When you go on vacation, and especially if you’re going by yourself (not an organized tour), there are some things you have to take care of before you go. Besides booking your flights and accommodation and packing your suitcase.
To help you, I’ve set up this checklist.

1. Safety

• Please check your government websites for travel advise on the countries you want to visit. With all the attacks going on in the world, you wouldn’t want to end up in a dangerous country, which is advised against to travel to.
• Look up what the telephone number is for the emergency services in the country you’re traveling to. For all EU countries, you can call 112.
• Give close relatives, parents or friends your itinerary to let them know where you are. And leave them you contact details and flight and hotel information. You can also store them securely online, like in Dropbox.
• Report to your country’s department of foreign affairs. I’m not sure if every country has such a thing, but in The Netherlands we can let our government know when we are going to be abroad. In which country we will be and if we would like to receive updates if there’s a change in travel advice (for example, if there’s a riot, higher danger of attacks or a tsunami).
  Dutch people can go to this website: https://informatieservice.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/Informatieservice Buitenlandse Zaken

2. Passports and other official documents

• Is your passport still valid?
  • If not, you’ll have to apply for a new passport.
• Is your passport still valid for at least 6 months after you return from your trip?
  • This is demanded by most countries. If it’s not valid for at least 6 months, you’ll have to apply for a new passport.
• Does your passport at least has 2 blank pages?
  • This is demanded by a lot of countries, so always check if this is necessary. If it is and you don’t have 2 blank pages left, you’ll have to apply for a new passport.
• Make copies of your passport
  • It is always useful to have a copy with you. Even when you leave your passport in your hotel room safe, take a copy with you when you go on (day)trips. And if possible, make your social security number unreadable on the copy, so you will prevent identity theft (sounds far fetched, put is really a thing).
• Do you need a visa?
  • Always check if you need a visa for a certain country, and if yes, how you can acquire one. There are several agencies who offer to do it for you, to fill in the application for a visum. But in my opinion, it’s much cheaper (and often quicker) when you do it yourself. Just read the requirements really careful and make sure you meet all the requirements.
  • Also check the different type of visa. Do you need a single entree visa or multiple entree?
  • Some visa you can get on arrival, so you don’t have to do anything for it in advance. Sometimes all you need to bring are passport photos. So check what you need to take of in advance, it really differs for each and every country.
  • Driver’s license
    • If you’re going to rent a car and drive in another country, check if your license is still valid and also look up the driving laws of the country you’re going to. 

3. Medicines and vaccinations

• Do you have enough medicine on supply to get you through your vacation? 
  • If not, ask your pharmacy/doctor for a renewal of your prescription.
• Do you take medicines?
  • In case you take heavy medicine (like opiates), or a lot of medicine, get a medical passport from your pharmacy or doctor. And in case you take opiates, you may need a official signed medical statement from your doctor to bring along on your trip. 
• Do you have all the vaccinations you need for the country you’re going to?
  • For a lot of countries you need special vaccinations. They also need to be registered in a yellow vaccination booklet, which you have to take along with you on vacation. If you don’t have the right vaccinations, make sure you make the appointment in time for the vaccination to work while you’re on holiday. There are several websites where you can look up which vaccination you need for which country. 

4. Financial & Insurance

• Make sure your bank cards works abroad. 
  • I don’t know how banks arrange this is other countries, but in the Netherlands, we can arrange our passes to work abroad for a selected period of time, and for a specific continent. So I usually put the ‘abroad option’ ON on the day I leave and turn it OFF the day after I come home (in case I run into delayed flights and have to make certain expenses there).
• Make sure you have a credit card and…. know the pin number!
  • In todays society, a credit card is a must have when you travel (a lot). Sure you can go to ATM’s for cash, but for a lot of things and arranging tours and paying for hotels, a credit card makes is soooo much easier.
• Make sure the limit on your credit card is sufficient. Or temporary up your credit for the duration of your holiday (if that is possible; it is with my bank).
• Take out travel (and cancellation) insurance
  • When you’re on vacation, a lot of things can happen. You want to be insured. Not only for material things or when stuff get stolen or something. But also when you get injured or need to go to a local doctor or dentist. It would be the first time that happens to somebody (I had to go the hospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Besides the fact that that is an experience on it’s own, it was good to know that all the costs would be covered by my health and travel insurance!)
• Make a copy of your travel insurance and health insurance and take it with you. You may need to show it when something happens while you’re on holiday. And also, there are phone numbers on you insurance policy copy, so you can contact them from abroad. Good to have those phone numbers and your relation number on that sheet.
• Look up what the exchange rates are and get to know the currency. That way, you’ll don’t end up buying those way overpriced bottles of water at the airport, for like $5 each. 

5. Mobile, Photo, Music, Movies

• Download those Netflix movies en TV shows you wanted to watch for a long time. You can download them onto your tablet, laptop or even phone.
• Check you phone’s data plan. Can you just use it abroad or do you have to choose another data plan or a temporary SIM card for example.
• Do you have enough storage space left for all the pictures you want to make. Like on your phone, or memory cards in your photo camera? Make sure to take enough memory with you or make sure you upload them to the cloud while you’re at your hotel room.
• I recommend the app City Maps to Go. It will allow you to navigate a city without the need for wifi.
• Another app I recommend is Pocket. This app allows you to save webpages, which you then can read offline, when you’re abroad.

6. Miscellaneous

• If you’re going on a road trip, make some nice road trip cd’s or playlists to bring along.
• Check if there are going to be important birthdays or other celebrations during your holiday, who you want to send a card to. You can buy and schedule them in advance to be send out on the right day and surprise them with a nice card from you.
• Think about whether you want to keep your wedding rings on. In case of a same sex marriage it’s not always recommended if you travel to certain countries. Or if you like diving/snorkeling, it may be wise to leave those important rings at home, in case it may slip off in the water.
• Forward your email or turn your out-of-office on.
• Arrange a sitter for your pets.
• Place some timers on your lamps, so it will look like somebody is home. In stead of a dark house for a period of time. It will scare off the burglars. 

Booking.com

Also read my article Don’t make these rookie travel safety mistakes for more tips on planning your trip.