10 travel tips for your next overseas holiday

Whether it’s seeing the great display of the northern lights, trekking to the ancient site of Machu Picchu or exploring the Greek Isles, there’s nothing quite as exciting as travelling the world.

However, as we all know, travelling in an unfamiliar country isn’t always smooth sailing. So before you head off on your next trip, consider some of these travel tips to help ensure your holiday is as seamless as possible.

1. Check the Smartraveller website for safety advice

Before selecting your hotel and deciding on all the activities you’ll do, it’s a wise idea to check how safe the country you’re travelling to is. The easiest way to do this is by visiting the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Smartraveller website.

On the website, you can search the country you want to visit, and will be provided with a full rundown of its current safety level, latest advice and requirements for entering and leaving the country. The important thing to remember is that a travel advisory can change at any time, depending on events like civil unrest and natural disasters.

2. Book your flights and accommodation early

Once you’ve finalised where you’ll be heading, then comes the fun part—booking. If you have some time up your sleeve, booking early is a good idea, as you’ll be able to take advantage of specials like early bird deals.

For instance, if you were planning on having a European vacation in 2019, then you would try to book your flights and accommodation at least 10 months beforehand in August or September 2018. Remember the best offers will often sell out before the end of the year.

3. Cash in on your frequent flyer points

If you’ve accumulated a nice stash of frequent flyer points on your credit card, don’t redeem them on toasters or gift vouchers.

Instead consider using them towards your overseas flight or a flight upgrade, which are typically known to offer you better value redemption. Of course, to make your points go further, look for the most competitive fare and make sure you budget for the cost of taxes, fees and carrier charges as points, unfortunately, can’t be redeemed on this.

4. Take out travel insurance with adequate medical cover

As soon as you leave Australia, you will have to foot the bill for any hospital and emergency evacuation costs. In some countries, a few nights spent in the hospital could add up to thousands of dollars.

Taking out travel insurance, with a high level of medical cover (some policies even come with unlimited medical cover), will provide you with some financial security in case things go wrong. Depending on your policy, travel insurance will also offer you cover for things such as flight cancellation, loss of luggage or personal effects, personal liability and car hire excess.

5. Check your passport expiry

Your passport may be valid, but did you know that if it has less than six months left until it expires, some countries will refuse you entry?

This will not only be a hassle at the airport, but could also be costly as you’ll have to pay for a new flight, which is likely to be more expensive than your original fare. Not to mention the additional fee for an urgent passport renewal. So always check how long you have left until your passport expires, to avoid this headache.

6. Organise any visas in advance

The same goes for organising foreign visas. You can often find out what the visa requirements might be by contacting the nearest consulate of the country you’ll be visiting. DFAT has a list of consulates in Australia listed on its website.

Depending on the country, Smartraveller may also outline the visa requirements for that specific country. Keep in mind, some countries like Vietnam require you to have a visa (or visa exemption document) from the day you set foot in the country, while others may only require a visa after a certain period.

7. Let your bank know your travel dates

When you suddenly start making transactions on your card in an overseas country, your card issuer may see that as a red flag and block your card.

Before you leave, take the time to give your bank a call to let them know your travel dates—they may even have an overseas notification feature available on their app or within internet banking. They can also keep an eye on your account while you’re away for any unusual activity.

8. Bring more than one travel money option with you

When it comes to travel money, traveller’s cheques are quickly becoming a thing of the past. These days there are plenty of options, such as loading your money onto a prepaid travel card, drawing on your credit card, using your own money with a debit card or taking a bit of cash with you.

No single travel money option is the best, as they all come with their own benefits. But it’s wise to have more than one available in case your card is blocked, lost or stolen. Remember to always check the foreign exchange margin that applies, too.

9. Take photocopies of important documents

Your travel money isn’t the only item that could be stolen or lost while overseas. It’s a good idea to make a copy of your passport and any visas. Having photocopies of these documents may speed up the process of getting them replaced.

Having a printed copy of your travel insurance policy is also a good idea. That way if you find yourself in the hospital you’ll have your travel insurer’s hotline and policy number at hand.

10. Leave the bling at home

Certain items like your watch, necklace or wedding ring may be part of your daily attire, however overseas they could be the target of theft.

Even if you have luggage and personal effects cover with your travel insurance, it won’t replace family heirlooms or jewellery that holds sentimental value to you. So if something is irreplaceable, it’s better to leave it somewhere safe at home.