The Best Travel Tips for Your Caribbean Vacation

Disclosure: Today I am so happy to feature a guest post. I hope you'll make the author feel welcome.

After spending months planning and preparing for your Caribbean vacation, you finally feel that you have scored your dream vacation. However, the actual vacation can be, surprisingly, quite overwhelming if you are not using every perk and secret tips to your advantage.

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From what to pack, to bring enough money, to being prepared for the worst, here are some tips and tricks to make your dream vacation a dream come true.

Pack summer clothing only.

Contrary to vacations and locations in the states, the weather in the Caribbean stays sunny, warm, and tropical year round. The average temperature varies between islands, but anything from 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit is common. 

Since it is so warm in the islands, when you are packing, do not over pack on sweatshirts and long pants, because you will most likely not be using them. Bring one hoodie in case there is a breezier day, but do not waste precious space on great articles of clothing you do not need. 

Expect flight delays

Sometimes the weather will get in the way of your plans, and there is nothing you can do about it, so if, for some reason, your flight gets delayed an hour or two, do not stress over it. Bring a good book or magazine to read in the airport, or explore the airport you are in, especially if you have a layover in an airport you have never been in before. Airports, usually, always have cute shops and bookstores you can spend your time in, so do not get worked up over a slight flight delay.

Apply sunscreen frequently

In the Caribbean islands, the sun is always going to be beating down on you, especially in the midday hours. It can be easy to forget to reapply your sunscreen after going in and out of the water or sweating it off, but it is vital to remember to put more sunscreen on. If you are trying to get a nice tan, sunscreen should still be applied every two hours, to prevent wrinkling and skin cancer. Bronze tans are temporary, skin cancer and wrinkles are forever, so be smart about your sunscreen.

Drink a lot of water

The sun not only burns your skin, but it also is famous for dehydratingyour body. Be sure to bring a lot of bottled waters that you can drink from while bathing in the sun outside. If you are not drinking enough water, your body will still be releasing salt in your sweat, causing your cells to shrink, due to water levels not being equivalent inside and outside of your cells. When your body is dehydrated, it is quick to get headaches, and possibly faint, if you are not drinking enough water. Drink water all day to stay hydrated, because once you are dehydrated, drinking a glass of water will not help. 

Renting a car?

Depending on where you are staying, rental cars may be a waste of money. There are a lot of public transportation options on every island, and chances are, your resort will have a system of transportation available to use. Before arriving at your destination, double check and make sure your rental car is necessary because more often than not, you will regret having a car on your Caribbean vacation.

Be cautious about what you are eating.

While the Caribbean offers some delicious local food, it is common for foreign travelers to get food poisoning from eating the wrong things on their vacation. Your resort and most restaurants should have safe food, but be careful about buying food from street vendors. While some street vendors do have good, safe, cheap food, it is better not to risk being sick for the rest of your vacation.

Bring bug spray or mosquito repellent.

If you are going to the Caribbean in the rainy season, or are going to be doing activities in places the insects will be prominent, it is crucial to protect yourself from them. Like all bugs, there is a chance of these insects carrying diseases, and it is more likely the Caribbean insects will have these diseases due to their home, so make sure you are protecting yourself from the bugs.

Be aware of costs and expenses.

Prices of food, excursions, and souvenirs can add up quickly, so be sure to bring enough money for anything you may want to get on the island. Bringing cash does not mean going outside of your budget though, so only bring, however much you are willing to spend.

Relax!

Amid the stress of planning and trying to make this vacation perfect, it is easy to forget that this is supposed to be a vacation. Leave the stressful things at home, unless you were planning on taking the kids. Do not worry about work or school, and just try to have a fun, relaxing time. After all, the Caribbean is one of the prettiest places on Earth, and you deserve to have your dream vacation you have been waiting for.