Preparing for your trip

The best way to avoid infection with many bugs you'll encounter while travelling overseas is to be thoroughly prepared before leaving home.

Some vaccinations need a few weeks to take effect and others require a course of injections. Health wise, it's not just vaccinations that you'll need to consider. Anti-malaria tablets, first-aid kits and travel insurance all take time to sort out.

Ideally, you need about two months' lead-in time before departure.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance isn't the most glamorous part of planning a holiday - but it's essential to arrange insurance before you go. The most important cover is for medical expenses. Suitable insurance for your holiday depends on where you're travelling, the activities you enjoy, and any pre-existing medical conditions.

For more information, see our report on travel insurance.

Case study - dengue fever in Thailand

Consumer writer Hamish Wilson had four days left in Thailand when he came down with what he first thought was the common flu: "But after two days in bed, I was still sweating bucket loads and an intense ache had developed in my legs."

Hamish was taken to the local hospital where he was pleasantly surprised: "The doctor spoke excellent English and had previously studied in the UK. After some blood tests, he confirmed that I had dengue fever."

Dengue fever is spread by mosquitoes that bite mainly during the day. The virus is also called "break bone fever" and Hamish recommends that you avoid it if at all possible: "There's no vaccine for dengue fever, but you can get travel alerts that warn of outbreaks before heading overseas."