It’s coming up quickly now; your Mombasa vacation seemed like it was always going to be months away, but it’s now just a matter of weeks or even days. You’re excited, looking forward to having a wonderful time with family or friends and while you’re thinking about things you need to pack, you should make sure the Mombasa hotel you chose (or will choose) for your vacation has the most important items or services you need.

Internet Connection

It might not seem like an important thing when you’re going on vacation, especially if you have a smartphone or other tablet device that connects through your cell phone provider, but remember that you’re traveling to another country and, in many cases, to a different continent. Your cell phone likely won’t work here without charging you an arm and a leg for it.

Being able to connect with friends, post updates on social media, or check and send emails requires an Internet connection.

An In-Room Refrigerator

It’s hot in Mombasa. You’re going to want to have some nice, cold drinks on hand when you need them. You may also eat out a lot and that could mean leftovers you just don’t want to waste. As a result, if you have an in-room refrigerator, you won’t have to worry about missing out on some tasty leftovers or paying extra for cold drinks every time you get thirsty.

It’s best to avoid drinking tap water in any foreign country as your body won’t be used to the bacteria that is naturally inherent in it, so having an in room refrigerator is a great option.

Laundry Services

When you’re on vacation, things can happen. Things can go wrong. That gorgeous dress you planned on wearing out to your anniversary dinner could get something spilled on it. Your luggage could open up while in transit, spilling everything out on the dirty asphalt of the airport.

Being able to have it cleaned when you’re here might be necessary. Also, if you’re planning on staying 7 days or more, you could pack less and plan to do laundry one afternoon or evening while relaxing by the pool. Now, talk about doing some household chores in style!

It’s been a trip that you’ve planned for years and you’re overwhelmed with excitement. Heading to Mombasa and staying in one of the luxurious hotels still seems like it’s too far away, even though it might be coming up in a couple of weeks.

You’ve made plans, booked your flights, hotel in Mombasa, and have a plan for the various activities you’re going to do during your vacation, including scuba diving, visiting Fort Jesus, and also heading into town.

Now it’s time to let family member, friends, or someone else whom you trust who is not going to be with you on that vacation, and who will be home when you return, know where you’re going to be staying.

No one ever plans on bad things happening while they’re out enjoying a nice, relaxing vacation, and when you’re in Mombasa, it’s not likely going to happen, but no matter where you are there’s always a risk once you step outside your room.

You could become ill while on your trip. You could be involved in an accident or mishap. You could become lost and have difficulty getting back to your room. Your flight home could be delayed or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Whatever may happen, it’s a good idea that someone knows where you’re going to be staying.

Why Inform Someone of Your Mombasa Hotel Accommodations

In the event of an emergency back home, it will allow that person to make contact with you. He or she could call the hotel, check to see if you’re in, and if you’re out they could leave a message. When you return to your hotel there would be an indicator letting you know there’s a message waiting for you.

If you don’t check in or return when you’re supposed to, your friend or family member could contact the hotel, find out if and when you checked out, and then determine if a flight has been delayed or you have been dealing with other issues.

We don’t like to think about bad things happen, but if no one has a way to reach you while you’re in Mombasa (your cell phone might not work here), it can make a bad situation even worse. This is just about planning ahead and planning for any contingency.

When you plan ahead, you’ll be able to enjoy your Mombasa vacation that much more.

The moment you plan a winter trip to a tropical destination, especially when you live in snow-prone areas, you might be concerned about getting on your flight, dealing with cancellations due to bad weather, and a host of other problems. Heading to Mombasa this year is going to be an incredible vacation, business trip, or other getaway, and here are some tips to help you maximize the time you spend in Kenya, rather than in an airport close to home.

1. Look for connection flights in warmer climates.

Flying from a snowbound airport to another one, especially one that often deals with the same systems affecting your hometown, could lead to multiple delays and cancellations.

Try to find flights that switch in much warmer areas. Planes can often take off well during snowstorms; it’s the landings that can back up entire airports.

2. Keep track of the weather forecasts.

It’s best to pay attention to what’s going on with the weather. If you notice some bad weather potentially in the forecast, even a week before your flight, that could inspire you to look at potential changes to your flight plans.

Many airlines charge for changing flights, but if you could get out a day early and avoid a potential serious weather event, it might be worth spending a night in a hotel close to another airport in order to make it to Mombasa as scheduled.

3. Look for potential secondary flight plans.

If there’s a storm moving in, call your airline to check on as many other flights as possible. The sooner you know what’s available, the easier it will be for you to book another flight, if the need arises.

4. Be sure to stay in contact with your Mombasa hotel in the event of delays.

Always make sure you stay in contact with the Mombasa hotel or hotels where you’ll be staying if you might be delayed. Letting them know what’s going on could prevent some challenging, disappointing, and uncomfortable situations.

Staying ahead of potential airline delays is a good way to ensure your Mombasa vacation or business trip will be a great one.

Traveling overseas for business or pleasure can pose certain risks. It doesn’t matter whether you are traveling with a group or by yourself. It is essential that you focus on safety so that you can enjoy the trip as much is possible.

When you are planning to visit Mombasa, Kenya, below are a few tips that can help you stay safe for your entire trip. Whether you are traveling to Mombasa on business or for personal pleasure, this is an amazing city to enjoy in the beautiful Clearwater is breathtaking.

Tip #1: carry cash in small denominations.

When you go shopping in the center of Mombasa city, don’t keep a wad of cash in your pocket. When you have to pay for something, you will have to take this money out to pay the merchant. If somebody is watching you, and if they see a large wad of cash, it could place a target on your back for theft.

Only keep small amounts of money in one place. In other words, keep several different $20 bills in various pockets or places within your luggage or on your person.

Tip #2: practice proper water safety.

When you go into the ocean here in Mombasa, pay attention to any warning signs that may be up at that time. Most of the time, the waters here are safe, but in the event that there is some situation, don’t ignore it.

Tip #3: have an idea about where you are going.

If you take a cab to get to Fort Jesus or to some other destination throughout Mombasa, have a general idea about where you are going before you get into the cab. While most cabdrivers here in Mombasa are courteous and honest, you still want to make sure that you are safe at all times.

Tip #4: avoid drinking tap water.

This goes for just about any place you plan to travel to. You should avoid drinking tap water whenever possible. That is because different bacteria will likely exist in the water than what you are accustomed to. That doesn’t mean it is unsafe, as locals will have built an immunity to that bacteria.

You might not have been exposed to that particular bacteria, so it is best to drink only bottled water when you travel overseas.

Tip #5: make sure people know where you will be.

If you are traveling alone, make sure that friends or family know where you are going and when you expect to return. If you are visiting Mombasa with family or friends and you are planning to head down to the pool or to go for a walk, let somebody know. If you don’t return when you are expected to and they cannot reach you, the sooner that they contact the authorities for help, the better it will be for you and them.

You have booked your vacation to Mombasa, Kenya through a travel agency or online and that included the flight and hotel reservations. As the date of your departure approaches, you are likely going to have many things on your mind. You are going to be focused on making sure you have everything you’re going to need on your trip. You check your passport, other papers, and make sure that you have enough money to enjoy this trip thoroughly.

One thing that you should always do, regardless of whether you are flying to another country or just taking a quick trip to another city close to home, is to check your hotel reservations. It doesn’t matter whether you booked through a travel agency or got a confirmation of your reservation online, anything can go wrong between the time that you book your hotel stay in Mombasa or anywhere else and the time that you actually leave.

Some hotels require a valid credit card to make a reservation. They may only place a very small hold on the card at the time of the reservation. For example, some Mombasa hotels will charge one dollar to a credit card to hold the reservation. They won’t complete the transaction until the day you are set to check in. Imagine arriving in Mombasa and finding out when you try to check into your hotel that there was a problem processing the credit card transaction and your room was given away to somebody else.

That can leave you scrambling to find a place to stay. You may end up in a hotel that is not ideal for you or your family. Just check with your hotel to confirm the reservation and to make sure that there will be no problems when they attempt to run a transaction through on the credit card you used to book that reservation.

Vacationing in Mombasa is a great way to relax, unwind, and just enjoy some of the best weather on the planet. Not only will you be surrounded by cultural sites to visit, such as Fort Jesus, but you will be right next to the incredible turquoise tropical waters here.

Once you reach Mombasa, there are going to be plenty of things for you and your family to do. In fact, if you are planning to visit here for a week, you’ll quickly realize that you simply cannot get all that you want to get done in that short amount of time.

Getting to and from your ideal destinations doesn’t have to be difficult, either. Some people assume that since they drive and have rented cars at other vacation destinations that it’s no big deal here in Mombasa, either. However, because of the way that traffic moves and the somewhat confusing nature of the roads (isn’t that what most people say when talking to those who aren’t from their region?), driving is not recommended.

It is very easy to get lost when you’re vacationing in Mombasa and that’s the last thing you or anyone else should want to deal with.

Another transportation option here is the bus (the city bus can take you to just about any of your most anticipated destinations). However, you may need to get on and off, making several transfers to reach your destination and that could become somewhat confusing for foreigners.

The train will certainly get you here from other cities in Kenya, but your best bet in arriving here is to fly directly into Mombasa.

Taxis are the most effective and efficient way to get around. Not only will you learn a lot about your target destinations from the drivers (if you want), it’s affordable and convenient.

When you check into your Mombasa hotel, speak to the staff about which taxi service they may recommend, then sit back, relax, and enjoy your vacation.