Honeymoon Travellers

Honeymoon Travellers

There is a lot to do before a wedding. Getting the wedding arrangements in place, confirming the table plan and generally organising everyone else. Then there’s organising your honeymoon.

With all the excitement and work leading up to the wedding, preparations for a honeymoon can be overlooked. This should be the best holiday of your life, relaxing, exciting, romantic and luxurious. It’s no time to be running to the loo every ten minutes or, worse, spending a night in a hospital. With your flights booked and bags packed, it’s also important to consider your travel health requirements.

1. Get organised

The earlier you get the travel health side of things organised, the better. You might need to have vaccinations that require several visits over 3 – 4 weeks, something you can’t leave to the last minute. You also don’t want to be experiencing side effects as your wedding day approaches. Sticking plasters are not a good look with a wedding dress!

2. Book an appointment

Book an appointment with our travel health nurse a few months before you’re due to leave. We can help you choose your destination based on the travel health risks by country, as well as advise you about the Travel Vaccinations you need for a destination you’ve already chosen.

3. Travel vaccinations

Get your Travel Vaccinations. What you will need varies from country to country, and also depends your state of health and medical history.

4. Visas and certificates

Ensure you have the correct Visas and certification for entry. Some countries demand a yellow fever vaccination certificate or they won’t let you in. You’ll be on the next flight back home.

5. Malaria risk

Does your honeymoon destination have a Malaria Risk? If so, you will need to get expert advice on the type of malaria medication you need. You’ll also need to take mosquito repellent and a mosquito net.

6. Conception and malaria tablets

Consider if you are hoping to conceive on the honeymoon. We don’t recommend you take malaria tablets if you are trying for a baby. If you are going to a high risk area it’s much better to wait a few weeks after finishing the course of tablets before trying to get pregnant, and the timescale depends on which tablets you take:

  • Atovaquone and Proguanil (Malarone). Wait two weeks after finishing the course
  • Doxycycline – wait one week after finishing the course
  • Mefloquine (Larium). Wait three months after finishing the course

7. Safe water and hygiene

Traveller’s Diarrhoea is one of the most common complaints. Take a ‘tummy kit’ if you’re concerned: oral rehydration salts, immodium and an antibiotic. And talk through safe eating and drinking practices with your travel nurse.

8. Avoid mosquitos

Avoid Insects and Bugs and other creepy crawlies. For mosquito bite prevention, we recommend you take DEET 50% repellent to tropical areas and sleep under a mosquito net. Remember that mosquitoes bite both day and night.

9. Be sun smart

Protect your skin whilst on honeymoon, and take high factor sunscreen if you’re going somewhere particularly hot. But bear in mind the latest scientific research into exposure to the sun’s rays, which reveals it’s actually better for your health and wellbeing to get some sun that to stay out of it altogether. The trick is not to burn.