Before You Travel

Practical guidance to help travellers research drinking water safety, understand advisories, and prepare before leaving home.

Da Nang coastline illustrating how water quality can vary between cities and regions

Why Water Quality Can Vary Within the Same Country

Before You Travel

Why tap water advice can change between cities, islands, rural areas and individual buildings within the same country.

Explore More Travel Water Safety Topics

Continue exploring practical travel water safety guides covering trip planning, hotel tap water, traveller health, water science and everyday questions that can arise during a trip.

Clear tap water being poured into a glass for travel health and hydration guidance

Travel Health

Clear, responsible information about hydration, traveller’s diarrhoea, waterborne illness, and when medical attention may be needed.

Traveller filling a reusable bottle while planning a destination with safe tap water

Travel Planning

Destination-focused guides that help travellers compare drinking water safety across countries, regions, and popular travel locations.

Drinking water testing and treatment equipment representing water science and safety

Water Science

Accessible explanations of water treatment, contamination, testing, boiling, and the standards used to assess drinking water safety.

Explore Tap Water Safety by Region

Browse complete drinking water safety guides by region, with practical tap water information, health advice and traveller recommendations for destinations worldwide.

Africa

Complete tap water safety information for African countries across North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, and Central Africa.

Asia

Comprehensive tap water safety information for countries across Asia, including Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and Central Asia.

Caribbean

Complete tap water safety guides for Caribbean islands including Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Barbados, Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, and all major island destinations.

Central America

Comprehensive tap water safety information for Central American countries including Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.

Europe

Complete tap water safety guides for European countries, covering Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, and Northern Europe.

Middle East

Water safety information for Middle Eastern countries including the Gulf states, Levant, and Arabian Peninsula.

North America

Tap water safety information for North American countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico

Oceania

Tap water safety guides for Oceania including Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island nations.

South America

Water safety guides for South American countries covering the entire continent from Colombia to Argentina.