Island vacation is truly a very special offer. You have to cross water to go to an island so you will have to fly or to go by boat or may be just cross the water on a bridge by driving.

Be well prepared for your first travel abroad and remember a number of things. Some are essential for your safe travel. Other items and things to remember might just help you to get the most out of your first travel abroad.

If you haven’t found your choice of island to visit you will still have a lot of options to get good travel information and vacation tips here at IslandVacationTips.com and at our partner site Island-Vacation-Tips.com (Opens in a new window).

But do not forget the packing checklist:

Print and keep the packing checklist and bring it with you to the island - check off the list at home to remember everything. Use it again when your stay abroad is coming to an end and you prepare for leaving the island. This is my best island vacation tips today.

___ Travel tickets - check beforehand the date and time, and keep informed about changing schedules. If online booking remember booking numbers etx.

___ Passport – and valid in long time enough. Some countries demand at least 6 months.

___ Photocopies of your passport as backup and kept separately, for example in your suitcase or by a fellow traveller

___ Travel payment documentation

___ Phone numbers of travel agency and accomodation

___ Hotel vouchers or the like and their addresses

___ Local money for the island and may be transition countries

___ Some back up money in your own currenc

___ Credit cards - make sure you remember the needed pincodes

___ Visa or other needed admission document to the country of the island

___ Needed vaccinations and proper documentation

___ Travel insurance – make sure it covers all risks of health hazards

___ A hard suitcase with code lock or other save lock

___ Leave your itinerary and information about addresses where you stay at the island to people you trust (family or a friend)

___ Bring your driving license – an international diving license if you expect to drive on the island

___ List of phone numbers and addresses on paper – your mobile phone list isn’t enough if you loose it.

___ List of phone numbers for reporting problems with your credit cards on your travel

___ Your prescription medicine

___ Medicine to prevent seasickness or the like

___ Some emergency medicine and tools if you get problems with your stomach or infections.

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

___ List of the emails you might need during your island vacation

___ Insect repellent and treatment of insect bites

___ Sun lotion with a high protection factor to prevent sunburn – often a big problem during an island vacation.

___ Cloths for the relevant kinds of weather conditions – often a big difference of the temperature from midday to late night on an island.

___ Different equipment for the different kinds of activities you expect to take part in: swimming, snorkeling, running or other kinds of sport etc..

___ Cloths for special occasions: parties, may be churches, mountain walking, running, dancing shoes …

___ A notebook – no, not the computer, I mean an old fashioned notebook of paper as you will often like to make some notes of people you meet during vacation, addresses for good eating places, booking numbers, or to tear a page to give some information to a person you have met at the island etc.

___ Electric adapter to fit your own electric equipment with the local options

___ Digital camera and memory card, battery and battery charger. An extra battery might be very helpful depending on the situation of electricity on the island.

___ Your iPod or what you use for music.

___ A good up-to-date guidebook about the island with travel tips. Find lists of many good travel guidebooks at Island Vacation Tips.

___

___

___

Such a travel checklist is partly a list of essential items to include and partly a personal choice, but I recommend that you go through everything and make your final decision. Every packaging checklist need to be extended by your own extras. Here I just mark for 3 extra travel accessories but I am sure you have more.

Read on what this ‘Young retired bitch’ has to say about an island vacation in Molokai, Hawaii, as part of an ‘Unfettered Pursuit of Happiness’ according to her blog at  http://retiredsyd.typepad.com/retirement_a_fulltime_job/

 This short video from Florida, on TopGun on St. George Island Beach Vacation Rental Home gives some impression of St George Island Rental possibilities for the first time traveller and may be some extra ideas for the repeat visitor to St George Island FL - one of the more popular travel destinations for Island Vacation in North America.

                                                                

One of the beautiful sandy beaches at The Seychelles.

According to the June 16 issue of TripWatch (the ezine from TripAdvisor) the top 10 beach destinations worldwide are

1. St-Tropez, France  
2. Sydney, Australia 
3. Fiji 
4. Corfu, Greece 
5. St. Vincent, Caribbean 
6. Seychelles 
7. Boracay, Philippines 
8. Canary Islands, Spain 
9. Maldives 
10. Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand 

>>>  Read more about these selected island vacation destinations at

1.   St-Tropez, France  N/A

2.   Sydney, Australia   N/A

3.   Fiji  - Fiji articles and vacation tips (Opens in new window)

4.   Corfu, Greece 

5.   St. Vincent, Caribbean 

6.   Seychelles  - Seychelles guide books, Seychelles articles and vacation tips (Opens in new window)

7.   Boracay, Philippines  - Boracay articles and vacation tips (Opens in new window)

8.   Canary Islands, Spain 

9.   Maldives 

10. Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand 

                                                              The TripAdvisor archive is found here . 

To go to the Seychelles you should anyway be focussed on the islands with their fabulous nature and beaches and not for enjoying the hotels as the main attraction. – Not to say that hotels on the Seychelles aren’t as good as anywhere in the world. Now, just take a look at these vacation tips for budget travellers.

If you choose a self-catering hotel you will also be able to reduce your running expenses. You will find a selection of rooms in hotels and in bungalows equipped with a kitchen and needed tools for cooking and eating on your own. Such a choice might be especially attractive for families on a budget. These types of accommodation are still serviced with cleaning and a reception, and normally you will find a swimming pool, too.

Accommodation at Seychelle´s main island Mahé

The two star hotel Anse Soleil Beachcomber would be a good choice. The small beach, only 150 m long around the laguna, is situated among the old weathered rocks and with fine attractive sand without any small stones. The Anse Soleil Beachcomber hotel is the only one here, supplemented with a small restaurant serving good food. The hotel has only 14 rooms so don’t plan to be a big travel group here.

The hotel Anse Soleil Beachcomber was earlier owned by the Catholic Church and used as a holiday colony.

Accomodation at Seychelle´s second largest island, Praslin

Accomodation in Praslin at Les Villas D’Or would be a good choice. Les Villas D’Or offers 10 bungalows with nice interiors and facilities. The bungalows are lying close to the attractive sandy beach Cote D’Or with palm trees and (gule hav hibiscus).

A nice walk along the beach will bring you to a local shop where you can buy food for a reasonably cost.

Fresh fish and other seafood are available on many of the Seychelles Islands, contact the fishermen when they are landing their catch. Fish are easy too grill or to use for indoor cooking, like a fish curry and baked in the own and served with condiments.

Summing up

In general look in the Seychelles for the smaller, friendly hotels that offers a more local atmosphere then the big and expensive hotels of a more international style. Don’t worry for the food, the food in The Seychelles are delicious in general.

Paradise Island for couples

For couples, Paradise Island is the perfect place to begin or simply enjoy your life together. Paradise Island offers several opportunities to explore nature with your significant other, including a quiet horseback ride on the beach or a gentle stroll in a canoe.

Watch the sunset together by taking a walk along Clifton Pier. Known for its rolling cliffs and majestic sea caves, Clifton Pier offers visitors a glimpse of the tropical sky like you have never seen before. A stairwell is carved into the cliffs and leads to a historical plantation; this provides the perfect spot for watching the sun go down as the waters roll beneath you.

Experience the unique island flavor of Paradise Island! Couples and families alike will enjoy the fine dining and innovative culinary creations offered by Paradise Island.

The Bahamas are known for serving up the best conch dishes on the planet, so stop by for dinner at Islands located at the Radisson Cable Beach Resort.

Islands serves a variety of conch dishes, including conch fritters and cracked conch.

The Arawak Cay Fish Fry, also located on Cable Beach, serves a variety of ice-cold beer, island-style coconut shrimp, and chowders only available in the Bahamas.

Snorkeling and diving at Paradise Island

For the water lover, Paradise Island offers exclusive diving and snorkeling opportunities. A great place to take in these underwater adventures is Stuart Cove’s Dive South Ocean. Stuart Cove provides a chance for even amateur divers to learn the fundamentals of diving, while novice divers can experience bubble sub excursions and night dives.

Snorkeling is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here, as Stuart Cove waters are stocked with a variety of tropical fish and other sea life. You can even get close enough to these amazing creatures to take pictures and experience first-hand the wonders of underwater life.

To light up the night, visit Paradise Island Casino. Start your evening by sipping island cocktails along the beach and enjoying conversation with your family or friends. Enjoy an authentic Bahamian cuisine for dinner before heading off to the slots and game tables to try your luck at gambling. If you find you aren’t as lucky as you’d like, you can tear up the dance floor to some great island music at the casino’s disco club.

Paradise Island for families

For families, Paradise Island offers endless opportunities for everyone in the family.

Blue Lagoon Island provides up close and personal encounters with dolphins – children and adults alike will love swimming with these friendly creatures. Or, visit Ardastra Gardens and Zoo, where children will enjoy visiting with the beautiful animals or participating in the family-oriented activities.

… The name Paradise Island says it all - once you visit this tiny tropical getaway, you’ll leave with a desire to come back to the Bahamas – one of the most attractive travel destinations for island vacation!

Howard, Blair
Adventure Guide to Bermuda (Serial) 

Berlitz Travel Guide to Bermuda 
Adventure Guide Bermuda (Adventure Guides Series) (Adventure Guides Series) 
Berlitz Pocket Guide Bermuda 
Berlitz Travel Guide to Bermuda 

Adventure Guide to Bermuda (Adventure Guide S. ) 
Adventure Guide to Bermuda (Serial) by Howard, Blair 

Charles, Ron
Bermuda Guide, 5th Edition (Open Road Travel Guides Bermuda Guide) 
Open Road’s Bermuda Guide 
Bermuda Guide: be a Traveler - Not a Tourist! 

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Tropical Marine Fishes: Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Bahamas, Bermuda 
Catherine Harriott
Maverick Guide to Bermuda, Second Edition (Maverick Guide Series) 

Liz Jones
Insiders’ Guide to Bermuda 2nd 
Brian Bell
Insight Guide Bermuda (Insight Guides) 
Peter Osbaldeston
The Palm Springs Diner’s Bible: A Restaurant Guide for Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Bermuda Dune 

Lawson Wood
Photographic Guide to Reef Fishes, Corals and Invertebrates of the Caribbean Including Bermuda (Photoguides) 
Bermuda (Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Guides) 
Darwin Porter
Dollarwise Guide to Bermuda and the Bahamas (Frommer’s Dollarwise Guide S. ) 
Fromer’s Dollarwise Guide to the Caribbean Including Bermuda & the Bahamas 
Bermuda and the Bahamas 1992-93 (Frommer’s Comprehensive Travel Guide Ser.) 
Dollarwise Guide to the Caribbean Including Bermuda and Bahamas 

Phillips-Watlington, Christine
Bermuda’s Botanical Wonderland: A Field Guide 

Raine, Andre
A Field Guide to the Birds of Bermuda (Caribbean Pocket Natural History) 
Steve Cohen
Nelles Guide - Karibik. Große Antillen - Bermudas - Bahamas (Nelles Guide) 
Caribbean - The Greater Antilles, Bermuda, Bahamas (Nelles Guides) 
International Business Publications

Bermuda Country Study Guide 
Joyce Huber
Best Dives’ Snorkeling Adventures: A Guide to the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean, Hawaii & Florida Keys 
Best Dives of the Bahamas, Florida and Bermuda 
Aspinall, Algernon
THE POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES: BRITISH GUIANA BRITISH HONDURAS BERMUDA THE SPANISH MAIN SURINAM AND THE PANAMA CANAL 
Daniel Berg
Bermuda Shipwrecks: A Vacationing Diver’s Guide to Bermuda’s Shipwrecks 

Kaplan, Eugene H.
Field Guide to Coral Reefs of the Caribbean and Florida: A Guide to the Common Invertebrates and Fishes of Bermuda, the Bahamas, Southern Florida, the West Indies, and the Caribbean Coast of Central and 

Field Guide to Coral Reefs of the Caribbean and Florida: A Guide to the Common Invertebrates and Fishes of Bermuda, the Bahamas, Southern Florida, the … of Central and (Peterson Field Guide Series) 

Glenda Bendure
Bermuda (Lonely Planet Country Guide) 

Honey Naylor
Bermuda Insight Compact Guide (Insight Compact Guides) 
Insight Compact Guide: Bermuda 
Christmas, Rachel J.
Bermuda/Bahamas 1994: The Fun Guide to the Sights and Delights of Bermuda Dn the Bahamas 

Fielding’s Bermuda and the Bahamas, 1992 (Fielding’s Travel Guides Ser.) 
Fielding’s Bermuda: The Most In-Depth and Up-To-The-Minute Guide to Bermuda 
Fielding’s Bermuda 
Fielding’s Bermuda and the Bahamas, 1988 
Fielding’s Bermuda and the Bahamas, 1993 
Fielding’s Bermuda: The Most In-Depth and Up-To-The-Minute Guide to Bermuda (Fielding Workdwide) 

David Raine
Insight Pocket Guide Bermuda 
Islands of Bermuda 
Bermuda Insight Pocket Guide 

Philpott, Don
Landmark Visitors Guide Bermuda 
Bermuda (Landmark Visitors Guides) (Landmark Visitors Guides) 
Bermuda (Landmark Visitors Guide Bermuda, 1st ed) 
Editor-Martha Ellen Zenfell
Insight Guide Bermuda (Insight Guides) 
Insight Guide Bermuda (Bermuda) 

Joe Brooks
Complete Guide to Fishing Across North America; an Expert’s Guide to Fresh and Saltwater Fishing in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Bermuda 

Stark, James H.
Stark’s Illustrated Bermuda Guide Containing a Description of Everything on or About the Bermuda Islands Concerning Which the Visitor or Resident May Desire Information including History, Inhabitants, Climate, Agriculture, Geology, Government and … 
Stark’s Illustrated Bermuda Guide: Containing a Description of Everything on or About These Places of which the Visitor or Resident May Desire Information 
STARK’S ILLUSTRATED BERMUDA GUIDE 
Stark’s Illustrated Bermuda Guide: containing A Description of Everything on or About the Bermuda Islands Concerning Which the 

Insight Guides
Insight Bermuda (Insight Guide Bermuda) 
Insight Pocket Guides: Bermuda 

Mowbray, Louis S.
A Guide to the Reef, Shore and Game Fish of Bermuda 
Stokes, F. Joseph
Divers and Snorkelers Guide to the Fishes and Sea Life of the Caribbean, Florida, Bahamas, and Bermuda 
Bell, Euphemia Young
Beautiful Bermuda: The Standard Guide to Bermuda 

Dobson, A.
A Birdwatching Guide to Bermuda 
Early, Eleanor
Ports of the Sun: A Guide to the Caribbean, Bermuda, Nassau, Havanna and Panama 

Ober, Frederick A
A Guide to the West Indies, Bermuda and Panama 
Tracey Caswell
Tea with Tracey: The Woman’s Survival Guide to Bermuda 
Crocker, John
The Centaur Guide to Bermuda, The Bahamas, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands 
Bermuda, The Bahamas, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands : A Centaur Guide 
Tinker, Gene
The Skin Diver’s Travel Guide, PAM AM’s guide to Snorkelingand Scuba Diving in Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and theMediterranean 
The Skin Diver’s Travel Guide. Pan Am’s Guide to Snorkeling and Scuba diving in Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. 1967. Cloth with dustjacket 

Zuill, William
Bermuda Today: The Guide Book To Bermuda 
BERMUDA JOURNEY : A Leisurely Guide Book. 

Alexandra Mayes Birnbaum
Birnbaum’s 95 Bermuda (Birnbaum Travel Guide) 
Robby Robinson
Golf guide to the Caribbean: Including the Bahamas & Bermuda 

Frommer’s Staff
Frommer’s Bermuda, 2000 

Butler, Dale
Love on the Rock: the 100 Best Places to Kiss, Smooch and Cuddle in Bermuda-the Complete Guide Based on Research and Search (With Love Letters) 
Love on the Rock: the 100 Best Places to Kiss, Smooch and Cuddle in Bermuda-the Complete Guide Based on Research and Search 
Gellhorn, Eleanor Cowles
McKay’s Guide to Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean 

Hawks, John K.
Bermuda: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide 
Featherston, Phyllis; Ostler, Barbara F
The Bed & Breakfast Guide for the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico & the U. S. Virgin Islands 
Bed and Breakfast Guide for the U. S., Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and U. S. V. I 
Baron, Stanley
Your Guide to Bermuda 
Bartholomew
Bermuda Travel Guide 

Bell, Euphemia Young and Associates
Beautiful Bermuda-the Standard Guide to Bermuda-the Bermuda Blue Book 

No Author
Insight Guide: Bermuda 
Rider, Fremont
RIDER’S BERMUDA A Guide Book for Travelers 
Robertson, William Glenn
Back Door to Richmond: The Bermuda Hundred Campaign, April-June 1864 
Rosko, Milt
SALT-WATER FISHING FROM BOATS A Complete, Illustated Guide for the Atlantic,Pacific and Gulf Coasts,Including Bermuda and the Bahamas 

Staff Of Jpm Publications
Bermuda Cruise Guide 
Tweedy, Mary Johnson
Bermuda Holiday - A Guide Book 

WARMKE, G.L. AND R.T. ABBOTT.
Caribbean Seashells, a guide to the Marine Mollusks of Puerto Rico and other West Indian Islands, Bermuda and the lower Florida keys 

Zuill, W. S.
The Story of Bermuda and Her People 
5. 3/ / 5: : PM
McKay’s Guide to Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean 5.50 
6. 3/ / 6: : PM
Bermuda Holiday : A Guide Book 6.27 
Aardvark Publishing
The Great Bermuda Catalogue: A Selective Guide to the Best, the Unique, the Most Unusual Attractions, Entertainment, Restaurants, Specialty Shops, and Collectibles- 
Adams, Peter J.
Bermuda Countdown 
al, C Rushe et
Bermuda Islands Guide 

BELL EUPHEMIA YOUNG
THE STANDARD GUIDE TO BERMUDA BEAUTIFUL BERMADA THE BERMUDA BLUE BOOK 1947 
Bell, S. E.; and William E. Bell, eds
BEAUTIFUL BERMUDA: THE STANDARD GUIDE TO BERMUDA. 
Birnbaum, Alexandra M.
Birnbaum’s Bermuda ‘96 
 

Cancelmo, Jesse
Diving Bermuda 
Cooper, Frederic Taber, compiler
RIDER’S BERMUDA: A Guide Book for Travelers 

Curran, H. Allen
Terrestrial and Shallow Marine Geology of the Bahamas and Bermuda 
Darwin Porter, Danfoth Prince
Frommer’s Comprehensive Travel Guide: Bermuda ‘94-’95 
Darwin Porter; Danfoth Prince
Frommer’s Comprehensive Travel Guide: Bermuda ‘94-’95 (Frommer’s Bermuda) 

David Benjamin Greenberg
The shopping guide to Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean, also Bermuda, Nassau, and Panama, 

Bermuda Untertitel: Berlitz Travel Guide 
Donkin, Andrew
Bermuda Triangle 
Edmiston, John W.
The Treasures and Pleasures of the Caribbean Bermuda and the Bahamas: Best of the Best 
Eric JR Amos
A Guide to the Birds of Bermuda

Ferguson, Moira
Nine Black Women: Anthology of Nineteenth Century Writers Form the United States, Canada, Bermuda & the Caribbean 
Fielding’s Travel Guide Staff
Fielding’s Bermuda 
Fodors, Eugene
Guide to the Carribean, Bahamas, and Bermuda 
Frommer, Arthur
Frommer’s 99 Bermuda 

Garth, Sheridan H & William I Kaufman
COOK’S POCKET TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES Including the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Spanish Main 
Given, Noen
Bermuda Triangle: Flight of no Return 
Goodson, Gar
Fishes of the Atlantic Coast: Canada to Brazil, Including the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean 
Gruber, Nicolas
Seasonal Carbon Cycling in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda 
Haggart
Dollarwise Guide to Bermuda and the Bahamas (Frommer’s Dollarwise Guide S. ) 

Hannau, H.
Bermuda in Full Colour 
Hay, Nelson E.
Guide to the Alternative Bermuda: How to Have a Wonderful Time in Bermuda at a Price You Can Afford 
Hrsg. Martha Ellen Zenfell
Apa Guide Bermuda 
Hunter, Barbara H.
The People of Bermuda: Beyond the Crossroads 

Jackson, Archie
Can Anyone See Bermuda?: Memories of an Airline Pilot (1941-1976) 
Jackson, John J.
Bermuda 
Jacobs
Bermuda Petrel 

Jones, J Huibert
The Guide to Bermuda’s Public Parks and Beaches 
Knap, Anthony H.
The Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Natural and Contaminant Substances: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on “The Long-Range Atmospheric Transport of Natural and Contaminant Substances from Continent to Ocean and Continent to … 

McDowall, Duncan
Another World: Bermuda and the Rise of Modern Tourism 
Meckstroth, Jeff
Win the Bermuda Bowl with Me 

Richardson, Ralph
The Bermuda Boater - 2nd Edition - A Comprehensive Guide to Piloting and Seamanship for Boaters Around the Waters of Bermuda 

Saunders, Dave
Bermuda: Island Portrait 
Sidney W. Dunkle
Damselflies of Florida, Bermuda, and the Bahamas (Scientific Publishers Nature Guide, No 3) 

SMITH, C. LAVETT
NATIONAL AUDOBON SOCIETY FIELD GUIDE TO TROPICAL MARINE FISHES CARIBBEAN - GULF OF MEXICO - FLORIDA - BAHAMAS - BERMUDA 

THOMAS, MARTIN LEWIS HALL AND A. LOGAN.
A Guide to the Ecology of Shoreline and Shallow-Water Marine Communities of Bermuda 
Tucker, Terry
Beyond the Rubber Tree : The Story of Par-La-Ville, Bermuda, & Guide to Its History Museum 
Voss, Gilbert L.
Seashore Life of Florida and the Caribbean: A Guide to the Common Marine Invertebrates and Plants of the Atlantic from Bermuda and the Bahamas to the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico 

Zenfell, Matha Ellen
Bermuda Insight Guide 

Zuill, Kitty
Bermuda trees and plants: A short guide 
     
Bermuda (Adventure Guide to Bermuda) by Howard, Blair
Bermuda Insight Guide
Bermuda International Business Guide
Bermuda Triangle: Flight of No Return

Birds of the Bermudas: A Guide to the Resident and Seasonal Birds of the Bermuda Islands
The Practitioner’s Guide to the Listing Rules of the Bermuda Stock Exchange
Recommended Hotels, Inns - North America, Bermuda, Caribbean, 2001

Caribbean Seashells: A Guide to the Marine Mollusks of Puerto Rico and Other West Indian Islands, Bermuda and the Lower Florida Keys

2 Halves Publishing; Illustrator-Jonathan K. Frith
Sporty Little Field Guide to Bermuda for the Curious and the Confused

 Welcome to Island Vacation Tips .com

Island vacation tips is at your disposal to serve your interests in vacation on beautiful islands around the world. I have so far travelled widely with a special love for nice islands, especially tropical and remote islands. Also islands with sandy beaches have had my big interest for basking in the sun and having fun along the seashore. Because I have travelled as a photographer, as a naturalist, as an educator, as an environmetalist and not least as a husband and a father of four children I am used to have many aspects of travel and local environments on my mind.

I continue to travel, now as a grandfather with 5 grandchildren with new perspectives in mind being very much aware of how to hand over our beautiful Planet to the coming generations by being a responsible traveller in all kinds of environment.

Island Vacation Tips will soon be a well functioning resourse for all regarding travel and holidays on islands to give you the best options for planning your island vacation in time.

Your own comments and travel experience will be highly welcome by fellow travellers that consult Island Vacation Tips .com.

See you soon again!

Soren Breiting