How Nomad Families Stay Healthy on the Road (2026)

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Staying healthy as a nomad family comes down to a few things. Sort check-ups and vaccines before you leave, get the right insurance, know where the nearest care is, and build habits that travel with you.

This guide covers all of it, from dengue and drinking water to sleep, friendships and your own mental health. Where it’s our experience, we say so. Where it isn’t, we point you to official sources.

🦷 Our Story: A Swollen Face and a Four-Hour Bus Ride

Years before Louie and Leo, Marty and I spent nine months working at Milford Sound in New Zealand. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever lived. It’s also hours from the nearest dentist.

That’s where I got a tooth infection. My face swelled up and the pain was intense. Help meant a bus to Queenstown, about four hours away, on my own.

I still remember sitting on that bus, in agony, watching the mountains go by and just wanting to get there. It’s the moment I stopped assuming help would always be close.

The dentist sorted it, but it wasn’t quick or cheap. All up, it cost a few hundred New Zealand dollars, plus two nights in a hotel and time off work. For a tooth I could probably have had checked before I left.

How We Think About Health Now

Now we travel with two kids, and I think about health differently. We’re living in Vietnam as I write this, and so far we’ve had nothing worse than a mild tummy bug.

But I check where the nearest clinic is before we need it. I get dental check-ups done before we leave. And I’ve learnt not to rely on luck. 🍀

✅ Before You Leave: The Pre-Departure Health Checklist

Do This Before You Book the Flights

The most important health decisions happen before you leave. It’s easy to focus on visas and accommodation, then arrive somewhere new with no plan for getting sick.

Give yourself at least 6 to 8 weeks before departure to work through this list.

See a GP or travel clinic

Book a dedicated travel health appointment. Bring your planned destinations and how long you’ll stay in each region.

A travel doctor can tell you which vaccines you need, whether malaria tablets make sense, and what to watch for with your kids. In the Netherlands, the GGD runs travel clinics. In Australia, many GPs offer travel consultations.

Get dental work done at home

Learn from my Milford Sound bus ride. Get check-ups for everyone, and finish any known dental work before you go.

Dental care abroad varies a lot in quality, cost and distance. A toothache is much easier to deal with at home than in a town hours from a dentist.

Check everyone’s routine vaccinations

Make sure all routine childhood vaccines are up to date. Some can be given earlier for travel.

For example, hepatitis A can be given from 6 months, and an early MMR dose from 6 months in some situations. Your child will still need the standard doses later.

Stock up on prescriptions

If anyone takes regular medication, bring enough for your trip plus a buffer. Getting repeat prescriptions abroad can be complicated, expensive or impossible, depending on the country.

Carry a doctor’s letter for medication

Some ADHD medications, and some anxiety or sleep medications, are controlled or banned in certain countries. Carry a letter from your doctor listing the medicine, the dose and why it’s needed.

Rules vary a lot. Check with the embassy of every country you’ll enter or transit through.

Pack a family health kit

See our full list in the family health kit section below.

Check official travel health advice

• Australians: Smartraveller
• Dutch nationals: Nederland Wereldwijd for travel advice, and LCR for travel health
• UK: GOV.UK Foreign Travel Advice
• US: CDC Travelers’ Health

These are updated regularly and include vaccine requirements, disease alerts and safety advice for each country.

💉 Vaccinations for Travelling Families

Start With the Routine Ones

Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to protect kids from diseases that are rare at home but common elsewhere. Sorting them before you leave is far easier than managing a preventable illness abroad.

Before thinking about travel vaccines, check everyone is up to date on your country’s routine schedule. That usually includes:

• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTaP or Tdap)
• Polio
• Hepatitis B, which is routine for babies in many countries, including Australia and the Netherlands
• Chickenpox (varicella), depending on your country’s schedule
• Meningococcal, particularly for teenagers
• Flu, which is worth asking about, as flu seasons differ around the world

Measles outbreaks still happen in many popular nomad destinations. Make sure every family member is covered before long-term travel.

We share what our family actually had before Vietnam, what it cost and why we skipped rabies in our travel vaccinations guide for families.

🏥 Health Insurance: Getting This Right

Travel Insurance vs International Health Insurance

This difference matters a lot, and many families only discover it when they make a claim.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance covers trip-related risks: cancellations, lost luggage, evacuation and medical emergencies during a set trip. It’s designed for people with a home base who take holidays.

Most policies have a maximum trip length, and many won’t cover you once you’re living abroad. Check yours before you rely on it.

International health insurance

International health insurance covers ongoing care: GP visits, prescriptions, specialists and sometimes dental and mental health. It’s designed for people living abroad long term. It usually doesn’t cover cancellations or lost bags.

A rough rule of thumb: for a few months away with a return date, travel insurance may be enough. For long-term nomad life, look at international health insurance.

Don’t assume home cover follows you

Australia’s Medicare doesn’t cover you overseas. Dutch basic health insurance ends when you deregister from the Netherlands. Check exactly what you have before you go.

Louie’s ear infection in Australia, when he was nine months old, taught us this one. The full story is in our health insurance guide for nomad families.

What to Look For in Family Cover

• Clear cover for children: not every policy includes dependants automatically, so check.
• Medical evacuation: essential for remote places or countries with limited hospitals. Milford Sound taught me how far “nearby” can be.
• Outpatient and routine care: not just hospital stays.
• Dental cover: often available as an add-on.
• Mental health support: more common in better policies, but confirm it’s included.
• Prescriptions: important if anyone takes regular medication.
• Direct billing: so you don’t have to pay upfront and claim it back.

💛 Where We’re At With Insurance

We’ve paid for extra cover on top of our Dutch health insurance. It works for now, but it isn’t a long-term solution for a family living abroad.

SafetyWing is the option we’re looking at most closely. You can buy it while you’re already travelling, it runs month to month, and young kids can be included at no extra cost. We haven’t made a claim with it yet, so we can’t tell you how that side works.

Get a SafetyWing quote

⚠️ Health Risks by Region

What Families Need to Know Before Each Region

Different parts of the world carry different health risks. Here’s an overview of the regions nomad families visit most.

Outbreaks and recommendations change, so always check current official advice for your specific destination.

🌏 Southeast Asia (Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines)

Dengue fever is the most common concern for families in this region. It’s a mosquito-borne virus with no specific treatment, so prevention matters most.

Use a repellent suitable for your children’s ages, such as one containing DEET or picaridin, and follow the label. Cover up at dawn and dusk, and choose accommodation with air conditioning or screens.

Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, and rash. See a doctor promptly if these appear.

Malaria is present in some rural and border areas. Ask your travel doctor whether you need tablets for your itinerary.

Food and water: treat tap water as unsafe in most of the region, including for brushing teeth and ice. Hot food cooked to order is usually a safer bet than salads or food that’s been sitting out.

Japanese encephalitis occurs in rural areas of most Southeast Asian countries. Vaccination is often recommended for longer rural stays.

🌍 Sub-Saharan Africa

Malaria is present across most of sub-Saharan Africa, and antimalarial tablets are usually recommended. Ask your doctor which option suits your children’s ages.

Options include atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone), mefloquine and doxycycline, which is only for children aged 8 and over.

Yellow fever vaccination is required for entry to some countries, and you’ll need an International Certificate of Vaccination. Some countries also require it if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk.

Typhoid and hepatitis A vaccines are recommended for most destinations in the region.

Water safety is a significant concern. Treat water as unsafe unless you know otherwise.

🌎 Latin America (Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Brazil)

Dengue fever is widespread across tropical Latin America. The same prevention applies as in Southeast Asia.

Altitude sickness matters in places like Cusco in Peru, La Paz in Bolivia, Quito in Ecuador and Bogotá in Colombia. It can affect children too. Go up gradually, drink plenty of water and plan rest days.

Symptoms include headache, nausea, tiredness and dizziness. If symptoms are severe, go down to a lower altitude and get medical help.

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended or required for tropical areas of Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and several other countries.

Water safety: in big cities, tap water may be treated, but many families still filter it. In rural areas, treat all water as unsafe.

🇮🇳 South Asia (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka)

The risk of hepatitis A, typhoid and travellers’ diarrhoea is high. Stick to hot cooked food and bottled or boiled water, and be careful with fresh produce washed in tap water.

Malaria is present in some regions. Check your itinerary with a travel doctor.

Altitude sickness is relevant for families trekking in Nepal.

🧩 Kids With Health Conditions or Additional Needs

What We’ve Researched

We haven’t travelled with a chronic condition or additional needs ourselves. But parents in our community raise these worries often, so here’s what we’ve learnt from research and other families.

Routine travels better than you’d think. Many families with autistic or ADHD kids choose slow travel for exactly this reason. A month or more in one place means the same bed, the same walk and the same shop. Visual schedules help too.

Check the rental for mould before you commit. Humid climates and older buildings can hide it. Read recent reviews for words like “damp” or “musty”, and ask the host when the air con was last cleaned.

If something smells wrong when you arrive, raise it straight away. It’s much easier to move on day one than in week three.

Watch the air quality. Some cities have seasonal smoke or pollution. Chiang Mai’s burning season usually runs from around February to April. We’ll arrive around Christmas and leave before it starts, and that timing was deliberate.

Check an air quality app before you book, especially for kids with asthma. Our Chiang Mai guide covers the burning season in detail.

Food allergies need a plan. Carry an allergy card in the local language, and learn the local word for the allergen. Pack any emergency medication your doctor has prescribed, with a letter.

Medication rules differ by country. Some common medicines, including some ADHD medications, are restricted or banned in certain countries. Check with each country’s embassy before you go.

🧠 Mental Health on the Move

This Deserves More Than a Paragraph

The mental load of nomad family life is real, and people don’t talk about it enough. Constant change, culture shock, parenting without your usual support, work pressure and organising everything for everyone all add up.

The lifestyle can be wonderful and demanding at the same time. Saying that out loud, to your partner, your kids and yourself, is a good place to start.

Emotional Tools for Life on the Road

Journalling: encourage everyone to write or draw how they feel. Even a simple notebook of daily drawings becomes a grounding ritual, and a lovely record over time.

Family check-ins: try a weekly ritual where everyone shares one good thing and one hard thing. It keeps communication open and catches problems early.

Meditation and mindfulness: Calm and Headspace both have content for kids and adults. Insight Timer has a large free library of guided meditations.

Stay connected: regular video calls with grandparents, cousins and close friends aren’t optional extras. Familiar faces help kids feel anchored, whatever country they wake up in.

When to Seek Professional Support

Online therapy is accessible from almost anywhere with good internet. You don’t need to wait until things feel dire. Some families book sessions during big transitions as a preventative step.

For adults:

• BetterHelp: online therapy with flexible scheduling across time zones. Check availability and pricing for your country.
• Your insurer: many international health policies include mental health support or a telehealth line. Check your policy first.
• Local therapists: big expat cities like Lisbon, Medellín, Bali and Chiang Mai often have English-speaking practices.

For children:

• Ask in local family Facebook groups for trusted child psychologists in expat hubs.
• If you have a regular GP or paediatrician at home, ask whether they offer video appointments.
• Don’t underestimate regular contact with other kids. Children with steady friendships, even by video, usually cope better with change.

Signs Your Child May Need Extra Support

• Sleep problems that continue well after a move
• Clinginess, irritability or withdrawal that doesn’t ease within a few weeks
• Going backwards with toileting, sleep or eating
• Unusually strong resistance to travel or new places
• Missing home, friends or family in a way that feels urgent rather than passing

These signs don’t mean the lifestyle is wrong. They’re a signal to slow down, make space and possibly get support. Trust your instincts as a parent.

Practices That Build Family Resilience

• Name the hard parts: when a move is difficult, say so. Kids need to see adults handle difficulty calmly.
• Celebrate small wins: a new food tried, a word learnt, a playground found in a strange city.
• Keep your family rituals: your jokes, your Sunday mornings, your way of saying goodnight. These travel with you.
• Remember your why: revisit, together, what brought you to this life. Hard days look different with a shared purpose.

🫂 Friendships and Belonging on the Road

The Question Parents Ask Us Most

Will my kids make friends? Will they be lonely? Families raise these worries with us more than almost anything else.

Honestly, Louie hasn’t made deep friendships on the road yet. He’s played with kids in pools, and with other children at the farms we visited in Ninh Binh. They were happy, easy connections, but short ones.

What surprised us is how content he is. Louie seems genuinely happy being with us and playing with his little brother. Leo adores him, and their bond has grown on the road.

We’re not assuming it will always feel this way. Louie is nine, and friendships matter more as kids get older. That’s one reason we’re planning a longer stay in Chiang Mai, with more time to settle and meet other families.

Signs it’s more than an off day

• Reluctance to meet new kids that wasn’t there before
• Talking a lot about missing one friend or place, in a way that feels heavier than usual homesickness
• Pulling back from things they used to enjoy with other children
• Saying some version of “what’s the point, we’re just going to leave anyway”

One rough week is normal. A pattern building over months is worth noticing, and worth talking about with your child directly.

Making Friendships More Likely

Kids can make friends quickly, but it rarely happens by accident. It helps to put them where friendships are easy to start.

• Worldschooling hubs: places like Chiang Mai, Bali and Cascais have lots of travelling families. Staying four to six weeks, rather than one, gives friendships time to grow.
• Local activities: football, swimming, dance or a weekly art class. Kids bond over doing something together.
• Family retreats and co-living: these bring nomad kids together for a set period, which removes the awkward “how do we meet people” step.
• Facebook groups for your destination: other families often arrange playdates before you land. Post before you arrive, not after.

Keeping Old Friendships Alive

• Set up a regular video call, on the same day and time each week if you can. Routine makes it feel normal.
• Send real letters or postcards. Kids love getting something in the post.
• If you’re heading back somewhere you’ve been before, tell your child. Knowing a reunion is realistic changes how a goodbye feels.

We go deeper in our worldschooling and socialisation guide and our post on helping travelling kids make friends. For parents, see how nomad families find community.

🏃 Building Healthy Routines While Moving

Structure Helps, Even on the Road

Moving around doesn’t mean giving up routine. Predictable rhythms ease transitions, especially for kids, and help everyone enjoy the adventure rather than just get through it.

A Grounding Morning

• A regular wake-up time, even when you change cities
• A good breakfast: fruit, oats, eggs or whatever’s local
• 10 to 15 minutes outside for daylight and fresh air, even a short walk to a café
• A little movement: five minutes of stretching or dancing counts

An Evening Routine That Actually Works

• Reading together: a chapter book, a picture book or a travel journal
• Screens off 45 to 60 minutes before bed
• The same wind-down wherever you are: same songs, same chat, same cuddles

For younger children, visual routine cards travel well and give consistency when everything else changes.

Handling Time Zone Changes

• Shift wake and sleep times by 15 to 30 minutes a few days before a big time zone change
• Get outside in daylight within the first hour of waking in a new time zone
• Don’t force normal bedtimes on the first night. Let tiredness guide it, then reset from the next morning
• Keep naps short on the first day so they don’t lock in the old time zone

Jet lag hit Leo hard on our trip to Brisbane. We share what helped in flying to the other side of the world with a toddler.

🥗 Food and Water: What Changes and What Doesn’t

What Daily Life Looks Like in Vietnam

Eating vegetarian in Da Nang has been surprisingly easy. Tofu, greens, rice and fresh herbs are everywhere, and we cook a lot ourselves.

The water took more getting used to. We drink bottled water, and so does Leo. In the shower, you learn to keep your mouth closed, which sounds simple until you’re half asleep. 😅

Then there’s the toilet paper. In many places, including parts of Vietnam, it goes in the bin, not the toilet, because the plumbing can’t handle it. It feels strange for the first few weeks. Then it becomes normal.

We’ve had a little tummy trouble, nothing too bad. That’s pretty typical in a new country.

Local Food Is Usually the Healthiest Option

Local, seasonal food is almost always better value and better nutrition than imported products or tourist restaurants. Fresh produce, grains and legumes are the backbone of most of the world’s cuisines:

• Southeast Asia: tropical fruit, rice dishes, fresh herbs, tofu and stir-fried greens
• Mediterranean Europe: olive oil, legumes, fresh vegetables and wholegrain bread
• Latin America: beans, rice, corn, avocados and fresh produce markets

Markets are usually our first stop: cheaper, fresher and more interesting than supermarkets. 🥭

When You Don’t Have a Kitchen

• Supermarkets and corner shops usually stock fruit, yoghurt, nuts, eggs, wraps and nut butters. A decent meal doesn’t need cooking.
• Picnic meals work anywhere: fresh bread, cheese, fruit, vegetables and something from the deli counter.
• Pack easy staples for travel days: oats, nut butter, rice cakes, dried fruit and snack bars.
• Keep oral rehydration or electrolyte sachets in your bag, especially in hot climates.

Feeding Picky Eaters Abroad

• Take kids market shopping and let them choose one new thing to try.
• Learn what foods are called in the local language. It turns into a game.
• Keep some familiar snacks for hard travel days. The goal is flexibility, not rigidity.
• Not every meal needs to be a cultural adventure. The occasional familiar dinner is fine.

For vegetarian families, our guide to vegetarian travel with kids covers where it’s easy and where it isn’t.

💧 Safe Drinking Water Options

A Simple Rule That Prevents a Lot of Illness

Water rules change with every country, so check before you arrive. As a rough guide:

• Usually safe from the tap: Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the USA and Canada
• Usually treat as unsafe: most of Southeast Asia, most of Latin America, much of Africa, South Asia, and parts of the Middle East and Eastern Europe

When in doubt, treat it as unsafe. Bottled water or a filter costs very little compared with a sick child.

Your Options Beyond Small Bottles

• Big refill jugs: in Vietnam and many other countries, 19 to 20 litre jugs can be delivered to your door, often with a stand or dispenser. You’ll use far less plastic. Ask your host or the local shop.
• Filter bottles: a LifeStraw or Grayl bottle is handy for day trips and travel days, and works with tap water.
• UV bottles: a LARQ bottle uses UV-C light to kill germs in clear water. It doesn’t filter out sediment.
• Boiling: the reliable backup if you have a kettle. Boil for 1 minute, or 3 minutes above about 2,000 metres.

Remember the hidden water too: ice in drinks, salads washed in tap water, brushing teeth, and yes, the shower. 🚿

🏋️ Staying Active Without a Gym

Use the Place You’re In

Staying active on the road doesn’t need equipment or a gym membership. Streets, beaches, parks and pools often work better.

Simple Ways to Keep the Family Moving

• Walk and cycle: explore on foot, rent bikes and take the long way. We’re a half-Dutch family, so bikes come first whenever a city allows it. Our list of bike-friendly cities for families shows where kids can actually ride. 🚲
• Swim: beaches, public pools and accommodation pools are easy wins for kids.
• Bodyweight training: squats, lunges, push-ups, planks and yoga. No gear needed.
• Resistance bands: light, packable and useful anywhere.
• Local sports: surf lessons in Morocco or Portugal, Muay Thai in Chiang Mai, dance classes in Medellín, or football in any park. They combine fitness, culture and new friends.

Apps Worth Having

• FitOn: free workout classes for different levels, many with no equipment.
• Cosmic Kids Yoga: story-based yoga for kids, good for morning energy or an afternoon wind-down.
• Down Dog: customisable yoga for adults.

Keep it playful. A sunset stretch, a game of beach handball or dancing in the kitchen all count.

😴 Sleep Health While Travelling

Sleep underpins everything else on this page: immunity, mood, learning and patience. Nomad life makes it harder than it sounds.

How Leo Sleeps on the Road

Leo still naps every day. We try to do it at our accommodation, on the bed, with the air con on. A cool, quiet room makes a huge difference in Vietnam’s heat.

On travel days, plans change. Leo can sleep on my lap if he needs to, and sometimes that’s the only option. We don’t fight it.

Practical Sleep Tips for Families

• Block out light: a travel blackout blind or eye masks help in rooms with thin curtains or early sunrises.
• Mask noise: a white noise app or a small fan covers street noise, barking dogs and neighbours.
• Bring something familiar: a pillowcase from home, a favourite soft toy or the usual sleeping bag for babies and toddlers.
• Protect the bedtime routine: the same steps in the same order signal sleep, even in a new place.
• Go easy on the first night: after a long journey, let tiredness lead, then reset from the next morning.

For Babies and Toddlers

Babies and toddlers often adapt better than parents expect, but they rely on routine more than older kids. A travel cot, white noise and a familiar smell near the bed can all help.

🛡️ Immune System Support

Keeping Everyone Well

Travel exposes families to new climates, foods and germs. A few consistent habits help more than any product.

• Sleep: the most important one. A well-rested body fights illness better.
• Daily movement: even light exercise helps.
• Vitamin D: relevant in winter or places with little sunlight. Ask a doctor about doses, especially for children, rather than guessing.
• Vitamin C: fresh fruit and vegetables are the best source.
• Gut health: some families use probiotics when adjusting to new food or after antibiotics. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• Handwashing: wash before meals and after public transport. Soap and water works better than sanitiser for some germs, such as norovirus.

🧼 Hygiene in Unfamiliar Places

Clean Living in New and Shared Spaces

Not every rental will match your usual standards, especially on a budget or in a new city. A little preparation makes it manageable.

What to Pack

• Antibacterial wipes: for plane trays, high chairs and surfaces in rentals.
• Microfibre towels: light, compact and quick to dry.
• Hand sanitiser: a backup to handwashing, useful on travel days.
• Laundry detergent sheets: flat, light and easy for sink washing between laundromat visits.
• Thongs (flip-flops): for shared showers at campsites, hostels and gyms.

Teaching Kids Healthy Habits on the Road

• Make handwashing before meals a travel ritual rather than a chore.
• Pack a small clean kit in every day bag: wipes, tissues and a spare change of clothes.
• Explain the water rules. Kids who understand why they use bottled water are more likely to stick to it.

📱 Accessing Healthcare Abroad

Find Care Before You Need It

My Milford Sound bus ride taught me this one. Know where help is before anyone gets sick.

When You Arrive Somewhere New

• Find the nearest hospital or clinic with English-speaking staff and paediatric care. Save the address and phone number.
• Check how far it really is. In remote areas, the nearest dentist or hospital might be hours away.
• Join local expat and family Facebook groups. They’re usually the best source of current recommendations for doctors, dentists and clinics.
• Save the local emergency number. It’s 112 across the EU, 999 in the UK, 1669 for medical emergencies in Thailand and 115 for an ambulance in Vietnam. Check it for every new country.

Using Telehealth on the Road

A video call with a doctor can help you decide whether you need in-person care. Some services can also treat common problems remotely.

• Your insurer’s telehealth service: many international policies include 24/7 access. Try this first.
• Video appointments with your home GP: some practices offer them. Prescribing across borders is often limited, so ask first.
• Local apps: some countries have their own, such as Halodoc in Indonesia. Our guide to staying healthy in Bali covers healthcare there in more detail.

Keep Digital Health Records

Store these in a secure cloud folder, such as Google Drive or iCloud:

• Vaccination certificates for every family member
• Children’s immunisation histories
• Prescription details: medicine, dose and prescribing doctor
• Allergy information
• Notes on any ongoing conditions
• Insurance policy numbers and your insurer’s emergency contact

If something happens in an unfamiliar country, being able to show a local doctor all of this straight away really helps.

⚖️ Looking After Your Own Health

How Marty and I Look After Ourselves

Nothing fancy. We take vitamins, eat well and walk a lot.

The thing that matters most for me is space. Living, working and travelling together means we’re with each other almost all the time. I love it, and it’s also a lot.

So we take turns stepping away. For me, that might be a long bath or a few laps in the pool on my own. Twenty minutes alone can reset a whole day.

We write more about the intensity of family time in our guide to becoming a digital nomad family.

Practical Habits for Working Parents

• Treat health appointments like client meetings: they go in the calendar and they don’t move.
• Walk and talk: take calls on the move when you can.
• Set a real end to the workday: evenings are for family and recovery, not catch-up emails.
• Take short breaks: 25 to 45 minutes of focus, then a few minutes away from the screen.
• Use childcare early, not as a last resort: local nannies, playgroups and family-friendly coworking spaces make the work sustainable.

If you’re parenting alone for stretches, our solo parenting guide covers the extra load.

Looking after yourself isn’t selfish. It’s what keeps the whole family going.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need travel insurance or international health insurance?

Travel insurance suits trips with a return date. Families living abroad for months usually need international health insurance. Our health insurance guide explains the difference in detail.

Is tap water safe to drink in Vietnam?

Most travel health advice says no. Use bottled, refilled, filtered or boiled water, including for brushing teeth.

Does Medicare or Dutch health insurance cover us abroad?

Medicare doesn’t cover you overseas. Dutch basic health insurance ends when you deregister from the Netherlands. Check your own situation before you leave.

How do we find a doctor or dentist abroad?

Ask your insurer first, as many have lists of approved clinics. Local expat and family Facebook groups are good for trusted, current recommendations.

Can we bring prescription medication across borders?

Usually, yes, with a doctor’s letter and the original packaging. Some medications are restricted or banned, so check each country’s rules with its embassy first.

What should go in a family health kit?

Pain relief for each age, rehydration sachets, plasters, antiseptic, a thermometer, insect repellent, sunscreen and any regular medication. See our full kit list.

What if someone gets sick in a remote area?

Know the distance to the nearest clinic, hospital and dentist before you go. Make sure your insurance includes medical evacuation.

💛 Our Takeaways

Staying healthy on the road isn’t about being perfect. It’s about knowing where help is, sorting the boring stuff before you go, and leaving room for rest.

I still think about that bus ride to Queenstown. Not because it was dramatic, but because it was avoidable. A dental check-up before I left would probably have saved me a lot of pain.

So that’s our advice. Do the check-ups. Read your insurance before anyone gets sick. Give yourselves some space. And trust that most days, the hardest health decision will be whether to brave the shower with your mouth open. 🚿

Discover More for Your Nomad Family

• Education and childcare on the road
• Finding family accommodation
• Digital nomad visas for families
• What it really costs to live abroad with kids
• Remote work for families