Most of us like to get a tan while we’re away on our travels, as it makes us look good and feel good. The big difference on longer trips is that you will have longer to do this – so don’t rush it!


If you stay out in the sun for too long you will become very sore, feel ill and possibly be a liability to your companions – not to mention the fact that you’ll be risking skin cancer from long-term overexposure to the sun. To prevent these problems from occurring, make sure you don’t stay out in the sun for too long and follow the tips below on avoiding and treating sunburn.

How to avoid sunburn
Making sure you don’t get sunburnt is really easy, but requires some self-discipline and common sense. The general rule should always be:don’t overexpose yourself to the sun – particularly areas of the body that are not normally exposed – when it’s at its strongest, which is usually between 11am and 3pm. Of course, in the tropics the sun is more intense, which means you can get burnt even when there is cloud cover – so bear this in mind when you’re travelling.

Another good rule of thumb is if it’s really hot and sunny – especially if you are at high altitude – then make sure you put plenty of suncream on any exposed skin. Reapply the cream regularly and make sure you use a high-protection-factor suncream (the absolute minimum is 15) which is waterproof, so it doesn’t come off if you go swimming. You could even consider using a suncream that contains insect repellent, as this will be particularly useful in warmer climates when insects are abundant. As well as this, think about wearing a hat, and keep a t-shirt on in the middle of the day.

Treating sunburn
If you follow the tips above but still get burnt, the best thing to do iscover up for a few days to let the skin heal. You should also use after-sun cream to help this process (so remember to pack some before you set off!) – and in fact, you should ideally use after-sun cream at the end of every day even if you haven’t been burnt.


Staying healthy…
Skin cancer – which can be caused by continual overexposure to the sun – is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, so it’s very important not to ignore the risks of staying out in the sun for too long. You should also remember that the risk of getting skin cancer from exposure to the sun is greater for those who are fair skinned and who burn or freckle easily – so if you are one of these people, you should take particular care when travelling. If you are sensible, though, and follow our tips here, then you won’t have a problem – whatever complexion you have!