What to pack for The Algarve in October

UV index of 5.5 burns skin even on cooler days.

Glare off the coast makes midday driving difficult without them.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Rural terrain and small towns mean clinics are far away.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Daylight lasts only 11 hours, so charging happens at night.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Seventy percent humidity and 20 km/h wind pull sweat away from skin.

Water temperature stays warm enough in October for swimming.

For temples, mosques, and churches that check at the door.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel requires documents that pickpockets target.

Rural areas have few addresses, so lost bags stay lost.

Tight bathroom space in rural guesthouses makes compressed clothes essential.

Seven rain days in October means wet pockets.

Seventy percent humidity makes clothes damp for days.

Coastal wind noise follows you everywhere on this peninsula.

Highs reach 75°F most days, so legs stay uncovered.

Eleven hours of daylight means extended sun exposure daily.

Tap water is safe, but hands touch everything at markets.

One outlet per room charges everything if cables are short.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Border crossings demand the original document in your hands.

Luggage passes through international airports on this route.

Bathroom space is tight in rural guesthouses.

Bus rides to small towns run through the night.