According to Mr. Bui Thanh Tu - Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel Company, tourists need to pay attention to the following to prepare for a safe sea and island trip.
1. Check the weather and vehicles before the trip
Tourists need to follow the weather forecast and operating conditions of ships, ferries, and canoes before departing. The weather at sea can change quickly and is different from the mainland area, so they should refer to information from the meteorological agency, local authorities, port authorities and transportation units.
Means of transportation should be selected from licensed units, publicly announcing the itinerary, number of passengers and safety equipment. For multi-segment routes such as airplanes, cars, high-speed trains or canoes, tourists should reserve time, avoid placing routes too close to each other.
2. Prepare health and necessary items
People with underlying diseases, blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, asthma, seasickness history or pregnancy should consider travel conditions and consult specialists when necessary. Visitors should bring personal medicines, anti-seasick medicines, rehydration solutions, sunscreen, hats, glasses, sun protection clothing and good-grip shoes or sandals.
Other items include personal papers, waterproof bags for phones and papers, spare batteries, drinking water, small first aid kits and emergency contact information. If you come to an island with limited electricity, water or medical services, preparation is even more necessary.
3. Compliance with safety when playing at the beach
Common risks when traveling to islands include big waves, offshore currents, sudden weather changes, slippery rocks, dehydration, heatstroke, seasickness and accidents when participating in sea sports activities.
When swimming in the sea, visitors should only swim in the permitted area, with rescue workers and adhere to warning flags; do not swim alone, swim too far from the shore or go into the water after drinking alcohol.
When traveling by boat, ship or canoe, tourists need to wear life jackets properly, sit in the correct position and do not move on their own when the vehicle is running. For activities such as diving, paddling SUP or canoeing, you should choose a professional organizing unit, listen to full instructions and check equipment before participating; people without experience should not dive or paddle far from the shore themselves.
4. Do not trade safety for maintaining schedule
Tourists should not try to keep their schedules when actual conditions are not guaranteed. If there are bad weather warnings, ships stop operating or specialized units recommend not going to sea, it is necessary to proactively change plans to ensure safety.
Before the trip, each family or group of guests should agree on a person in charge of the itinerary, save the phone number of the accommodation establishment, transportation unit, tour guide and local support force.
When arriving at the island, it is necessary to find out the location of the medical facility, the area with strong waves, the time of boat departure and the time of tide up and down; and at the same time buy appropriate travel insurance and do not arbitrarily participate in adventure activities outside the program.
