Health & wellness
Tap water abroad — when to drink it
Tap water safety is country and sometimes city specific — check official health guidance for your destination rather than assumptions from neighboring countries. When unsure, bottled sealed water for drinking and brushing teeth is the safe default; ice and washed salad carry the same water risk. Boiling works; alcohol and coffee do not magically sterilize contaminated water.
Not for: Medical advice for immunocompromised travelers — ask a clinician.
Last updated 2026-08-05
How to decide
- Read CDC or government travel health pages for the country.
- Ask hotel staff — “do locals drink the tap?” — not “is it fine for tourists?” alone.
- If you had stomach issues from water, switch to bottled for remainder of trip.
Hidden water
Ice, fresh juice with water dilution, and salad washed in tap water are common causes of mild illness when the tap itself is debated online. Street food cooked hot is often safer than raw washed produce when water quality is uncertain.
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Travel vaccinations overview
Some destinations recommend or require proof of certain vaccinations — yellow fever at specific borders is the classic example. Requirements depend on your itinerary, length of stay, and health history. Use official travel health portals and book a travel clinic appointment weeks before departure; this page does not tell you which shots to get.
Traveling with prescription medications
Fly with prescription medications in original labelled containers in carry-on, bring a clinician letter for controlled or injectable drugs, and check your destination's import rules on official government sites — some countries restrict quantities or specific ingredients. This page is planning guidance only; dosing and whether you can travel are questions for your clinician.
High altitude travel — what to know
Above roughly 2,500 meters (8,000 feet), some travelers get headaches, nausea, and fatigue from lower oxygen — acclimatization means ascending gradually and sleeping lower when possible. Do not rush from sea level to high passes in one day if you can avoid it; hydrate, limit alcohol first 48 hours, and descend if symptoms worsen rather than push to a viewpoint.
Jet lag — what actually helps
Jet lag eases when you shift toward local time quickly: get daylight in the morning at destination, avoid long naps that become second bedtimes, hydrate on the flight, and go to bed at local night even if tired. Eastward travel (losing hours) is usually harder than westward — build an extra recovery day into the itinerary after long hauls.
Mosquitoes and bugs while traveling
In mosquito-heavy regions, use EPA-registered repellent on exposed skin, sleep under nets or in screened rooms, and cover ankles at dusk. Some destinations carry vector-borne illness risks — read official travel health pages for your nationality and discuss prevention with a travel clinic if recommended. This article covers general annoyance reduction, not prescription prophylaxis.
Motion sickness while traveling
Motion sickness on winding roads, small planes, and choppy ferries is common and miserable — sit where movement is smallest (front of bus, wing over the plane, deck mid-ship), face forward, and fix on the horizon. Over-the-counter options exist but interact with other medications; ask a pharmacist or clinician before travel if symptoms are severe.
Apply this on your trip
Planning guidance only — not legal, medical, or booking advice. Verify entry rules, insurance terms, and prices on official or partner sites before you travel.