9 Useful International Travel Tips For First-time Travelers

No matter how much you’ve traveled in your home country, the thought of taking your first trip overseas may feel both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

Going somewhere completely new may be initially scary and confusing but it doesn’t have to be! Follow these simple tips of things to do before traveling internationally to ensure smooth sailing.

1. Prepare Your Travel Documents

The most important tip to avoid unnecessary stress is to apply for your passport well in advance. Without your passport or a travel visa, your potential travel radius is limited significantly.

Passport

This can be an oversight for some people, but a passport validity of 10 years can make people complacent, forgetting that it actually requires renewing.

Many countries may not even let you enter if you have less than 6 months validity on your passport and your request for a visa may be denied if you don’t have enough free pages in your passport.

A general rule of thumb to follow is to make sure you have a valid passport at the time you’re before booking your flight. The process for applying for and receiving your passport can potentially delay your trip if you don’t apply in advance.

Visa

You’ll need to check in advance whether you need a visa which is a document issued by the destination country granting you entry. Showing up to your flight without the necessary visa may lead to you being rejected, especially if you cannot apply for one on arrival.

US and UK passport holders can travel to quite a few countries without a visa, or they can receive one on arrival. However, rules vary between countries so be sure to thoroughly research the entry requirements.

2. Research Your Destination

It is important to invest plenty of time in researching your destination to optimize your experience. While it may seem more fun to travel spontaneously, it is far more practical if you are able to anticipate some of the nuances of your destination country by studying the tips for traveling abroad for the first time.

Aside from differences in language and culture, laws may vary too. Did you know that chewing gum is illegal in Singapore? Or that it’s illegal to feed pigeons in Venice? If your plan was to ride a cow while intoxicated in Scotland, you’ll find that that’s prohibited, too. Foreign countries are full of laws that may be strange to you, but that’s only because it is not your culture. Knowing them ahead of time can keep you out of trouble.

3. Address Money Matters

Before you set off for your far flung destination, you will need to notify your bank to let them know that you are traveling. That way, your bank doesn’t suspect fraud when they see your card is suddenly being used at a market in Thailand.

Depending on your destination, you may not have easy access to ATMs. Some countries that run on largely cash economies might not even have card readers at most restaurants or businesses. If this is the case, be sure to carry enough money on you to cover your expenses on a day out. Some travelers store larger sums of money in a money belt for safety.

4. Book Everything In Advance

If you are certain of your itinerary, the best time to book your trip is whenever you have the money and the commitment to travel. While it is nice to have the freedom to make the last-minute choice of where to stay, don’t be surprised if accommodation is scarce or suddenly very pricey when you show up at your destination.

It is not unheard of that last-minute travelers end up scrambling for accommodation because they didn’t book anything beforehand. Not only will you end up paying more to book whatever is available, but being left without a place to stay is extremely stressful when you’re in a new place for the first time.

The same goes for transport tickets – you’ll find the best deals by booking beforehand! The peace of mind of having your itinerary planned seamlessly from start to finish is truly priceless. It gives you more time to devote to enjoying your trip and less time stressing about what comes next.

5. Avoid Travel Fatigue

As you start booking your first international trip, your excitement may get the better of you and you may want to go all out. How many cities can you fit in one trip? How much can you see each day? Do you want to go north to south, and east to west? Take this advice: slow down and take your time.

Here are some tips to help overcome travel fatigue

*Give yourself time to recover from Jet lag: Recovering from a long-haul flight is challenging enough – but when you’re in a new timezone, you’re bound to be jet-lagged.

*Traveling across time zones can throw off your circadian rhythm, and it can take a while to adjust to your new schedule. Allow yourself enough time to recover and rest before moving on to the next destination.

*Be prepared for cases of travel and motion sickness: Whether you are traveling by plane, car, or boat, you may be susceptible to suffering from motion sickness. Be sure to pack some travel sickness medication with you and allow yourself enough time to rest and get over it.

*While you shouldn’t preoccupy yourself with things that could go wrong on your trip, being aware of your surroundings and taking precautions to keep yourself safe will go a long way in enjoying your new adventure.

6. Safety Tips To Follow While Abroad

Protect your items from pickpockets and petty theft: A crossbody bag or fanny pack is by far the most effective way to deter pickpockets and store your phones and wallets safely. Never keep valuables in your back pocket or the outer pocket of a backpack! If you’re really concerned, money belts you can wear under your clothes and theft-proof wallets are also good options.

7. Stay Connected: Share your itinerary with friends and family members before you leave so they can keep track of your adventures. Include addresses and contact information for any accommodation.

8. Pack Appropriately

Packing appropriately can simplify your trip. Packing too much, too little, or simply setting off with a disorganized suitcase can all negatively affect your experience.

Here are some helpful tips to consider when it comes to packing:

*Use packing cubes: Never, ever, underestimate how much packing cubes can improve your travels. They help with organization, are space savers, and can even keep your clothes neater. Packing cubes are relatively cheap and help you keep it together – both literally and figuratively – while traveling.

*Travel light: While you should always make sure that you have something for warm weather, cold weather, and rain, remember not to go overboard. Having luggage that is too heavy can make getting around miserable (especially in older buildings with no elevators!). Concerned that you may run out of clean clothes? Use a laundry service, or better yet, treat yourself and buy some memorabilia in the form of clothes!

*Keep Your Possessions Safe: This goes without saying, however, there are many different ways you can go about keeping your possessions safe. You can use a lock on your rucksack or suitcase to deter baggage thieves. Bring your important possessions (electronics, jewelry, etc.) with you in your carry-on bag. If you’re at the hotel and you’re still not at ease, keep your possessions in your room safe. Hostels often have lockers but you will need to provide your own lock.

9. Read Up On Airport Travel Tips

Pre-departure and airport anxiety are very common among both rookie and seasoned travelers. There’s just something about being in a big, vast building, with hundreds of people rushing around, that can make you feel uneasy and flustered, especially when you’re flying internationally for the first time.

However, navigating the airport is a relatively straightforward process, especially when you break it down bit by bit. You find out which terminal you fly from, check-in, make it through security, and then you can enjoy your pre-departure coffee.