It’s not something that a lot of people want to talk about: emergencies while traveling. When you are traveling, especially to an incredible vacation destination like Mombasa, Kenya, the last thing you want to think about is an emergency.

However, no matter how well you plan things out, or how much you’re looking forward to any vacation or trip away from home, whether it’s an hour away to visit friends or relatives or halfway around the world, emergencies can happen.

We don’t wish any type of emergency situation to affect you or your vacation in Mombasa, but being prepared can minimize its impact on you and the rest of your family.

First and foremost, make sure that you have cash on hand for almost any situation. It’s great to have credit cards and an ATM card, but in the event of a massive power failure whether you are in an airport or in Mombasa, it’s best to have plenty of cash on hand. Just make sure you don’t carry all of your cash in one place. Disperse it between different pants pockets, your carry-on luggage, a wallet, your spouse’s pocketbook, and other places.

Second, make sure you have emergency contact information written down on a piece of paper. You can certainly keep this stored in your phone, but that’s not going to help you in the event that it is lost, broken, or the power has died on the batteries.

Have basic first aid materials with you. It’s best to place any of these items in checked baggage rather than trying to carry it on. Some first aid materials will not be permitted on planes today. These first aid items should include basic Band-Aids, a bandage, aspirin, and maybe even a cold compress. You can usually find all of these items throughout Mombasa, but in the event of a cut, bruise, or injury while you are traveling, it’s nice to have it with you.

Finally, make sure you know the phone number and exact address for the hotel where you will be staying in Mombasa. In the event of an emergency, it can be difficult to remember this information off the top of your head. Write it down, place it in your smart phone, and have it with you at all times. This can help a taxi driver or emergency personnel reach you or bring you back to the hotel in the event of any type of emergency.

Being prepared is just good sense whether you are heading to work for another week or going away on vacation.

Traveling during the winter can pose some interesting challenges. If you live in a cold climate and are heading to Mombasa for a vacation or business trip, knowing exactly what to pack (and how much) is important.

One mistake far too many vacationers make when it comes to this time of year is that they end up packing for their weather, rather than the weather at their destination. For example, a person from England or Canada will have a tendency to pack sweaters, long pants, and even a coat.

This is not necessary when you’re heading to Mombasa. In fact, the temperature here is warm all year round. You’ll need at least two swimsuits, shorts, sandals, comfortable walking shoes, and some nice tee-shirts. You may want to pack one nice suit or dress for a wonderful evening out to dinner with a spouse, significant other, or just if you’re interesting in heading to the local clubs in Mombasa, which can be legendary.

What about traveling out and the return home?

Make sure you wear warm clothes when you head to the airport on your way to Mombasa. Whatever you need in order to be warm is fine, but try and avoid dressing as though you’re going to be spending a significant amount of time out in the cold; you won’t be.

You’ll most likely move from the car into the airport terminal and then the next time you go outside you’ll be in the lovely climate of Mombasa.

What you wear to the airport can be the same clothes you wear when you head home. This way you’ll be assured of being warm and comfortable when you leave the airport. If you’re having someone pick you up from the airport, you might want to ask them to bring an extra blanket or coat, especially if you are planning on spending two weeks or more in this tropical city; you’ll become acclimated to the amazing weather!

Traveling for a business meeting, vacation, or other reason means that you will be exposing yourself, and possibly your family, to various risk factors. The moment you step outside of your house you are exposing yourself to risk of some kind or another. Getting behind the wheel and driving down the road could ultimately lead to an accident, even. Walking down the sidewalk could lead to a trip and fall injury.

It doesn’t matter where you’re going to or why you are going there, being safe is a matter of preparation. When you’re getting ready for your Mombasa trip, below are a few safety tips you might want to keep in mind. Mombasa is an extremely safe tropical vacation destination, but as noted already, risk is inherent in just about everything we do.

Photocopy important phone numbers.

Whether you are traveling alone or with your family or other people, it’s a good idea to have various copies of important phone numbers. In today’s environment, people have a tendency to rely on their cell phones to store their numbers and personal information. Few people actually can recite those important phone numbers by memory because of this reliance on technology.

But what happens if your phone is lost or damaged? It might be an extra headache just to track down those numbers once again. Photocopy any important phone numbers you might need on your trip and keep one copy in your carry on bag, one copy in your suitcase, and one copy in your wallet or purse.

Keep a photocopy of your passport handy.

A photocopy of a passport is not going to be the same as the real passport, but in the event yours is lost or stolen while you’re traveling, this can be helpful in proving your identification and streamlining the process of getting a new one issued, even if it’s temporary, through your local embassy.

Pack money safely.

When you are carrying cash or travelers checks, make sure that you don’t keep all of it in one place. Spread it out. Some people like to have some money stored in their shoe, some in their wallet or purse, some in a couple of pants pockets, and some in various suitcases. Try to avoid placing any cash or travelers checks in checked baggage, though.

If you follow some of these safety tips, you’ll be more prepared in the event of an emergency situation.

Heading to another province, state, or even country for a vacation means traveling. Most people have a tendency to focus on packing, making sure they have their flight information, tickets, hotel reservations, and more. They might need a passport if they’re traveling out of the country, too.

What few people actually take the time to consider are the laws at their vacation destination. After all, it’s not something people really worry too much about. When you’re traveling anywhere, even to Mombasa, it’s important to understand the local laws so that you don’t end up with a ticket, fine, or even jail time for a simple misunderstanding.

Examples of Innocent Mistakes

When traveling to one part of the world, a teenager was with a school trip. He didn’t know that selling a certain clothing item that was commonplace in his country was against the law. As a result, one day while he was selling it to a local who asked for it, he was arrested and spent the rest of the trip in a local jail. He was released when the group was returning home, though.

In another case, a woman was visiting a tropical paradise, not unlike Mombasa, and rented a car. She didn’t understand the local traffic laws and was pulled over within ten minutes of her vacation. She was argumentative with the officers and that earned her a sizeable ticket, which cut into her budget for this trip significantly.

Take Time to Learn about Different Laws than You’re Used To

It’s best to take some time, go online, and see if there are any laws in Mombasa that might be different than the laws back home. While it’s easy to assume that the entire world follows the same rules and laws as you’ve grown up with, that’s not the case.

Even subtle nuances could lead to headaches you neither want to deal with or deserve. Your Mombasa vacation should be an exceptional time away from home with family or friends. Make sure it remains that way and pay attention to the local laws and in the event you are approached by law enforcement, be humble, accommodating, and things will be fine.

If you’re planning a business trip to Mombasa, you’re going to want a luxurious hotel or resort with plenty of conference room space and state of the art facilities. There are numerous Mombasa hotels that fit the bill, but not all of them are created equally.

The top five are listed below.

1. Serena Beach Resort and Spa. This facility is not too far from Bamburi Beach and has its own private white sand beach, which is ideal for those employees or team members who want to spend a few relaxing evenings or afternoons on this trip basking in the sun or snorkeling in the clear water.

2. Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa. You get exceptional service and support from this hotel and its friendly, personable staff. You’re only going to be walking distance from Bamburi Beach, which can be beneficial when you want to ensure maximum participation from your staff.

3. Reef Hotel. Located close to Nyali Beach, the Reef Hotel offers businesses comfortable conference rooms and plenty of accommodations for even the largest organizations. It is an affordable alternative to the more upscale spa resorts throughout the area.

4. Severin Sea Lodge. Another hotel that is located within walking distance of Bamburi Beach, the Severin Sea Lodge doesn’t boast the same number of rooms as other hotels and resorts do, which is ideal for smaller organizations that are seeking a more intimate atmosphere.

5. Bamburi Beach Hotel. This all-inclusive resort is located right near the ocean and can be an excellent choice for those businesses and organizations that would like to know their employees, partners, or team members are going to be well cared for during their stay in Mombasa.

There are also numerous other resorts and hotels that can accommodate conferences and business trips, but these are some of the best options for companies around the world.

Most people don’t being packing and making the final preparations for a trip away from home until the last week. That’s not a major problem, but no matter when you begin making your preparations for your Mombasa holiday, it’s a good idea to establish a checklist.

A checklist should contain all of the items and things you want or need to bring or do in order to ensure your holiday is the best it can be. Below are several things you may want to include on your checklist.

Paperwork. Do you have your passport? Make sure it’s with your luggage. There’s no point in setting it aside and then forgetting it and only realizing that once you’re at the airport.

Also, any insurance papers, ticketing information, confirmation forms, and more should all be kept in one of the suitcases or bags you plan to take with you. You can also get it out once you’re at the airport if you need to have it on your person.

The right clothing. It might be cold where you are right now, but it’s going to be hot in Mombasa. Make sure you pack for the weather appropriately. That includes at least one swim suit, sandals, flip flops, comfortable walking shoes, and more.

Medication. If you take any prescription medication, you’ll want to make sure you have enough for this trip. Bring the medication in the pharmacy bottle; you’ll need that to get it through airport security.

Emergency contact information. Family or friends should know where you’re going, what Mombasa hotels you may be staying at, and your flight information (going and returning). You should also have emergency contact information on hand, either in your purse or wallet or luggage.

When you have a checklist with these items on it, you’re going to be prepared and that’s going to help ensure you have the best Mombasa holiday possible.