Your first trip abroad for an island vacation must be well prepared to ensure success. Aside from your choice of island for your travel destination, you need to prepare a number of things.

Some are essential for safe travel. Other items and things to remember can help you make the most of your first trip abroad.

But first, don’t forget the packing checklist:

Print and keep the packing checklist and take it to the island; check the list at home to remember everything. Use it again when your stay abroad ends and you prepare to leave the island. These are my top island vacation tips today.

___ Travel tickets

___ Passport – and valid for a long time

___ Photocopies of your passport as a backup and kept separately

___ Travel payment documentation

___ Hotel vouchers or similar

___ Local money for the island and may be countries in transition.

___ Some money backing in your own currency

___ Visa or other necessary admission document to the island country

___ Necessary vaccinations and adequate documentation

___ Travel insurance – make sure it covers all health hazard risks

___ A hard case with a code lock or other lock to store

___ Leave your itinerary and information about the addresses where you are staying on the island with people you trust (family or friends)

___ Bring your driver’s license, an international diving license if you expect to drive on the island

___ List of phone numbers and addresses on paper: Your list of cell phones is not enough if you lose it.

___ List of phone numbers to report problems with your credit cards on your trip

___ Your prescription medicine

___ Medicine to prevent motion sickness or the like

___ Some emergency medicines and tools if you have stomach problems or infections.

___ List of addresses to which you want to send postcards from the island for friends and family

___ List of emails you may need during your island vacation

___ Insect repellent

___ Sun lotion to prevent sunburn, often a big problem on island vacations.

___ Cloths for relevant types of weather conditions: often a large temperature difference from noon to night on an island.

___ Equipment and clothing for the different types of activities you hope to participate in: swimming, going to the beach, diving, running, partying, etc.

___ A notebook – You will often like to take notes on people you meet on vacation, etc.