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8 Helpful International Travel Tips for First-Time Travelers Overcome pre-departure tensions with 8 helpful international travel tips for first-time travelers. Follow these tips from our Vazoria and travel abroad like a pro!
It’s a great, big world and we’re so excited that you’re about to get out and explore it!
No matter how far you’ve traveled back home, there’s something equally exciting and frightening about taking your first trip abroad. I have been touring full-time for nearly 4 years to nearly 60 countries.
Going to a completely new, different, and foreign place is endlessly exciting but can also be a little frightening and confusing. But, it doesn’t have to be! Follow these simple tips for your logistics to ensure smooth sailing.
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Get your passport well in advance
What are the top tips for first-time international travelers? Avoid unnecessary stress by applying for a passport long before your expected departure. Don’t book a flight or make any arrangements that cannot be changed until you have this little book that opens doors around the world in your hand. Some international flights require you to enter your passport number when booking or while checking in online, so it’s best to get it first before you start booking anything.
Travel procedures
As of 2019, the application fee for US passports is $145 for adults and $115 if you are under 16 years old. Usually, you can get an urgent passport within two weeks of your application.
Tourism and travel tips
Once your passport arrives, make hard and digital copies of the identification page. Give one to your parents to keep it safe and keep another in your wallet. Take a picture on your phone and keep a high-quality digital copy in Google Docs. Once you get your visa stamp, take a picture of that as well.
Flights and top tips
You’ll need your passport more than you think, not just during flights! Many hotels are required to scan your passport identification page. Don’t be alarmed by this, it’s normal. Some may keep your passport during your stay as a security to ensure you pay for your stay but also to keep it safe from theft. This is not as common as it used to be before the days of online booking but don’t be surprised if it happens in some remote countries.
Foreigners hold their passports
While most countries technically require foreigners to carry their passports at all times, this is not the most desirable thing to do given the presence of pickpockets and baggage stooges all over the world. This is where the paper version you’ve created comes in handy.
If you have any encounters with foreign law enforcement, it is usual to show them your passport and visa photo on your phone and then explain that the original has been returned to your hotel – just offer to go get it back if they need to see it.
To keep the passport on trips
Never keep your passport in an easily accessible pocket in your bag. The absolute best place to have your passport is in a safe in a hotel or your locker in a hostel.
2. Decide where to go on your first international trip
Perhaps you have long dreamed of seeing elephants in Thailand or visiting the pyramids in Egypt. Maybe you don’t know where exactly, but you just know that you need to go. If you were amazed at all the amazing places you can see now that you have a passport, it can be difficult to choose the destination you want to visit on your first international trip.
Do you want to stay closer to home or go far? On your first trip, it’s OK to start nearby and head farther where you feel more comfortable being a global traveler.
Make sure to learn the language that suits your trip before you travel
Do you speak a foreign language? Or are you comfortable traveling to a place where you don’t speak the language? France was the first country I visited and it wasn’t an English or Spanish-speaking country I was completely overwhelmed by my inability to communicate.
Try to make new friends and connect with locals
Are you eager to make new friends and connect with locals? If so, you may want to consider booking a guided tour, as this is a great way to connect with fellow travelers and many tours give you opportunities to meet with local guides as well. What are you looking forward to more? Do you gravitate towards beautiful buildings and architecture, eat delicious or unusual foods, relax on the beach, climb a mountain, or just want to party? It can be helpful to jot down a quick list to discover two things that are the most attractive aspect of your first time abroad.
Your convenience to travel to countries
What is your comfort level for traveling to countries that have a culture and lifestyle that is significantly different from your own? Will you feel uneasy about poverty, pollution, and crazy traffic? There is nothing wrong with your first visit to countries where you feel safe.
Passenger trips
Once you’ve thought about these questions, we hope you’ll be able to narrow your choices down to one or two countries, depending on how much time you’ve dedicated to your first international trip. If you’re still not sure, a good recommendation for first-time travelers is to visit Western Europe or the UK.
Most people speak English (even if it’s not the national language) there are good transportation options (bus, train, plane) and lots of unique cultures to experience. Australia and New Zealand are equally easy, but they are more adventurous destinations as they require long-haul flights and a bit more strategic planning as they are quite large and offer many exciting things to do.
If you want to go somewhere completely different from the United States, consider a trip to some of the sites familiar to travelers like Costa Rica or Thailand. I’m always amazed when I meet young travelers going abroad for the first time in Morocco or India – my two favorite countries – but places I couldn’t handle when I was an inexperienced traveler at 19.
3. Check to see if you need a visa
While booking your trip, be sure to check to see if you will need a visa to travel. A visa is a document issued by the country or countries you are visiting that permits you to travel there for a certain number of days.
For most countries in Europe, the United Kingdom, and many countries in Asia and Latin America, US passport holders can travel without a visa or obtain one on arrival. If you need a visa and come to your flight without it, you will not be allowed to board the plane.
US citizens can learn about visa regulations by visiting the US Department of State website and searching for their destination.
4. Make sure you can access your money abroad
Gone are the days when you need to carry cash or traveler’s checks to travel abroad. Now, thanks to the Internet, it is much easier to manage and access money while traveling around the world.
You need to set up a travel alert while you are abroad
Check with your bank to see if you need to set up a travel alert while you’re abroad so your bank knows when and where you’re traveling. You can also inquire about international fees and if they have partner banks in the destination that will help you save money on costly ATM fees for “foreign transactions”.
You can avoid all this by opening a free checking account with Charles Schwab or Ally. These are two banks that do not charge foreign transaction fees and reimburse ATM fees even while traveling.
Although your debit card will likely work everywhere on this first trip, it’s important to have a good backup plan. Try to take at least $100 and a debit and credit card with you on your first international trip. Always leave one card in your hotel room in case your wallet gets stolen – this has happened to me many times. If your wallet gets stolen, it’s not the end of the world because you still have another way to access the money!
5. Save money by comparing transportation and accommodation options
Most international flights will require you to travel there, but to get around your destination, consider other options such as buses or trains. Rio2Rome is a great tool to search all the route options from point A to point B and find out which model of transportation will be the fastest and cheapest.
Eco-friendly and low-cost trips are the best choice
Bus trips are usually the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly mode of transportation, and they also give you the chance to enjoy the scenery and chat with the locals. Some countries even have ride-sharing apps like BlaBlaCar which is common in Spain and Germany and can be more direct than the bus route.
Important tips for accommodation on trips and travel
Take a look at your options before booking your accommodation. While hotels are always a good choice, don’t forget to research the hostel, guesthouse, and Airbnb options you’re traveling to – these give you a chance to connect with other travelers and locals. Boutique hostels are becoming more and more popular and are often equipped with much better amenities than budget hotels.
The best ways and sites to book travel trips
However, I prefer making the actual reservation through Booking.com as there are no reservation fees and reservations can usually be changed free of charge before the arrival date.
6. Book your flight and hotel accommodation in advance of your travel
How far in advance should you start booking your flight? Unfortunately, as Covid continues to run its course, it’s hard to tell. A recent survey found that, contrary to previous advice, booking close to your departure date will save you last-minute deals as airlines struggle to fill planes. Alternatively, the survey results also concluded that the ideal time to book cheap flights to Europe was 180 days before departure.
Long-term travel
Even though I have been traveling for a long time, I still always book a place to stay in advance as well. The idea of showing up somewhere after a long day of traveling without knowing where I sleep makes me anxious – but some people find this exciting. At the very least, you have a place to stay booked for the day you arrive. Customs forms always ask you to list where you will be staying. Keep a business card from where you live with you in case your phone dies while abroad in case you have trouble getting back.
7. Give yourself enough time to get over jet lag
When you start booking your first international flight, you may want to pack it all. How many can you see each day?! Take my advice: slow down, at least for the first day or two, to recover from every traveler’s predicament: jet lag. Recovering from a long flight is tough enough – but when you add in a change of time, you’re bound to be a bit behind. It can take up to a week to adjust every eight time zones you change. So, if you’re traveling from Los Angeles to London, you can expect several days as your mind and body adjust to the new time zone.
To avoid and fight travel fatigue
Fight travel fatigue by getting plenty of rest before your flight and adjusting your schedule a little — consider staying up an hour or two later — to try to prepare your body. Do the same with meal times. Take a walk around your area to learn about local life and relax in the café for a bit – the coffee helps! No matter what, be sure to consider whether you need an extra day or two in your conditioning schedule. I am guilty of breaking all of these rules every time I travel from Asia to the US and back again.
8. Keep yourself safe
Your first international trip may seem intimidating, but it’s always scarier in your mind than it will be once you’ve traveled.
Pickpockets and petty theft: To avoid becoming a victim, always keep an eye on your belongings and hold your bag tight. A cross-body or Flexi-bag is the most effective way to deter pickpockets. Do not carry a backpack on one shoulder only and do not leave your bag on the floor or the back of a chair. Avoid putting cell phones or wallets in back pockets. If you’re concerned, money belts that you can wear under your clothes and anti-theft purses are also good options.
Smart Traveler Registration Program
Stay Connected: You can enroll in the US Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This way, your local US embassy will know how to contact you in the event of a natural disaster, political unrest, or another emergency. If you live in a family home or have a landlord, share these details with the family back home so they have them in the event of an emergency.
Travel insurance
Any seasoned traveler knows that travel insurance is a must. Get one that covers both health and property. When you are traveling, you are at risk of contracting diseases and other injuries. You’ll hear horror stories of travelers who have contracted malaria, staph infections, parasites, and more. From emergency evacuations to compensation for lost baggage, travel insurance can save you a lot of money in the unlikely event that something bad happens while you’re abroad. Above all, common sense: ask locals what areas of the city or city neighborhoods you should avoid, travel with a friend at night, do not drink, especially if you are alone or not in a group of people you trust, meet new potential friends in places the public. If you use a dating app, save the date in public. And always, always follow your intuition if a person or situation is making you feel bad.
Leap into the unknown and discover the benefits of travel
As your departure date approaches, you may start to feel nervous and get excited – this is the first time you have jumped from the comfort and familiarity of your country. This is kinda scary, but it subsides over time, believe me. The benefits of travel and the excitement of experiencing a new place and new people outweigh the stress of planning that first trip.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, just remember: Every new destination involves some trial and error, even for seasoned travelers. Take any mishap and know that you gain valuable knowledge the next time you board a plane.
Vazoria wishes you a wonderful trip!
