Travel

Tip #1: Bargaining for the Best Deal

Quite often, vendors in the Caribbean will be willing to negotiate with you when they are selling their products. If you’re looking for something like a souvenir hammock, you’re likely to find tons of merchants all within walking distance in any major tourist destination. All of them are competing against each other, so they will usually be willing to drop their price to levels that may seem ridiculous.

If your negotiation skills aren’t quite up to par, the easiest thing for you to remember is to simply walk away. If they think they’re losing the sale, many vendors will quickly chase you down, dropping their prices every single step.

However, one of the most important things to remember is that these people depend on this income to survive! At times, they will certainly be willing to lose money on a particular product just to have enough money to take a bus home that evening. Don’t be completely cruel, but know that you almost always have a little wiggle room on the “final pricing”.

Tip #2: Keep a Copy of your Credit Cards and Passports

The quickest way to ruin any vacation is to lose your wallet or purse. If your personal identification cards or credit cards are stolen, you will need to cancel them immediately and contact your nearest embassy.

Before you leave, however, make copies of all your cards, and write down contact numbers for each of them so that you know who to call. Keep copies in your hotel room (preferably in a safe). As long as you contact your bank(s) within a reasonable timeframe, they usually will reverse any charges that may have been fraudulently incurred.

Tip #3: Talk to the Locals

It’s very common for travel agencies to recommend places to go while you’re staying in a particular city. What’s also common, is that these agencies sometimes make money on the back-end if you visit these places. This is rather common with cruise ships. They will tell you that “taking the local taxi services can be dangerous”, when it fact, they really just want to sell you on using the buses or taxis that they provide (sometimes covertly).

Don’t be afraid to ask local residents for their recommendations on where to visit and what the best and safest mode of transportation is. As always, be sure to use good judgment before taking anyone up on their offers. Safety should still be your top concern in the Caribbean.

Tip #4: Branch Out and Try New Foods

It’s normal in your everyday life to get stuck in a rut of eating similar meals over and over again. On your Caribbean vacation, you have to try out as many different types of food as you possibly can. My personal favorite in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is the “Yucatan Style Chicken”. Even to this day, I still can’t tell you what spices they used, but it’s by far the best chicken I’ve ever eaten.

And a Bonus Tip: Have Fun!

Neglecting to have fun on your trip will be disastrous! When you get back home, and someone asks, “What did you do on your vacation?”, you want to make sure you have an answer that leads into an hour-long story. Don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path, and explore some of the hidden areas of the islands. There’s so much beauty and excitement to be found in the Caribbean, it’s crazy to not try and experience everything!

Matt Saren writes articles and reviews related to Caribbean Vacation Travel Deals for http://www.StarReviewing.com Be sure to check out his site for the best Caribbean vacation travel packages.