6 Things To Keep In Mind While Visiting Canada If You Want To Avoid Pitfalls

There are a few common mistakes that most travelers make while visiting Canada. So here is a list of things you should educate yourself about before travelling to Canada if you don’t want pitfalls to ruin your vacation.

1. Carry the right ID when crossing borders from the U.S

The border guards in Canada take their job very seriously. If you want to travel across the border from America, don’t assume that you’ll only need a driver’s license. You’ll need to show your passport at the border crossing and this is a necessary document required for everyone. Just in case you don’t have your passport with you, a travel visa, custody document or a note of permission will do.

2. Always remember to return an apology

One of the most common phrases you’ll hear in Canada is ‘I’m sorry.’ Canadians tend to use this phrase often in place of ‘excuse me’ or ‘pardon me.’ Don’t make the mistake of not replying to this phrase because this expression goes beyond basic apology. When ‘I’m sorry’ comes your way, just remember to respond and be polite about it if you don’t want to come across as arrogant, okay? Even if someone accidentally bumps into you, respond to the apology.

3. You may incur extra charges while using debit/credit card

You can definitely use your credit/debit card in Canada but you may incur additional charges for using it in a foreign land. Let me give you an example to make things simpler. If you withdraw money using your debit card, you may have to pay an exchange rate fee in addition to the transaction fee.

4. Use up the Canadian coins

Did you know that Canadians refer to two dollar coins and one dollar coins as Toonies and Loonies respectively? Well, now that you know it, you should use up all the coins while you are in Canada because these coins are worthless once you are out of the country. You won’t be allowed to exchange them in the banks as they only exchange bills. Remember to get rid of all the coins before you leave Canada or they’ll end up becoming souvenirs if you hang on to them.

5. Remember, Canada and the U.S are two separate countries

Yes, the overall impression is that Canada is similar to the U.S but don’t assume that both these countries are essentially the same. The U.S and Canada are two separate countries that have their own laws, own currency, languages, customs and food.

6. You may incur extra charges while using your cellphone

Don’t worry, your phone will work just fine in Canada but if you don’t have a Canadian or international plan you could end up paying hundreds of dollars due to the roaming charges. Before arriving in Canada, you should contact your local cellphone carrier to get information on international plans and data plans to be on the safer side.