There are few things as thrilling as packing up, saying goodbye to reality and hitting the beach. However, before you jaunt headlong to these heaven-on-earth spots in the sun, there are a few Mexico and Caribbean travel tips that our BhDs want you to know about. These beach-savvy people not only give you the best deals on vacation packages, they also have years of being in the beach-getaway-planning trenches accumulating invaluable travel experience – they know what can make or break a trip. So take a few minutes, read up on these small, but important travel tips. They’ll make a huge difference when you set off for the epic beaches in the Caribbean and Mexico.
Dreams La Romana beach, Dominican Republic (Photo by: @jessflav)
1. Purchase a Tourist Card. Some countries like the Dominican Republic require that you present a tourist card upon arrival. If you don’t have one, you usually have to stand in a long line to buy one when you land. To avoid this vacay buzzkill, buy one online for $10 before you leave the U.S. This way, you’ll sail right past all those who didn’t know about our sweet Caribbean travel tips like you did.
2. Get a Global Entry Card. If you have a tight connection between flights, you must look into this. It’s key for bypassing the insufferably long Immigration lines when you return to the U.S. And it’s so easy. Just go online and fill out an application ($100 fee), schedule an interview with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and show up with an ID (driver’s license or other ID card). You’ll find out in a few weeks if you’ve been granted this status. It’s so worth it for your return trip because after you de-plane, you’re home free.
3. Add an International Plan to Your Cell. Why? To avoid hideous roaming charges on your cell. All you have to do is call your provider and add a (usually) temporary international plan. So to preempt any charges, you might want to take advantage of this, one of our most important Mexico and Caribbean travel tips, before you hit the sand. You don’t want to be forced to pawn your family’s matching Fitbits to pay that obscene phone bill when you return.
Red Stripe beer, Iberostar Rose Hall Beach, Jamaica (photo by: @kyle6427)
4. Put Your Phone in Airplane Mode. Should your hotel have Wi-Fi, just go to Setting, hit the Airplane Mode button and you should be good to go in terms of not racking up ridiculous roaming charges. But again, it’s best to check with your carrier to see if this will work within your plan. The end game is that you don’t want to be stewing in your lounger by the pool cursing your phone in the gorgeous Caribbean or Mexico.
5. Let Credit Card Companies and Your Bank Know You’re Leaving the Country. These days with all the fraud, if you don’t alert your credit card companies before you depart and they see activity in unusual places, they’ll shut down your cards. Same with your debit card – you’ll probably want to extend your daily withdrawal limit. So make the calls. Otherwise, when you’re trying to purchase a coconut bra for your wife in the gift shop, you’ll be publicly denied.
Secrets The Vine, Cancun, Mexico (Photo by: @mandokl)
We hope these Mexico and Caribbean travel tips will help and if you want even more, go here.
If you booked your beachtastic escape to the Caribbean and Mexico with CheapCaribbean we hope you have the time of your life. If not, then you must check out all our wallet-friendly vacation packages, which are some of the very best on the beach planet. To find out more, just call 1-800-915-2322 and chat with our Beachologists, who know everything there is to know about the sun ‘n surf and can set you up with a sandsational, all-inclusive beach escape. Or you can browse all our killer vacation packages to the Caribbean and Mexico yourself here. Remember, when you’re ready to make some beach memories, hit us up. We’re here to make all your dream getaways more than awesome.
