Essential Health and Safety Tips for Your Travels with Eden Earth

At Eden Earth, our commitment to our customers extends far beyond the purchase. We prioritize your safety and well-being throughout every stage of your journey, including your travels after leaving our site (with or without having made a purchase). That's why we've curated these essential health and safety tips to help you navigate your adventures with confidence and peace of mind. From staying hydrated to protecting against sun exposure and practicing safe food consumption, these tips are designed to empower you to make informed decisions and safeguard your health while exploring the world. At Eden Earth, your health and safety is our priority, and we're here to support you every step of your unforgettable journeys.

The best trips are the ones you come home from happy and healthy. These are the lessons we’ve picked up on the road, from street markets in Southeast Asia to the reefs of the Indian Ocean.

Research Your Destination Before You Go
Look up health risks, required vaccinations and current travel advisories well before departure, because some vaccines need weeks to take effect. Your doctor or a travel clinic is the best starting point, and the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages are a reliable check for any country.

Take Out Travel Insurance
Buy it before you leave, and read what it actually covers. Look for medical treatment, emergency evacuation and any activities you plan to do, such as diving, trekking or scooter riding. It’s the one item on this list you hope never to use and will never regret having.

Pack a Compact First Aid Kit
Bring bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, antihistamines and anything you take regularly. Keep prescription medication in its original packaging, carry it in your hand luggage, and bring enough for the whole trip plus a few spare days.

Stay Well Hydrated
Drink more water than you think you need, especially in hot climates or at altitude. Carry a refillable bottle, and where the tap water isn’t safe to drink, stick to sealed bottled water or purified water. That includes ice and brushing your teeth.

Protect Your Skin From the Sun
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF. Apply it generously, reapply every couple of hours and after swimming, and don’t forget your ears, feet and the back of your neck. Sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and lightweight long sleeves do the rest. Near coral reefs, choose a reef-safe formula.

Eat Adventurously, but Sensibly
Some of the best food in the world is sold from a street cart, in places like Mumbai, George Town in Penang, and Bangkok. Choose vendors with a steady crowd of locals, food cooked fresh in front of you, and a cook with clean hands. That’s a good sign, though never a guarantee. Avoid raw or undercooked food anywhere sanitation is doubtful. And don’t eat fruit handed to you ready-cut; eat only fruit you can peel yourself.

Stay Vigilant Against Mosquito Bites
Use a repellent containing DEET, wear long sleeves at dawn and dusk, and sleep under a mosquito net where you’re advised to. If malaria is present in the region, however unpleasant the tablets can be, a course of antimalarials prescribed by your doctor or travel clinic is worth taking.

Swim Smart
Choose beaches with lifeguards, never swim alone, and take rip currents, strong tides and hidden hazards seriously. If you’re caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore rather than against it.

In tropical places like the Seychelles, the water can act like a siren, calling you out toward a nearby island. Distances over water are deceptive, and the sea floor can drop from shallow to very deep in a single step or stroke. When you feel the temperature suddenly drop beneath you, you’re over deep water. Stay well within your comfort zone.

And never stand on coral. It’s razor sharp and cuts easily, and the cuts are slow to heal. Standing on it also kills it.

Stay Alert and Secure Your Belongings
Keep valuables out of sight in crowded places and on public transport. Use lockable luggage, and put your passport and spare cash in the hotel safe. Keep an eye on local news and official advisories, including planned demonstrations, and avoid them. Trust your instincts, and if a situation feels wrong, leave.

Wash Your Hands
It’s the simplest habit and the most effective. Wash with soap and water often, especially before eating, and carry hand sanitizer for when there’s no soap. Keep your distance from anyone visibly unwell.