I'm a female, can I come?

By all means! Although the vast majority of our groups are made up of men, we don't discriminate between genders. Just make sure you're prepared for a fun-loving bunch of gay guys as trip mates.

Will my cellphone work on the trip?

If you really need to use your cell phone, you may be in luck. If your phone is "unlocked" and has an external SIM card then you can usually just buy a local SIM card to swap with yours. This is a simple and cheap solution, but you'll be operating with a local phone number. Some cell phones do work in the countries we operate in without the SIM card switch, but roaming charges could be very costly. Check with your wireless provider for detailed roaming info.

What kind of a travel experience can I expect?

The philosophy of living care-free and easy-going has been the backbone of our organization from the beginning. We concentrate on creating epic travel experiences by spending an endless amount of time researching and travelling throughout all of our destinations. We seek out the best spots that we feel the average traveler would not find on their own. We're not your typical "tour" company... Detours and Epic Travel is an organization made up of travelers, travelers who love to travel! We are not people in suits running a business in search of wealth, we're all constantly travelling because it's our passion and hey, we're good at it!! Our trips have their own unique style to them, we don't show up to a destination and hand out a regimented itinerary...instead we get to know our groups and plan accordingly to what each group's interests are! Because after all who are we to make you do something you don't want to while on vacation! We know from experience which activities, day trips, sports, and cultural sights etc etc etc are the best and we offer our advice and we let you plan your own itinerary at each destination with your leaders. By consulting with your leaders once you arrive, you can make your journey as busy as you desire... from all day every day activities or maybe you're there just to lounge on the beach and catch a tan with minimal activities planned. We understand every type of traveler and we feel that having a pre-planned day to day itinerary set in place before even meeting our travelers would be ridiculous! It's your trip... and we're there with you to create the best experience possible!

I may come on my own, will that present any problems?

It is pretty typical for us to have about 50% or more of the group being single travelers, and then most of the other people come with 1 or 2 other friends or a partner. Everyone who is coming on a trip is excited, so it's only a matter of time before the group has all become one big group of friends. From past experience, the people who were concerned about this were pleasantly surprised how quickly and easily they made friends with the other group members. We think that coming on your own can be an ideal way to do these trips because you have the benefits of having many friends to hang out with, but you are never really obligated to one person in particular.

Can anyone be a trip leader?

You might think that showing a bunch of guys around a beautiful, tropical country might be your dream job but not everyone will fit the requirements of being a great Detours trip leader. Each leader has to go through a rigorous training session for months before actually getting the role and title of 'trip leader'. These training sessions involve numerous experiments on the quality of sand, weather & temperature in different areas around the globe to make certain our trip members receive the most sunshine, soft sand, and adventure for their hard earned dollar..... food & beverage testing to ensure maximum deliciousness and hours of pillow punching at numerous bungalows/huts to guarantee ultimate comfort. As well, they are often forced to pack their bags, gather people up, get them on a boat, bus, train or plane (whether the people want to leave or not) to the next epic destination while ensuring everyone has all their belongings, travel friends and a smile on their face. It is a tough job and only a select few people will make the cut but if you are interested...let us know and we'll keep our eye out for you during your trip! We're proud of our team of leaders in the sense that we are all travelers who have extensive travel experience and we love having the opportunity to share our travel knowledge with our group members!

What if I live in some other wonderful place besides North America?

No problem! We've had travelers join us from South Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland and everywhere in between! If you'd like assistance with airfare just contact us and we'll quote a trip price for you from your home and can even assist in arranging all of your international flights and airport transfers if you'd like.

I want to join your Thailand trip but I have an allergy to peanuts…can I still come?

A lot of the food in Asia is cooked with peanuts but you shouldn't be too worried about it. If you take the appropriate precautions, you will be fine.

In the past we've had many other travelers in the same circumstance. What we've recommended they do is:

1) Bring an epi-pen and carry it with you at all times. You can also store it at each bungalow we stay in the restaurant's fridge. Your group leader will be able to help you out with this at each destination.

2) Make sure you are informing other people in the group that you have an allergy and where to find your medication. This way, if anything were to happen...they would know what to do. The most important person to communicate this with is the group leader. Regardless of whether or not your leader speaks the native language they will always be able to direct you to someone who can help you get the allergy written out and translated to avoid any potential problems!

3) Speak to your trip leader once you arrive in Bangkok. They will be able to have a card printed out in the Thai language, you can then carry this card with you at all time and present it to your server at each restaurant. They will then make sure that peanuts do not come into contact with any of your food. Also, please make use of your leader as many of our leaders have been trained in the Thai language and can help you translate your allergy.

Be sure to let us know about any health problems when you sign up so that we can properly take care of you and ensure you have an accident free adventure!

If for some unforeseen medical, family or personal reason I cannot go, what is the cancellation policy?

If you purchase flight cancellation insurance for your plane ticket (which we highly recommend) and you need to cancel for any type of medical or family emergency, the full cost of the flight may be reimbursed to you.

The other portion of your payments which go towards our costs of preparing the trips, advertising, etc….are partially refundable depending at what point you cancel your trip. The $200 deposit is non-refundable but each subsequent payment is 50% refundable until the next payment is due – at which point they become non-refundable. At 60 days prior to trip departure the entire trip becomes 25% refundable.

I am really interested in culture and history that is completely different from our own and I would like to visit as many temples and cultural sites as I can. Are there any of these kinds of things to do?

One of the most important aspects of travelling is immersing yourself into a new culture and consequently, learning from it! We encourage everyone who travels with us to join us in taking in the culture whether it is by exploring ancient temples, testing local cuisine, learning local language, helping out the community, or learning about each destination's history etc. With the help of our awesome leaders and our local contacts, the opportunity to experience a lot of culture and history is continuously offered. It's up to you and how much you'd like to learn and be involved and no matter what type of traveler you are, there will never be a lack of interesting culture and history surrounding you!

How often will we be expected to get up early? And how long does it usually take to get accustomed to the time change?

DO NOT worry about this at all. We are not your typical regimented travel company, so the idea of the trip is to be living carefree, and easy-going, so we definitely plan as few early mornings as possible. We believe your wakeup should be to the sounds of crashing waves and local animals, not a screeching alarm clock. There may be a couple of early mornings on days that we have to travel, but it is certainly not the norm. Also, we would expect that after a day or two that you are accustomed to the time change on our trips. For many people, it takes hardly any time to switch over because as soon as you arrive, you are too excited to be tired.

I hear the water is not safe to drink…should I bring my own from home?

Absolutely not, that's heavy!! Although it is not recommended you drink the water out of the tap in some of our destinations you will be able to purchase bottled water everywhere we go. So no need to pack a suitcase with a full supply of bottled water for your trip!

Do I need to get some shots done before I leave?

You may need to get some additional boosters or shots before traveling to our destinations but this information can change often. Our best advice is to check with local health clinics or your family doctor so please contact a professional and let them know which region of the world you are travelling to and they will ensure you are prepared for your trip with us! More info about this is in your Preparations Guidebook which you'll receive after registration.

What type of currency is primarily used there and what is the recommend form (credit card, travellers cheque, cash) that is most accepted and most secure?

There are banking machines all over Costa Rica, Thailand and Greece, which will dispense to you the local currency and your leaders will be sure to direct you to them! In all our destinations you will be using the local currency. You will need to have a debit card that has the "Plus" or "Cirrus" logo on the back of the card. We suggest having at least one debit card and one credit card. We also suggest signing up for Online Banking if you have not already. This is a great way to transfer funds and juggle your money accordingly to ensure you always have enough cash for food, activities, and good times! Traveler's cheques have become a thing of the past just like the mullet and we do not suggest bringing travelers cheques along with you (mullets are ok). Your leaders are knowledgeable travelers who can help you sort out any issues with your bank.

Generally, how large are the groups?

Group sizes generally range from (including trip leaders) 8-12 people. This gives everyone plenty of opportunity to meet other guys on the trip and have a good number of BFF's by the end of it. Every trip is different and regardless of the size of the group, you're assured an awesome adventure. Our minimum group size is 4 and our maximum is 15 with one trip leader and 20 with two trip leaders.

Do I need a passport?

Everyone who travels with us will need a passport. Wait times vary for passport approval so if you haven't got a passport then it is best to begin working on obtaining yours shortly after making your initial trip deposit. This is the most important document you need to enable you to travel, so we suggest ensuring you have one and that it has at least 6 months validity left on it from the date of your departure.

Do I need a travel visa?

For our North American travelers you will not need a Visa for any of our destinations as long as you are not extending your Detours trip. If you do intend to extend you trip past the group dates, you should apply for a Visitors Visa from the appropriate Consolate before your trip.

Do I need travel insurance?

Everyone traveling on a Detours trip absolutely needs some sort of medical travel insurance. It can be arranged through Detours or in some cases you will be covered through a credit card, work or school. Whatever the case is, you will need to provide proof that you have medical coverage before you are allowed to join your trip.

What is the age of the majority of travelers in my group?

Our unstructured style of trip seems to appeal to travelers from all ages! We find that the majority of our travelers are in their 30's and 40's but travelers outside of this are warmly welcomed. No matter what the difference in age is everyone joining us will have lots of things in common and be looking forward to having the most amazing experience of their life! Keep in mind that all of our trips require a moderate level physical ability for certain activities, hiking, or just carrying your bag onto boats/busses/etc. If you're concerned about the level of physical activity required on a specific trip please contact us to chat about it.

Who will be leading my tour?

Each group will have knowledgeable and outgoing Detours group leader responsible for showing you the best experiences our destinations have to offer. These leaders are usually different from trip to trip as our team is continually changing and getting stronger. For Example: If your friend did a trip with Justin, he may be busy saving puppies and testing sand somewhere else on the globe so don't expect to have the same leaders as your friends did! All of our leaders have spent loads of time in the destinations that they lead trips in and will have answers to most of your questions. As well, they are there to provide you with knowledge regarding the culture and language of the country and what there is to do and see in each of your trip destinations. The leaders will also help plan group activities depending on what the group wants to do. Whether it's scuba diving, rock climbing, ziplining, etc etc etc..... your leaders have been trained by Deoturs as well as through their own travel experiences to direct you and ensure you make the best choices to maximize awesomeness on your trip! Your leaders are also there to deal with any issue that may arise whether it's that the cooler is out of cold beer, you need some assistance stringing a hammock, or you maybe ate the wrong food and are not feeling so hot and need some advice. All our leaders are experienced in the way of Detours... you can feel confident that they are going to be an essential part of your trip and experience!