Tourist guide: how to prepare your trip
Everything you need to prepare your trip and enjoy your villa in Mexico
Whenever we are going on a tourist trip, it is important to prepare the trip both for you and for those who travel with you in a group, to enjoy a well-deserved rest on vacation or an event in a beautiful villa on the wonderful beaches of Mexico and to take advantage of your trip in all its experiences, discover new places while you change your daily routine for a day-to-day paradise where you will enjoy and have fun, but, as you know, it is necessary to prepare some things that will not take much time but are important not to forget, therefore, from Beyond Homes Luxury we want to offer you a guide on how to prepare your trip before starting your trip and start enjoying all your experiences between the beach, the sea and in the villa itself.
Check if you need a visa to travel to Mexico
A tourist trip in Mexico is always excellent for incredible experiences, amazing days and incredible places, and as for any tourist trip, it is important to check if there are requirements when entering the country, for example, the visa requirement to enter Mexico is not necessary for people who have citizenship (or prove permanent residence) for countries such as the United States (E.E.U.U.), Canada, Colombia, Peru, Chile, the United Kingdom and Japan, as well as the 26 countries of the Schengen Area.
You can consult the official website of the Mexican government on in which cases it is not required to obtain a tourist visa to enter the country as well as in those cases that do require it in the following link:
Visa information to enter Mexico
Consult the countries part of the Schengen Area
Note: changes in the requirements are determined by the Mexican government and it is always best to consult the official source (the link above) and verify its publication date to be certain of the information.
Travel documents validity
Verifying the validity of your travel documents is also important, for example, the passport is not expired, or the visa is in the validity period, which is important for those who have a valid visa from countries such as Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom and want to travel to Mexico, which allows to enter to Mexico.
Verifying the validity of your travel documents is also important, for example, the passport is not expired, or the visa is in the validity period, wich is important for those who have a valid visa from countries such as Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom and want to travel to Mexico, wich allows to enter to Mexico.
Remember, on any trip and before any requirement of the authorities for your identification, it is necessary to present a valid identification document such as a passport, and it is important to check on official websites what requirements each government establishes for the validity of a passport or visa.
For United States of America
If you reside in the United States, you can check the passport requirements in the official website
If you speak Spanish, go to
https://www.usa.gov/espanol/pasaportes-documentos-de-viaje
For United Kingdom
If you reside in the United Kingdom, you can check the passport requirements on the official source of the UK Government:
Preventive security measures before your tourist trip
Taking security measures before any trip is important, both for you and for those who travel in a group with you, so it is always good to take some precautions to protect your home, you check the next checklist:
Safety prevention tourist checklist
- Notify your security company: if you have an alarm monitoring system in your home, notify your security company that you will not be there during the period of your trip, in this way, if activity is detected, they can act quickly.
- Activate the security system: of course you should not forget to activate your security system when you go on a trip.
- Notify a trusted family member: having a family member who can watch over our home is never too much, of course, if you do not have a security system, it is important to have a family member to help us take care of our home, especially if you will be traveling for several days to take care of your plants.
- Ensuring the care of your pets: it is something that we know you will have in mind as a priority, but it is worth mentioning so that you plan well in advance and can ensure their well-being and care with a family member or friend.
- Do not make your trip public: avoid publishing any information about your trip beforehand for safety, it is always better to avoid giving the opportunity to people who may try to take advantage of your home being alone for a prolonged period of time.
- Travel insurance: check with your credit card company if you can activate or have active coverage for your trip and what it includes. If you do not have it or can’t activate it, it is always better to purchase travel insurance that has good coverage.
Make a backup of your documents
Before start your journey to a beautiful villa on the beaches of Mexico, it is important that you digitally backup your documents with your smartphone
We recommend that you even have a video where you can be seen with them to make a direct relationship in the event that, in the event of an unforeseen event, you must prove the documents.
Taking images with a good definition of your documents is important, especially so that you can access them on your mobile device or from the Internet through a cloud platform such as Google Drive in case you lose them or for any reason you need to quickly prove your identity to the authorities.
Remember: if you have a smartphone, your images can be automatically backed up to the cloud service that you have in your smartphone, for example, the S.O. Android do it through Google Photos, you must verify the backup option is active so that your images are uploaded and are accessible through your account.
Checklist of documents to support before traveling
- Passport and|or visa
- Driver’s license
- Personal identity card
- Health insurance
- Credit cards (do not take the photo of the back where the verification code is located)
Extra security tip: backing up documents is important on your mobile device, but remember that you must also increase the security of your device in case of any eventuality, do not trust yourself, activate double verification measures and do not use an easy password (pattern) guess or that can be easily deduced with your public data on networks.
Don’t forget to keep in mind about your credit cards, debit cards and cash
If you have several credit cards, it would be advisable to choose two for your trip and not take them all, in this way you prevent any event, for example, that for some reason you forget your wallet somewhere and thus, you can have backup at home while you do the paperwork with your lost credit card entities.
Before traveling, make sure you have the details of the contact channels of your banks or credit card entities to notify any problem with the cards, a loss or a malfunction can happen, it is always better to have that information on hand .
Carry cash, but not much, occasional cash expenses while you are shopping can arise, in many cases expenses such as meals, soft drinks in traditional points, bars or souvenir shops that do not have credit card payment, of course they always receive cash.
If the group of relatives or loved ones with whom you are traveling is large, dividing the cash among all is recommended, avoid concentrating large sums of money in just one person.
Preparing your travel kit to enjoy the villa and the beach
Preparing a traveler’s kit is quite important and in some cases more than others, but we must think of it in many cases as an extension of our daily life that we will take with us and we must adequately prepare for our trip and stay in the villa and on the beach, of course, this is also important for each member of the trip, whether they are just a few or a large group.
Here we show you what you should take into account to organize and prepare your own travel kit and you can have all the elements in advance, whether it is your first vacation tourism trip or to add to the knowledge you already have from previous trips.
Basic travel kit
- Elements of grooming and personal hygiene
- Basic first aid kit with medicines
- universal adapter
- External battery to charge our devices
- Earphones
- Sunglasses
- travel pillow
- ¼ Gallon Clear Resealable Bags
The useful ¼ gallon zipper bags
These bags are very useful and necessary, they allow you to transport hygiene items, personal items, and medicines in an organized way, but mainly, they will be very useful for any inspection requirement of your baggage at the airport.
Use these bags also to store your identification documents when you take them with you.
You can also use these zipper bags to pack change (coins) separately when going through airport controls and thus avoid having them in your pockets.
This type of size of zipper bags are the ones that the embassy of the United States (USA) recommends for fast and efficient customs controls, of course, they are highly recommended since as a simple rule, anything that you carry for personal hygiene, should fit in these bags no problem.
 Don’t forget to take a few more bags in your luggage, they can be very helpful, for example, if it rains and you should protect your smartphone.
Personal hygiene items
Remember the most basic elements that we must take for our personal hygiene, must be in plastic tubes or bottles preferably, elements such as your favorite deodorants, toothpastes and lotions in their personal presentations, these must be less than or equal to 100 ML, with this, you will avoid any control that delays you at an airport in hand baggage.
Pack these types of items in your hand baggage so you can easily access them at airports between connections.
Keep in mind for a trip of a couple of weeks, what you take in one or two resealable bags will be more than enough, you must also keep in mind those things you will have on hand in the villa where you will stay.
Remember, preferably, it is better to bring disposable items such as shaving razors, so you avoid forgetting personal items that you value in your travel.
Preparing a mini-first-aid kit with your medications
If you are a person who enjoys very good health, it is likely that you do not have to worry, but it never hurts to consider having some medications that can replace any general discomfort that for some reason you have, generic medications such as some anti-allergy, antihistamines (for the flu), for dizziness and for headaches (analgesics).
Important: consult your doctor about which medicines you should take on your trip
Travel tends to cause us reactions that we normally do not experience in the environment to which our bodies are accustomed due to being exposed, also of course, time changes can cause some temporary discomfort and we must not forget that we will be in the closed environment of an airplane for several hours most likely.
If you have any special condition or a disease to be care, you should not forget to take the prescribed medications in their corresponding doses for the entire duration of your trip; It is always advisable to take a couple of days more in the doses of your medications, remember that sometimes unforeseen events arise, such as a delay at an airport.
Always carry a formula issued by your doctor in case you need to buy them at a pharmacy (remember to check compounds and composition) and they are prescription drugs and are not over-the-counter or generic.
remember, follow your doctor’s recommendations.
Tissues or small packaged wet wipes can also be very useful, as well as bring chewing gum (gum) in case you need something to help you cope with the pressure changes in the flight.
The Jet Lag
The well-known “Jet Lag” is the disorder or syndrome that occurs related to the change of time zones when we travel, but there are symptoms that are associated with it such as fatigue, headache, muscle tension in our legs to name a few, in therefore, the basic kit of medicines can be of great help.
On trips that last many hours, remember to stretch or stand up when possible to improve circulation and avoid holding uncomfortable positions for long periods of time.
Universal adapter
Having a universal adapter on a trip for electrical outlets is always very necessary to charge our smartphone or laptop, no matter where we go, it is always better to have our own adapter beyond the fact that we can have the connections in the villa electrical.
Whenever you are going to travel, it is good to check the type of plugs and sockets that are used
External battery for mobile device
Who has not been faced with the terrifying low battery message on our smartphone?, having a portable battery to recharge our device because it is discharged due to greater use (photos, videos, selfies, etc.) as will probably happen one or two times during the vacation trip, it becomes more than necessary to think about taking a rechargeable battery that gives us greater autonomy.
We can say that, in some cases, this can be a vital accessory since you will most likely be traveling for long periods of time without being able to charge our devices (it is even normal to forget it), such as when you are taking a tour-type tour archaeological or exploration of natural reserves or any other type of tourist tour.
To take a rechargeable battery on your trip, keep these four features in mind:
Charging capacity: a battery with good capacity will be able to charge your smartphone 1.5 times, check the charging autonomy before taking it with you.
Charging speed: check how efficient the battery is both to recharge and to charge your smartphone.
Type of output: it seems obvious, but it is worth mentioning, verify that the battery you are carrying uses the same type of cable as your smartphone and that you do not take a battery with a different type of port from a different smartphone to your vacation.
Don’t forget to keep running on your smartphone only the necessary apps to extend its battery life during your trip.
Headphones
On planes sometimes they give away headphones, but it doesn’t hurt to bring your own to use them in multimedia content or to help you mitigate noise on the plane.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses are never too much on the beach, even if we don’t like to wear glasses, in different cases they will help you withstand the glare of the sun when it is very intense, thus you will protect your eyes and, if you have to drive, it is better if you the glasses that you can wear have automatic graduation to control the brightness.
Travel pillow
If your trip lasts many hours, a pillow for your neck is something that you will appreciate.
Take one that you can wash, remember that cleaning is done on planes between flights, but it is always better to have one pillow we can wash.
Now let’s get to one of the best parts, packing your bags!!!, the beginning of your trip 🙂
How to pack smartly for your trip
Of course it is the most important part before our trip, it makes us feel that we are already traveling, yeah!, but before we celebrate we have to do things right, we really don’t need much experience to pack our belongings in a suitcase and that be simple and easy.
Probably since you gave up your trip, the location and the villa you would rent, you already had an idea of what type of clothes you would wear, but the best recommendation we can make is to have a very simple rule:
Pack light, fresh and comfortable clothes that are appropriate for the climate where you are going.
Remember that you are going to a warm climate and for the beach, consider clothing that you can combine several times without problems, wear your style with comfort.
Let’s see some factors that you should take into account to determine what and how much to take in your suitcase in a simple way:
Count the days your round trip
When you already know how many days you will be enjoying the beach, the town and the wonderful places in Mexico, you will have a point of reference to know how many clothes you should take and regarding the days of your trip, it is good to consider changes of clothes having consider:
If your trip begins in cold weather, consider that the clothes you will wear on the trip are comfortable and easily change to the Mexico weather, remember that you will have a journey from the airport to the village.
The ideal would be to wear light, fresh and comfortable clothes to be on the beach, in addition to swimsuits of course.
Think of open and comfortable shoes, breathable tennis shoes are also an excellent option for those tourist walks, exploring archaeological ruins or going to the city.
Consider a beach hat, they are breathable and will protect you, of course, you can also buy one when you arrive in Mexico and you will already have a souvenir of your vacation trip and a garment for the next one.
Don’t forget in any of the villas you will have a laundry service, so you don’t have to worry about bringing clothes for each day, clothes which combine with each other is also good.
The number of suitcases
When you are going to travel with a group of people or with family members on your vacation, it is necessary to consider how many suitcases we can carry per person depending on the type of passenger, in addition to the maximum weight that our suitcases can have and it is always good to verify this with the airline, for example:
In general, on many commercial airlines you can carry 3 pieces of luggage, two carry-on pieces (cabin suitcase and a briefcase or bag) and one suitcase as hold luggage.
In some airlines, when an executive class ticket is purchased, the number of bags that can be checked into the hold is greater, as is the weight that can be carried in each bag.
In an airline like American Airlines, on their page they specify registered baggage policies, they mention that up to 5 pieces of luggage can be registered for flights to and from Mexico
Remember to always check the official airline resources
Of course, it is always necessary to verify the conditions with each airline and take advantage of the benefits of frequent flyer rewards that you have.
If you are traveling with family or loved ones, it may be useful to consider taking a suitcase to check in the hold with for common use (you can pack separately using transparent bags), this way you free up some space and distribute luggage among the suitcases that they will go in the cabin, they will be lighter and easier to handle and they will have space to return with the purchases made at your destination in Mexico.
Safety and prevention recommendation: make a video when you have all your clothes and elements organized and ready to pack them in your suitcases, what you will take on your trip is recorded, this will serve as a forecast to support you in any eventuality and also for security.
Tips on how to manage luggage types you will take on your trip
Let’s see some tips and recommendations for the types of luggage you can take on the plane to your destination in Mexico.
Hand luggage
If you are going to carry all your clothes and belongings in just two pieces of luggage to carry them in the cabin, remember that it is better to carry electronic devices in your handbag to pass customs controls.
If you are going to carry valuables such as jewelry, it is best to pack them in your cabin luggage and not in your hold luggage, remember to also place a lock on your cabin luggage.
Always carry your travel kit and your medications in your cabin luggage
If you are going to carry hold luggage, distribute your clothing between your cabin luggage and your hold luggage, so if there is a problem with your hold luggage, you will not have so many problems.
Hold luggage
This is the type of suitcase in which you can carry a very good amount of clothes for many days of vacation, and of course carry souvenirs and gifts, you just have to take into account some considerations.
Will you wear clothes that you like too much?
If you have some type of clothing for which you have a high preference and you want to take it on a trip, it may be better not to take it in the hold suitcase and pack it in your cabin suitcase.
Beware of plastic containers
Don’t forget that plastic containers (shampoo jars, creams, etc.) and even glass containers that you plan to carry with some type of liquid or cream, can spill inside our luggage due to the change in pressure on flights and this it is quite common for it to happen; To properly pack the jars and containers that you are going to carry and prevent them from spilling, remove their lid, put on a resistant plastic and put the lid back on, then pack the jars in resealable bags.
Remember to check the official pages about what items are restricted on your trip
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/baggage/restricted-items.jsp
https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials/liquids-and-restrictions
https://www.qatarairways.com/en/baggage/allowance.html
https://www.ana.co.jp/en/be/travel-information/baggage-information/restricted-prohibited/
Mark and identify your suitcase to be recognizable
It is important that you can easily recognize your luggage once it is removed from the plane’s hold at the time of disembarkation, never rule out that there may be a suitcase similar or equal to yours on the same flight.
Mark your hold baggage with a distinctive, own and unique element that is easily visible and helps you recognize it in the baggage area; you must consider that this distinctive element should not fall off easily, do not forget that the suitcase will be handled by the plane staff.
Avoid unnecessary risks with your suitcase at airports
Place a copy of your basic contact information (email, mobile phone, country) and your name in the pockets of the suitcase that you will register in the hold or on a label, so that you can be easily identified and contacted in the event of an incident.
If you buy liquid glass items in Mexico to take home, pack them in your checked suitcase and place them in the center so they are cushioned.
Tips for packing your suitcase
Place those thick clothing items at the bottom of the suitcase, use them as a base and with this you will distribute the weight evenly for the rest of the clothing and objects.
Pack delicate garments between the layers of your clothes in this way you will protect them, remember that you can use transparent or mesh plastic bags to do so.
Don’t place belts, straps or items that you carry with metal objects on the sides of the suitcase, this can cause airport customs to register them as a suspicious item and airport officials determine to inspect the luggage, and it is something that happens commonly because of belts or straps.
Generate uniform layers in your garments, you can easily manipulate them in the case of an inspection and when unpacking.
Remember that transparent bags for packing clothes are always a very good option, especially for packing tennis shoes, shoes (you can pack socks in them) and sandals in your suitcases.
The above applies to both your cabin baggage and your hold baggage.
You can use and cuztomize the following checklist to pack for your trip
Checklist to pack your suitcase like an expert
- Gather all your selected clothes and accessories around the suitcase.
- Make a short video of all your belongings next to your suitcase before packing them.
- Start with the heavy items at the bottom of the suitcase.
- Layer up with uniforms
- Place glass objects in the middle of the suitcase to protect them
- Remove the lid of plastic containers, place a protective plastic over the mouth of the container and replace the lid
- Pack bottles and containers in bags and place them in the middle of the clothes
- Do not use the sides of the suitcase for belts, straps or accessories with metallic elements
- always put the seat belts on top
- Put a unique badge on the bag that won’t fall off or come off easily
- Keep a copy of your basic contact information in the outer pockets of the suitcase
- Make another video of the suitcase once you finish packing before closing it.
Our team at Beyond Homes Luxury will be attentive to your needs for your trip and that you can enjoy your vacation in one of the bests luxury villa in Mexico, with the best experience, each day, each time
Do you want to rent one of our Villas for your vacations or events?