The World Is Still Worth Exploring: A Practical Guide to Smart, Safe International Travel in 2026

The World Is Still Worth Exploring: A Practical Guide to Smart, Safe International Travel in 2026

by | Mar 4, 2026 | Blog, Guides, Tips & Tricks

Your Practical Guide to Smart, Safe International Travel in 2026

The world hasn’t stopped being extraordinary.

The world hasn’t stopped being extraordinary, although the news makes it difficult to see. The ancient souks of Marrakech, the thermal springs of Iceland, the colonial grandeur of Cartagena, the spice markets of Zanzibar: none of that magic has gone anywhere. But the landscape surrounding international travel has shifted considerably, and the savvy traveler in 2026 is one who stays informed, plans with intention, and builds flexibility into every itinerary.
From TSA staffing disruptions and a weakening U.S. dollar to geopolitical flashpoints and the growing pushback against overtourism, there is no shortage of headlines designed to make you second-guess your passport. This guide cuts through the noise. The goal here isn’t to scare you off the plane. It’s to put you on it, prepared, protected, and confident.

Whether you’re a corporate expat managing a multi-country assignment, a military family relocating overseas, a multi-generational group finally booking that legacy trip, or a luxury traveler accustomed to seamless experiences, this is the briefing you need before you book.

What's Actually Happening: The 2026 Travel Landscape

  Click each box below to read the details!

TSA and U.S. Airport Disruptions

Let’s start at home. The partial government shutdown that began in February 2026, impacting the Department of Homeland Security, has placed TSA officers in a painfully familiar position: working without pay. As we saw during the historic 43-day shutdown in fall 2025, which cost the travel industry an estimated $6.1 billion and resulted in over 1,100 TSA officer departures, the effects compound over time. On average, during that shutdown, the U.S. saw 88,000 fewer trips per day, a stark signal of how quickly disruption suppresses confidence.
TSA PreCheck was initially announced as suspended during the current partial shutdown, though the agency subsequently confirmed it would remain operational on a case-by-case basis as staffing constraints arise. The situation remains fluid.

What this means practically:

  • Add buffer time to your departure day.
  • Arrive at least 30 minutes earlier than usual.
  • Check your flight status before leaving for the airport.
  • Have your boarding pass and identification ready before you reach the checkpoint. If your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry lane is unexpectedly closed, know your alternate ID options and keep your patience at the ready.

These disruptions are temporary, but they’re real.

The Weakening U.S. Dollar

This one requires honest acknowledgment: your travel budget doesn’t go as far as it did two years ago. In the first half of 2025 alone, the dollar fell around 10%, the largest six-month drop since 1973. The euro, the British pound, the Swiss franc, and the Japanese yen have all strengthened relative to the dollar, and that gap is expected to widen further into 2026.

To put it in concrete terms: $500 in the eurozone in 2024 gave you approximately 463 euros; heading into 2026, that same $500 yields closer to 400 euros.

This is real money. But here’s the flip side that most of the doom-and-gloom coverage misses: weakening international demand for flights to the U.S. could mean fantastic deals in 2026 as airlines try to fill existing seats. Airfare is down in many corridors. And the dollar stretches remarkably well in destinations like Brazil, Southeast Asia (when conditions allow), much of Latin America, the Eastern Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa. The traveler who pivots smartly can actually come out ahead.

Luxury travelers with household incomes of $100,000 and above are also proving more resilient, with premium cabin demand holding steady. If you’re committed to the experience, book it with intention and a currency strategy: pay for big-ticket items like hotels and tours in advance, in dollars, before exchange rates shift further.

Geopolitical Instability: Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Beyond

The conflict landscape across the Middle East remains elevated, with ongoing tensions affecting Israel, Lebanon, Iran, and neighboring regions. A global travel caution alert issued in June 2025 remains in effect, citing the Israel-Iran conflict and rising global tensions. Travelers with itineraries touching any part of this region should treat pre-departure research as non-negotiable, not optional.

In Southeast Asia, flooding and border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand prompted elevated U.S. State Department advisories for both countries. Natural disaster risks are not just inconvenient; they can strand travelers, damage infrastructure, and trigger humanitarian crises with little warning.

Overtourism Sentiment in Europe and Japan

Perhaps the most nuanced challenge of 2026 is the growing resistance from local communities in places like Barcelona, Amsterdam, Kyoto, Venice, and the Greek islands. This isn’t simply a political issue; it’s a signal that the mass tourism model is reaching its limits. Entrance fees, tourist caps, visitor time restrictions, and protests are becoming part of the travel planning calculus in ways they weren’t a decade ago.

The smart traveler reads this as an invitation to go deeper, not to stay home. Seek out the second city instead of the capital. Book the boutique hotel in the local neighborhood instead of the tourist-facing property. Eat where the locals eat. Hire a guide from the community. This is, frankly, a more rewarding way to travel anyway, and it positions you well regardless of what policy changes emerge.

The State Department’s travel advisory system is one of the most useful tools available to American travelers, and one of the most misunderstood. A Travel Advisory is a report that describes the risks and recommended precautions for U.S. citizens (not foreign nationals) in a foreign destination. Every country in the world is assigned one of four color-coded levels:

  • Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (green): The lowest risk designation. This doesn’t mean zero risk; all international travel carries some degree of uncertainty. Think New Zealand, Japan’s major cities, and much of Northern Europe.
  • Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (yellow): Generally safe, but specific risks exist and warrant your attention. Popular European destinations, including France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, mainland China, South Africa, Morocco, and Peru, all carry Level 2 advisories. This designation does not mean you shouldn’t go; it means you should go informed.
  • Level 3: Reconsider Travel (orange): Significant risks are present. Countries with Level 3 advisories include Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, and Jamaica, among others. Many Level 3 countries include specific sub-regions that are higher risk while other areas remain relatively accessible. Read the fine print and check in with your personal risk tolerance. Do you know the language? Are you “winging” it, or do you have an organized trip with a local English-speaking guide? The difference can be trip-defining in some of these destinations.
  • Level 4: Do Not Travel (red): The highest designation, issued when life-threatening risks are likely, and U.S. government assistance may be severely limited or unavailable. Current Level 4 countries include Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, and Haiti.

The Risk Indicators: What the Letters Mean

Advisories at Levels 2 through 4 include letter codes explaining the specific threats. Here’s what to look for:

C: Crime: Widespread violent or organized crime is present, and local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond. This code appears frequently in Caribbean and Central American destinations.

T: Terrorism: Specific terrorist threats exist or attacks have recently occurred. This applies to portions of Western Europe, East Africa, and much of the Middle East.

U: Civil Unrest: Political, economic, religious, or ethnic instability may cause violence or prevent safe evacuation.

H: Health: Disease, inadequate medical infrastructure, or public health crises are elevated concerns.

E: Time-Limited Event: A short-term situation such as an election, major protest, or sporting event has temporarily elevated the risk level.

O: Other: Risks that don’t fit neatly into the above categories, often including natural disaster vulnerability or infrastructure concerns.

How to Stay Current

The State Department reviews Level 1 and 2 advisories every 12 months and Level 3 and 4 advisories at least every 6 months, but conditions can change any time, and updates may come without warning.
Three things every international traveler should do before departure and during their trip:
  1. Register with STEP. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (travel.state.gov) is free and allows the U.S. Embassy in your destination country to contact you directly during an emergency, facilitate family communication, and provide timely alerts. This takes 10 minutes and could make an enormous difference in a crisis.
  2. Follow @TravelGov on social media. The State Department issues alerts, press releases, and updates through its social channels, often faster than formal advisory revisions.
  3. Check the CDC’s Travel Health Notices. Beyond security, the CDC tracks disease outbreaks, vaccination requirements, and health-related risks by destination. These are updated continuously and are separate from State Department advisories.
This is the conversation no one wants to have before a trip, and the one everyone should. Destinations can escalate quickly. A peaceful election month can turn volatile overnight. A natural disaster can render infrastructure inaccessible within hours. Here’s how to respond when conditions deteriorate:
Before you go, build your contingency framework:
  • Know where the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate is located and have their emergency number saved.
  • Identify at least two international airports near your destination.
  • Have a meeting point established with your travel companions if you become separated.
  • Carry physical copies of your passport, travel insurance documentation, and emergency contacts.
When a Level 2 or 3 advisory is issued for your destination:
  • Don’t panic, but do investigate. Read the full advisory, not just the headline level.
  • Contact your travel advisor immediately. A good advisor monitors destinations actively and can rapidly assess whether your specific itinerary, property, and schedule are in affected zones or not.
  • Review what your travel insurance covers for trip interruption or advisory changes.
When a Level 4 is issued and you’re already there:
  • Register with STEP immediately if you haven’t.
  • Contact the U.S. Embassy and follow their instructions.
  • Do not delay departure unnecessarily. Commercial options often disappear quickly.
  • Know that the U.S. government cannot guarantee evacuation; this is precisely why private evacuation coverage matters (more on that below).

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For U.S. citizens living abroad, whether as corporate assignees, diplomatic spouses, educators, or retirees who have chosen an international life, the risk landscape looks different from that of the leisure traveler passing through for two weeks. Your home is there. Your routine is there. Your risks are proportionally higher and more varied.

Renters’ Insurance in Your Host Country

Many Americans abroad assume their U.S. renters’ or homeowners’ policy extends internationally. It often does not, or it provides severely limited coverage. If you’re renting in your host country, look into a local renters’ insurance policy. Coverage typically includes personal property theft and damage, liability protection if someone is injured in your residence, and temporary living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable. In some countries, landlords require it; in many, expats simply don’t think to get it. Don’t be among the latter.

Corporate Repatriation Frameworks
If you are an executive on an overseas assignment or a corporate expat managed under a mobility program, this conversation must happen with your HR and security teams before you’re ever deployed. Every multinational company with overseas staff should have a formalized repatriation framework that addresses:
  • What triggers a mandatory evacuation (specific advisory level? Violence within a defined radius? Employee request?)
  • Who authorizes the decision and who communicates it to employees?
  • What travel and temporary housing expenses are covered?
  • Is the policy consistent for employees across different host countries?
  • Does it cover accompanying family members?
Many companies have these policies in writing but have never walked their employees through them. Ask for the document. Read it. Know the answer before you need it.
Travel Insurance That Actually Covers What You Think It Does

This is perhaps the most critical and most overlooked element of international travel preparation. Not all travel insurance is created equal, and the gap between what travelers assume their policy covers and what it actually covers can be costly, sometimes catastrophically so.

For travelers venturing into less stable regions, remote destinations, or engaging in active adventure travel, your policy must include:

Security evacuation coverage. This is separate from medical evacuation. If civil unrest, terrorism, or a natural disaster forces a mandatory evacuation, you need a policy that covers the cost of getting you out, including ground transportation, charter flights, and temporary accommodation. Standard medical evacuation coverage will not typically apply to security events.

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrades. In a world where advisories can shift suddenly, CFAR riders allow you to cancel your trip for any reason not otherwise covered in the policy and receive a partial refund (typically 50 to 75 percent of prepaid, non-refundable expenses). This must generally be purchased within 14 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit.

“Cancel for Work Reasons” coverage. For corporate travelers and executives, this is particularly relevant. Standard policies don’t cover business-related cancellations; specific riders do.

Pre-existing condition waivers. If purchased promptly after your initial trip deposit, most comprehensive policies will waive the pre-existing condition exclusion. Buy early.

Destination-specific exclusions. Always read the fine print regarding your specific destination. A policy that covers Level 2 destinations may exclude Level 3 countries entirely, or may void coverage if a Level 4 is issued before you purchase.

Recommended resource: work with a licensed travel insurance specialist or a travel advisor who can compare policies across providers. We like Allianz, but AARDY, InsureMyTrip, and Squaremouth are comparison platforms that allow you to filter by coverage type. For high-risk or adventurous itineraries, consider providers such as Global Rescue, IMG Global, or GeoBlue for more robust security and medical coverage.
Before every international trip, work through this list:
  • Check the U.S. State Department travel advisory for your destination at travel.state.gov
  • Register your trip with STEP (free at travel.state.gov/STEP)
  • Check CDC travel health notices for your destination
  • Verify that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your return date
  • Make photocopies of your passport, visa, travel insurance, and emergency contacts; store copies separately from originals
  • Notify your bank and credit cards of your travel dates and destinations
  • Ensure you’ll have cell phone service. Consider an eSim with Airalo.
  • Download offline maps and translation apps before departure
  • Share your itinerary with a trusted contact at home
  • Research the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in each country you’ll visit
  • Confirm that your travel insurance covers the activities and destinations on your itinerary, and purchase it within 14 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit to ensure maximum coverage.
  • Know your airline’s change and cancellation policies
  • Arrive at the airport earlier than usual, given current TSA staffing conditions

The world is complicated right now. It has always been complicated. What changes is how prepared you are to navigate that complexity, and whether you have the right team, tools, and protections in place before you leave home.

The clients who travel best in environments like this one are not the ones who ignore the challenges. They’re the ones who understand the landscape clearly, make decisions from a position of information rather than anxiety, and work with experienced advisors who monitor conditions continuously and advocate fiercely on their behalf when plans need to pivot.

At Expats Traveling Group™ LLC, that’s exactly what we do. We plan with your safety as the foundation, your values as the compass, and your experience as the destination. Whether you’re navigating a corporate relocation, planning a milestone family reunion abroad, or crafting a culturally immersive luxury escape, we bring the research, the relationships, and the contingency thinking that turns ambitious travel dreams into memories you’ll carry for the rest of your life.

The world is still out there. Let’s explore it, wisely, beautifully, and on purpose.

Connect with us to begin building your custom travel strategy.

Resources for the Practical & Smart International Traveler:
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Cabo Verde Travel Guide

Cabo Verde Travel Guide

by | Feb 23, 2026 | Blog

Cabo Verde: Where Sodade Meets the Sea

An Expat's Guide to the Atlantic Crossroads

There’s a word in Kriolu—the Cabo Verdean creole language—that has no direct English translation: sodade. It’s often rendered as “longing” or “nostalgia,” but that misses the texture. Sodade is the bittersweet ache of loving something deeply while being separated from it. It’s homesickness laced with hope. It’s the emotional space between here and there, between what was and what might be.

Cesária Évora, the legendary “Barefoot Diva,” built an entire musical career on sodade. Her voice—gravelly, mournful, defiant—captured what it means to be Cabo Verdean: to be shaped by displacement and connection, by isolation and mixture, by hardship and inexplicable joy.

If you’re an expat, you probably already understand sodade, even if you’ve never heard the word. You know what it’s like to love two places at once. To feel belonging everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. To carry pieces of many homes without fully claiming any single one.

Which is exactly why Cabo Verde might speak to you in ways other destinations can’t.

These ten volcanic islands—scattered across the Atlantic Ocean about 350 miles off the coast of Senegal—exist at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Americas. They were uninhabited until Portuguese colonizers arrived in the 15th century, bringing enslaved West Africans to these barren rocks. What emerged over five centuries is a distinct creole culture: African rhythms meeting Portuguese melodies, European architecture painted in African colors, Catholic saints dancing with African spirits.

Cabo Verde is neither African nor European. It’s both, and its own thing entirely.

For expats seeking travel that reflects their own complicated relationship with identity and belonging, Cabo Verde offers something rare: a mirror.

Consider Going If...

You’re drawn to destinations where:

  • Music is medicine. You believe a good song can hold more truth than a history book.
  • Isolation creates culture. You’re fascinated by how islands develop their own distinct character.
  • You value authenticity over polish. You’d choose a local guesthouse over a resort, every time.
  • You’re comfortable with contradiction. You can hold complexity—beauty and poverty, joy and struggle—in the same mental space.
  • You need to disconnect. You’re tired of over-touristed destinations and crave something off the radar.
  • You speak some Portuguese (or are willing to try). While many Cabo Verdeans speak some English, Portuguese or Kriolu opens doors.

Cabo Verde rewards the flexible, the culturally curious, and those who can find richness in simplicity. This isn’t luxury in the conventional sense—it’s the luxury of time, connection, and music that seems to emerge from the volcanic rock itself.

The Essential Context: How These Islands Became a Nation

Cabo Verde’s location made it strategically valuable for the transatlantic slave trade. The islands served as a holding point where enslaved Africans—primarily from present-day Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Sierra Leone—were “seasoned” before being shipped to the Americas.

The Portuguese also encouraged settlement by freed Africans and intermarriage between Portuguese settlers and African women, creating a mixed-race population (mestiço) that became Cabo Verde’s demographic majority.

This painful origin story produced something unexpected: a fiercely distinct culture. Isolated from both Africa and Europe, Cabo Verdeans developed their own language (Kriolu, a creole mixing Portuguese with West African languages), their own music (morna, coladeira, funaná), their own cuisine, and their own sense of identity.

Independence came late—1975—making Cabo Verde one of Africa’s youngest nations. But cultural independence came much earlier. Cabo Verdeans have always been Cabo Verdean first, African or Portuguese second (if at all).

Today, the diaspora is larger than the population on the islands. More Cabo Verdeans live in Massachusetts, Rotterdam, Lisbon, and Dakar than in Praia or Mindelo. This permanent state of displacement feeds directly into sodade—and into the music that has become Cabo Verde’s greatest cultural export.

Best Time to Visit

Dry Season (November-June): 

This is when most visitors come. The weather is sunny, breezy, and mild (24-29°C/75-84°F). Minimal rainfall. This is ideal for beach time, hiking, and island-hopping. Note that December-February brings European winter vacationers, particularly to Sal and Boa Vista.

Shoulder Season (July-August): 

The beginning of the “rainy season,” though rainfall remains light by most standards. Temperatures climb slightly (27-31°C/80-88°F), but ocean breezes keep things bearable. This is actually a lovely time to visit—fewer crowds, lower prices, and the landscape turns (relatively) green.

Music Festival Season: 

  • Gamboa Festival (Boa Vista, May): World music festival bringing international and African artists
  • Kriol Jazz Festival (Praia, April): Jazz with Cabo Verdean influences
  • Mindelo Carnival (February/March): Second only to Rio in Brazil for Portuguese-speaking world celebrations

Baía das Gatas Music Festival (São Vicente, August): Beach music festival celebrating Cabo Verdean artists

For Music and Culture: 

Honestly, any time. Live music happens year-round in Mindelo’s bars and Praia’s cultural centers. It’s not staged for tourists—it’s what Cabo Verdeans do on Friday and Saturday nights.

Weather Note: 

The harmattan winds from the Sahara can bring dust and haze (December-February). It’s not dangerous, but it can affect visibility and air quality temporarily.

Minimum Suggested Stay

Single Island (Santiago or São Vicente): 4-5 days gives you time to settle in, explore beyond the capital, experience live music, and rest.

Two Islands: 7-8 days allows Santiago (culture and history) + São Vicente (music and nightlife) or Sal (beaches and water sports).

Island-Hopping Adventure: 10-14 days lets you experience three or more islands, each with distinct character. Consider: Santiago → Fogo (volcano island) → São Vicente → Santo Antão (hiking paradise).

The key is understanding that Cabo Verde operates on island time. Ferries don’t always run on schedule. Shops close unexpectedly. Plans shift. This isn’t inefficiency—it’s a different relationship with time. Roll with it, or you’ll miss the point.

Off the Beaten Path: The Volcanic Wilderness of Fogo Island

Most visitors stick to Sal (for beaches) or São Vicente (for Mindelo’s music scene). Which means they miss Fogo—and that’s a mistake.

Fogo Island is dominated by Pico do Fogo, an active volcano that last erupted in 2014-2015, destroying two villages and covering vineyards in fresh lava. The communities rebuilt. The wine production continued.

Chã das Caldeiras sits inside the volcano’s crater, a lunar landscape where families grow grapes in volcanic soil, produce wine using centuries-old techniques, and maintain a way of life that feels utterly removed from the modern world.

You can hike to the volcano’s summit (2,829 meters/9,281 feet)—a challenging climb that starts at dawn and takes 4-6 hours round trip. The views from the top are staggering: the crater, the ocean, neighboring islands, the sense of standing on the literal edge of geological creation.

But the real reason to go to Fogo isn’t the volcano. It’s the people.

The families living in Chã das Caldeiras descend from French families who arrived in the 19th century, mixing with Cabo Verdean communities. They’ve survived multiple eruptions, economic isolation, and the constant threat of volcanic activity. Their resilience—and their wine—deserve recognition.

Stay at Pedra Brabo Guesthouse (pedrabrabo.com), a family-run spot inside the crater. Eat meals with your hosts. Taste wine made meters from where you’re sleeping. Listen to stories about the 2014 eruption and how the community rebuilt.

This is what travel should be: not observing from a distance, but being invited in.

How to Get There: 

Fly from Santiago (Praia) to Fogo (São Filipe) on inter-island carriers. From São Filipe, arrange transportation up to Chã das Caldeiras (about 90 minutes on rough roads). Most guesthouses can arrange pickup.

The Culturally Rich Experience: Live Music in Mindelo

If Rio is Brazil’s musical heart, Mindelo is Cabo Verde’s. This port city on São Vicente island has produced more musicians per capita than anywhere else in the archipelago. Cesária Évora was born here. So was many of the other artists who’ve carried Cabo Verdean music to international stages.

Mindelo isn’t Lisbon or Lagos. It’s a small city (about 70,000 people) with beautiful colonial architecture slowly crumbling into the sea, a working port that still matters economically, and a cultural scene that feels perpetually on the edge of something important.

The music scene isn’t a tourist attraction—it’s how Mindelo residents socialize, process emotions, and maintain cultural identity.

Where to Experience It:

Centro Cultural do Mindelo (Avenida Marginal): 

The official cultural center hosts concerts, poetry readings, art exhibitions, and dance performances. Check their Facebook page for current programming—much of it is free or very low-cost. 

Website: www.centroculturalmindelo.cv

Casa Café Mindelo (Rua Governador Calheiros): 

A bar/restaurant that hosts live music most nights—morna, coladeira, sometimes funaná or Brazilian samba. The musicians are local. The crowd is mixed (Cabo Verdeans and foreign residents). The vibe is relaxed and welcoming. 

No official website—just show up after 9 PM on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

Quintal da Música (various locations): 

“Music courtyard” events pop up in different neighborhoods—someone’s backyard, a community space, a square. These are the most authentic experiences: bring your own drinks, sit on whatever chair is available, and listen as local musicians play for hours. Ask locals where the next quintal is happening.

Carnival (February/March): 

Mindelo’s Carnival is second only to Rio in the Portuguese-speaking world. The music is non-stop. The costumes are spectacular. The energy is intoxicating. If you can time your visit with Carnival, do it—but book accommodations far in advance.

Why This Matters:

Music in Cabo Verde isn’t entertainment. It’s cultural archive. The songs carry stories—of emigration, of hardship, of love across oceans, of drought, of resilience. When you sit in a Mindelo bar listening to a 70-year-old woman sing morna, you’re not just hearing notes. You’re hearing five centuries of history compressed into melody.

For expats who understand what it means to be from multiple places at once, Cabo Verdean music offers something profound: proof that displacement can become art, that loss can become beauty, that sodade—that untranslatable longing—can be shared.

Where to Stay: Five-Star Accommodations (Island Style)

1. Kira’s Boutique Hotel – Boa Vista

What Makes It Special: 

Located in the island’s oldest settlement (Rabil), Kira’s offers 12 individually designed rooms in a restored colonial building. But calling it a “hotel” undersells what it is: an art project, a cultural space, and a guesthouse all at once.

The owner, Kira Wilkinson, is a Dutch artist who’s lived in Cabo Verde for over a decade. The property features her artwork, locally crafted furniture, and design elements that respect Cabo Verdean aesthetics without resorting to tourist kitsch.

The restaurant serves Cabo Verdean dishes made with ingredients sourced from local fishermen and farmers. The cocktail bar uses homemade infusions. The rooftop terrace hosts occasional live music events.

Most importantly, the staff can connect you with authentic experiences: local music venues, family-run restaurants, guides who know the island’s hidden beaches and desert landscapes.

Best For: Travelers who want design and comfort without losing connection to place. Couples seeking romance without resort isolation. Anyone allergic to all-inclusive blandness.

Direct Booking: www.kirashotel.com

2. Oasis Salinas Sea – Sal Island

What Makes It Special: 

If you need a beach resort experience but want it done well, this is it. Located on Sal’s quiet southern coast, this adults-only property offers direct beach access, multiple pools, a spa featuring Cabo Verdean-inspired treatments, and restaurants that actually attempt local cuisine alongside international options.

What sets it apart from other Sal resorts is the design—clean, contemporary, with nods to Cabo Verdean colors and textures—and the staff’s willingness to help you experience the island beyond the resort grounds.

Use this as your base for exploring Sal’s salt flats (the island’s namesake), the blue eye natural pool, kitesurfing lessons, and the small town of Espargos where locals actually live.

Best For: Expats coming from challenging posts who need genuine decompression. Couples who want a mix of relaxation and exploration. Anyone recovering from more intense travel elsewhere.

Direct Booking: www.oasissalinasea.com

Sustainable Experiences

Cabo Verde’s ecosystem is fragile. The islands were largely barren when first settled, and centuries of deforestation and drought have left them vulnerable. Sustainable tourism isn’t optional—it’s existential.

Turtle Conservation (Boa Vista and Sal): 

From June to October, loggerhead and green sea turtles nest on Cabo Verdean beaches—some of the most important nesting sites in the Atlantic. Several organizations run nighttime patrols to protect nests and monitor populations.

Projeto Biodiversidade works on Boa Vista and welcomes volunteers and visitor-participants for beach patrols (minimum one-week commitment for volunteers, but they also offer educational programs for shorter visits). 

Website: www.projetobiodiversidade.org

Bios.CV focuses on sea turtle conservation on Sal, with educational programs and eco-tours. 

Website: www.bios.cv

Hiking with Local Guides (Santo Antão): 

Santo Antão is the hiker’s paradise—terraced valleys, mountain peaks, dramatic coastal cliffs, and rural villages where life hasn’t changed much in decades.

Always hire local guides. They know the trails, they understand the weather patterns, and your money goes directly into communities that have few economic alternatives to emigration.

Contact Santo Antão Trekking for guided hikes ranging from easy valley walks to challenging multi-day treks. 

Website: www.santoantaotrekking.com

Luxury Experiences

Luxury in Cabo Verde looks different than luxury in Paris or Dubai. It’s not about thread count—it’s about access, authenticity, and experiences money usually can’t buy.

Private Catamaran Day Trip (São Vicente to Santo Antão): 

Charter a catamaran for the day, sailing from Mindelo to Santo Antão’s coast. Stop at deserted beaches, snorkel in crystal-clear water, have lunch prepared onboard, and return at sunset. The boat becomes your private floating retreat.

Private Cooking Class with a Cabo Verdean Chef: 

Learn to make cachupa (the national dish—a slow-cooked stew), pastéis de milho (corn cakes), and other traditional foods. But more importantly, learn the stories behind the food, the West African ingredients that survived the Middle Passage, and how drought shapes what Cabo Verdeans eat.

Helicopter Tour (Multi-Island): 

See the archipelago from above—the contrast between green Santo Antão and desert-like Sal, the volcanic drama of Fogo, the tiny settlements clinging to cliff edges. It’s a perspective that helps you understand why isolation shaped Cabo Verdean culture so profoundly.

Private Music Performance: 

Some musicians in Mindelo will arrange private performances—an intimate concert in a historic building, just for you and your group. You’re not watching a show; you’re participating in a cultural exchange. Expect conversation, stories, and music that goes on as long as everyone wants it to.

Family Experiences

Cabo Verde can work for families, but you need to adjust expectations. This isn’t Disneyworld. It’s a developing nation where infrastructure can be inconsistent.

Beach Time (Sal and Boa Vista): 

Both islands offer long stretches of white sand beaches with calm, warm water perfect for kids. The beaches around Santa Maria (Sal) and Sal Rei (Boa Vista) have infrastructure—restaurants, beach bars, water sports rentals.

Salt Flats Tour (Sal): 

Visit the salt pans that gave Sal its name. Kids find the stark, white landscape fascinating, and learning about salt production (still done partially by hand) is engaging at any age.

Turtle Watching (June-October, Boa Vista and Sal): 

If your visit coincides with nesting season, nighttime turtle walks are magical for kids and adults. Watching a 200-pound turtle lumber onto the beach, dig a nest, and lay eggs is unforgettable.

Easy Hiking (Santo Antão): 

Not all Santo Antão hikes are challenging. The valley walk from Ribeira Grande to Ponta do Sol is relatively easy, stunning, and takes you through small villages where kids can interact with locals (and chickens, goats, and donkeys).

Cultural Workshops: 

Some community centers offer workshops in traditional crafts—weaving, pottery, instrument-making. Kids get hands-on cultural education while parents learn too.

Note for Parents: 

Bring snacks kids will actually eat. While Cabo Verdean food is generally mild and kid-friendly (rice, beans, grilled fish), rural areas may have limited options. Pharmacies are available in all major towns, but bring any specialized medications you might need.

Adventure Experiences

Kitesurfing and Windsurfing (Sal): 

Sal’s consistent trade winds make it a world-class kitesurfing destination. Santa Maria beach has multiple schools offering lessons for beginners and rental equipment for experienced riders. Peak wind season is November-May.

Scuba Diving: 

Cabo Verde’s waters offer warm temperatures, good visibility, and diverse marine life including reef sharks, rays, and large pelagics. Wrecks are also available for technical divers.

Sal Diving Center and Manta Diving both operate out of Santa Maria with professional PADI instruction. 

Websites: www.cabo-verde-diving.com

Volcano Trekking (Fogo): 

As mentioned earlier, climbing Pico do Fogo is challenging but achievable for reasonably fit hikers. Start at dawn, bring plenty of water, and hire a local guide who knows the current conditions.

Multi-Day Hiking (Santo Antão): 

Santo Antão offers some of the Atlantic’s most dramatic hiking. Multi-day treks take you through terraced valleys, past waterfalls (in rainy season), and into villages where you’ll sleep in local guesthouses.

The classic route: Ribeira Grande → Paul Valley → Ponta do Sol → Cruzinha da Graça, taking 3-5 days depending on pace.

Mountain Biking (Santo Antão and Santiago): 

Both islands offer excellent mountain biking—challenging climbs, exhilarating descents, and landscapes that range from lunar desert to green valleys. Rent bikes in Mindelo (for Santo Antão) or Praia (for Santiago).

Deep-Sea Fishing: 

The waters around Cabo Verde hold blue marlin, wahoo, tuna, and other game fish. Charter boats operate out of Mindelo, Santa Maria, and Sal Rei for half-day or full-day fishing expeditions.

Practical Information for Expats

Language: 

Portuguese is the official language. Kriolu (Cabo Verdean Creole) is what most people speak daily—it’s mutually intelligible with Portuguese if you speak slowly and listen carefully. English is spoken in tourist areas and by younger educated Cabo Verdeans, but don’t expect it everywhere.

Currency: 

Cabo Verdean Escudo (CVE), which is pegged to the Euro at roughly 110 CVE to 1 EUR. Euro is often accepted, especially in tourist areas. Credit cards work in hotels and larger restaurants, but carry cash for markets, street food, and rural areas.

Connectivity: 

Mobile coverage is good on all inhabited islands. Buy a local SIM card from CV Móvel or Unitel for data. WiFi is available in hotels and many cafes, though speeds can be slow.

Safety: 

Cabo Verde is one of Africa’s safest countries. Violent crime against tourists is rare. Petty theft exists (as everywhere), so use common sense—don’t leave valuables on beaches, keep an eye on bags in crowded markets. Walking around Praia or Mindelo at night is generally safe in central areas.

Visa: 

Most nationalities (including US citizens) can obtain a visa on arrival at the airport (approximately €30-40). Some nationalities can apply for pre-arrival registration online. Check current requirements before traveling.

Health: 

No required vaccinations for Cabo Verde. Water quality varies—drink bottled water to be safe. Healthcare facilities are limited outside Praia and Mindelo. Travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is recommended.

Getting Around: 

  • Inter-island flights: TACV (www.flytacv.com) and Binter CV (www.bintercv.com) connect major islands
  • Ferries: CV Inter-Ilhas operates between some islands, but schedules are unreliable.

On islands: Taxis (negotiate prices beforehand), aluguers (shared minivans on fixed routes), rental cars (available on Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago, São Vicente)

Why This Matters: The Expat Perspective

Cabo Verde might be the most “expat” place on Earth.

Think about it: a population scattered across continents, maintaining cultural identity despite geographic fragmentation, code-switching between languages depending on context, carrying the emotional weight of multiple homes, none of which feels entirely complete.

Sound familiar?

For expats—especially those who’ve spent years abroad, who’ve gotten comfortable with displacement, who’ve learned that “home” is more complex than a single location—Cabo Verde offers something profound: a culture built on the same foundations you’re standing on.

Cabo Verdeans have been navigating multiple identities for five centuries. They’ve built a rich culture out of mixture, isolation, and perpetual movement. They’ve turned sodade—that untranslatable longing—into the defining characteristic of their artistic output.

You don’t visit Cabo Verde for Instagram moments or bucket-list checkboxes. You go because you’re ready for a place that understands complexity. Because you want music that speaks to displacement. Because you need to be reminded that rootlessness can produce beauty, that isolation can foster creativity, that longing itself can be an art form.

And because sometimes, after years of explaining where you’re from and why you’re here and where you’re going next, it’s a relief to be in a place where everyone already understands.

Tourism Resources

Cabo Verde Tourism Board: 

www.caboverde.cv

Praia Tourism Office: 

www.visitpraia.cv

Mindelo Cultural Center: 

www.centroculturalmindelo.cv

Santo Antão Tourism: 

Contact municipal tourism offices in Ribeira Grande or Porto Novo

Cabo Verde Airlines: 

www.flytacv.com

Cabo Verde won’t overwhelm you with attractions. There’s no Eiffel Tower, no Colosseum, no Instagram landmark that everyone must photograph.

What it offers instead is music that sounds like memory, landscapes that look like other planets, and a culture that somehow makes sense of contradiction.

For expats who’ve learned to live between worlds, that might be exactly what you need.

Come for the music. Stay for the sodade. Leave carrying a piece of it with you—the way Cabo Verdeans have been doing for centuries.

You Don’t Need Another Generic Travel Agent. You Need Someone Who Gets It.

After years abroad, you know the difference between tourism and travel. Between checking boxes and collecting experiences that matter. Between itineraries built from Google searches and ones crafted from deep cultural knowledge and vetted partnerships.

That’s what we do. And we only work with clients who value the same.

If this resonates, let’s talk:

Schedule an exploration call to discuss your vision. No pressure, no sales pitch—just an honest conversation about whether we’re the right partners for your next journey.

[Schedule Your Consultation]| [Learn More About Our Process]

We require a planning retainer before beginning custom itinerary work, which we’ll discuss during our call.

 

Hands that Make, Journeys that Matter

Hands that Make, Journeys that Matter

by | Nov 21, 2025 | Enewsletter, Travel Styles

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Exploring the World Through Artisans, Traditions, and the Treasures We Bring Home

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Which country treasures pounamu?

Hint: Pounamu is carved from greenstone or jade, used as sacred gifts of love, respect, and legacy.

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Keep reading for the answer…

Amazigh Rug Weaving, Morocco

Across the Atlas Mountains, Amazigh women weave stories into wool.
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Protection. Motherhood. Freedom.
Every symbol holds meaning.
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Here’s me, learning to comb wool digesting the depth of the age old process. And my most cherished keepsake, you ask?
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A rug that now lives in my home (pictured below), whispering back the lessons of that trip.

✨Hands that Make✨

When I think of Thanksgiving, I don’t just see food. I see hands.

Hands passing dishes across a table crowded with laughter.

Hands honoring old recipes in quiet kitchens. Hands reaching across oceans to say: even from here, you are mine.

For the past ten years, my hands have set Thanksgiving tables far from Detroit. From Germany to Thailand, Singapore to Panama, I’ve learned that home isn’t a place—it’s presence. Sometimes that presence looks like mac and cheese bubbling in a tiny European oven. Sometimes it’s a carved bowl or woven textile on the table, anchoring your memory to someone you once met miles away.

That’s why I build travel that honors creation. When you visit a woodcarver’s studio, a textile cooperative, or a glassblower’s workshop, you’re not just admiring craft. You’re witnessing a lineage passed through generations. And when you bring that piece home, it doesn’t live on a shelf. It lives with you—next to your grandmother’s candleholders or your aunt’s serving spoon. It becomes part of your family’s gratitude story.

This month, I invite you to imagine the future hands that will hold what you find.

Below, I’m sharing five destinations where craft is more than commerce—it’s a connection.

 

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Andalusian Leatherware, Spain

In towns like Ubrique, leather isn’t just a material—it’s a legacy.

Visit family-owned ateliers where saddles, bags, and belts are still handmade with centuries-old precision. You might even design your own bespoke piece.

Retablos, Peru

Tiny wooden altars come alive with clay figures that honor festivals, faith, and family life.

In Ayacucho or Cusco, you can commission your own story box—or create one in a guided workshop.

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Samurai Sword Forging, Japan

In Bizen Osafune or Seki, ancient swordsmiths still fold steel into art.

You won’t leave with a katana (unless you buy one), but you can witness the making, meet the polisher, and take home a blade that honors their sacred craft.

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Batik Textiles, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Yogyakarta is the heart of batik.

Learn to wax, dye, and create a piece of wearable art that tells a story with every thread.

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Murano Glass Artistry, Venice, Italy

Step into the glow of a Murano furnace and watch glass dance into form.

Go beyond the tourist shops with a private demo, and let your future chandelier or handblown tumblers ship safely home.

Why Travel for Local Craft?

When you walk into a studio and smell warm leather, wood shavings, or melting wax, something shifts. You’re not just sightseeing. You’re in sacred conversation with place, heritage, and human skill. Craft-centered travel allows you to:

  • Meet artisans in intimate, respectful settings
  • Discover the spiritual stories behind everyday objects
  • Bring home heirlooms that hold both beauty and belonging
  • Ensure your travel investment benefits local communities

Pack To Protect:
Keep Your Artisan Finds Safe

Traveling with ceramics or delicate pieces?

Use the padded packing cubes​ or reusable bottle protectors, wrap with soft clothing, and pack snug.
​
The key isn’t just protection—it’s intention.
You’re not just carrying objects. You’re carrying stories.

Padded Packing Cubes

Reusable Bottle Protectors

Ready to Travel Through Tradition?

If this email sparked a vision of yourself in a sunlit workshop, watching a bowl take shape or hearing a weaver explain each symbol’s meaning—then you’re ready.

Let’s co-create a journey that weaves meaning into movement.
Where the souvenirs are sacred, and the stories travel home with you.

Trivia Answer:

New Zealand

 

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New Zealand (Aotearoa)

In Māori culture, pounamu pieces are gifted as symbols of connection and protection.

Each shape carries meaning—from guidance to gratitude—and is meant to be worn close to the heart.

Discover Chile in May 2026
​For the Sophisticated Wine Enthusiast who knows the best experiences are the ones you secure before anyone else even hears about them.

✨ Join the priority list to receive first access to the full itinerary, early-release details, and limited-spot reservations.

​
Government Shutdown Resources

Government Shutdown Resources

by | Oct 27, 2025 | Enewsletter

Sharing is Caring!

If the government shutdown is affecting your household, you are not alone. Here is a list of banks and lenders offering assistance to help you protect your credit and your peace of mind. While this is not an exhaustive list, I do hope it helps. If your lending institution is not on this list, don’t hesitate to call them.

Please share this newsletter with a colleague, neighbor, or friend who could use it – it’s a long one!

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Banks

American Express

Please call to tell them you’re affected by the shutdown. Arrangements can be made.

Call the number on the back of your card.

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Bank of America

Announced assistance available to furloughed Federal employees. Call the priority assistance line 844.219.0690.

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Chase Bank

Chase announced efforts to help its customers who are U.S. government employees affected by the government shutdown.

Here’s the special line they set up: 1-888-356-0023.

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Congressional Federal Credit Union

For more information on our Relief Line of Credit or any of our assistance programs, contact our Member Service Representatives at 800-491-2328 or stop by one of our branch locations.

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Fed Choice

They’re offering quite a few options to assist existing and new members.

Call them.

Interior Federal Credit Union

They’re offering a special loan for both member and non-member furloughed Federal workers—net paycheck up to $15,000, interest-free up to 30 days. Members may apply for a limit of up to 2 net paychecks. More offers are available on the site, or call 800-914-8619

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Navy Federal Credit Union

These guys are offering a special loan program. Read the FAQs PDF from this link to see if you qualify or call 1-888-842-6328.

USAA

USSA is offering deferments for all loans and credit card payments.

PayPal

PayPal has made a very generous offer. They’ve allocated $25 million to fund interest-free cash advances to our furloughed Federal workers who need assistance right now. This is for both new and existing PayPal Credit customers. The minimum loan is $250, with a maximum cash advance of $500. Your account must be in good standing if you’re an existing PayPal Credit customer. Existing customers call 1-877-689-1975. For new accounts, apply here first, then after approval call 1-877-689-1975.

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U.S. Bank

Will waive all late fees if you miss a mortgage payment due to the shutdown. Also mentioned that they will defer first payment dates for new mortgages.

U.S. Employees Credit Union

USECU is also offering shutdown loans, but only until Tuesday, January 15th. Call (312) 922.5310 to get help.

SunTrust

SunTrust didn’t make a specific offer, but they did make a public announcement that they have programs in place to help clients affected by the shutdown.

Synchrony Bank

This bank handles many store cards for Amazon, Lowe’s, Walmart, JCPenney, Chevron/Texaco, and many other large nationwide companies that you might do business with on a day-to-day basis. They are allowing affected customers to defer payments until after the shutdown. Contact them for more information.

Union Plus

Members of Union Plus can access relief by calling 800-472-2005. Ask about a $300 furlough grant for eligible Union Plus credit card holders, a mortgage assistance loan with a $300 grant, and payment grace periods for Union Plus Life and Accident Insurance and Union Plus Auto Insurance.

Wells Fargo

Here’s a full list of all shutdown assistance lines at Wells Fargo. They’ve got a few different options to help, depending on the services you have with their bank. Furlough Grants

Other Lenders

FEEA-NARFE

This is an incredible offer that every furloughed Federal worker needs to take advantage of. FEEA-NARFE fund is offering $100 grants to active federal employee members who are not receiving a paycheck during the current shutdown due to being furloughed or working in excepted status. To apply, visit the FEEA website.

Thrift Savings Plan

TSP Plan News and Announcements: TSP allows for the suspension of loan payments when you go into non-pay status. They do not currently require documentation of your furlough. Missing one or two payments will not cause your loan to go into default. Log in to your account to check your status or simply call the Thrift Line at 1-877-968-3778.

Toyota Financial Services & Lexus Financial Services

Affected lease and finance customers in good standing with their accounts may be eligible to take advantage of up to two months of finance contract payment extensions or lease deferred payments. Toyota Financial Services call 800-874-8822 and Lexus Financial Services call 800-874-7050.

Hyundai Capital

Hyundai will extend all Hyundai Capital auto loans and lease payments for 30 days for current Hyundai owners who are federal government employees furloughed during the shutdown. Impacted consumers should contact Hyundai Motor Finance at 1-800-523-4030 to take advantage of this offer.

Kia Motors Finance

Kia has announced it’s offering deferred payments of 30 days. If you’ve been affected by the current Government Shutdown and need assistance from Kia Finance, please get in touch with us at 1-866-331-5632.

Ford Credit, GM Financial, & Mercedes-Benz Financial Services

It has been reported that these companies are among those providing qualified customers options such as payment deferrals, late fee waivers and special care lines to address their individual problems, though official announcements from these companies have not been released online.

Mobile Telephone Service Providers

AT&T

Will assist with adjusting late fees, providing extensions, and revising payment schedules.

Sprint

Will provide short-term payment solutions. Call 1-888-211-4747

T-Mobile

Offering short-term assistance and can spread out service payments over time. Call 1-877-746-0909 or 611 from a T-Mobile device.

Verizon

Offering flexible payment options and has a Promise to Pay program to set payments for a future date. Call 1-866-266-1445.

Rental Home Assistance

National Rental Home Council

Represents many of the nation’s largest operators of single-family rental homes. They’re offering deferred rent payment options with no late fees to any renter who has been furloughed.

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OPM Sample Letters for Creditors and Mortgage Companies

OPM created these sample letters for Federal workers to contact their landlords, mortgage lenders, and utilities, to request help during the shutdown.

National Food Resources & Advice

Feeding America

This is a nationwide network of 200 food banks. Those food banks have 60,000 partner pantries from which they can serve many communities across the United States. This is an excellent resource, and they have already begun serving Federal employees affected by the government shutdown.

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Your School District

To save on food and ensure your kid eats breakfast and/or lunch for free (less stress and worry for you), notify the district of your furlough. No income is an emergency and typically qualifies you for the free meal program.

Home, Auto, & Life Insurance

MetLife

For those not receiving a paycheck from the federal government due to the current shutdown, MetLife Auto & Home may grant a one-time, 30-day grace period on your premium payment for a MetLife Auto & Home policy. Members must request this one-time allowance by calling 1-800-GET-MET8. Certain restrictions apply, and the premium remains due after the delay expires.

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Fidelity & Guarantee Life Insurance Company

To help the nearly 27,000 AFGE members who currently have a policy with the company during this government shutdown, the company “will keep the policy-in-force by waiving the cost of insurance charges for the next 30 days.”. Policies beginning with the letter “Y” call: 844-800-9146, all other policies call: 888-513-8797

Other Notable Mentions for Relief & Assistance

Rent-A-Center (benefits plus membership)

If your account was up to date at the time of furlough and you are a part of benefits plus you may be eligible for a payment waiver based on your state. Call to ask about the Involuntary Unemployment Payment Waiver.

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U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Their fact sheet states that federal employees may be eligible for unemployment compensation administered by state unemployment insurance agencies. So, eligibility is determined by state law, not on the Federal level, which may work in your favor.

A Special Shout Out to my colleagues in Panama who shared this list with me.

You made it to the end! Don’t forget to share this email with others who can benefit, because sharing is caring.

If you have additional resources to share, please reply to this email with details. If I get more resources, I’ll update this list.
5 Tips for Family Travel

5 Tips for Family Travel

by | Aug 22, 2025 | Family / Multi-Gen, Tips & Tricks, Travel Styles

Traveling with Kids is Rewarding!

Watching your child’s developing brain process the new smells, sights, sounds, and tastes of a new country can take a parent’s breath away – in awe and sometimes in laughter too. We share these five tips in hopes that it helps ease the turbulence of your next international vacation.

Tips For Family Travel

We’ll take care of the travel plans, but we’ve listed a few helpful tips for you in preparation for your family trip.

1.Don’t Overpack

Yes, you want to have a familiar item or two for your kids but keep in mind that they rarely use all these things while on vacation because there are too many new experiences to keep them busy and too many new things to ask you to buy!

Suppose there’s something you need that you left

behind you can buy it at your destination. Be careful with this rule when visiting less-developed countries, but in most places that you travel with your kids, you’ll probably have access to the essentials or extras you need and want for them.

Keep some space in your luggage for all the gifts and souvenirs you’ll purchase along the way.

2.Take it Slow and Leave Plenty of Time

Don’t underestimate how long things might take! When traveling with your family, everything will take longer than you expect, including:

Checking in at the airport
Getting through security
Buying snacks and drinks
Boarding the plane
Be sure to get to the airport early and leave plenty of time for things to go wrong, like the last-minute run to the potty.

You don’t want to miss your flight because it took an extra 10 minutes to get your stroller and bottles through security. Then you are stuck at the airport waiting to be rescheduled with unhappy children.

Flying is just one example of taking it slow, though. Leaving extra time applies to all parts of your trip, and we, as your professional travel planners, will assist you with building adequate rest time into your itinerary.

When you have the kids along for the trip, you may not be able to squeeze 4 museums, 3 restaurants, a walking tour, and a bike ride all in the same day.

Once we know you’re traveling with children or a multi-generational group, we’ll ask additional questions to ensure we have all the necessary information to gauge interest and physical fitness levels before our research begins.

3.Snacks, Snacks, Snacks

To keep your vacation on track, you want to do everything to avoid a hungry family member. Taking along a few favorite snacks when you are out touring can help keep your family happy. Hangry kids can take a fun family trip to miserable in minutes. I can’t emphasize this enough.

Always have snacks available for your kids!

You never know when the time between meals will get extended. It could be a delayed flight, unexpected traffic getting to your hotel, or a tour that takes longer than you thought.

It doesn’t hurt to have snacks for you and other adults traveling with you. Adults can get just as hangry as kids can.

4.Accept Things Will Go Wrong

We touched on this when we discussed leaving plenty of time for the unexpected when traveling with kids. This point can’t be overstated, so let’s address it again.

When you travel with kids, THINGS. WILL. GO. WRONG.

Maybe your little one has to go to the bathroom, and you miss a bus. Maybe

your son will leave his tablet in a taxi in Barcelona with no way to get it back. The part of the amusement park your daughter was most excited about is under renovation.

There’s nothing you can do to avoid these situations. However, the sooner you accept the inevitable, the less stress you will feel. So, get your family in the right mindset now. Deep breaths. Lemons into lemonade.

Remember, travel is an adventure. Even if it has a few speed bumps, the experience you’re giving your kids is irreplaceable.

5.Health, Saftey & Security

No matter where you are in the world, not knowing where your child is can bring panic to the most zen of parents. While on vacation, the stress of a lost child is magnified.

Keep Track of Your Child

You’d be surprised how easy it is to get wrapped up in something like buying train tickets in another language. The next thing you know, your son or daughter has wandered over to the little shop at the train station to check out candy bars. If those candy bars are on the far side of a shelf and you can’t see your child, this could lead to a moment of panic.

If you’re traveling with another parent or adult, share duties and negotiate those duties before each outing. If you’re traveling alone with the kids, be sure that they stay in view. If necessary, hold their hands or have them sit in your line of sight.

Even the most vigilant parent can lose track of children. If your children are prone to wandering off, consider using a small GPS tracker that you can attach to their shoes or belt. The tracker will alert you if our child gets too far away and will let you track them to see exactly where they went.

Give Kids Your Contact Information

If a child gets lost despite your best efforts, you’ll want them to have your contact information.

Your contact information should include the following items for all of the adults on your trip, so you have multiple opportunities for help locating your child.

Name
Phone number
Email address
Local address
The best way to share contact information for young children is with a note in one of their pockets. If they don’t have pockets, tie a little card to their belt loop or stick it in their shoe. Don’t be afraid to get creative, but in any case, make sure your child knows where to find it.

Help older kids memorize your phone number and email address. If they need the local address where you are staying, write it down for them or have them put the information on their phones. We all know a teenager isn’t going to go very far without their phone.

Trave

Travel With Basic Medicinesim

One of the easiest ways to ruin a day of travel or possibly an entire trip is to have a sick family member. It can be even worse if the whole family gets sick. Whether your child has an upset stomach from the bumpy bus ride to your destination or you find a new kind of tree pollen you’re allergic to, you want to be prepared to make the sick family member feel better as quickly as possible.

It’s always a good idea to take a few over-the-counter medications your family might need while traveling. Over-the-counter medications may include:

Headache medicines
Allergy medicines
Medicine for upset stomachs
Motion sickness prevention medication
Other medicines that might apply to your family or the specific trip
If anyone in your family is taking prescription medication, bring it along. Take your medicines in their original packaging, especially prescription medications. If you can’t take the original package, grab a copy of the prescription from your doctor to show what your pill is, why you have it for border crossings, and if your luggage is searched.

Before your trip, check regulations for your destination and confirm you’re allowed to enter the country with your medications without filling out additional paperwork or getting special permission.

Keep saftey top of mind!

We hope you enjoyed these tips and they help you prepare for your next trip.

We know how important it is to have thoughtfully planned itineraries, so the travel is fulfilling for everyone. Expats Traveling Group partners with trustworthy family-friendly tour operators all over the globe! Our travel itineraries include unique and memorable experiences based on your interests, goals, and budget.
Kids can get hands-on with the local culture through handicrafts and volunteerism. Imagine your kids making pizza in Italy, playing the marimba in Guatemala, or writing numbers using Inca symbols in Peru. Often, doing is learning.

Let’s start travel planning together!

Thanks for reading until the end; I thought I’d share one more tip!

ONUS TIP:

Pack Comfortable Headphones
Most airlines with entertainment options will provide passengers with cheap headphones to enjoy the content.

It’s incredibly likely that your children will not be happy with the headphones the airline provides. They will be uncomfortable, too loud, too quiet, won’t stay in their ears, or don’t work the way your kids prefer.

Finding a pair of headphones that fit your child’s ears and are comfortable for long periods is something you should do well before your trip. Whether they’re watching in-flight movies, playing games on their electronics, or listening to music as they try to fall asleep, a comfortable set of headphones that keeps their sound private will make your kids and everyone around them happier.

Safe Travels!

Let’s start travel planning together!