The moment that you turn the calendar and see that date circled in red signaling your planned departure for your Mombasa vacation, it can be a thrilling experience. You may feel excited about the adventures you’re going to experience, the incredible climate, and the sights that you’re going to behold.

As you will be traveling to a different country, it’s essential that you have all of the proper paperwork with you. That will include some (and many) of the following items:

• Passport
• Reservation confirmations (for your Mombasa hotel)
• Itinerary
• Health insurance documentation
• Money (including traveler’s checks)

It cannot be overstated how important it is to focus on having the proper documentation and paperwork with you when you leave your house and head to the airport. Far too many people have stories to tell about making it to the airport, checking their backs, and then realizing once they’ve waited on a security line for ½ an hour that they forgot their passports or some other important paperwork.

If you have prescription medications, especially controlled substances (narcotic pain medications, for example), then you may need to have this paperwork with you as well.

Gather all of Your Paperwork in One Place

It is a good idea to make a list of all of the documents you will need with you and then put it in one place. If you have a personal safe at your home, then you can keep it all in there.

The night before your trip, you may want to place all of it with your car keys. If you’re going to be picked up by a limo service, then put the paperwork in a suitcase or with your carry-on luggage.

It is recommended that you keep all of your personal and important paperwork with you at all times during your travels to Mombasa. If you place something important in your checked baggage and something happens to those bags, it can exacerbate the trouble once you arrive.

Your Mombasa vacation should be an excellent, relaxing getaway. Make sure that it is and that you end up with all of the proper paperwork you’ll need once you arrive here.

Traveling overseas will usually require a considerable amount of planning. Most people tend to focus on the things that will absolutely need once they are at their travel destination: swimwear, comfortable shoes, medications, sunglasses, and so on. One thing that far too many people overlook, however, is health insurance.

Aside from a few exceptions, you shouldn’t expect that your health insurance is going to be much use to you when you travel overseas. This is also something that not enough people actually consider when they make plans to travel somewhere else in the world.

A Potential Scenario

Let’s talk about a potential problem that could arise when you head out for your Mombasa vacation. You arrive, things are going well, and then suddenly you don’t feel well. You begin to experience some nausea and things go downhill from that point.

You find a doctor and because you are accustomed to having insurance, you’re not expecting to pay for the treatment, but you do and it costs a lot more than you could have expected.

Another potential scenario involves an accident. Every year millions of travelers are injured as the result of an accident. It could be a slip and fall, an incident while enjoying the beautiful waters in Mombasa, or an accident involving a car. You are taken to the hospital, treated, and released, but only after you spend thousands of dollars on your care.

The Solution

This doesn’t have to happen to you. In fact, if you plan ahead, you can get health insurance coverage that will protect you and your family when you’re traveling overseas, such as to the wonderful tropical destination of Mombasa, Kenya. Speak to your travel agent or a qualified insurance broker to learn more about health insurance for your overseas travels.

You spent many months planning your vacation to Mombasa, and the excitement builds as the date gets closer. In order to ensure that you have an exciting and wonderful time, make sure that you plan all of the details about what you’ll need on this trip ahead of time. Failing to do so can cause you to forget something important that could leave you chasing down certain stores once you’re in Mombasa.

First and foremost, you want to make sure that the Mombasa hotel you choose is going to be comfortable, well within your budget, and have the amenities that you want. Second, make sure that you bring enough clothing for various activities. With safaris, Fort Jesus, the wonderful beaches, and the incredible tropical weather, you may need a couple of different types of outfits, including swimwear. You don’t need to pack everything, but make sure that you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes, possibly hiking boots if you plan on doing any hiking when you are here, and flip-flops or sandals for the beach.

Don’t forget sunscreen. Being close to the equator, you will likely burn much more quickly here than what you’re accustomed to back home.

Make sure that you have any prescription medications you require, and that you have enough of it. Always pack a few extra days’ worth of prescription medications just in case your flight is delayed or there is an incident and you can’t get back home when you plan.

Check all of your flights to make sure that the travel agent or you didn’t make any errors with regard to flights getting to and from Mombasa. Checking your flight is generally a simple thing that you can do right from the comfort of your computer.

Have plenty of currency available. While you may rely on your debit or credit card, it is a good idea to have travelers checks whenever you are traveling out of the country. Keep your travelers checks on your person at all times, either in a carry-on bag or your wallet or purse.

Following these tips should help you ultimately have a wonderful vacation in Mombasa.

Heading to Mombasa to go scuba diving can be an exciting vacation trip for you and your family. If you have never traveled abroad to go scuba diving, you may be wondering what you should pack for this trip.

First and foremost, you need to make sure that you have some type a scuba certification that is going to be honored and recognized in Mombasa. There are two basic schools that are recognized the world over: Scuba School International (SSI) and PADI. If you don’t yet have your scuba certification (or don’t have one of these two), try to find a school nearby where you can go to take a class, get tested, and get your certification before you head to Mombasa for your trip.

You may be able to become certified once you’re here in Mombasa, but that can take some time away from your vacation. If you are only here for a week, the one or two days that are required for scuba certification can cut into your vacation significantly.

As for what to pack, you want to make sure that you do not bring any type of scuba tank with you. No airline will allow you to either check or ship it overseas. It doesn’t matter whether the tank is empty or not, you won’t be able to bring yours with you. You can rent one cheaply when you’re here.

You want to bring the essentials, though, such as your buoyancy control (BC) vest, regulator, computer, fins, snorkel, and mask. You may be used to wearing a wetsuit when you scuba dive, but in the waters of Mombasa, they are so warm that even if you dive to a depth of 120 feet, it might not matter. If you have a full wetsuit, this is going to be too much, but if you have a half wetsuit, such as short sleeves, then you might want to pack this just in case.

If you have a bag, underwater camera, or other devices, make sure that you bring these along as well. You’ll also need your weights.

If you forget anything, once you are here in Mombasa you will find that there are a number of scuba dive shops where you can rent equipment that you forgot.

The moment that you plan on visiting Mombasa, Kenya with small children, you are probably trying to figure out what are the best things to do with them once you are here. Obviously, the most important thing is to choose the right hotel for your stay in Mombasa.

First and foremost you want to make sure that the hotel you choose has accommodations that will be suitable for you and your family. Most hotels throughout Mombasa will have at least one outdoor pool. Some will have pools with bars inside the pool. You can sidle up to these bars and get any type of beverage that you desire.

Most of these hotels will also have some type of safety procedures in place for children. Some cater more to families while others focus more on business types and single individuals.

Once you choose the right hotel, consider some of the following activities that can be fun for the entire family.

Avicennia Island offers an incredible opportunity to kayak quietly through mangrove forests or swim in the clear, blue turquoise water of the Funzi Sandbar.

Go Karts. You can have a great time hanging with your family and racing go karts around the Mombasa Go-Karting complex and you can even order food while you are there.

Haller Park is just north of Nyali. It is a small zoo that actually feels like a park. You and your children can witness giraffes, hippos, monkeys, and even reptiles almost within their own natural environment.

You can visit Nyali Theater to catch the latest Hollywood and Hollywood releases.

Shimba Hills National Park is south of Mombasa and is nestled up against the mountainous and tropical terrain. It is one of the most well-known national parks throughout Kenya and is home to many elephants, antelopes, and incredible waterfalls, and many wonderful vantage points to take in the incredible landscape scenery around you.

These are just a few family fun activities you may want to consider on your vacation in Mombasa.

Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Kenya

There is so much to do in Mombasa, Kenya that it can be difficult to decide on just a few attractions. If you plan on vacationing in this tropical city for a week, that really isn’t enough time to see all of that it has to offer.

There are many Mombasa hotels throughout the region that can provide you with great comfort and amenities and also ideal proximity to some of the best attractions. While you will notice many different “Top 5” lists with regard to attractions in Mombasa, we have attempted to compile a list of the most consistently recommended tourist attractions throughout the city.

1. Fort Jesus.

This is arguably one of the most top rated attractions throughout Mombasa. It was built between 1593 and 1596 by the Portuguese. It is a World Heritage site and has a tremendous amount of history.

Fort Jesus was built in the shape of a person and earned its name based on the religious reference. It changed hands nine times throughout history, between 1631 and 1875. Here you will see many damaged and destroyed buildings within the compound from numerous battles throughout history.

2. Marine National Park.

If you enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling, the Mombasa Marine National Park is one of the ideal destinations to check out. Here you will see protected mangroves, sandy beaches and an incredible coral reef. You can swim or snorkel among seahorses, eels, stingrays, and an abundance of marine wildlife.

3. The North Coast beaches.

North of Mombasa tends to have more tourists than the southern coast. But these palm lined beaches and incredibly clear waters offer coral reefs and plenty of water sports to keep you occupied throughout your entire visit. If you didn’t have any real interest in visiting other tourist attractions, you would probably still have an incredible vacation just hanging out at beaches like Nyali Beach, Bamburi Beach, and Shanzu Beach.

4. Old Town.

Along the southeast portion of Mombasa Island is a place called Old Town. It is reminiscent of the period of time in which the Portuguese ruled this region. Most of the town’s inhabitants are either Arab, Asian, or of European origin and the various architecture reflects their background.

Here you can spend an afternoon checking out different cafés, shopping for antiques, and picking up some unique souvenirs to bring home.

5. The Mambo Village Center.

Located in Nyali, it is East Africa’s largest crocodile farm. Here you can learn all about these incredible creatures and you even have the option of going for a horseback ride throughout the area. You can also see an amazing botanical garden with an aquarium here.

These are just a few of the amazing attractions that you will find in Mombasa, so make sure you choose a hotel that makes it simple and convenient for you to enjoy as much as possible.