Classic Travel Tips & Advice

 

As your travel planner we do our best to advise you on your holidays before you go. There are some things you can do as a responsible traveler to make your trip better and ensure things go smoothly. Based on years of experience and feedback from our travelers, we have put together this useful list of advice to share with you

 

Visas & Passports: Visas and passports are the responsibility of the individual traveler. Check in advance if you need a visa for the country you are visiting and whether this needs to be arranged beforehand or paid for on arrival. You can contact your local embassy or ask your travel consultant for assistance. Remember to also check your China visa to ensure it is valid for re-entry into China after your travels. In general, you should always make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel and have at least 2 blank pages available for visas and stamps. Always travel with some spare passport photos just in case.

 

Travel Insurance: We highly recommend you obtain comprehensive travel insurance. This should be purchased as soon as you pay for any flights or accommodation and check the cover is suitable for you and any activities you plan to do. You can purchase travel insurance from Classic Travel. If you have credit card or expatriate insurance, ensure this covers both medical and travel-related expenses, e.g. lost luggage, or loss of pre-paid accommodation and tours due to cancelled or delayed flights, etc. Ensure you have a list of contact numbers handy so you can call us, our local agents, or your insurance company in an emergency.

 

Baggage Allowance: Check the luggage allowance (for both checked and carry-on luggage) for the airlines you are flying. Low-cost or budget airlines often have lower allowances and you have to pay in advance for a bigger allowance. Don’t get caught out with excess luggage fees if your flight route requires you to connect from one airline to another with a smaller allowance.

 

Tickets, Airports & Terminals: Always check that the details on your flight etickets are correct and your name is spelt correctly and matches your passport. In particular check airports (if the city has more than one), and departure and arrival terminals. Often low-cost or budget airlines fly into different terminals, or a domestic terminal is located separately from the international terminal. Know in advance how to change terminals.

 

Connecting Flights: If you have connecting flights, reconfirm at the initial airport check-in counter whether your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If not, you should be aware of how much time you have between connecting flights to collect baggage and change terminals if necessary.

Airport Fees: Don’t get caught out by unexpected visa on arrival or airport departure fees. Check in advance and try to have the exact amount in the correct currency handy. These can often change without notice so it doesn’t hurt to carry a bit extra or a small supply of commonly accepted currencies such as US Dollars.

 

Health: Check the health and safety issues of your destination and visit your doctor to get any necessary vaccinations, malaria tablets, or other medications you may need. Some immunisations require a course of injections over a period of time (sometimes months) so be sure to get this done in advance. Take a record of your immunisations and medications with you when you travel.

 

Itinerary: Know your itinerary. There may be early starts, long drives, or physically strenuous elements to your tour. It’s best to be aware of this from the start or else ask your travel planner for more details. If you have early tour or flight departures, check if your hotel will provide a packed breakfast box for you. If you have a late evening flight, you may want to consider purchasing a late check-out, or confirm that the hotel can store your luggage until departure. If you have to fly during meal times, think of buying some snacks beforehand.

 

Non-Smoking Rooms: Always tell your travel planner during the booking process if you prefer non-smoking rooms so we can try to arrange this in advance. If you find yourself in a non-smoking room that still smells of smoke due to previous non-compliant occupants, you should complain to reception and ask to change rooms. Please also let us know when you return so we can follow up with the hotel.

 

Destination Knowledge: Read up on your destination before you depart, in particular any cultural issues, taboos, weather, festivals, etc. that may impact your trip. Be aware of your behaviour and dress accordingly. Many temples and sacred places in Asia require you to cover shoulders and knees. Tipping of guides and drivers for tours is also common so try to find out in advance what an acceptable amount is. Remember you are a guest in the country you are visiting, and the more you know about your destination the more understanding and enjoyment you will get out of your holiday.

 

Wishing you safe and happy travels!