Check your passport is valid for at least six months from the date of your return and that you have any necessary visas. UK passport service.


For all those holiday extras like airport parking, airport hotels, airport lounges and holiday insurance compare rates and book online

Get full travel insurance and medical cover as soon as you book and make sure you have appropriate cover for your requirements.

Always check the conditions and exclusions of your policy. A good insurance policy will cover you for cancelling or cutting a trip short. Check carefully to see exactly what you’re covered for, for example, illness, accident, jury service or witness summons, pregnancy (unknown when you buy the policy), redundancy, strikes etc.

If your travel arrangements involve connecting flights, either in the UK or Caribbean, check your insurance policy includes 'Missed Departure Cover' (check the policy wording as some policies exclude internal flights and connecting flights). Do not rely on compensation from an airline if it loses your luggage. By law, airlines only have to pay a specified minimum value per kilo of lost luggage.

Before you go, get to know your destination and find out about local laws and customs and follow them. For example, you should be aware that it is an offence for anyone, including children to dress in camouflage clothing in some Caribbean islands. We advise that you do not take any items of clothing or baggage with camouflage patterns.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Travel Advice Notices aim to ensure that British travellers are prepared before travel. Read the FCO's Know Before You Go campaign, travel advice.

Island guides: Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, Tobago, St Kitts.

Be aware of your personal security and safety and take sensible precautions to protect yourself the same you would at home. The same applies abroad for road safety.

Use official guides at tourist attractions and agree a price before you start. If you decide to visit remote beaches or country areas, do so with an organized tour and in groups. Our island tour representatives provide tours and excursions.

Car hire and travel: If you intend to arrange your own car hire, make sure you use a reputable company which provides adequate third party insurance and ask about collision damage waver (CDW) and Personal Accident Insurance. If you do not hire a vehicle it is best to use taxis after dark, even for short journeys. Only use official taxi and bus services, with vehicles clearly marked.

Money: Take enough money for your trip and some back-up funds, eg travelers’s cheques in US dollars or credit cards. Make sure you have the correct amount of funds to pay the local island departure tax.

We advise you take local currency, although the US dollar (notes only, not coins) are widley accepted at hotels. Most major cards will be accepted at places that deal regularly with tourists e.g. hotels, restaurants, duty free shops and supermarkets, but may not be accepted at smaller local bars and restaurants or small gift shops.

Sun Protection: Use protection from the harmful effects of UV sun rays. Between 11am – 3pm use high protection, especially for children and infants even when there is cloud cover.

Insect Bite Avoidance: Take precautions against mosquito bites, including the use of insect repellent during the day and at night. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when applying products. Sand flies are found in many areas and are most active between dusk and dawn.

Vaccines: Recommended in most Caribbean islands are Hepatitis A, Polio and Typhoid. It is always best to consult your GP or local health clinic to obtain individual advice, which may differ for individuals with medical conditions, pregnant women and for young children. We recommend you consult your GP or Doctor at least six weeks before you travel. Visit the Department of Health’s web site www.dh.gov.uk or The National Travel Health Network and Centre www.nathnac.org.

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