Before you travel

Check travel vaccine recommendations and health advice for your destination in our Country Information pages.

Make an appointment with your GP, practice nurse, a travel clinic or a pharmacy offering travel services to see if you need malaria prevention tablets and to check you are in-date for all recommended travel and routine UK vaccines, including (MMR) and polio, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines.

If you have any long-standing medical conditions, you should also carefully discuss your travel plans with your doctor. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, see our advice about Zika virus disease and other infections such as Oropouche virus disease. Check the risks at your planned destination and get advice from your midwife or other health professional before you travel.

Even if time is short, last-minute advice is still helpful – some vaccines and malaria tablets can be given just before travel.

If you take any regular medicines, especially prescription drugs, make sure you are prepared for travelling with medicines as you may need to contact the authorities of your destination country before you go.

See Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) foreign travel advice for information on safety and security at your destination.

Remember to get foreign travel insurance – check your policy covers all your travel plans, all medical conditions and any medicines.

While you are away

Reduce your risk of injury and illness by:

avoiding insect and tick bites
following good food, water hygiene advice
taking sensible personal safety precautions around water and when driving, using public transport or taxis
using appropriate sun protection
Carry a simple first aid kit and make sure you know the location of the nearest hospital or clinic.

If you develop a fever, have bloody diarrhoea or any other worrying symptoms abroad, get urgent medical help locally. Remember to contact your insurance company when you get a chance and keep any receipts.

Always be aware of your surroundings and take care of your personal safety, especially in crowds. If you’re travelling in a group, make sure you keep in touch with each other and think about using a group chat and sharing your live location so no-one gets left behind on a night out.

Be mindful if you enjoy drinking alcohol, as the quality of drinks may be poorer than at home. Be aware of the risk of methanol poisoning and local herbal brews overseas. Don’t keep your drink unattended, as this will reduce the risk of your drink being spiked (i.e. adding alcohol or drugs to a drink without you knowing).

Practising safer sex is just as important as applying insect repellent or sunscreen on holiday. Carry condoms and use them consistently and correctly with all new or casual partners.

When you return

If malaria tablets were recommended for your trip, remember to complete the full course when you get home.

If you develop symptoms like a fever, a flu like illness and severe headache, get urgent medical help. This is especially important if you visited countries with a malaria risk. Remember to tell your doctor/health professional that you have been abroad, including details of all the countries you visited. If you visited a malaria risk area, you need an urgent assessment to exclude malaria which includes a same-day result malaria blood test.

If you had unprotected sex abroad or think you might have an STI, even if you don’t have any symptoms, go to a free, confidential sexual health clinic for advice.