
7. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
Having a credit card comes in handy and Visa, Discover and Mastercard are usually accepted at most destinations, with American Express being a bit more limited. Your debit card can also operate as a credit card in these cases as well. But in a lot of places (especially outside of major cities), taxis and street vendors, cash is king, and sometimes ATMs aren't readily available. To mitigate this, it's best to keep a fair amount of spending change on hand. You can usually exchange your currency at your local bank. Doing it at the airport is fine too, but should be a last resort as fees can skyrocket. If you're traveling to a destination abroad with a weaker currency, sometimes it's less costly to exchange there.
Lastly, you can also retrieve money at an ATM once you're already abroad, as most bank cards are accepted nowadays. Whether using your card or an ATM, note that you'll usually be charged a small international fee per transaction -- and with ATMS, most major banks charge $5 per transaction (not including the actual charge from the ATM machine), which can quickly add up! Use ATMs sparsely and retrieve enough money at one time.
Some important things to keep in mind:
Let your bank and/or credit card agency know when you are traveling abroad before you leave, otherwise your card may be blocked for security reasons!
Find out what the rate of exchange for currencies are on XE.
Again, it bears repeating -- use ATMs as little as possible, and get enough money at once so you don't have to keep going back.
If you're returning from a country with a currency that's not widely known (e.g., something other than Euros, Japanese Yen or British Pounds), consider exchanging it at the airport before you board.
8. PACK!
Lifehacker shows you five methods on how to pack efficiently.
9. BE SAFE, BUT HAVE FUN!
More below on helpful precautions and some general tips that apply anywhere:
Let others know where you're going before you depart and have some emergency contacts handy.
Print copies of your passport and visa and leave them in your luggage and travel documents.
Know where your respective embassy is and have their contact information saved in your phone.
Don't take unmarked "gypsy" taxis; generally, official taxis have a specific type of license plate, car color or designation depending on where you are. Always ask taxi drivers for the rate beforehand and negotiate the price before you hop in, even if you see a meter. This is by far the most common scam for travelers.
Avoid walking to most places alone at night, even if you know where you're going.
Never visit beaches at night.
Carry a phrasebook, along with the name of your hotel and address or the address of where you're staying.
Don't carry around a lot of money or wear fancy jewelry, clothing or flaunt your nicest items -- keep them in a hotel safe.
Don't buy food off the street unless you see it being cooked before your eyes.
Stick with buying bottled water if visiting a remote, isolated or developing area.
Carry an extra can or tube of sunscreen in tropical destinations.
In general, avoid talking about politics, religion or sensitive historic or current events with locals.
If you are LGBTQ, avoid displaying affection in particularly conservative or religious regions.
If you are a woman, note that many religious places in the Muslim world will require headscarves and coverings at religious sites.
Don't get into arguments with people at bars, especially during major sports events.
Be wary of people who want to be your "friend" immediately or offer you a deal (such as a tour or discounted merchandise); these folks are professional scammers or sometimes involved in illicit activities with a group of others. A polite but firm "no thanks" and ignoring them is usually enough.
It really depends on where you are, but avoid taking photos of government or official buildings unless you notice other tourists doing it without worry.
Carrying or doing heavy drugs abroad is just a really bad idea -- and runs the risk of imprisonment in quite a few countries. Just don't!
If staying in a hotel, ask the staff for tips on what to see and problem-bound areas to avoid.