Nobody books a holiday expecting to spend it in a hotel room, searching for a doctor in another language, or still feeling unwell weeks after getting home.
Different destinations carry different health risks. A short travel consultation before you leave can help you prepare for the places you’re visiting, and avoid illnesses that can quickly interrupt a great trip.
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One destination, Completely Different Advice
Two people can travel to Bali on the same flight and need completely different travel advice.
Someone staying at a beach resort has different health risks from someone trekking through rural villages, diving every day, volunteering with animals, or travelling through several countries in one trip.
Even the time of year can influence the advice you receive, with some diseases becoming more common during wet seasons or local outbreaks.
That’s why travel consultations are tailored to your destination, itinerary, and medical history, rather than the country alone.
Six Illnesses That Commonly Affect Australian Travellers
Traveller’s Diarrhoea
Common hotspots: Bali, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and many developing regions. Poor food hygiene, untreated water, busy street food markets, or buffet-style dining increase the risk of contamination.
What it feels like: Stomach cramps, frequent diarrhoea, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Symptoms often appear within a day or two of eating contaminated food or drinking unsafe water.
Treatment: Rest, plenty of fluids, and oral rehydration. Some cases require antibiotics or hospital treatment for dehydration.
If ignored: Severe dehydration can develop surprisingly quickly, particularly in young children and older travellers.
Lower your risk: Drink sealed bottled water where recommended, avoid food that has been sitting out for long periods, and wash or sanitise your hands before eating.
Dengue Fever
Common hotspots: Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and parts of South America and the Pacific. It’s more likely to occur during the wet season and in areas with large mosquito populations.
What it feels like: A sudden high fever, severe headaches, muscle and joint pain, and extreme tiredness.
Treatment: There is no specific antiviral treatment. Recovery focuses on fluids, rest, and medical monitoring.
If ignored: Severe Dengue Fever can lead to bleeding complications and hospitalisation.
Lower your risk: Use insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin, wear light long sleeves when practical, and stay somewhere with screened rooms or air conditioning.
Hepatitis A
Common hotspots: Parts of Asia, Africa, Central and South America; particularly where food and water sanitation standards differ from Australia.
What it feels like: Fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, dark urine, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. Symptoms often don’t appear until several weeks after exposure, sometimes after you’ve returned home.
Treatment: Most people recover with rest and supportive care while the liver heals.
If ignored: Recovery can take months, and liver inflammation can become severe in some people.
Lower your risk: Consider vaccination before you travel, and be cautious with untreated water, ice and uncooked foods where hygiene standards are uncertain.
Rabies
Common hotspots: Asia, Africa, and parts of Central and South America; particularly where stray dogs, monkeys and other mammals are common around tourist attractions and rural areas.
How it happens: Usually through bites or scratches from dogs, monkeys, and other mammals.
Treatment: Immediate medical treatment after exposure is critical.
If ignored: Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal.
Lower your risk: Consider rabies vaccinations. Never feed or approach unfamiliar animals, even if they appear friendly. Seek medical attention immediately after any bite or scratch.
Did you know? Rabies is almost unheard of here in Australia, but it’s not the case 7 hours north. Watch the report by 7News which looks into cases in Bali:
Watch the report by 7News:
Influenza
Common hotspots: Worldwide, particularly during local flu seasons, on cruises, in busy airports, and on group tours where large numbers of people are in close contact.
What it feels like: Fever, muscle aches, cough, and exhaustion.
Treatment: Rest, fluids and, in some cases, antiviral medication.
If ignored: Complications such as pneumonia are more likely in older travellers, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical conditions.
Lower your risk: Make sure your flu vaccination is up to date before travelling during influenza season, and wash or sanitise your hands regularly.
Typhoid
Common hotspots: South Asia, parts of South East Asia, Africa and South America; particularly where access to safe drinking water and sanitation is limited.
What it feels like: Persistent fever, weakness, stomach pain, and headaches that gradually worsen over several days.
Treatment: Antibiotics are usually required.
If ignored: Typhoid can become life-threatening and may require hospital treatment.
Lower your risk: Discuss vaccination before travelling to higher-risk regions, and take extra care with drinking water and food hygiene.
For destination-specific vaccination recommendations and disease updates, the Australian Government provides detailed travel health advice.
Getting Medical Care Overseas Isn’t Always Straightforward
Healthcare systems vary enormously between countries.
In some destinations, private hospitals require payment before treatment begins. Outside major cities, English-speaking doctors may be difficult to find, and medications can have unfamiliar names or availability.
If you become seriously unwell, arranging transport, insurance approvals, and ongoing care can quickly become far more stressful than most travellers expect.
SmartTraveller recommends checking local health risks before departure and confirming that your travel insurance covers overseas medical treatment.
A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way
A travel consultation isn’t just about vaccinations.
It can include destination-specific vaccine recommendations, advice about food and water risks, medications that may be useful during your trip, and practical guidance based on your itinerary.
Compared with the time and money invested in an overseas holiday, a short appointment before you leave is a simple way to reduce avoidable health risks.
If you’re travelling overseas from Melbourne, Yarra Medical’s Travel Clinic provides personalised travel advice, vaccinations, and destination-specific recommendations to help you travel with greater confidence.
