The Caribbean is a great place to travel to for your next vacation. There are dozens of destinations and hundreds of activities to take advantage of while in the Caribbean. But what you don’t hear a lot about are some of the challenges of traveling to another country and different culture. In this article, we hope to give you a little insight into some of the things to think about when traveling to a foreign country in the Caribbean.
Tip #1
Before you travel to the Caribbean go to the bookstore and read up a little on all of the destinations in the Caribbean and the different cultures, people, activities, and environments that you will be exposed to. Many of the destination guides are packed with some great knowledge and practical advice.
Tip #2
When traveling to the Caribbean you are going to be in a climate that is hot and humid in most cases. They are tropical islands and lightweight cotton is the best type of clothing to bring.
Tip #3
Bring sunscreen protection with you like: sunscreen ointment, sunglasses, and a sun hat or baseball cap. The sun will be stronger than you may be used to.
Tip #4
Bring some mosquito repellent and insect bite soothing ointment like Cortaid. Yes, there are mosquitos in the Caribbean.
Tip #5
It may sound like a great idea going topless in the Caribbean, but on most islands it is illegal to go topless. A Few beaches belong to (France) that cater to the most natural way of life.
Tip #6
Be careful not to stand under a native tree called a Manchineel tree. The sap from the tree is one of the most poisonous in the whole world. Most of the locations that have these trees are clearly marked to stay away. If you get some on you, it will cause your skin to blister, seek medical attention right away.
Tip #7
If you go diving in the Caribbean, please try not to disturb the coral when diving or snorkeling. One of the types of coral you may come across is the fire coral, if you touch it, it is known to burn on contact.
Tip #8
Don’t wear jewelry when you are swimming, snorkeling or diving in the Caribbean. Some of the sea life in the ocean love shiny things and are attracted to it. Fish like the barracudas are one of the species that love shiny things.
Tip #9
Be aware of local customs for how you dress. How you dress at the beach may be considered inappropriate in the local marketplace on some of the islands. Remember that this is a different country and there are different customs from what you are used to.
Tip #10
If you are going to the Caribbean to do some island hopping here are some extra things to think about.
- Try to book everything in advance and have a planned itinerary.
- Find out before you go how much weight is allowed on the local planes for your island hopping trip.
- Make sure you have all of your paperwork in order and ready in case you need proof for your return trip.
- If you are island hopping in the Caribbean, it is still considered international travel when you go from one island to another island.
Before you go on your vacation, check in with your travel agent to make sure that everything is ready and there are not any last minute changes. Don’t forget to get caught up on all of your shots for your trip, you are traveling out of the country.