By Abi, Student Brand Ambassador

---

When travelling to the tourist hotspots along the Eastern coast of Spain, here are some quick checklists and tips to follow to make sure you stay safe and have fun on your trip! Whilst most of the travel advice can be considered for all trips, particularly in Europe, it is important to check and follow area-specific rules and regulations. More information about Spain/Benidorm can be found here. 

---

General Quick Checklist: 

• Valid Passport
• Travel Insurance
• GHIC Card
• Copies of all important documents e.g., boarding passes & insurance docs
• Signed up to Travel Alerts from the FCDO

Passports

Since leaving the EU there have been some changes to the rules meaning you must have 10 years from the issue date on your passport. The expiry date (10 years on from the issue date) must be valid for a minimum of three months from the start date of your holiday. Therefore, if you still have a red passport like me, make sure the expiry date matches this, so you don’t run into any trouble at the airport. This applies to all areas in the Schengen area. 

If you’ve been travelling a lot in Europe within the Schengen zone, it is also important to check that you have not overstayed the 90-day limit within 180 days without a visa. These 90 days do not have to be consecutive, and the rule is based on a 180-day rolling period. 

Travel insurance

At most stages of booking a holiday, airlines and hotels will encourage you to book on to travel insurance for your holiday. Whilst this can be super helpful in reminding you to make sure you add it on, I sometimes assume that I can get a cheaper deal elsewhere so choose not to add it on at this stage. This is not always the case and sometimes it can leave you rushing to find travel insurance at last minute, typically at a higher price than if it was sorted earlier on. No matter how you want to buy your travel insurance, separately or as an add-on, it is one of the most important parts at the holiday booking stage and despite the majority of my experiences being positive and not having to claim from it, there have been enough incidents to remind me how important it is. 

When purchasing travel insurance, make sure that it covers not only the entire duration of your trip but that it also covers all of the activities you plan on doing. If when in Spain you fancied renting some water sports equipment or perhaps a parasailing experience, make sure that your insurance covers this, otherwise you might be invalidating your cover. 

GHIC card

Another change since leaving the EU is the switch from EHIC cards to GHIC cards. If your EHIC card is still in date you can use it until the expiry however after this date you will need to make sure that you have the GHIC card to replace it. 

More information on how to apply for a GHIC and what they cover can be found on the NHS website (this can be done up to 9 months before your current card expires).

£97 a day rule

Please note that more information can be found online about this here, but it is not a requirement to spend that much a day, just an ability to demonstrate you have the capacity to do so.

Benidorm general safety

Just because you might be surrounded by other British tourists, you need to remember that there are certain rules and regulations to consider when engaging in some activities particularly within the nightclub and partying scene. 

Benidorm nightlife

It can be very easy to get swept up in the Benidorm nightlife which seems recognisable and familiar from the amount of UK tourists but when combined with the knowledge that you are abroad on holiday can create a messy mix. Remember wherever you are that your normal drinking tolerance applies and especially after long days in the sun, staying hydrated throughout the night with water will only help you throughout the night and the next day too. 

Several places along the strip will either have entry fees or requirements to buy a drink on entry. It is important to not try and avoid paying this or escaping the drink cover as consequences can include getting kicked out, being reported and banned across the strip for the night, and encounters with security or local police. 

If you are in a group make sure to share each other’s locations as the bars and clubs that expand on to the street tend to merge together and can be hard to differentiate with the crowds of people around them. 

Unfortunately, it is also likely you will see a few physical fights in the streets typically between drunk individuals. Most of the time the nearby bouncers and patrolling police are quick to react but stay safe and try to distance yourself from the scene. 

Getting home safe is also really important so make sure to have your hotel location saved ready to share with the taxi driver or plug into maps if you’re around the corner. It is not advised to get on any form of transport like electric scooters or bikes after consuming alcohol for safety of yourself and others not to mention if caught can also result in fines.

Late night swimming

Even if it might be exciting and enticing to end the night with a late-night dip, regardless of what you’ve been doing before, Benidorm has specific rules on the times you can swim in the sea. Currently the fine for swimming in the sea between 12am-7am can be between €750 and €1,200. Furthermore, due to the popularity of the area with tourists, it is not safe or advised to leave valuables on the beach unattended. 

Even without the fines, staying safe in the sea should always be a priority and with the lack of visibility, even confident swimmers could be in danger. 

FCDO support and guidance

For the time leading up to your holiday, during and after, the FCDO has resources to ensure you have a safe trip. For Spain specific travel advice, the following page has information to help British nationals make informed decisions: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain 

If you find yourself in an urgent or emergency situation in Benidorm, the European Emergency number 112 is available to ring. Your travel insurer should also be a point of contact if you find yourself in an emergency or serious incident. 

The closest British embassy location is in Alicante, around 23 miles away from Benidorm. 

Have fun and stay safe

Despite covering quite a few serious issues and concerns to consider, make the most of your holiday with the reassurance that you won’t be having any unexpected hiccups and in the event they come about that you have the insurance and cover to support you. 

For more information visit the Gov.uk travel advice page for your destination. 

---

 Are you Travel Aware?

The Travel Aware campaign is run in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to make people aware of information that might prove useful whilst travelling abroad.

Learn more