While summer is clearly gone, the holiday travel season is approaching rapidly. With family Christmas vacations, New Year’s trips abroad, or a simple holiday getaway to enjoy your time off, there’s a way to globetrot but stay healthy too. If you’ve started a new diet, maintained a good exercise regimen, wanted a beautiful tan while protecting your skin, or needed medical assistance in a foreign place, follow these tips to plan ahead for your fun and healthful vacation.

Indulge but eat right. Of course, vacations are meant to be blissful, but there’s no need to throw your healthy diet completely to the wind just because you’re close to a beach. Explore your eating options locally through asking hotel staff or locals for restaurants that accommodate your dietary needs. Be upfront about what you want to spend on a meal, that way you don’t get ripped off in the process and can get the best bang for your budget.

Relax but stay fit. Certainly, vacations are vacations for a reason, and not meant to induce stress or force you to participate in unpleasant activities. But you will regret spending a week without giving your body a few workouts, as readjusting to your workout schedule upon return will just be that much harder. If you are vacationing somewhere by the ocean, bring your running shoes and jog the coastline. You’ll get to enjoy the view and give your body a decent cardio workout. Or if you want something more traditional, book a hotel that has a gym, so you can hit the treadmill and lift some weights during your visit. There’s also the pool as an option for swimming laps or even yoga classes depending on your location. Vacation isn’t an excuse to slack off from being fit completely. Just make your workouts fun!

Soak in the sun but protect your skin. Who doesn’t love a good tan? There’s nothing like coming back from vacation with sun kissed skin as a memory of your holiday. While I’m all for lying in the sun, it’s important to throw some sunscreen on to protect your skin cells. Yes, even people of color need sunscreen, despite the fact that we don’t typically burn. While our melanin is a natural shield from the power of the sun, it’s not invincible. Throw a little sunscreen on before you take that beach nap. Better to be safe now than battling skin cancer in the future.

Know your medical options abroad. In case you need to make an emergency medical visit or perhaps just need to speak to a doctor, the U.S. Embassy website has a list of approved medical professionals that primarily speak English. Just choose your location, click on emergency services, and you’ll see a list of options for various circumstances. Also, if you are deathly ill, the embassy can also facilitate your flight back to the States for proper medical care if necessary. Use them as a resource, along with hotel staff that also have been trained to provide solutions for medical crises.

Are you a seasoned traveler? Any holiday travel plans? What health tips would you recommend for staying healthy? Share your thoughts!