You’ll Kick Yourself If You Forget These 8 Holiday Musts

Planning a holiday is exciting—but with all the anticipation, it’s easy to overlook some surprisingly important details. From missed travel documents to forgotten chargers, even the most experienced travellers find themselves scrambling at the last minute.

At Voyager Plus Travel Insurance, we’ve seen our fair share of holiday hiccups—and most of them could’ve been avoided with a few smart reminders. So here are some genuinely useful holiday travel tips to help make your trip smoother, safer, and stress-free.

1. Don’t Just Grab Your Passport—Check It!

This sounds obvious, but it's one of the top things to remember before going on holiday. Not only should you make sure you know where your passport is (and that it hasn’t expired) but also check the entry requirements for your destination.

Top Tip: For travel to the EU, your passport must be less than 10 years old and valid for at least 3 months beyond your departure date. Generally, you need at least 6 months left on your passport for travel to countries in the rest of the world.

2. Travel Insurance? The Earlier the Better

One of the biggest mistakes travellers make is leaving insurance until the night before departure—or worse, skipping it altogether.

Why it matters: Buying your travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday means you’re also covered for cancellations, unexpected illness before your trip that left you unfit to travel, and more—not just the days you’re away.

If you're wondering what do you need to take on holiday, peace of mind should be near the top of the list.

3. Tech Check: Don’t Forget Cables and Adaptors

Chargers are one of the most commonly forgotten items—only realised when your phones on 3% and you’re in an airport cafe paying £30 for a universal adaptor.

Holiday tips:

• Bring all your charging cables (including for cameras, fitness trackers, etc.)
• Pack a portable power bank
• Check which type of plug socket your destination uses and bring the correct adaptor (or multiple)

Top Tip: If you can find space in your bags, packing an extension lead is one of the best travel hacks out there. Not only does it mean you only need 1 adaptor for your hotel room, but you can charge multiple things all at once. Trust us, this is a hack you’ll want to remember.

4. Medications (and More Than You Think You’ll Need)

Even a short delay coming home could leave you short on medication. Always pack a few days extra and keep it in your hand luggage—just in case your suitcase decides to take an unexpected detour.

Things to remember to take on holiday:

• Prescription medication with your name on it
• A copy of your prescription
• A small first aid kit and any travel sickness or allergy meds you may not easily find abroad

5. Don’t Rely on Airport Currency Rates

We get it—changing money is one of those things you’ll “just do at the airport”. But that’s often the worst time and place to do it as you’ll be met by some of the worst exchange rates around.

Holiday travel tip:

Exchange some cash in advance so you have some local currency and consider a prepaid travel card with competitive rates. A card is safer than carrying wads of cash and easier to top up if needed. If you have a credit card with good exchange rates, then this could also be a good idea.

6. Print the Important Stuff

In an increasingly digital world, we’re all used to storing documents on our phones. But what if your phone dies—or you can’t get a signal?

Things to remember on holiday:

• Printed copies of your booking confirmations
• Boarding passes
• Travel insurance details and emergency contact numbers

Bonus points if you keep a copy in your hand luggage and your checked luggage.

7. The Right Toiletries (and in the Right Size)

You’ll likely remember your toothbrush. But will you remember that your favourite face cream can’t be over 100ml if it’s going in hand luggage? Whilst some airports are changing their security scanners to allow liquids over 100ml this is still not common practice everywhere you go and means you should check before you travel what the airport rules are.

Holiday tips:

• Buy reusable travel bottles for your essentials
• Pack solid alternatives like shampoo bars or soap
• Don’t forget lip balm and after sun—especially if you’re heading somewhere hot

8. Think Beyond the Obvious

Here are a few underrated things to remember:

• A foldable bag for day trips or extra souvenirs
• A pen (you might need one for customs forms and travel games)
• Spare socks in your hand luggage (thank us later)
• A reusable water bottle (empty before airport security)
• Waterproof jacket even if you’re travelling somewhere hot – the weather could turn unexpectedly

Ready, Set, Relax

We all know that feeling when you're halfway to the airport and suddenly wonder: “Did I pack that?” With this guide to the top things to remember to take on holiday, you’ll be better prepared than most—and far less likely to spend your first day abroad hunting for overpriced adaptors or forgotten toiletries.

So, before you go, double-check your list. Then check it again. A bit of planning now means more time for the fun stuff later.

And don’t forget—Voyager Plus Travel Insurance is here to help protect your trip from the unexpected. Because the only surprises you should have on holiday are the good kind.

Plan Ahead with Voyager Plus Travel Insurance?

As you explore some of the best summer holiday destinations around, ensure you have peace of mind with Voyager Plus Travel Insurance. Whether it's a beach holiday, cultural exploration, or family adventure, we've got policies that could cover your 2025 summer holidays.

Purchase Your Travel Insurance from Voyager Plus 

Voyager Plus offers 4 levels of cover to choose from, Single Trip, Long Stay, and Annual Multi-trip travel insurance options, access to GP on Demand, and includes cover for the following:

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Click here for more information on our Voyager Plus Travel Insurance.

Don’t forget – by purchasing your policy with us you’ll be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher.

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*Ts&Cs apply.

This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute advice in any way. The information provided here is correct at the time of writing however please check the latest policy wording for the latest terms, conditions, and exclusions.