My answer is:

You should be physically active, but exercising is not absolutely necessary.

I’m big on lifestyle implementation of things that are both practical and realistic. To me, exercising while on vacation, or travelling, is not practical or realistic; keep in mind my earlier definition of exercise. Taking a break from the gym is healthy and you should do it regularly. This helps stave off boredom and monotony, and gives you a complete mental and physical break. You’ll find that when you get back you feel completely refreshed and are excited to get back in the gym.

Instead of working out in a gym do things that are active that you enjoy, and aim to do at least 1 hour of that each day. This could be going for a long walk, a hike, swimming, playing beach volleyball, golfing, etc. This is a much more practical approach.

Some other important things to consider:

• Moderation is key. This is more related to food and drink consumption. Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you should let the flood gates open.  Have a few slices of pizza, not the whole pizza. Have some cake, not the whole cake. This is hard for many when it comes to alcohol, myself included. Do what you can and aim to be conscious of what food and drink choices you’re making.
• Don’t beat yourself up. Eating and drinking within moderation, especially while on vacation, is a skill that you’ll always need to work on. There won’t be a singular moment where all of a sudden you are able to eat food in smaller or moderate portions, that’s not the way your brain is hardwired. So, when you overeat don’t beat yourself up. Eating in moderation is a skill that you will need to continually work on, and doing so will benefit you both while on vacation and at home.

The ability to eat mindfully and with moderation is a skill that you will always have to work at.

• Groceries. Buy healthy meal and snack options. For most this means breakfast and healthy snack options. For those who enjoy cooking, like myself, get groceries to make some healthy meals – provided you have access to a kitchen. This will save you time, money, and help your waistline. I say time because if you’re travelling with multiple people you’ll save time getting everyone organized to go for breakfast (woken up, showered, etc.) and then deciding on where to go; for those of you that have travelled with large groups before, you know what I mean #TheTravelStruggle.
• Share your food. This applies to when dining out at restaurants, and whether you’re on vacation/travelling or not: get multiple dishes and share them. Doing so will slow down the eating process and you’re more likely to feel fuller faster which will result in you eating less. This approach to eating out can also make the process more social and enjoyable. I like doing this while travelling so that I  can try many different local dishes, while also making the experience more social and interactive.