Every year, a significant number of UK holidaymakers come home with more than they bargained for. Travellers' diarrhoea alone affects an estimated 20 to 60% of people visiting higher-risk destinations, including popular spots across Southern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.1 Add to that the risks of jet lag, insect-borne illness, motion sickness, and sunburn, and it becomes clear that travel health planning deserves as much attention as booking the hotel.
The good news is that most of these issues are manageable, often with a small kit of well-chosen items ordered before you leave. Here are seven things worth packing in your travel health kit this half-term, whether you are heading to Ibiza or India.
1. Rehydration Sachets
Oral rehydration sachets are one of the most overlooked items in a travel health kit, and one of the most useful. If you develop travellers' diarrhoea, which is caused by bacterial or viral contamination in food and water,1 the immediate priority is replacing lost fluids and electrolytes rather than simply stopping the symptoms. Dehydration is the main clinical risk, particularly in hot climates where fluid loss happens faster.
NHS guidance recommends oral rehydration salts (ORS) as the first-line approach for managing diarrhoea and its associated dehydration, especially for children, older adults, and anyone with a pre-existing health condition.2 Products like Dioralyte dissolve in water and are straightforward to use, though they're not always easy to find in unfamiliar pharmacies abroad, or may come in formulations you don't recognise.
Even without illness, cabin air is extremely dry and heat at your destination compounds the effect. Dehydration alone can make jet lag feel significantly worse. Oral rehydration salts replace the electrolytes lost through sweating and help your body absorb fluid more efficiently than water alone. Pack a few sachets - they're extremely light and take up almost no space.
If your diarrhoea is severe, contains blood, or persists beyond a few days, seek local medical attention.
2. Anti-Malaria Tablets (If Your Destination Requires Them)
If you're travelling to a destination where malaria is present, including much of sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia, and Central and South America, anti-malaria tablets are not optional. Malaria is a serious, sometimes life-threatening infection transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes, and the right treatment depends on your specific destination, the duration of your trip, and your personal health history.3
The commonly prescribed options include atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone), doxycycline, and mefloquine. These work differently and have different dosing schedules, and some need to be started before departure, which is why it's important to sort this well in advance of travel. A consultation with a pharmacist can help identify the most appropriate option for your itinerary.
You can order anti-malaria tablets through Pharmica after completing a short online consultation, with no GP appointment needed. Given that some courses begin one to two weeks before departure, it's worth doing this as soon as your travel is confirmed.
3. Travel Sickness Medication
Motion sickness is more common than many people realise, and it doesn't discriminate by age. It occurs when conflicting signals between the inner ear, eyes, and brain create a mismatch in the body's sense of movement, resulting in nausea, dizziness, and sometimes vomiting that can make long car journeys, ferry crossings, or winding roads and chicanes genuinely unpleasant.4
Over-the-counter antihistamines such as promethazine (Phenergan) or cinnarizine (Stugeron) are commonly used to manage motion sickness. Promethazine is sedating, which can be useful on overnight journeys. Cinnarizine tends to cause less drowsiness and may suit daytime travel better. Both are available without prescription from a UK pharmacy.
If you're travelling with children, check age restrictions carefully before purchasing, as not all travel sickness treatments are suitable for young children. Your pharmacist can advise on the right option for your group before you travel.
4. A Basic Travel First Aid Kit
A well-stocked travel first aid kit doesn't have to be large or expensive. TravelHealthPro recommends all holidaymakers carry basic wound care supplies, pain relief, and any prescription medications they take regularly.5 At a minimum, your kit should include adhesive plasters and dressings, antiseptic wipes, paracetamol or ibuprofen, a digital thermometer, and tweezers (useful for splinters and tick removal).
The practical benefit of carrying your own kit (beyond convenience) is that medications you rely on may not be available under familiar brand names abroad, and the quality of locally purchased medicines can be harder to verify. Bringing what you need from a regulated UK pharmacy means you know exactly what you are taking and at what dose.
Make sure to pack enough of any regular prescription medication to cover your trip in your hand luggage, plus a small extra supply in case of delays or lost luggage. Keep everything in original, labelled packaging to avoid issues at security and customs.
5. Sleep Support for Jet Lag
If you're crossing multiple time zones, jet lag can eat into the first few days of a trip. It occurs because the body's internal clock, governed by light exposure and the hormone melatonin, takes time to adjust to a new time zone, disrupting sleep, concentration, and energy levels.6
Melatonin is a prescription treatment in the UK used to help manage jet lag. It works by supplementing the body's natural melatonin production at the appropriate time for the new time zone, helping to reset the internal clock more quickly. It's generally taken for a short period following travel and is well tolerated in adults.6
Melatonin is available to order through Pharmica following an online consultation. If your trip involves long-haul travel or a particularly demanding itinerary, it's worth arranging rather than after you've already lost two nights' sleep adjusting to the new time zone.
6. Antihistamine Tablets
Antihistamines earn a place in almost every travel health kit. They have three distinct uses that are all relevant on holiday: managing hay fever symptoms (pollen seasons and plant species vary by region, and you may encounter higher levels than at home), relieving the itch and discomfort from insect bites, and providing a sedating option for travel sickness or broken sleep on long-haul flights.7
Non-sedating antihistamines such as cetirizine (Piriteze) or fexofenadine (Telfast) are suitable for daytime use and work well for hay fever and mild allergic reactions. Sedating antihistamines such as chlorphenamine (Piriton) are more useful at night or on long journeys where drowsiness is not a problem.
Keep a small supply of both in your travel health kit. If you have a known severe allergy, speak to your GP before travelling, as you may need to carry an adrenaline auto-injector alongside standard antihistamine tablets.
7. Period Delay Tablets
If your period is due during a holiday, long-haul flight, or a trip involving limited access to facilities, norethisterone is a prescription treatment that can delay menstruation by up to 17 days.9 It works by maintaining elevated progesterone levels in the body, which prevents the womb lining from shedding. It's the only treatment licensed in the UK specifically for this purpose.
Timing is important. Norethisterone needs to be started at least three days before your period is expected, taken as one 5mg tablet three times daily. If you leave it too late, it may not work reliably. Your period should return within two to three days of stopping the course.9 Norethisterone is not a contraceptive, so additional contraception should be used if needed during the course.
It's not suitable for everyone, including those with a history of blood clots, and a brief online consultation is required before it can be prescribed. If you are planning a holiday and want to explore whether period delay is right for you, ordering in advance gives the prescriber time to review your details and ensures the tablets arrive before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I put in a travel health kit?
The essentials for most holidaymakers include oral rehydration sachets, pain relief (paracetamol or ibuprofen), antihistamine tablets, antiseptic wipes and plasters, sunscreen, insect repellent, and a thermometer. If you're travelling to a malaria-risk destination, anti-malaria tablets are essential and should be obtained before departure. Always include enough of any regular prescription medication to cover your trip, plus a small extra supply in case of delays.
Do I need anti-malaria tablets for my holiday?
Whether you need anti-malaria tablets depends on your destination. Malaria is present in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, but not in most of Europe or North America.3 You can check your destination on the Travel Health Pro website or speak to a pharmacist, who can advise on whether antimalarial prophylaxis is recommended and which treatment is most appropriate for your trip.
Is melatonin available without a prescription?
No, melatonin is a prescription-only medicine in the UK. However, you can complete an online consultation through Pharmica to request it without needing a GP appointment. It's used for the short-term management of jet lag in adults and is taken for a short period following travel.6
Can I get travel sickness tablets over the counter?
Yes. Common travel sickness treatments such as cinnarizine (Stugeron) and promethazine (Phenergan) are available without prescription from UK pharmacies. Some treatments may not be suitable for children under a certain age or for people taking particular medications, so it's worth checking with a pharmacist before purchasing.
What medicines can I take on a plane?
You can carry most prescription and over-the-counter medicines in your hand luggage in their original, labelled packaging. Liquid medicines over 100ml require a letter from your prescriber or pharmacist.8 If you take any controlled drugs (such as certain strong painkillers), you may need additional documentation. Check the rules for both the UK and your destination country before you travel.
References
- National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC). Travellers' Diarrhoea. Available at: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/53/travellers-diarrhoea
- NHS. Dehydration. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dehydration/
- NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro. Malaria. Available at: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/52/malaria
- NHS. Motion Sickness. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/motion-sickness/
- NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro. First Aid Kits. Available at: https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/74/first-aid-kits
- NHS. Melatonin. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/
- NHS. Antihistamines. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/antihistamines/
- UK Civil Aviation Authority. Travelling with Medicines. Available at: https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/before-you-fly/medicines/
- NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service. Choosing a Medicine to Delay Periods. Available at: https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/choosing-a-medicine-to-delay-periods/
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medication and speak to a healthcare professional if you have specific concerns.