When you are planning a vacation to a warm destination, staying cool can be a challenge if you aren’t used to that level of heat. I certain areas of the world, the humidity can reach a staggering 95% or higher on a daily basis coupled with the extreme overall temperatures that cause the moisture to simply hang on your body throughout the day. Unlike the temperature spike you are used to dealing with at home, you can’t simply throw on a pair of shorts and call it good. Additionally, you don’t want to be confined to your hotel room with the air conditioner on full blast since the warmer weather was a big part of why you wanted to go on a tropical vacation in the first place. Fortunately, there are some tricks that can help teach travelers the art of staying cool on a tropical vacation to help them get the most out of their trip while not keeling over from the extreme heat and humidity.
Pack Appropriately
Packing the right items and clothing for your trip can be the difference between an awesome experience and a miserable one. The first thing to keep in mind when you start packing is what the purpose of your trip will be. If you are heading out for a destination wedding for instance, you will want to make sure certain items such as your wedding sparklers and wedding dress are properly stored in an air-tight bag so they don’t get ruined by humidity while you travel. If your trip is purely recreational, then your packaging job isn’t as complicated. Just make sure you pack plenty of socks and underwear because you don’t want to be stuck feeling wet and miserable after a fun day of exploring your tropical destination.
Drink Water
Though this one sounds pretty obvious, I can’t stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated in a warm and humid climate. Your body will shed moisture at a rate three to four times as rapid as you are used to in a tropical location, so you will want to ramp up the amount of water you consume dramatically; especially if you are going to be doing strenuous activities such as hiking or bicycle touring. If you are spending time outside, make sure you’re drinking at least twice as many glasses of water as you normally would be at home.
Wear Sunscreen
In addition to staying hydrated, it is equally important to protect your skin from the violent UV rays that will bombard you in a tropical location. Having a high SPF sunscreen will help keep your skin feeling good throughout your entire vacation. The last thing you want is to return to your hotel room after the first day of outdoor fun and need to take a day off while covering yourself in Aloe Vera gel to heal you burns. A little sunscreen can go a long way in keeping you feeling nice while on your tropical vacation.
Wet Bandana
A very helpful trick that will keep you feeling cool while walking outside in high temperatures and humidity is to wet a bandana and wear it around your neck. The cool water will make your neck lower in temperature, and your entire body will instantly feel cooler. I’m not really sure of the science behind this technique, but I can tell you from first-hand experience that it works extremely well.
