Any boy scout can tell you, the trick to pulling something off successfully is preparation. As the scale of your exploit grows, so to does your need to be well prepared for whatever may come, and when that exploit you’re talking about is international travel, that preparation can be the difference between the trip of a lifetime and a one-way ticket to sickness, injury, social embarrassment, and even legal complications.

Here we’ll look into Mexico travel and Dominican Republic travel, two popular all-inclusive resort destinations that can be tricky from a tourist perspective. We’ll start each region with basic customs and immigrations information before moving on to general travel tips to ensure your all-inclusive vacations in Mexico or the Dominican Republic aren’t thrown out the window with some last minute surprises.

Mexico

General/Legal

Entry Requirements: All travelers are currently required to possess a passport to enter Mexico, including children. However, this is virtually a given because without your passport you would encounter trouble returning to the United States anyways. In addition to the passport, all foreign travelers visiting for the purpose of tourism must possess a Tourist Card (tarjeta de turista) which can be purchased at border crossings for 10-20 dollars. If you are flying into Mexico, this card will be provided with instructions to fill it out before you land, and the price will most likely be included in the airfare. Tourist Cards are good for 90 days, should you be planning a return visit shortly down the road.

Driving: Mexico all-inclusive resorts are often in remote locations and provide all necessary excursion transportation, so car rental should not be necessary. Likewise, traveling between the resort and the airport should either to local busses or resort-sponsored transportation.

Language: The overwhelming majority of the country speaks Spanish, although many rural and more southerly populations might also speak Mayan. Attendants at you resort, however, will speak English, as will most of the venders and restaurateurs in the local resort cities. The ability to speak Spanish may help you haggle with roadside venders, but this is hardly a necessity.

Currency/Credit Cards: The Mexican Peso is the standard currency, however like several popular international destinations; most front-line venders will accept USD and credit cards. However, the chances of this decrease significantly as you move away from the tourist-centric areas. This does not mean that you shouldn’t explore a little bit on your own, but it’s a good idea to exchange for some local currency before you go. Your resort is likely to have an onsite currency exchange.

Tipping: Monetary gratuity is an idiosyncratic custom unique to every country. In Mexico, much like the US, gratuity is dependent on the customer and is rarely added automatically. For good service, you should be courteous and tip your server, bearing in mind that a good many more positions are tip-dependant in Mexico than in the US. Porters, doormen, waiters, and gas station employees (though you shouldn’t be driving) are all paid very low wages and must augment their income with steady gratuity to make a reasonable living. Taxi drivers, on the other hand, are generally tipped only if an additional service or kindness is provided.

Electricity: 110 volt AC is standard, same as in the US, but three-prong outlets are very rare, so check your appliances ahead of time and purchase adaptors if necessary. Your all-inclusive Mexico resort’s on-site store may have what you need, but don’t count on it.

Health/Safety

Food/Water: Never drink the local water supply for fear of contamination, and unless being served at the resort, avoid ice and uncooked vegetables. Vacation resorts in Mexico will surely provide bottled water upon request, and you should take advantage of this by saving up for offsite excursions. Consider using the bottled water to brush your teeth as well. In addition, do not eat food sold by street venders.

Sun Exposure: Mexico vacation spots are built around the concept of “fun in the sun”, offering incredible swimming, beaches, nature hiking, ancient ruins excursions, and active water sports. These are great opportunities to have fun, but they’re also great opportunities to develop nasty burns or worse. Avoid this by applying very powerful sun block regularly and drinking plenty of (bottled) water.

Diving: Diving is by far one of the most popular attractions at Mexico all-inclusive resorts, however unless you shop carefully you can easily stumble into some bad equipment. Avoid this either by renting from your resort or from a resort-recommended provider. These choices are likely to be more expensive, but you’ll find it’s a small price to pay for properly functioning equipment.

Beach Safety: Pay close attention to warning flags on remote and even some resort beaches. If you see black flags, do not enter the water. Additionally, never dive into an unknown body of water as it could be very shallow or bottomed by jagged rocks.

Parasailing:This is another exciting activity that is popular at these resorts and unfortunately is plagued by unreliable purveyors. Again, stick to the resort-offered programs. Even if a third-party parasailing vender appears reliable, they are generally not legally responsible for your safety.

Disease Risks: Insect bites, especially in the jungles, can carry Malaria and Yellow Fever. Always use a powerful insect repellant. Yellow Fever inoculation is recommended if you intend to visit the jungles. You should also carry anti-malarial tablets.

Dominican Republic

Conveniently, what’s true for Mexico is often true for the Dominican Republic, especially when it comes to health and safety concerns. There are, however, a few differences between the two destinations, so here are some precautions you should consider before your all-inclusive Dominican Republic vacations.

General/Legal

Entry Requirements: Most visitors must provide a passport and tourist card ($10). Children under 13 traveling with parents need only a birth certificate; however children under 13 with non-parents should have a passport.

Language: Like Mexico, Spanish is the overwhelming language; however English is regularly spoken in the places that you are most likely to go as a resort vacationer.

Tipping: Eating in restaurants can be expensive in the Dominican Republic due to a number of government-mandated service charges. Expect a 16% government tax as well as a 10% service charge. However, you should still consider leaving a tip as little, if any, of these extra charges actually see their way into the servers’ hands.

Electricity: See Mexico.

Health/Safety

Disease Risks: Dominican Republic travel carries the same risks as Mexico, if not more severe. Yellow Fever inoculation is critical, as is carrying anti-malarial medication. When selecting a repellant, be sure it advertises being especially good against mosquitoes, as a certain type of mosquito active during the day can cause Dengue Fever, a terrible short-term flu-like ailment with no standard treatment.

Medical Insurance: Before leaving for the Dominican Republic, check with your insurance provider to see if you will be covered during your trip. If not, consider seeking additional insurance. You can find quality insurance for as little as $10 a day per person and the peace of mind is well worth it.

These cautions are not meant to concern but to prepare. The truth is that nearly 99% of the millions of yearly travelers to these destinations experience incident-free getaways. With a little preparation, you can ensure that you don’t end up in the unfortunate one percent. Whether traveling all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic or Mexico, follow these tips and enjoy the carefree getaway you deserve.