Southeast Asia is a dream for food lovers, but for many, it quickly turns into a gastrointestinal nightmare.
Learning how to avoid traveler’s diarrhea in Southeast Asia doesn’t mean you have to skip the delicious street stalls; it just means you need a smarter strategy.
From checking the seals on your water bottles to the ‘busy vendor’ rule, these 8 tips will keep your gut happy while you explore the night markets.
How to avoid Diarrhea…
- Never drink the tap water
- Boost your gut health
- Check the Buffet Temperature
How to end diarrhea quickly…
- Dehydration
- Bus rides / Plane rides
- Antibiotic and Southeast Asia
- Diet and Removing Diarrhea
- When to see a doctor
Keep reading, and I’ll go over 3 ways to prevent diarrhea and 5 ways many people don’t know how to eliminate diarrhea quickly.
✅ Southeast Asia Health Checklist
Keep this on your phone or print it for your day pack.
| Water: Seals intact on all bottles? | |
| Teeth: Using bottled/purified water to brush? | |
| Ice: Is it “Tube Ice” (with holes)? If not, skip it. | |
| Street Food: Is there a high turnover/long line? | |
| Utensils: Are they bone-dry before use? | |
| Produce: Can I peel this fruit myself? | |
| Sanitize: Did I wash/gel hands before this bite? |
Is the tap water safe in Southeast Asia? How to find clean drinking water
I lived in Cambodia for over 2 years.
I also partied very hard in Thailand, even attending the Songkran festival. It’s the largest water fight in the world. It was SO much fun.
I guess in Cambodia, someone squirted water at a motobike, and someone got hurt, and they stopped doing it, sadly.
The best way to prevent diarrhea is to never drink tap water.
I get it, plastic water bottles are expensive, and they are horrible for the environment. What I recommend is a UV Steripen that kills 99.99% of viruses and bacteria.
What is so great about it is that it’s very lightweight, very easy to use, and only takes 90 seconds to filter water anywhere.
If you use it a few times, it more than pays for itself. Plus, drinking from plastic water bottles can be unhealthy with BPH and other issues.
Before the Steripen, I used a water filter where I had to squeeze hard, and it just sucked.
With the Steripen, you push a button, twirl it around some water, and in 90 seconds, you have clean water anywhere.
Plus, they are very inexpensive, and you can see if Amazon has any deals.
I even wrote a post on 12 MORE benefits of a Steripen for solo travelers, and some are surprising.
How to boost gut health before traveling to Southeast Asia
The second-best thing you can do is boost your gut health.
Let’s be honest, you can do everything right and still get diarrhea. This is why the ultimate hack is just to strengthen your gut health.
Some places will tell you to eat more probiotics. Yes, probiotics can help, but what is better is prebiotics.
- Probiotics – These are external ‘good’ bacteria you swallow.
- Prebiotics – These are natural plant fibers that act as fuel for the good bacteria you already have.
Your gut has good bacteria that fight the bad bacteria, like a battlefield.
When you consume probiotics (like yogurt), it just adds a little bit of good bacteria to your gut (A few more soldiers).
The problem is that many die before they reach your gut.
When you consume prebiotics, it helps the good bacteria reproduce, and they grow a ton. Technically, they reproduce through binary fission (they split in two).
This is why I recommend prebiotics. You can see what type of deals Amazon has on them.
Food safety tips: Why checking buffet temperatures prevents food poisoning
Buffets are amazing.
If the food is lukewarm, it might be a good idea to skip it.
The reason is that heat kills bacteria.
If you want to know more ways to prevent diarrhea, I recently wrote a post about getting sick from the tap water in Mexico.
I mention 9 more ways to prevent diarrhea that also apply to Southeast Asia.
Let’s talk about what to do if you get diarrhea, because you can still get it no matter how careful you are.
How to get rid of traveler’s diarrhea quickly so you don’t ruin your trip
The worst part of diarrhea is dehydration.
A great thing to help diarrhea is Oral Rehydration Salts.
You can also find them in Thailand, and some popular brands are.
- Royal D
- Hydralyte
They contain the ideal amount of salt and sugar to absorb water.
The rule of thumb is for every loose bowel movement you have, drink 1 glass of water with the Oral Rehydration Salts.
How to survive long bus and plane rides with traveler’s diarrhea
Oh, man, this is not fun.
Recently, I watched a video of a girl on a plane having a little accident.
Talk about a nightmare.
There is a product called Loperamide (Imodium), which you can see on Amazon.
It sort of stops the movement in your stomach to give a little relief.
Another great thing is Pepto Bismol, and finally, in Southeast Asia, they have charcoal, which soaks up the toxins in your gut.
I remember the first time I went to Cambodia, I had constant diarrhea. Of course, I ate the weirdest foods.
The second time, maybe my stomach adapted.
I also stayed with a family and plugged up their pipes. I guess they were not made for toilet paper (because that is what I used).
There is a reason why shaking hands is not part of the culture.
It’s the same in Peru, and I actually wrote a post about why they don’t use toilet paper.
Common antibiotics for traveler’s diarrhea in Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali
Another idea is a “standby” antibiotic like Azithromycin.
Which I believe you need a prescription to get.
If you have more than 3-4 loose stools in 8 hours or a fever, it’s good to take.
The best traveler’s diarrhea diet: What to eat to stop an upset stomach fast
Diet is going to suck while you recover. Think boring stuff (BRAT) until your stomach recovers.
- B – Bananas
- R – Rice
- A – Applesauce of cooked apples
- T – Toast
Loading…
When to see a doctor for traveler’s diarrhea symptoms in Southeast Asia
If the diarrhea is very bad, then it might be good to see a doctor.
- You know persistent vomiting.
- You're dizzy or dark colored urine
- Blood or mucus in stools
- Very high fever
It's not a bad idea to look into travel insurance before you go to.
I get it, I hate insurance as much as anyone. But, they have 24/7 assistance that acts like a travel partner.
They can help you find the nearest English-speaking doctor, make deals with hospitals, and even help with family if needed.
Lucky for you, I found the most budget-friendly travel insurance!
It can cover Medical Emergencies like doctor visits and hospital stays that can cost tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket.
Insurance covers emergency evacuation.
Insurance often covers lost or stolen gear. I used to live in a Southeast Asian country, and I had TONS of stuff stolen from me.
Insurance can also reimburse you for hotels, flights, and tours that are booked. With travel things just change, right?
The insurance I recommend has no age limit, it’s valid in any country in the world, and get insurance in under 60 seconds.
Plus covers COVID-19 treatment and quarantine costs.
You can view this insurance and see if they still have a discount.
Closing: How to avoid traveler's diarrhea in Southeast Asia
I hope this post was helpful.
I fund my travel and adventures using affiliate marketing.
I really enjoy it because I can do it anywhere in the world, anytime around a schedule, it's a TON of fun, and can be done in any niche.
Oh, yes, you can even earn some extra cash.
I'm giving away free, easy, fast cheat sheets on the system I use
Bye for now.