We strongly suggest that your purchase travel insurance, to protect your travel investment. Your plan should include coverage for trip cancellation or delay, as well as medical coverage in case you get sick or injured on your trip. (Keep in mind that US health insurance plans rarely cover you outside the US.) Here are few suggestions and possibilities that you can consider for your travel insurance policy:

• World Nomads

• Travel Safe Insurance

• Seven Corners

Update your passport, if needed. Your passport will usually need to be valid for at least six months after your arrival in the country.

You may need to notify your bank and any credit card companies about your travel plans. It’s increasingly common for companies to monitor automatically, so you may not always need to send official travel notifications.

Notify your loved ones about your travel plans and your retreat destination.