we travel on water

5 Best Things About Traveling On Water (& 5 Of The Worst)

Traveling over water is a method of transportation with many pros and cons attached to it, making it a very divisive experience for travelers.

There are many different ways in which you can travel around the world, but one that seems to divide opinions more often than not is water transportation. Whether you're swimming, on a boat, or just messing around on something fun, it's a method that is both exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

RELATED: Under The Sea: 10 Majestic Shipwrecks You Should See In Person

Today, we're going to take a look at some of the many pros and cons that can be associated with this sort of thing, as well as how we personally feel about it all. But I think we can all agree that a jellyfish sting is the worst experience ever.

10 BEST - Water Sports

Water sports can mean anything from surfing to jet skis and beyond, and it’s something we’ve spoken about quite a bit. If you just want to take some time to yourself and have a bit of fun away from the stress of traveling, then there’s really no better way to do it than by challenging yourself in a new and different format.

Everyone loves a good adrenaline rush, and we all know that’s what this kind of form of entertainment provides people with. It’s silly to some but great to others.

9 WORST - Movie Stereotypes

Films like Jaws and Sharknado are incredibly different in their depiction of how ‘water’ works and how the sea functions, but with Jaws especially, a lot of folks received some lasting damage with that when it came to being a little bit fearful.

Movie stereotypes come and go as we all well know, but they stick with some more so than others, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that there is an awful lot of stuff down there which we just don’t understand or perhaps don’t even know exists.

8 BEST - Peaceful

There’s barely anything to listen to or take on board (pun not intended), and instead, there’s just this sense of serenity that you don’t really get from all too many other forms of travel. You are quite literally away from the majority of human beings that you may know and love and while we’ve said that in a fairly daunting way, the premise behind it isn’t actually all that concerning in our opinion.

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Being at peace with yourself and whatever it is you’re doing is now, and will forever be, a powerful emotion.

7 WORST - Nothing But Sea

In the same manner, as the last entry was positive for a similar reason, this one is also a little bit negative. When looking north, it’s just sea. When looking south, it’s just sea. When looking east and west – you kind of get the picture.

This idea that there’s no form of civilization within a certain radius is kind of terrifying, and it’s one of the best functions that come with using air travel as opposed to a boat in order to get around. It sounds a bit pathetic, but it’s the truth.

6 BEST - Glass Bottom Boat

You probably aren’t going to see sharks down there, so we wouldn’t hesitate to say that a glass-bottom boat will be absolutely fine in terms of safety.

One of the great parts about it is that it gives people a better view of the ocean and all of the wonders that lie beneath it. From the colorful fish to just generally seeing how day to day life works for the guys and girls down there, it’s a lot of fun to immerse yourself in this different world. You may never do it again, but even having a go as a one-off can be beneficial.

5 WORST - Storms

It doesn’t just happen in TV shows: storms are a very real threat at all times when out on the water and it’s about time that people start coming to terms with that. So many travelers at sea underestimate the power and function of these storms, to the point where they risk losing their lives more often than not.

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It’s all about being smart and not stepping over any boundaries because if you do, and orders aren’t followed, it can get a little bit sketchy and that’s the last thing you want.

4 BEST - Fishing

It doesn’t matter what the type of fish is, because fishing is an activity that goes back years upon years – and it never gets old. Whether it be with friends, on your own or perhaps even with some colleagues, there’s no better feeling than getting out there in the open waters and just going for it.

Some are better than others at fishing on a boat, and you could argue there would be no time for this during a travel expedition, but we’d suggest there is always time to stop and smell the roses (or, you know, catch some fish).

3 WORST - The Temperature

There are certain places you could visit where the water, in the shallow depths of the sea, is pretty warm , and that’s fair enough. Predominantly, though, you’ll find yourself in a situation whereby it’s going to be pretty cold most of the time, and that’s a burden we all have to deal with.

Falling or jumping into waters that cold can often send your body into a state of shock and if the person in question isn’t careful, it could lead to a series of lasting repercussions in the long run.

2 BEST - Building Relationships

Having spent time at sea ourselves, we can confirm that it’s one of the best places to build and nurture a relationship. That can be a literal relationship with your partner, or perhaps just a forming of a friendship that you previously didn’t even consider to be a possibility.

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The activities that people take part in when out at sea doesn’t really matter in this regard, because it can be whatever you want it to be. Open your mind up to new possibilities, and you may just be surprised by what you discover.

1 WORST - No Escape

It sounds scary and that isn’t our intention here, because we’re trying to take a more comedic approach with this last entry. When we say that there’s no escape, we mean that if you happen to be on a ferry or form of transport with folks you don’t like, it’s not like you can get off at the next step or go and hide away.

The odds are pretty strong that you’ll have to spend a significant amount of time with them, and it will quite literally feel like you’re trapped. Good luck with that!

NEXT: 10 Asian Beaches So Gorgeous They Look Fake

The 8 Best Travel Water Bottles of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

An often overlooked item that can improve your trip

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

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A water bottle is an essential travel item, but finding the best one—in other words, one that doesn't leak and isn't heavy or fragile—can be challenging. We researched the best water bottles on the market and came up with a list of 26 to put to the test in our New York City testing lab. Travel editors tested the bottles for portability, insulation, durability, drinkability, and overall value by filling up the water bottles, dropping them onto the lab's concrete floor, and taking temperature readings. We then averaged scores for each category to give you the best travel water bottles for any trip or situation.

Final Verdict

Other travel water bottles we tested, product selection, how we tested.

• What to Look For

What Trust TripSavvy

Best overall, takeya actives water bottle.

• Drinkability 5 /5
• Portability 4 /5
• Insulation 5 /5
• Durability 5 /5

Actives Spout lid has perfect water flow

Extra lid loop offers another carrying option

Passed the durability test with no damages

Superior insulation

Not completely leakproof

Our testers liked a lot about the Takeya Actives Spout Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, particularly its drinkability, durability, insulation, and overall value. The superb drinkability ratings start with the bottle's Actives Spout lid, which maximizes water flow without the likelihood of spilling it all over your face a la other brands' wide-mouth bottles. "This is really a perfect cap," one tester said of the lid. "Just the right size so that you can get as much water as you want without spilling and can get a perfect flow of water from it."

The bottle held up well in the shake and durability tests but surprisingly had some leaks after walking around with it in a bag. It was also slightly heavier than some of the other bottles we tested. But where this bottle also stood out compared to others was its insulation. Our original temperature reading put the water temperature at about 55 degrees. At three hours, the temperature dropped to 47.5 degrees thanks to the ice in the bottle. And by six hours, the temperature had only risen to about 50 degrees.

Testers also enjoyed some unique features of this bottle, like the removable rubber anti-skid coaster at its base, the hinge-lock, which keeps the cap out of your way while drinking, and its style. "This is a great water bottle for everyday use," a tester concluded. "But because of the smaller cap and ease of drinking while being in motion, plus its durability, I also think it would be good for someone who is very active."

Material: 18/8 food-grade stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 18, 22, 24, 32, 40, and 64 ounces

TripSavvy / Conor Ralph

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Thermoflask bottle with chug lid and straw lid.

• Portability 4.5 /5
• Insulation 4 /5
• Durability 4.5 /5

Includes two different lids

Cup holder compatible

Overall excellent value

A few dents from the drop test

The coolest thing about this water bottle? It comes with two lids—a chug lid and a straw lid. Both lids are leakproof—clutch for travel—and both passed the drop tests without cracking. We also liked that it was one of the few water bottles to fit in all cup holders and that it has a carrying handle, though we'd like to see that handle have the ability to fold down.

The vacuum insulation claims to keep liquids cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to 12. After six hours, the temperature of the ice water we put in the bottle only increased from about 51 degrees to just under 55 degrees. The only real drawback we saw with this bottle was the bottle itself did dent when we dropped it. But the straw didn't open, and no leaks started.

Material: 18/8 food-grade stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 24 ounces

Best Budget

Mira water bottle.

• Drinkability 4 /5
• Portability 3.5 /5
• Durability 3.5 /5

Good mouth opening

Testers rated the seal and drinkability highly

Water stayed decently cold

Heavy and no extra features

Didn't hold up well in drop tests

If you lose water bottles frequently, a budget bottle might be a wise choice. Our testers liked MIRA's insulated stainless steel water bottle best of the budget-friendly options we tested. The MIRA bottle has a good grip and a cap that stayed intact during the drop tests, and it's a good carrying size. It also did an excellent job of keeping water cold, only increasing from 54.5 degrees to just over 58 degrees over a span of six hours.

Be careful if you go with the MIRA, as many dents formed during the drop tests. "It's now wobbly and doesn't stand perfectly straight and balanced anymore," one tester noted after the drop tests. Still, if you're looking for a basic bottle that won't hurt to lose, this one is a good value that keeps water cold and is nice to drink from.

Material: 18/8 stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 17 and 25 ounces

Brita Insulated Filtered Water Bottle

 Amazon

• Drinkability 4.5 /5
• Seal 4.5 /5
• Portability 5 /5
• Durability 4 /5

Excellent insulation, holding temperature for six hours

Filters water

Good for carrying and holding

Lid potentially annoying for certain face shapes

Not the most durable

If you didn't already know, Brita makes water bottles, too. And it turns out the brand makes pretty good ones. Like the typical Brita counter water filter, the hard-sided water bottle includes a filter that reduces chlorine taste and odor. (Note: It's recommended to replace the filter every two months.) Besides the filter, this bottle has all of the typical features included in a quality reusable water bottle, like stainless steel construction and a leakproof lid.

This bottle has a silicone mouthpiece that our testers liked. "The water tasted great and pure," one tester noted. "The button to open the lid is nice and convenient, as is the handle on top." Our testers had one issue with this bottle: It dented fairly easily, and the seal was compromised when it landed on the lid during the drop tests. But, overall, our testers liked this bottle quite a bit.

Material: Stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 20 and 32 ounces

Best for Hiking

Nalgene 32-ounce wide mouth tritan bottle.

• Insulation 2 /5

Inexpensive

Lid loop offers additional carrying options

Very tough to break or dent

Wide mouth makes for easier spilling

There are a few pieces of gear that are absolute game-changers. The 32-ounce Nalgene Water Bottle is one of those products. Nalgene has been around for decades, but we still remember getting our first Nalgene bottle as a teenager in the early 2000s. Nalgene has manufactured this water bottle for over 50 years, fine-tuning its design so that the water bottle is durable enough to survive in any condition or hiking adventure. This lightweight water bottle features BPA-free Tritan material, which can handle both cold and hot drinks. The opening is large enough for ice cubes to fit inside, which also makes it a breeze to wash by hand. You'll be able to track your water intake easily when you're on the go using the measurement markers displayed on the side, and the loop-attached lid guarantees you'll never lose it.

Material: Tritan renew copolyester | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 32 ounces

Best for Portability

Hydro flask standard mouth water bottle.

Hydro Flask

• Insulation 3.5 /5

Carrying loop boosts ease of use

Fits everywhere

Grippy outer material

Not great durability

Temperature holding could be better

Bend, Oregon-based Hydro Flask has elbowed its way into the competitive insulated water bottle market by making high-quality and functional tumblers and bottles. We've always been Nalgene fans because of the brand's lightweight, rugged, and inexpensive bottles. But Hydro Flask has grown on us over the past decade for its functionality. The Standard Mouth Flex Cap bottle has quickly become one of our favorites in the Hydro Flask line.

Our testers also liked the Standard Mouth Flex Cap bottle for many reasons, including its textured finish for boosted grip, its superior seal that didn't allow any leaking, and the actual flex cap, which has a loop that pivots and moves with you as you walk. "The size of the bottle fits perfectly into a backpack holder and fits securely in there without feeling top heavy, so it'll fall out. It also fits well into a car cup holder," a tester reported.

Two downsides dropped the overall scoring of this bottle. The temperature increased almost 8 degrees over six hours (although it stayed remarkably stable for three hours). And it dented easily. "A couple more falls could have likely broken the bottom rim and made the bottle unusable," a tester noted. "The lid and cap, however, stayed intact."

Material: 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 18, 21, and 24 ounces

Best Splurge

Yeti stainless steel bottle.

Narrow mouthpiece helps prevent spills

Holds temperature well

Very strong and durable

A bit heavy

When we see a YETI product, we know two things are likely to be true about it. First, it's going to be expensive. Second, it's going to be excellent quality. The Rambler bottle isn't that much more costly than others on this list. But it is of top-shelf quality, and if you don't tend to lose water bottles, it is definitely worth the higher price.

"A delight to drink from," one tester succinctly described the Rambler. "The mouth opening was a great size, and the water tasted terrific and cold."

The Rambler comes with a chug cap, and if you get a smaller size (it comes in five sizes, up to 64 ounces), it's likely to fit easily into a backpack pocket or car cup holder. The temperature only increased by about 2 degrees over six hours. And, because it's YETI, there were basically no dents or scuffs during the drop tests. Like the Hydro Flask, the YETI Rambler has edged its way into our water bottle rotation with our Nalgene, and we're good with it.

Material: 18/8 kitchen-grade stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 18, 26, 36, 46, and 64 ounces

Best Thermos

Healthy human vacuum insulated double walled thermos.

Excellent drinkability

Cap stayed intact during drop tests

Excellent insulation

Sustained some denting

There's a lot to like about the Healthy Human Water Bottle. For one, it was one of our top performers in the temperature test, dropping almost a full degree over six hours. Our testers also enjoyed the size of the lid for drinking as water poured out easily but not too quickly. It was also super comfortable for our testers to hold. Like others on this list, it did dent somewhat easily during the drop tests, but the cap was not damaged and only suffered minor scuffs.

Material: 18/8 stainless steel | BPA-free: Yes | Sizes: 16, 21, 32, and 40 ounces

Our thorough testing revealed the Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottle to be the best overall. In terms of price, insulation, and durability, this bottle takes the cake. The ThermoFlask 24 Oz. Bottle came in a close second, impressing our testers with its top-notch leak protection and drinkability.

We tested 26 bottles for this roundup. Other bottles we tested not included above in our list were as follows:

CamelBak Eddy+ : We like the size of this bottle and feel it is ideal for active pursuits, but it did not hold up well during our durability or seal tests, and the bite-and-suck straw isn't the most comfortable to use.

CamelBak Podium Bike Water Bottle : This bottle is durable, seals well, and is lightweight. It is also difficult to squeeze to get the water out and would not suit anyone with hand weakness.

Purist Mover Vacuum Water Bottle : The Purist Mover is easy to grip and does not leak while in pristine condition. Our tester deducted points on durability because it began to leak after being dropped twice and noted that anyone with nails would have difficulty opening the thumb slot.

Kleen Kanteen Classic Water Bottle : Our tester found this bottle easy to drink from, and the textured exterior easy to grip. Though it is not expensive, the durability test demonstrated that even a modest drop would make this bottle unusable.

Kleen Kanteen TKWide : We liked drinking from this bottle and didn't have any issues with leaking, but it became uncomfortably heavy when filled, especially considering the handle is made of a sturdy metal without rubber.

S'well Stainless Steel Water Bottle : Our testers liked the shape of this bottle and the fact that it easily fits in a cup holder. It's not as durable as we'd like, and after being dented a few times, it wouldn't stand up straight.

Platypus DuoLock SoftBottle : Malleable yet durable, this soft bottle performed reasonably well and didn't leak. However, after only three hours, the water had reached room temperature, and the cap was somewhat cumbersome when drinking.

Que The Collapsible Bottle : The unique design of the Que bottle played well with our testers. The main drawbacks they found were it had very little insulating capability and that the rubber material tended to pick up dust and hair.

W&P Porter Glass Water Bottle : This pick has a good-sized mouth opening and keeps the water inside tasting pure due to its glass construction. This also means it is more fragile than bottles made of other materials.

Iron Flask Sports Water Bottle : Multiple lids provide a comfortable drinking experience, and the seal was not perfect but solid. We took points away after the drop test, which resulted in several dents and damaged the cap to the point of causing leakage.

E-Senior Collapsible Water Bottle : Easy to stow with a good seal, this bottle survived the durability test beautifully. Unfortunately, we found it awkward to drink from and grip while full.

MoChic Flat Water Bottle : In terms of drinkability, seal, and durability, this is a great option. The main drawback was that its unique shape (kind of a flask/water bottle hybrid) is not easy to fit into standard cup holders or backpacks.

We selected products based on internet research and the expertise of travel writers, editors, and our lab testing team. Internet research included examining what other prominent media sites have featured and highest-rated products on sites like Amazon and REI. Individual expertise came from the experience of TripSavvy's editors and writers and the water bottles we've used over the years.

Once we selected an initial list of products, we narrowed it down to the 26 tested above based on price points, intended uses, features, and styles. We wanted to provide a diverse list of products to fit as many different types of consumers, travelers, and outdoor-focused individuals as possible.

We tested water bottles for drinkability, seal, portability, insulation, durability, and value. Each bottle was rated on a five-point scale for each category. We averaged each score to create an overall score for each bottle.

First, we filled each bottle with ice a quarter of the way. Then we filled the rest with cold water from the water machine in our testing lab. An initial temperature reading was taken. Testers took temperature readings three and six hours after the initial reading. For drinkability, testers took drinks from the bottles while standing still and walking, noting any spills or splashes.

We tested the seal by shaking the bottles, holding them upside down for one minute, tossing them in backpacks, and carrying them around for five minutes. Testers rated portability based on the bottles' grip, carrying handles, and how well they fit in cup holders and backpack carrying pockets.

Drop tests tested durability. Testers dropped the filled bottles three times on the lids and three times on the main body and rated the bottles based on the damage. Lastly, testers rated value based on how the bottles performed across all tests.

What to Look For in a Travel Water Bottle

These days, insulated bottles' standard water material is 18/8 stainless steel. Be on the hunt for that material if you're looking for a quality bottle. Other brands, like Nalgene, feature a proprietary Tritan plastic material. Most importantly, be sure the bottle you pick is BPA-free.

Like the 18/8 stainless steel construction, most quality bottles will claim up to 24 hours of keeping liquids cold. This claim will vary based on many factors, like how cold the liquid is initially when it's placed in the bottle and how warm or cold it is when you use it. Vacuum and double vacuum insulations are the best types of insulation these days, so look for that when purchasing a water bottle if insulation matters to you.

Style of Lid and Cap

While materials and insulations are mostly the same in reusable water bottles, lid and cap styles can vary. Do you prefer a wide-mouth lid? Standard-mouth? Do you like a straw? A smaller lid? Those are all personal preferences to consider when picking a water bottle.

Extra Features

Some water bottles have bonus features like filters, purifiers, or fruit infusers. If that interests you, be on the lookout for those additional items. Just know that with those extra items likely comes increased costs.

This is less of an issue if you're only putting water in your water bottle. You can either hand wash your bottle or throw it in the dishwasher if it's dishwasher-safe. All water bottles come with cleaning instructions. But, if you're like us and put electrolytes or other liquids in your water bottle, cleaning can get a bit more involved. This might require additional scrubbing with warm or hot water and typical dish soap. Pro tip: If mold starts to form, fill your bottle a quarter of the way with ice and add coarse salt. Shake it hard until whatever is growing on the sides of your bottle is removed. We have noticed the traditional Nalgene material is more likely to grow mold than new Nalgene materials and the 18/8 stainless steel.

Another rule is to give your bottle a good scrubbing before using it for the first time.

Any reusable water bottle! The only potential issue is forgetting there's water in it when you go through the security line. Reusable water bottles are excellent for travel as they are better for the planet and help you avoid overpaying for a water bottle after going through the TSA security checkpoint .

We love bottles that have some sort of carrying loop on the lid. It's easier to carry in your hands or attach to a backpack or other luggage with a carabiner. Most carry-on backpacks and other luggage items also have water bottle-specific pockets. If those options don't work, putting the bottle in your carry-on bag will work.

Nathan Allen is TripSavvy's Outdoor Gear Editor. Friends and family have made fun of him for the amount of liquids he keeps on hand. Nathan uses collapsible water bottles daily while trail running, biking water bottles often while cycling or mountain biking, and keeps them nearby for rehydration while working between his many outdoor pursuits. His current rotation of water bottles includes Nalgene's 48-ounce wide-mouth bottle, YETI's Rambler, and Hydro Flask's Standard-Mouth Bottle.

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23 Types of Water Transport To Keep You Afloat

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There are many different types of water transport that form part of the wider transport industry. In this article I will teach you what these different types of water transport are and how they work. Ready to learn more? Read on…

What is water transport?

Runabout boat, pontoon boat, rigid inflatable boat, ship’s tender, cruise ship, personal watercraft, types of water transport- further reading.

Water transport is any form of transportational vehicle which is primarily used to travel by water. There are many different types of water transport, used for both cargo and passengers, which travel on many different waterways. You can find out more about all of the different types below…

One of the main types of water transport is a boat. This is the most likely form of vehicle you would use to travel on water, regardless of whether you’re on a canal or in the middle of the ocean . However, there are of course a lot of different types of boats. We can generally split boats into three categories:

• Unpowered or human-powered boats 
• Sailboats 
• Motorboats 

Each category has many boats within it, all serving different purposes.

These boats, as the name suggests, have a deck area. They are generally small, but have seating areas for groups of people – their main purpose is for leisure and sightseeing, or as a vessel from which to enter the water for swimming or other watersports. With a V-shaped hull, these boats are usually 25-35 feet in length.

A catamaran is a type of boat which has two hulls. They are generally small-ish boats used for fishing or cruising, but this style of boat has been known to be used for car ferries too given their stability. 

As the name suggests, these are boats on which people live. They are not motorised because they are usually moored in one place, floating. Often they are built to look more like a house than a boat, but some definitely retain their boat style. You tend to find them on canals or larger lakes, and many people live in houseboats year round. They are also rented out to tourists looking for something a bit different!

These small open boats are an entry-level kind of vessel, used for casual boating and sporting activities. They have a steering wheel and small control panel.

A lifeboat is a small rigid or inflatable boat, generally attached to a larger boat or ship, used for sea rescue when necessary. Ships legally have to have a certain number of lifeboats corresponding with the number of people on board. 

This type of boat is used mostly on inland waters, and they are incredibly stable due to their wide and flat shape. They rely on tubes known as pontoons to float on the water. With sensible seating, they are used for sightseeing and fishing.

A barge is a type of water transport used on canals – it is also often called a canal boat. They are long and flat-bottomed, and used either for carrying cargo or as recreational passenger boats. The insides can fit beds, kitchens, seating areas and more.

An airboat is a small, flat-bottomed vessel which is powered by an aircraft-style propeller. They are used for tourist and fishing purposes in marshy and shallow waters – particularly the Everglades in Florida .

These are mostly used for tourist purposes now, particularly on the Nile. They are Eastern Mediterranean wooden sailing boats, seating around 10 passengers with 2-3 crew members.

A hovercraft is one of a few types of water transport which can also travel over land, through mud and on ice. They use special blowers in order to produce a large volume of air under the hull which is slightly above atmospheric pressure – this lifts the vessel allowing it to move. They have many uses.

This is a small narrow boat propelled by the use of double-ended paddles. They are most commonly used for recreational purposes on small bodies of water.

A liner is a very large boat designed to transport cargo or passengers long-distance from point A to point B, usually without stopping unless there is a need to refuel. They are generally not used these days, with flying being the optimal choice. The RMS Queen Mary 2 is the only ocean liner still in regular use, often completing trans-Atlantic journeys.

There is no standard definition of a yacht but they are generally 33ft+ in length with overnight facilities, used for pleasure and usually the height of luxury. You tend to find yachts moored at places like Puerto Banus in Marbella, or Cannes in France . People often make an activity out of celebrity-yacht-spotting!

A ferry is a type of boat generally used to carry passengers short-distance from A-B. They are used within waterside cities as public transport, such as the ferries in Venice or the ‘ferry across the Mersey’ in Liverpool. There are also ferries which travel a longer distance, from the UK to France for example, which also hold cars; these tend to have many more amenities on board such as cabins for sleeping, restaurants and bars, small cinemas and more.

This type of boat is small and flat-bottomed with a square-cut bow; it is propelled by the use of a pole which is pushed against the riverbed. The person doing this is called a ‘punter’, and they will be stood on the boat at the back. Punts are used for recreational purposes mostly.

Also known as a RIB, these tiny boats are – as the name suggests – rigid and inflatable. They are lightweight, high-capacity and unsinkable. RIBs are usually used as work boats; however, they are also used by scuba divers to reach dive sites which are in areas where larger boats can’t get to for whatever reason. They travel fast.

This is one of the most useful types of water transport because a ship’s tender is used to transport people or goods from a large ship to a dock, where there is not enough space to dock the ship itself.

A water taxi is used like land public transport to get people from one point to various other points. They will make multiple stops. Water taxis are used for commuting and also by tourists; you’ll find them in cities like Venice, Liverpool, Istanbul, Brussels, New Orleans and Budapest.

Other types of water transport

There are other types of water transport which are not technically boats, or are not referred to as such. This might be because they’re too big for that category, or too small, or simply operate in an entirely different manner.

A ship is a large water vessel, reserved for travelling the oceans. Ships generally have to be 95ft+ long; they can typically stay at sea for much longer than boats and, as the saying goes, a ship could carry a boat but a boat could not carry a ship. All of that being said, there is no set legal definition of a ship versus a boat.

There are many types of ships, including but not limited to:

• High-speed craft
• Off-shore oil vessels
• Motorised fishing trawlers
• Factory ships
• Cable layers
• Cry cargo ships
• Liquid cargo ships
• Passenger carrying vessels
• Special purpose vessels
• Aircraft carriers
• Minesweepers
• Deep sea survey vessels

One of the most well-known and exciting types of water transport is the cruise ship; they are, obviously, classed as ships – they are passenger carrying vessels, designed for staying at sea for an extended period of time. They differ from liners in that they stop at multiple ports as part of a round-trip. On board you’ll find a range of amenities including cabins, restaurants, shops, theatres, cinemas, bars, nightclubs, tattoo shops, water slides, go-karting tracks and much more. Not ever cruise ship has all of these, but this is just an example of how incredible cruise ships can be.

You can read more about cruising in my article, The 8 Major Types of Cruise.

A surfboard is a tricky one to categorise as one of the types of water transport, but it is listed on many websites as being a form of transport despite not generally being used to go from point A to point B in any way. A surfboard is a narrow plank used to allow surfers to ride a wave for fun.

A PWC is also known as a Jet Ski, which is actually a brand name (owned by Kawasaki) which has become synonymous with this kind of vessel. These differ from boats in that you stand or sit ON them, not in them. They are used for recreation mostly. However, law enforcement also use them due to their speed – and PWC fishing is a fast-growing industry.

And the last of the types of water transport is the submarine. These vessels are used for underwater exploration. There are small two-person submarines which can be submerged for a couple of hours, and there are massive submarines which remain under the water for up to 6 months. These vessels can go much deeper than human divers, allowing for discovery and anti-surface warfare.

If you enjoyed this article on the different types of transport then I am sure that you will love these too!

• Cruise tourism explained: What, why and where
• 15 Types of Rail Transport To Take You Away
• 20 Popular Types of Hotels Around The World
• The 3 Major Types Of Airlines + How They Work
• 50 types of transport from around the world

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• Hiking & Camping

The 13 Best Water Bottles for Travel [2023]

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

769 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63 U.S. States Visited: 9

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

31 Published Articles 3097 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 45 U.S. States Visited: 28

Why Should You Travel With a Water Bottle?

Impact of plastic and bottles on the environment, things to consider with a water bottle, 1. great for adventurous globetrotters, 2. best for backpackers and hardcore travelers, 1. cheap and cheerful everyday water bottle, 2. best for sporting adventures, 1. top quality from a family business, 2. the not-a-stainless-steel bottle, 3. best for fashion-forward adventurers, 4. built-to-last insulated water bottle, 5. for those wanting funky bottle designs, 1. for those who like to travel light, 2. best for space-saving travelers on a budget, 1. the budget infuser, 2. best for healthy drinkers, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Carrying a water bottle means you’ll always have access to a cool drink when you need it while feeling good about reducing your carbon footprint with every step you take!

Here are our top recommendations for the best water bottles to accompany you on all your travel adventures.

Investing in a reusable, refillable water bottle is much better than simply buying a plastic bottle every time you get thirsty. From a trip to the gym to a long-distance road trip, your water bottle is important for so many different reasons, including:

• Save Money — Having a refillable water bottle saves a fortune on having to buy water, juice, or soda whenever you feel thirsty.
• Stay Healthy — Our bodies are made mostly of water, and we need to drink a least 1.5 liters of the good stuff a day. Water helps keep our joints moving freely and improves our skin, eyesight, and general well-being.
• Drink Healthy — Single-use plastic water bottles can contain the chemical BPA, which has been linked to hormonal issues and even cancer. Switching to a reusable BPA-free water bottle will help keep you healthy.
• Stay Hydrated — If you’re traveling somewhere very hot, you need to drink even more water than usual to remain hydrated. Not consuming enough water can cause headaches, sickness, and sometimes serious health conditions.
• Drink Clean — Not all countries have the same water treatment processes, and drinking water that our bodies aren’t used to can make us unwell. Drinking filtered water from your very own bottle will reduce any risk of upset stomach (or worse) in some locations.
• Support the Environment — Not buying plastic bottles helps to save our environment. Single-use plastic bottles are responsible for a vast majority of the world’s marine pollution, and they provide further problems with landfills on dry land.

In the U.S. alone, millions of plastic water bottles end up in landfills every day . These bottles may seem like a convenient way to enjoy the fresh, cool water that our bodies need to stay well, but they are filling up our landfills and crippling our oceans.

The plastic bottle production process utilizes the petroleum product polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This product requires a large amount of fossil fuel to both make the bottles and transport them. For every single-use bottle manufactured, the equivalent of 1.4 gallons (5.3 liters) of clean water is also needed to make it. ¹

Plastic water bottles are also incredibly hard to recycle — meaning that the more of them we use, the more is left leaching dangerous chemicals into the ground since they take more than a human lifetime to decompose fully.

And the plastic bottle tops that give you convenient access to your water cause huge problems for marine animals worldwide. If fewer people buy single-use plastic water bottles, there will be less opportunity for them to be manufactured, distributed, and eventually disposed of in landfills or oceans.

If all this hasn’t convinced you to buy your own water bottle, we don’t know what will!

When buying a new water bottle, you should consider the following:

Your water bottle needs to be reusable, durable, free from leaks, and easy to clean. Most water bottles are made from either stainless steel or plastic, as these materials offer affordable ways to mass-produce drinking bottles.

Reusable plastic options offer a wide range of shapes, sizes, and designs — and most of the ones available today are BPA-free, making them super safe for both you and the environment.

Stainless steel bottles are far better insulated and perfect for keeping hot drinks warmer for longer. They may cost more to buy than a standard plastic bottle, but they should last you for a long time if you take care of them.

Water bottles come in all shapes and sizes.

Vacuum-insulated bottles can keep your water super cold all day long or your beverages hot for up to 5 hours straight.

• Glass bottles are beautiful and efficiently solve the problem of plastic waste and unwanted BPAs, but they can be breakable and do not insulate as well.
• Stainless steel bottles are non-reactive, BPA-free, and lightweight compared to glass bottles. They are also usually affordable since they can last a long time as long as they’re cared for and cleaned properly (handwash only!).
• Plastic bottles are the most popular type of refillable bottle in the U.S. today. You can fill them with all types of liquid, and choose from pop-up tops, flip tops, or even just plain screw lids.
• Collapsible water bottles are also popular if you are short on space. You can flatten them when empty, and they will bounce back into shape when they are full again.

Carry just enough water for your needs. Choose a bottle that can hold enough water to last you in between refills, but not one that is so large and heavy it becomes difficult to carry. Most water bottles are between 16 ounces (473 milliliters) to 24 ounces (708 milliliters).

Free of Chemicals

Reusable plastic bottles are designed to be BPA-free and made from materials that will not pose any risk to your health. There are even companies out there that manufacture water bottles made from sugar cane that are free from BPA, phthalates, and additives. Some recycled paper or stainless steel bottles come complete with natural bamboo stoppers.

Easy To Clean

A practical water bottle is one that is easy to clean. Over time, mold and mildew can build up in the spout and base of the bottle if it is not cleaned regularly, and you definitely won’t want to drink out of that! Plastic sports-style bottles, glass bottles, and some vacuum bottles can go in the dishwasher. Stainless steel and collapsible bottles may need to be washed by hand.

Filters and Purifiers

There are lots of bottles on the market that offer much more than just a practical, easy-to-clean vessel for carrying your beverage around. Some bottles even feature filters that remove chlorine and other contaminants from the water in the bottle, giving you purified water with every sip.

Insulated water bottles are designed to keep the temperature of your drink stable over prolonged periods. The quality and thickness of the insulation will dictate how effective it will be. Whether you’re planning on taking a hot coffee to work with you or ice-cold water on a very hot day, an insulated bottle will keep the temperature constant for 4 or 5 hours at least.

Bottles need to be easily accessible for filling up, but also securely closed to prevent leakage. Most bottles will have a screw top for cleaning and refilling.

When it comes to enjoying those beverages, there are a huge variety of different caps, spouts, and openings to choose from:

• Wide-mouth bottles that open like cups
• Sports cap bottles that you pull up with your teeth
• Pop-up straw spouts that fold down to prevent leaks
• Screwcap bottles that open like a traditional flask
• Spouts that twist like coffee cups

The weight of your water bottle will obviously depend on whether it’s full of liquid or not. If your water bottle feels quite heavy without any water in it, imagine how heavy it will feel when it’s full !

The lighter, the better, especially if you’re carrying it long distances or traveling with it in your bag. Note that stainless steel water bottles are usually much heavier than their plastic counterparts.

The 2 Best Filter Water Bottles

There are hundreds of different types of water bottles on the market. Make your choice based on your own needs and preferences, but pat yourself on the back for choosing to step away from environmentally damaging single-use plastics.

• LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottles

The LifeStraw series by Danish company Vestergaard filters water while you drink, making it perfect for camping, backpacking, and emergency kits. The award-winning LifeStraw hollow fiber membrane protects against bacteria, parasites, microplastics, chlorine, and other chemicals.

BPA-free and incredibly durable, the microbiological filter promises up to 5 years of safe drinking water while you travel. And the 23-ounce leakproof bottle is large enough to keep you hydrated, featuring a food-grade silicone mouthpiece.

Wherever you roam, this bottle can remove 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites without chemicals, iodine, or batteries, meaning all water can become safe drinking water. It also provides clean water for 1 year for 1 child through its innovative “One Purchase, One Child” program .

What We Like

• Great for the environment and communities in need

What We Don’t Like

• The straw is a little difficult to suck liquid through
• GRAYL UltraPress Water Purifier Bottle

This traditional-looking water bottle hides a clever secret: the GRAYL One Press design can transform dirty water into clean, drinkable water in around 10 seconds . How awesome is that?

The manufacturer claims their clever filter system can remove 99.9% of viruses, including hepatitis A, norovirus, and rotavirus, as well as 99.9999% of disease-causing bacteria that are responsible for E. coli, salmonella, and dysentery.

But the fun doesn’t end there — the filtering process also leaves no aftertaste, just cool refreshing water. This is the perfect investment if you’ll be traveling anywhere safe drinking water is hard to come by. Great for camping, hiking, backpacking, and hitting the open road, this clever bottle is a little pricey but could be a lifesaver.

• Creates great-tasting, purified water
• The lid is not attached to the bottle, so can be easily dropped

The 2 Best Plastic Water Bottles

• Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle

The Nalgene everyday water bottle is an American legend that’s still popular today. Made from BPA-free Eastman Tritan co-polyester, this popular bottle is incredibly impact-resistant. It’s also dishwasher safe on the top rack for a squeaky clean every time.

Made to withstand temperatures between -158 degrees to 212 degrees , you can use this bottle for all of your beverages. The wide mouth makes for easy cleaning, and the bottle can accommodate most water filters for crystal-clear refreshment every time you sip.

As the trailblazer of American-made water bottles, this one will keep you hydrated without leaking a single drop. The manufacturers are proud that their original design hasn’t changed in decades — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

• Easy to keep track of how much water you’ve drunk
• Doesn’t fit standard water bottle holders, like in a car, for example

CamelBak Chute Mag Water Bottle, 32oz

The well-loved Chute bottle from CamelBak has been improved upon over time, and is now one of the most popular drinking bottles in the U.S. With a new magnetic top that easily stows the cap, and its ever-popular angled spout , storing and drinking on the go has never been easier.

Made from the highest-grade plastics that are free from BPA, BPS, and BPF materials, the makers of the Chute say you’ll “taste your beverage, not the bottle.” Without any nasty chemicals to leave a bad taste in your mouth, you can enjoy crystal-clear water wherever your journey takes you.

The unique spout design provides a high flow of water that won’t slosh or spill, and the durable, leakproof 32-ounce bottle is big enough to see you through the longest journeys between refills. Available in a selection of sizes and colors, the Chute is a great choice for sports, travel, or even just everyday commuting.

• Easy to fill with ice through the large opening
• Doesn’t keep the water cold

The 5 Best Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Klean kanteen classic single wall stainless steel bottle.

The ethos behind this family-run business is to provide products that really last. The Klean Kanteen bottle embodies their values perfectly, and it’s made from a patented chip-resistant finish that is designed to withstand anything your adventures can throw at it .

Klean Kanteen also believes in prioritizing human safety in their drinking bottles, meaning they work hard to eliminate ingredients that could adversely affect people, as well as the environment. This particular bottle has a large opening that can fit ice cubes and is compatible with all of the Klean Kanteen Classic caps.

The easy-to-clean electro-polished interior doesn’t retain or impart flavors, and the stainless steel body keeps your water cooler longer. Available in a selection of sizes and bright colors, these are perfect for travel.

• Sturdy and solid if dropped
• The sports cap can be difficult to keep clean

Sigg Traveller Water Bottle

These Swiss drinking bottles are in vogue at the moment — they may not be the most practical choice, but the Sigg bottle is beautifully designed!

Sigg is proud that each bottle is made from a single sheet of 100% recyclable aluminum , creating a uniform and seamless construction that looks and feels great. And with a solvent-free, eco-friendly, powder-based coating, you’ll certainly have all your carbon footprint credentials checked with this bottle.

The 1-liter water bottle is a practical size that works well in your backpack or messenger bag. Great looking and with an exterior as smooth as the hood of a sports car, these bottles are fantastic to drink from. The downside is that you cannot freeze them, and you can only hand wash them with warm, soapy water (or invest in some specialist SIGG cleaning tablets and a brush).

• Bit of a pain to clean

Hydro Flask 18 oz Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

These brightly colored, funky drink bottles have a unique powder coat finish that works alongside the TempShield insulation to create a stainless steel bottle that is comfortable to hold and doesn’t suffer from condensation . Just what the world has been waiting for!

The eye-catching design is minimalist and cool, and the 18-ounce size is just right for your sports bag, backpack, or travel bag. Made using non-toxic BPA-free plastics and 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, this is a quality bottle that is also brilliantly practical.

The Hydro Flask’s double-walled, vacuum-insulated TempShield will keep your warm drinks hot for up to 12 hours, and cool drinks cold for up to 24 hours — perfect for whatever you’re drinking and wherever you’re headed.

• Double insulation keeps the water nice and cold
• The carrying strap is not the most durable
• MIRA Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle

This rugged sports water bottle is made from high-quality food-grade 18/8 stainless steel and is built to last! Beautifully crafted and guaranteed not to rust (provided you care for it correctly), the Mira Insulated Water Bottle should stay with you for many years to come.

The lid is completely leakproof, and the bottle is free from BPA and phthalates, meaning both you and the environment remain protected. It has a larger opening at the top and double-walled vacuum insulation to keep your beverages cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to 12 hours.

Great looking and practical, the Mira bottle will look as good as new with a hand wash, but it’s not dishwasher safe. Apart from that, it’s a cool-looking bottle that will keep you refreshed wherever you are.

• Can hold hot as well as cold liquids
• Not suitable for the dishwasher

Healthy Human Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle

Designed to keep your drinks icy cold for a long time, a Healthy Human bottle will make you feel like you’re guzzling glacial meltwater. Made from 100% premium food-grade 18/8 stainless steel (and also BPA-free with no plastic lining in the bottle or lid), you taste exactly what you would expect: nothing but your drink!

This bottle also promises to be 100% leakproof and sweat-free, meaning you can stow it anywhere without worrying about messy leaks or spills . The double-walled exterior and vacuum-insulated interior will keep your liquids cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours — perfect for long journeys in between refills.

The Healthy Human water bottle also comes with a variety of accessories, including a carabiner to clip onto your bag or stroller , a sticker, and a “Hydro Guide.” It also comes beautifully packaged, making it the perfect gift for your fellow adventurers.

• Available in 4 sizes and a range of colors and designs
• Chips easily

The 2 Best Collapsible Water Bottles

Bulunow travel water bottle.

This ingenious water bottle collapses up to a fraction of its size when empty , making it perfect for long-distance travel. Made from 100% food-grade materials and completely free of BPA, BPS, PVC, phthalates, lead, latex, and other harmful leaching chemicals, this is a supercool drink bottle with a serious pedigree behind it.

Incredibly durable, you can throw this baby around without causing damage. The flexible, shatter-proof silicone body is designed to survive drops and knocks, while the triple leak-proof design for the lid will eliminate leaks and spills completely. The cap also doubles up as a spout cover to keep germs off the mouthpiece.

Dishwasher safe (unlike some of the other bestselling bottles we’ve mentioned), this collapsible silicone bottle can handle hot or cot drinks and is even freezable. What more to say? The Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle is perfect for every traveler.

• Compact to transport when not in use
• Bottle sweats a little on the outside

Hydrapak Soft Flask, 150ml

Designed to keep you fully charged on the go, this lightweight 150 milliliters (5.3 ounces) collapsible flask allows for instant hydration whatever you’re doing and wherever you are.

The compact dimensions of the Soft Flask mean it fits easily in most hydration vests , belts, or pack pockets for easy transportation, and the soft material will conform to any pocket. As you drink, it immediately shrinks — making it even easier to stow away between refills.

Loved by many athletes and adventurers, the UltraFlask’s durable TPU compound can stand up to pretty much anything you throw at it. Being 100% BPA and PVC-free, it doesn’t have any weird taste or harmful chemicals. This is a neat little bottle that’s great if you want something practical yet reasonably priced.

• Can be filled with energy gels
• Requires 2 hands to open

The 2 Best Infusion Water Bottles

Infusion pro water infuser – 24 oz fruit infused water bottle.

This affordable infuser bottle is great for anyone who wants to add a little bit of pizzazz to their water. Made from 100% Eastman Tritan BPA-free plastic, you can fill this fruit infuser with a flavor of your choice for great-tasting refreshment on the go .

Simply pop some fruits or veggies into the extra-large infuser basket and wait for the flavor to fill the water. The strainer stops seeds, pulp, or ice from clogging the drinking spout while giving you an awesome-tasting healthy beverage that’s a little more exciting than just plain water.

The addition of an insulating neoprene sleeve and carry strap means you can take your flavored water anywhere you want, and it will still be nicely chilled when you get there. Great for anyone wanting to detox or lose weight, as well as those who want to stay refreshed while they travel, this bottle makes drinking water taste just a bit better.

• Dishwasher safe
• The flip lid is quite fragile

Live Infinitely 32 oz. Infuser Water Bottle

Infusion bottles give you the unique opportunity to naturally flavor your water with any combination of fruit you can think of. With dual hand grips and a dedicated sports spout, this is the perfect bottle for staying hydrated on the go.

Another bottle made from durable Eastman Tritan, these bottles are BPA-free and FDA approved to be safe for use with food and beverages. The water infuser is also leakproof, and the locking lid means you never have to worry about spills. It is also easy to clean and dishwasher-friendly.

This bottle offers a full length infuser rod, meaning you can plenty of fruit to flavor your water . It’s great for anyone adding natural nutrients to their daily lifestyle, while still drinking all the H2O they need to function well and stay healthy.

• Sports spout for easy drinking
• Small bits of fruit or herbs can get through the large infuser holes

Your water bottle is so much more than just a vessel to hold your refreshment. Modern refillable bottles are not only on-trend and practical, but they also help save the planet with their impressive low carbon and eco-friendly manufacturing credentials.

Water bottles can also save your life! If you’re traveling to the far-flung corners of the earth, a built-in filtration system can give you safe, clean water to drink when you need it most.

Invest in the bottle that best suits your requirements, and go for quality overlooks to ensure that your bottle lasts for many years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should you travel with a water bottle.

There are many reasons! Traveling with a water bottle helps you save money, stay healthy and hydrated, drink clean, and support the environment.

What is the best filter water bottle for travel?

There are hundreds of different types of water bottles on the market. Make your choice based on your own needs and preferences, but pat yourself on the back for choosing to step away from environmentally damaging single-use plastics. These are a few of our favorites:

• CamelBak Chute Mag Water Bottle

Can you bring a stainless steel water bottle on an airplane?

Stainless steel water bottles are permitted to be taken on board an airplane. The water bottle must be empty when you pass through TSA.

What to consider when buying a water bottle for travel?

• Free of chemicals
• Easy to clean
• Filters and purifiers

Are there water bottles for hot and cold beverages?

Was this page helpful?

About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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Travelers’ Health

Safe drinking water, safe recreational water, illness and injury.

No one wants to think about getting sick or hurt during a trip, but sometimes these things happen. You may not be able to prevent every illness or injury, but you can plan ahead to be able to deal with them.

If you will be traveling soon, be sure to visit CDC’s Travelers’ Health  site, or check out the links below.

Eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated water can increase the risk of developing certain infectious diseases caused by germs such as Cryptosporidium , Giardia , Shigella , and norovirus, among others.

For information on safe drinking water, visit:

• Water Treatment Options when Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry and Travel Use  (CDC)
• A Guide to Water Filters  (CDC)
• Water Disinfection for Travelers (CDC)
• Water Treatment Methods (CDC)
• Making Water Safe in an Emergency (CDC)
• Avoid Contaminated Water During  Travel (CDC)

For more information on bottled water, visit:

• Bottled Water (CDC)

For more information on safe food and drinks when traveling, visit:

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling (CDC)

  Top of Page

Swimming in contaminated water can increase the risk of developing certain infectious diseases. When you are swimming in untreated or poorly treated water, you risk coming in contact with germs that may make you sick.

For information on safe recreational water, visit:

• Swimming-related Illnesses (CDC)
• Visiting Oceans, Lakes and Rivers (CDC)

In addition to using safe drinking and recreational water, it is important to also protect yourself and others from waterborne illness by paying attention to good sanitation practices:

• Disposing of human waste appropriately. When possible, use permanent sanitation facilities (toilets and latrines). If these facilities are not available, dispose of human waste by burying it at least 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from natural waters.
• Practicing good personal hygiene. If possible, wash hands with soap and clean, running water before handling food or eating, and after using the toilet.

For information on Sanitation when traveling or while in the backcountry, visit:

• Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives  (CDC)
• The Leave No Trace Seven Principles (Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics)
• Backcountry Operations  (National Park Service Public Health Program)

CDC’s Disease Directory  will provide information for travelers about specific diseases that can affect them while traveling. Note: For travel recommendations for specific regions, visit Destinations .

For specific information on certain diseases, visit:

• Travelers’ Health: Disease Directory  (CDC)
• Cryptosporidium Information for Travelers (CDC)
• Travelers’ Health: Cryptosporidiosis (CDC)
• Travelers’ Diarrhea (CDC)
• Cholera Information for Travelers (CDC)

While traveling abroad, it is important to know what steps should be taken in the event of illness and/or injury. For more information, visit CDC’s Getting Health Care Abroad page. For specific information on drowning, visit CDC’s Unintentional Drowning: Get the Facts  page.

• Drinking Water
• Healthy Swimming
• Global WASH
• Other Uses of Water
• WASH-related Emergencies & Outbreaks
• Water, Sanitation, & Environmentally-related Hygiene

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Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

How to Get Safe Drinking Water When Traveling

Last updated: February 16, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 14 Comments

If you are planning a trip, you might be wondering how to ensure access to safe drinking water on your travels.

For example, you might be planning a backcountry camping trip, a hiking trip, or a trip overseas where you aren’t sure if the tap water is safe to drink.

Whatever the reason, access to safe drinking water is critically important to your well-being and health.  Sometimes the available water might not be safe for human consumption or other uses like brushing your teeth or cooking.

In these scenarios, you are likely going to have to take some steps to treat the water to make it safe. In this guide, we’re going to go through the whole topic of water purification from a travel perspective.

We’ll start with resources on discovering if the water will be safe to drink on your trip and how to learn what the main risks are. We’ll then go through the various options you have for making water safe to drink when traveling, covering the advantages and disadvantages of a number of methods.

Finally, we’ll finish up with a number of recommendations for different products that can be used to treat water when traveling to help you decide which might be best for your needs.

This is all based on our personal experience traveling around the world, as well as extensive research using information from trusted sources like government agencies.

By the end of this post, you should know if you need to consider a water treatment method for your next trip, and if so, which one is going to meet your needs and budget!

Why You Might Need to Treat Your Water

Before we get into the different methods for treating water to make it safe, let’s look at why and where you might need to purify the water you are drinking.

As humans, we need water to survive. A lack of water can quickly become lethal, with most experts agreeing that the human body can only survive a few days without water. Unfortunately, water is good at carrying things that are not good for us. These can include bacteria, viruses, and parasites as well as chemicals and metals.

Sadly, the WHO estimated in 2020 , that about 26% of the world’s population (about 2 billion people) do not have reliable access to safe drinking water. Contaminated water has been linked to diseases such as cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid, giardiasis, and polio.

It is also linked to the most common ailment that travelers are likely to suffer from, travelers’ diarrhea (or travellers’ diarrhoea), which is experienced by over 20% of travelers to destinations that lack access to safe water. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or protozoa in water. As such, it is important to ensure that the water you are exposed to is clean and free of any contaminant.

Not only is it important to have safe drinking water, but you also want to ensure the water is safe that you use for brushing your teeth, as ice in drinks, for cleaning fruits and vegetables, washing dishes, etc. It only takes a small amount of contaminated water to cause a serious issue.

Common situations where you might need to treat your water are as follows:

• When hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and backcountry travel where you may be drinking untreated water
• International travel to destinations with unsafe drinking water
• Situations, such as flooding or water treatment issues, that make your home water supply unsafe
• As an environmentally-friendly alternative to buying and drinking bottled water
• To improve the taste of safe but bad tasting water

In this guide we will be primarily looking at water treatment from a travel perspective. So we will look generally at methods you can use to provide you with drinkable water when hiking, camping, or traveling overseas. However, many of these methods can also be used at home if required.

How to Plan for Safe Water on your Trip

It can be a bit overwhelming for some travelers to think about the issue of safe drinking water. There are a number of factors to consider including your specific destination, method of travel, potential water contaminants, and resources available at your destination.

Here are 4 general steps you can take for ensuring safe water for travel :

1. Do some research to find out if the water will be safe to drink on your trip. Be sure to get information from up-to-date and reliable sources (e.g., CDC, WHO, local health authority, travel clinic medical staff).

2. If the water may be unsafe at your destination, you should research what the main issues are with the water (e.g., bacteria, viruses, and parasites). The type of water contaminants will determine what methods will be effective in treating the water.

3. Then you should choose an appropriate way to treat and make the water safe to drink (e.g. boiling the water or filtering the water) that will eliminate the contaminants. You want to make sure to choose a method that will be feasible at your destination.

4. Finally, you should figure out what you need to pack with you to treat the water (e.g., water purification chemical tablets or a water filtration device) at your travel destination.

We’ll be talking about all of these factors in more detail throughout the article.

How to Know if Tap Water is Safe to Drink When Traveling?

Before you travel to a destination, you might wonder specifically if the tap water in the destination is safe to drink.

If it is, then you might not need to pack and bring a water treatment system at all, or only bring one if you won’t have regular access to tap water.

The answer to this will obviously vary depending on the destination. Some locations might have perfectly safe tap water, such as in Spain or Italy, but locals will still drink bottled water (and urge you to do the same) due to the better taste.

Our recommendation is to look at the local government websites for advice, as well as to follow the advice of your government for travel to the destination.

This map shows which parts of the world you can expect to find easy access to safe drinking water, based on CDC and World Health Organization research. But you should check the specific country you are going to for specific information on health and water safety.

If you will have access to safe drinking water when traveling, then you probably don’t need to bring along any sort of water treatment system. But we would of course recommend bringing along a reusable water bottle like this to take advantage of this fact and to prevent needing to pay for or rely on bottled water.

If the water is not safe where you intend to travel (or you are unsure) then you will probably want to consider bringing along some sort of water treatment.

How do I know if I need to Disinfect Water when Traveling?

Here are some general tips to help you decide if you need to purify the water you drink when you are traveling.

• If you are wanting to drink water from an untreated source, such as a lake, pond, river, puddle, or natural spring, you should boil, filter, or chemically treat the water before using it for drinking, cooking, or personal hygiene. The treatment method you choose will depend on the risk factors in the area you are traveling in.
• According to the CDC, it is generally not considered safe for travelers to drink tap water in most low- and middle-income countries. This includes most of Asia (except Japan and South Korea), the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, Central America, South America, some areas of Europe, and many island nations. You should research the specific country you are going to for specific information on health and water safety.
• If you are not sure, check with local authorities about the safety of the water for drinking.
• If in any doubt about the safety of drinking water, you should boil, filter, or treat it before drinking. Or stick to drinking bottled water.

What about Bottled Water?

One popular option when looking for safe drinking water when traveling is to opt for bottled water. The water is purified prior to being bottled and is therefore normally safe to drink.

In many developing countries especially, bottled water is the go-to option for both locals and travelers who are looking for a safe drinking option. If buying water, make sure to look for factory-sealed bottled water.

Unfortunately, bottled water also comes with negative side-effects. The first is environmental. Most bottled water comes in single-use plastic bottles, and the creation, shipping, and disposal of plastic bottled water has a massive environmental impact.

Whilst in theory the plastic can be recycled, this also has a negative environmental impact. In many locations around the world, the infrastructure to manage plastic recycling simply doesn’t exist. In fact, 91% of plastic worldwide isn’t recycled .

As a result, the plastic might end up in landfill, the oceans, or burnt. None of these outcomes is positive for the environment.

The other issue with bottled water is the cost. Whilst it can often be obtained for a relatively low price, over a period of time this cost will start to add up. As a result, purifying your own water will likely be more cost effective in the long run, even when factoring in the cost of purification.

Note that in some travel situations and destinations bottled water is going to be the only option for safe drinking water for travelers. For instance, there may not be any water sources in an area or the water may be contaminated by metal and chemical contaminants that cannot be adequately removed by other methods. In those cases, factory-sealed bottled water is going to be the best option.

How to Treat Water when Traveling

There are a number of different ways that you can treat or purify water, as outlined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here . These include boiling water, using chemical treatments, filtration methods, and the use of UV light.

I’ll go through the main ones now, and outline the pros and cons of each approach from a travel perspective. There’s also a good graphic comparison of each method on the CDC website here .

Boiling Water

One of the most well-known and effective ways of purifying water from pathogens is to boil it. Generally, you need to bring the water to a rolling boil for at least a minute, or longer if you are at higher elevations.

Boiling water kills most organisms that cause disease, including viruses, bacteria and parasites. However it does not remove other contaminants such as chemicals or heavy metals.

In most cases, boiling water will be sufficient for treatment. It is effective and relatively quick. Generally, this is the number one recommendation by the CDC if you are looking for effective water treatment.

The disadvantage to boiling as a purification method is that it requires a lot of energy. When we are traveling we don’t always have access to a vessel to boil water (e.g, pot, kettle) or a heat source (e.g., stovetop, fire, electric power).

Even if we can boil water in a kettle, we might not be able to keep it at a rolling boil for the required time. You also have to consider the time it takes the water to cool down after boiling.

If you do have access to a device that can boil water for a period of time, and can factor in the cooling time, then boiling water is a purification method to consider. It works well at home or in an apartment, as well as in some camping or RV scenarios where you have access to a source of heat.

However, for general travel, it is often not feasible or practical and so other treatment options should be considered.

Water Purification Chemicals

Chemical purification is another way of cleaning water. Iodine purification tablets or chlorine drops or tablets can be used to disinfect water, and they are capable of killing most disease-causing bacteria and viruses if the instructions are followed correctly. These are often used in addition to filtration.

They are also generally easy to use, all you have to do is add the number of tablets or drops to the water as specified by the instructions, wait a period of time, and then the water should be safe to drink. They are one of the more inexpensive water purification methods.

There are some downsides to water purification tablets and chemicals. Probably the downside most people are familiar with is that they can give the water a bad taste. In fact, many iodine tablets come with a taste neutralization tablet to help reduce the taste of the iodine.

Other downsides include having to wait to drink water (usually about 30 minutes, but can be 4 hours or more) and that they don’t remove chemicals or heavy metals from water. If using in cloudy or dirty water, you will also probably need to filter the water as well.

Iodine pills are not recommended for long term use, and they are not all suitable for everyone, such as pregnant women or those with sensitivity to the ingredients. Chlorine drops and tablets can be used for more long-term use.

For shorter backcountry camping trips, these chemicals in tablet form are a popular option as they are relatively lightweight compared to other options, and they generally work well. These are also a great back-up option (if planning to rely on another type of water treatment) and a recommended part of any hiker or camper’s first aid kit.

If you are planning to pack water purification tablets or drops, one of the most known and reputable brands in this space is Potable Aqua . The initial products were developed for the U.S. Army with Harvard University in the 1940s. They sell both iodine and chlorine dioxide purification tablets and drops.

Water Filtration and Water Purification

Water filtration is a method of purifying water where the water is passed through a fine filter. The filter pores are so fine that they remove many contaminants from the water, resulting in clear, drinkable water.

In standard filters, the size of the filter pores will determine which contaminants the filter is capable of removing. Filter pores of around 0.1 – 0.2 microns (100 or 200 nanometres) will filter protozoa and bacteria, but not viruses. To filter out viruses, the CDC recommends filtration pores smaller than 0.03 microns (30 nanometers). These devices are commonly referred to as water purifiers.

There are other filter technologies such as ion exchange technology which can also purify water of various organisms. These usually work in combination with pore-based technology.

A good water filter or water purifier will clearly list what it is capable of cleaning.

Some water filters also include a carbon filtration stage which is designed to remove bad tastes from the water.

A water filter or water purifier can be a good option for travel, as it can normally filter a good amount of water in a short amount of time. It should remove most contaminants, including some metals and chemicals, and most have carbon filters to produce clean water without any taste.

The disadvantage is that normally the filters are generally only rated to filter a certain amount of water before needing replacement. In addition, the process for filtering the water can require some effort on your part to force the water through the filter pores.

A water filter is also normally more bulky than chemical filtration options, and the upfront cost can be high. It is also very important to understand exactly what the device can and cannot filter before using it.

A good standard to check for when evaluating purifiers and filters is the NSF P231 standard. This was released by the international organisation NSF (this used to stand for National Sanitation Foundation, but today it is just called NSF).

The NSF P231 standard is a tough 10-day test in multiple parts, and a reputable manufacturer should be able to show evidence that their system or device passed the test in full.

It is worth noting that there is also an even more strict standard, NSF P248, which some brands also test to for extra peace of mind. This is similar to P231, but was developed for testing US military water purification systems for use on military operations.

This one is less common for consumer-focused filters, but if you want the ultimate peace of mind, consider investing in a product which has met P248 testing requirements.

Note that there are other NSF testing standards, including NSF 42 and 53. These are primarily designed to test home water filters for taste improvements, rather than to render them safe.

We would definitely recommend investing in a water filtration or purification system that meets NSF P231 testing standards, and which provides proof of the same via an independent laboratory report. See our guide to the best water filters for travel for our recommended options.

Finally, another option to consider is a UV light emitting device. As the name suggests, a UV light-based device works by shining UV light into water. A high-powered UV light will destroy the DNA of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, basically making water safe against these threats.

The advantage of a UV light water treatment system is that it will continue to work as long as you have power and the bulb is good. As long as the light is sufficiently powerful it will be effective against bacteria, viruses and parasites, and the devices are normally quite portable.

The disadvantage of UV light is that it doesn’t change the taste of the water, and it cannot remove chemicals or metals. It also requires power, although battery powered options are available.

In addition, UV lights are only effective for water purification if the water is clear. The UV light will be blocked by cloudy water, meaning it won’t be able to effectively clean all the water. As such, these systems should only be used to purify clear water or in addition to another method such as filtration if the water is cloudy.

What to Look for in a Water Treatment System for Travel

Before we go through some of our recommended options for creating safe drinking water when you travel, we wanted to cover what you should be looking for in general.

What does it Treat For?

Probably the most important question you need to ask when shopping for a water treatment system for travel is what it is capable of removing from your water.

The main contaminants you are likely to want to remove from water are:

• Protozoa (includes parasites like Giardia and Cryptosporidium)

Not all purification systems are capable of removing all these contaminants from water. You will want to consider where you are traveling and the sorts of water sources you are likely to have access to when deciding which system is best for you.

For backcountry travel in the United States for example, the more pressing concerns are protozoa and bacteria, which most purification options should be able to handle.

Viruses are much smaller than bacteria or protozoa, and so not all systems are capable of removing them effectively.

However, viruses are most commonly transmitted via human waste, and this transmission is far less common in the USA and other developed countries due to good waste management practices and low population densities in the areas where travelers might need to filter water sources. For backcountry camping in the U.S. for example, a system that can remove viruses isn’t typically needed.

Travelers to developing parts of the world will normally want to consider a water treatment system that can also remove viruses, as these can be more common in these areas. Of course, those of you wanting to err on the side of caution (not a bad thing), might want a system that can handle viruses regardless of destination.

It is important to note that most water treatment options, especially those used for travel related purposes, are normally not capable of removing things like fuel oil, toxic chemicals, or radioactive materials. In scenarios like this, which normally are disaster related, the CDC recommends using factory-sealed bottled water.

Additionally, these methods are also not going to be able to make ocean or seawater drinkable as they do not desalinate the water. So none of these methods are designed to be used for removing salt from water.

When it comes to what a product can remove, different methodologies have different certification and testing requirements. Generally, any producer of a water filtration or purification system that believes in their product should be willing to have it independently tested to an agreed standard. Ideally these tests will be provided in full for you to look at.

Products for example may conform to EPA standards. This was developed by the US-based Environmental Protection Agency in the 1980s, and provided a framework for testing micro biological water purifiers, including chemical purifiers, in order to demonstrate if they produced water that was safe to drink.

The EPA guidelines focus on reduction of microbiological contaminants, including bacteria, viruses and cysts. This is based on percentage reduction.

For example, to be effective against bacteria, the EPA states that a treatment system should remove 99.9999% of any bacteria present in a water source, making it safe for consumption. This reduction may also be referred to as a Log 6 reduction as there are six 9’s in 99.9999%.

For viruses, there should be a Log 4 reduction, or 99.99%. For Protozoa, Log 3 or 99.9%.

The main thing is to check that the manufacturer has done some level of independent laboratory testing against an agreed upon standard.

How Long Does It Take to Produce Safe Drinking Water?

When evaluating a water treatment system, you should investigate how long it takes to produce safe drinking water.

In most cases, manufacturers will provide an estimate for how long it takes to filter a certain amount of water, say one litre or one gallon.

As an example, a device with a filter might be able to filter 10 litres of water in one hour. Some devices such as the LifeStraw simply filter water as you drink.

Systems like UV light systems normally take 1 to 3 minutes to purify around a litre of water, making them relatively quick.

If boiling water, it will depend on how long the chosen heating source can get water to the boiling point and then add on 1 to 3 minutes to allow it enough time to boil.

Chemical purification methods normally take a while to purify water, normally at least half an hour, but it can be four hours or more.

Does it Improve the Taste of the Water?

Whilst the main reason to purify water is to make it safe to drink, you may also want to improve the taste of the water.

Some water filters and water purifiers can improve the taste of the water. They do this through use of an activated charcoal filter which traps various chemicals, including chemicals that can affect the taste of the water like chlorine. It is worth noting that these filters nearly always have a shorter lifespan than the filters used for actual filtration, so might need to be replaced more regularly to be effective.

Water filters and purifiers will also remove sediment from water, turning it from cloudy to clear. This can make it much more visually appealing to drink.

Boiling water and UV light purification normally makes the water safe to drink, however it will not change or improve the taste of the water. It will also not affect how the water looks.

Chemical treatment methods such as tablets and iodine drops can change the taste of the water, in most cases making it taste slightly worse. They also won’t improve the clarity of the water.

How Easy is it to Use, Maintain, Clean, and Store?

When it comes to a product that is designed to create safe drinking water, you ideally want it to be as easy to use as possible. We recommend looking at the instruction manual for any product to get a feel for how many steps are involved in producing clean water.

If a product has a complicated, multi-stage process, there is a higher likelihood that you are going to get something wrong, potentially leading to drinking contaminated water. Ideally, the process should be simple and easy to remember.

As well as ease of use, you will also want to consider how easy the product you choose is to maintain, clean, and store. It should be easy to take apart for any cleaning, and there should be guidelines on how best to store it between uses. A water treatment solution isn’t something you are likely to be using every day, so between trips you want to be sure it is something you can pack away for next time without worry.

How Much Water Can It Purify at a Time?

Most systems for creating safe drinking water have a set amount of water they can treat at one time. This amount varies based on a number of factors, but is something to consider depending on how much water you need to treat at a time.

For many systems, you can calculate the volume of water purified over a period of time by reading the instructions. For example, a UV light system might be able to purify a litre of water in a minute. A filter based system might be able to do between 0.5L and 3 litres a minute. A UV-light system might take 30 minutes to purify a litre of water.

When thinking about how much water you need to purify, you should consider a number of factors. How many people do you need to provide water for? Is the water for drinking only, or do you also need it for things like cooking, personal hygiene and washing dishes?

You should also consider if you need to be able to carry treated water, and if so, how much. If you will have regular access to water sources, you might not need to carry a lot of water for example. However, you won’t want to wait four hours each time you find water for a chemical purification tablet to be fully effective.

It’s also worth remembering that different systems work slightly differently. For example, a filtration system will always provide the same sort of flow rate, so the amount of water you can purify over a time period will remain the same.

With boiling water you just need a larger vessel and you can boil more. With chemical purification tablets, you can normally add more tablets (based on manufacturer guidelines) to purify a larger amount of water at a time.

If you are able to carry a good quantity of water, then a system that allows for bulk purification might be easier than one that has a fixed output.

The main thing is to figure out how much water you are likely to need to filter on your trip, based on duration, water usage needs, and number of people. Then you can see if the solution you are choosing will be adequate.

How Long Will It Last?

Different options for creating safe drinking water will last for a different period of time. This is often measured in the total volume of water you can purify over the lifetime of the product.

For example, water filtration systems that use a filter might be able to purify anywhere from 100 – to 4000L+ before the filter component needs replacing.

This is because the way the filters work is that they actually get blocked up by stuff they are filtering out of the water. Over time, all the pores will be blocked and the filter will stop allowing water through. Smaller pores get blocked quicker than larger pores.

UV light-based systems are normally battery powered, and so will only work for the life of the battery before needing charging. The bulb will also have a maximum estimated lifespan before it needs to be changed, usually around 8,000 litres.

A chemical-based system will be able to purify a specific amount of water based on the chemicals used. This is generally around a litre per tablet.

Boiling water will last as long as your energy source lasts.

How Durable Is It?

Depending on where you plan to use it, a water purification system is likely to be a critically important part of your travel kit. Having access to clean water is really important, and you need to be able to rely on the product you are buying.

No matter what water treatment method you choose, you want to make sure that you can rely on it and any products you buy. Depending on the item, this might be making sure it isn’t likely to leak, break, or be damaged by moisture. You should carefully read instructions on how to best store, use, and clean products before your trip.

Obviously different types of water treatment will have different levels of durability. A sealed packet of water purification tablets will be more durable than a glass bottle of iodine drops for example. A UV filter will normally have a bulb that might be prone to breakage if not stored correctly.

For water filters and purifiers, these are normally designed to be quite sturdy. Ideally, the product will have been tested to withstand a certain amount of impact. If it stores water, you want to be sure it’s not going to leak. Out on the trail, you want something that is going to be able to handle being dropped or bashed around a bit without failing.

Definitely be wary of anything that has small fiddly bits of plastic that might easily break, as this could cause a serious problem. Devices that rely on power and have built in electronics might also be susceptible to failure in damp conditions or if dropped.

We would normally recommend having a fall-back system to your main solution, just in case. For example, if you opt for a filter-based water purification device, consider packing chemical water purification tablets as a backup.

How Much Does It Weigh?

Weight is an important consideration for any traveler. If you are planning a back country hiking trip where you are carrying everything on your back, then you will definitely be thinking about weight a great deal.

However, even travelers with checked luggage don’t have infinite luggage space! So you are unlikely to want to pack a big bulky water purification system for travel, or carry it with you when you are out sightseeing.

So when choosing a method, just be realistic about whether it will be practical. Are you OK with carrying a camping stove, fuel canister, pot, and water bottle in your backpack each day? Are you going to be able to fit a water filtration system in your suitcase?

Does it Have Replaceable Parts?

Different systems for treating water might have parts that are replaceable, and it is worth understanding what these parts are and what the replacement costs are.

Most filter systems, for example, will have replaceable filters, but some may have additional elements like hoses or seals that you are able to replace.

A UV light-based system might have replaceable batteries or a replaceable bulb.

When comparing prices of different options for creating safe drinking water for travel, it is worth checking the different prices of these replacement parts and their estimated lifespan so you have an idea of a total lifetime cost.

When you are comparing different water treatment systems, it can be hard to get an idea of how they compare from a cost point of view. You can try to figure out the cost for the duration of a specific trip or compare it based on the cost of use per gallon or litre of water.

Some methods are harder to compare than others. For example, with boiling water, it will depend on the costs of your energy source and vessel. It may cost you nothing if a stove and kettle are available for free use at your hostel. But someone else may need to purchase a camp stove, fuel canister, and kettle, and then be needing to replace the fuel after every so many uses.

It is often easier to more directly compare chemical purification tablets, water filters and UV systems as they often provide information on how much water they can treat before they need to be repurchased or a part needs replaced.

One good way to compare is to see how much it would cost you to filter one litre of water using the system. To do this, you just need the cost of the system and the amount of water it can filter.

For example, you might spend 100 dollars on a water treatment system that can filter 1,000 litres of water. 100 divided by 1,000 is 0.10. So filtering water using this system would cost you 10 cents per litre.

Of course, if the system has replaceable parts, such as a replaceable filter which costs 25 dollars, your future cost will drop. So over the total lifetime of the product your overall cost might be lower. However, calculating the initial cost per litre or per gallon is a good starting point for comparison purposes.

What Water Sources Does It Support?

Depending on the type of travel you are doing, you might need a different style of water treatment method. For example, if you are primarily traveling in a country where you just want to filter the tap water for safety, then most methods will work fine. Most methods work most effectively in clear water.

However, if you are planning a trip that will require you to source water from lakes, river, puddles, etc. or other sources where the water is likely to be cloudy or dirty, then you want to make sure the method you choose will be able to work.

For cloudy water, UV light and some chemical methods are normally less effective. In these scenarios, boiling water or using a water filter/water purifier is normally recommended. It may also be a good idea to combine methods, i.e. filtering the water first and then adding chemical purification tablets.

Where you are getting the water from is also important. For example, filling up a bottle from a tap is normally relatively easy. However, if you are sourcing water from a shallow stream, you might need a device that has a pump or tubing that allows you to capture the water.

The main thing is to pick a device that is capable of working in the various scenarios you will need to use it in.

What Temperatures Does It Work In?

It is really important to check what temperatures the device you plan to buy is capable of working in. This is especially the case if you are planning on traveling to a cold weather destination.

When the temperature dips below freezing, obviously water freezes. If you think you will be dealing with frozen water, this is obviously something to consider.

Devices with batteries may not work as well in cold temperatures. If you are using a water filter system, then any water inside the filtration system will also freeze. Some filters will be permanently damaged if this happens, and so are not rated for use in freezing weather conditions.

Most devices will work fine in warm weather, although do always check what temperature range the device is rated for and compare it with the temperatures you expect to encounter when using it.

The Best Ways to Get Safe Drinking Water for Travel

We will now go through our pick of the best options you have for getting safe drinking water for travel.

Before we do though, a quick note. We are not qualified water purification experts or medical professionals, and you should seek professional guidance as to the best water filter for your needs and specific situation. This article is for information purposes based on our experiences, and does not constitute health advice.

We would stress that water purification is a complex topic, and drinking water that is not properly treated can be life threatening. So please ensure you research the topic thoroughly, understand the risks for your needs and destination, and get qualified advice if you are unsure.

Boiling water is the CDC preferred method for pathogen reduction where possible. It is simple and highly effective and there is minimal chance of getting it wrong.

The advantage of boiling water is that it works with any water source and it kills bacteria, protozoa and viruses. It is also fairly fast, depending on the volume of water and the power of your heat source. You just need to heat the water to boiling point and allow it to boil for at least 1 to 3 minutes (depending on altitude). All you need is a heat source and a vessel for heating the water.

Boiling water works well on back-country hiking trips as well as on a trip where you have access to a stovetop, such as when staying in a hostel with a kitchen, an apartment rental,  or on an RV trip. On a camping trip, all you need is a camping stove and heat source like this .

An electric kettle is another option, although most electric kettles are designed to turn off when they reach boiling point so are not effective for purification as they do not allow the water to boil long enough. Some electric kettles are available with a purification function, which boils the water for three minutes to purify it, although these are not common.

If you use a stovetop kettle then this is not an issue as you can allow the water to boil for as long as needed.

The disadvantage of boiling water is that it is only effective for pathogen removal. It won’t improve the taste of the water and it won’t remove chemicals or other particles.

For travel, you also need to consider the weight of the equipment you will need to carry with you to boil the water. If you are camping, you are likely already planning on bringing a burner and stovetop pan. However, for a day hike or overseas travel, you are less likely to want to carry this sort of equipment.

It’s also worth remembering that unless you are using boiled water for a hot drink, cooking or washing dishes, you will also normally need to wait for it to cool down before drinking it, so you will need to plan ahead.

Overall, though, boiling water is an excellent option for purifying water in many situations, including many travel situations where access to a heat source is easy. We’d recommend it for things like camping and multi-day hiking trips where you already plan to bring a heat source, RV travel, and overseas trips with prolonged stays in places which give you access to a stovetop like apartment rentals .

Chemical Purification

Chemical purification or disinfection involves adding some sort of chemical to water in order to kill pathogens. The chemicals involved are normally chlorine, iodine or chlorine dioxide.

Chemical purification is commonly used, alongside filtration, in order to provide safe drinking water in homes from a municipal supply.

The chemicals for on-the-go water purification are normally available in either tablet or liquid form. This needs to be added to the water and then left to work as directed by the manufacturer, usually for a period of 30 minutes up to several hours.

According to the CDC, most chemical disinfectants are effective against bacteria and viruses. However, they are not all effective against protozoan parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia .

Chlorine dioxide is the most effective and usually the recommended option for parasites, but it needs to be left in the water for a prolonged period of time, normally around four hours to be fully effective.

It is important, as with any purification method, to check exactly what the chemicals in the product you purchase contain, what they are effective against, and how long water needs to be treated to be effective.

The advantage of chemical purification systems are that they are relatively cost-effective and they are very lightweight, especially in tablet form. Tablets tend to have a long shelf-life, and they are a great option that can be used either on their own, in conjunction with, or as a backup to another option such as a water filter.

The main disadvantage of chemical purification is that it can add a chemical taste to the water, and as you are consuming chemicals, they are not all recommended for long term use. They also take time to work, and effectiveness can vary depending on factors like water temperature. Some are also not recommended for pregnant women, or those with sensitivity to the ingredients.

Generally the most effective options contain chlorine dioxide, which is safer for longer term use compared to something like iodine. It also tends to add less taste to the water and is effective against pathogens including Cryptosporidium and Giardia when used correctly.

Some recommended chemical purification options are:

• Potable Aqua Tablets – 1 tablet will purify 1 litre of water. Takes 4 hours to be effective. Uses chlorine dioxide, effective against bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Slight chemical taste. Check price on Amazon here and REI here .
• Aquamira Water Droplets . Comes as two 1oz (30ml bottles) which together can treat up to 30 gallons (113 litres). Takes 4 hours to be fully effective. Uses chlorine dioxide, effective against bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Slight chemical taste. Check price on Amazon here and REI here .
• MSR Aquatabs – 1 tablet will purify up to 2 litres of water. Takes up to 30 minutes to be effective. Uses Sodium Dichlorisocyanurate. Effective against bacteria and viruses and some protozoa, but not Cryptosporidia. Quite a chemical taste. Check price on Amazon here and REI here .
• Katadyn Micropur MP1 – 1 tablet will purify 1 litre of water. Takes 4 hours to be effective. Uses chlorine dioxide, effective against bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Slight chemical taste. Check price on Amazon here , REI here .

We would recommend checking what each one contains and the manufacturers’ guidelines on use before committing to a purchase. Note that many manufacturers will claim no aftertaste but most people agree that there is usually some level of chemical taste in the water purified using these chemicals.

We generally suggest that most people consider buying these as a backup for their other systems as they are easy to transport and last a long time. Even if you are not planning to use them, a pack of these are great to add to an emergency or first aid kit.

Water Filters

There are a range of popular water filter products on the market. Generally, a water filter is designed to remove protozoa, including parasites like Cryptosporidium and Giardia , as well as bacteria from water. A water purifier, which we cover in the next section, can additionally remove viruses.

Many water filters have multi-stage filtration and often include a carbon element which can remove some chemicals from the water and improve the taste.

The advantages of a water filter are that they are generally good value, you can use them anywhere, and they work on both clear and turgid water. They are also quick to filter the water so there is no waiting period in most cases.

The disadvantage of a water filter is that it doesn’t work in all temperatures, you have to maintain them, you have to carefully follow the instructions to ensure you get safe drinking water, they don’t filter viruses, and the filter will generally need to be replaced after a certain volume of water has been processed.

The CDC states that filtration is regarded as moderately effective at removing bacteria, and combining water filtration system with chemical purification is the most optimal option if possible as this will also protect against viruses.

The main water filters we recommend are:

• LifeStraw Go – combined water bottle and filter system, this is what we use when viruses aren’t an issue. Uses a straw filter that you suck through to filter water. Capable of filtering up to 4,000 litres (1,000 gallons) of water. Removes bacteria, parasites, and protozoa but not viruses. Check price on Amazon here and REI here .
• Sawyer Bottle – combined water bottle and filter system. Inline straw filter that you suck through to filter water. This comes with syringe for back-washing the filter, which Sawyer claims means the filter will last for a lifetime of use as backwashing cleans the filter and extends its life. Removes bacteria, parasites and protozoa but not viruses. Check price on Amazon here
• Katadyn BeFree – combined water bottle and filter system. Inline straw filter that you suck through to filter water. Capable of filtering up to 1,000 litres (250 gallons) of water. Removes bacteria, parasites and protozoa but not viruses. Check price on Amazon here and REI here .

We recommend comparing these options to see which best suits your needs and budget. We personally own and use the LifeStraw Go which we’ve used on back country hikes in the USA where there hasn’t been filtered tap water available, including on a multi-day hike to Havasu Falls in Arizona.

However, the Sawyer Bottle is a compelling alternative thanks to the fact it can be backwashed, meaning the filter pores can be cleaned out and the filter lifespan extended.

See our guide to the best water filters for travel for more options.

Water Purifiers

A water purifier is similar to a water filter in that it uses a fine filter mesh to remove pathogens from the water. However, a water purifier will also normally have the capability to remove viruses, usually due to a much finer mesh.

The advantages of a water purifier are that you can use on both clear and turgid water, and they also remove the majority of pathogens including viruses from water. This means they are suitable for most scenarios around the world. Most include a carbon filter that also improves the taste of the water.

In terms of the time to produce water, as the pore size is finer they tend to be a bit slower than a water filter, but are still quite quick. They are normally capable of purifiying 0.5L – 3L a minute, although it can take a bit of effort to do so.

The disadvantage of a water purifier is that it doesn’t work in all temperatures, they tend to be more expensive than water filters, you have to maintain them, you have to carefully follow the instructions to ensure you get safe drinking water, and the filter will need to be replaced after a time period.

There are a range of products on the market that purify water. The products we recommend are the following:

• Grayl UltraPress . Combined water bottle and filter system, our current choice. Uses French Press style mechanism to force water through filter. Capable of filtering 150 litres (40 gallons). Filters out bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Check price online at Amazon here , REI here and Grayl here
• Survivor Filter Pro . Hand powered pump filter, no built-in water storage. Capable of filtering up to 100,000 litres (26,417 gallons) when regularly backwashes with supplied syringe. Filters out bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Check price online on Amazon here

Each of these products works slightly differently, so you will want to evaluate them based on your needs. We personally own and use the Grayl UltraPress which we purchased for a trip across East Africa.

We didn’t want to have to be constantly buying bottled water, but knew that the risk of water borne viruses was a real concern. As such, we wanted a filtration system we could rely on to fully purify water for drinking.

In our case this was primarily going to be water sourced from taps, so whilst it was normally clear to the eye, we had no idea what it might be carrying.

To be on the safe side, we figured a system that filtered out everything including viruses was a good idea, which meant our LifeStraw Go wasn’t going to cut it, and we opted for the Grayl UltraPress as it was relatively lightweight and easy to use.

If you want something really lightweight with a longer lifespan, then the Survivor Filter Pro might be a better option. This doesn’t include a bottle, but because the filters can be backwashed, the lifespan is very long.

UV Light Purification

UV light purification uses UV light to purify water. It basically scrambles the DNA of the pathogens in the water, meaning they cannot reproduce. So whilst they are still in the water, they will not be able to cause you any harm.

The advantage of UV light systems are that they are effective against most organisms. The devices are usually very lightweight and portable, and the process for using them is quite straightforward. They also normally last for a long time, making them cost-effective over time.

The disadvantages are that they only work effectively on clear water. If the water is cloudy, the light cannot penetrate and it will not be effective. They also do not improve the taste or remove other impurities from the water. You also need to ensure the batteries are charged and, as with all the systems, it’s important to follow the instructions for effective sterilization.

The main brand for UV light purifiers for travel are Steripen, who are owned by Katadyn. They make a range of UV light purifiers, and we suggest checking out the following models.

• Katadyn Steripen Ultra – 50 litres (13.2 gallons) per charge, 8,000 litres (2,113 gallons) lifetime. Effective against bacteria, parasites and viruses in clear water. Check price online on Amazon here , REI here
• Katadyn Steripen Ultralight – 20 litres (4.4 gallons) per charge, 8,000 litres (2,113 gallons) lifetime. Effective against bacteria, parasites and viruses in clear water. Check price online on  Amazon here , REI here

We would also recommend that in situations where you are going off-grid, it is a good idea to bring a back-up option like chemical purification tablets just in case something goes wrong like the bulb breaking or the electronics failing for some reason. This is unlikely, but it is never a good idea to have a single point of failure when it comes to safe drinking water.

We think the best use for UV light purification systems is when you are going to be traveling to destinations where you are unsure about the tap water. Tap water is normally clear, so using a UV light purifier will be an effective way to achieve peace of mind.

Useful Resources

Throughout this guide we have linked to a number of authoritative third-party websites on topics relevant to drinking water, water safety, and water disinfection.

We wanted to include those here, as well as some other useful third-party resources you might find helpful when researching topics related to safe drinking water and traveling.

• Check out this detailed fact sheet from the World Health Organization (WHO) about facts on drinking water access around the world.
• The U.S. CDC has put together this great resource page which is a great place to start when looking for food and water safety tips when traveling.
• For more information about travelers’ diarrhea and its prevention and treatment, check out this fact sheet by the UK National Travel Health Network and Centre as well as this research literature review on the topic
• For more information on water treatment and disinfection, the U.S. CDC has a number of great online resources available including this overview page about safe drinking water when traveling, this comparison chart of different water treatment options, and this guide to water disinfection methods.

Further Reading

And that’s it for our guide to safe drinking water for travel. We hope you found it useful! Before you head on, we also wanted to share some other content we’ve put together that you might find useful.

• Check out our guide to the best water filters for travel
• We have a review of our favorite portable coffee makers for brewing on the go.
• We have a guide to doing laundry when traveling
• We have a guide to the best travel shoes for men and the best travel shoes for women .
• We have a packing list for Havasu Falls , as well as a guide to the Havasu Falls hike .
• We have a review of the best travel routers as well as the best mobile hotspots to help you get online when you travel

And that’s it! As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts, comments and questions on this guide if you have any. Just pop them in the comments section below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

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John & Charlotte says

3rd March 2023 at 11:33 am

hello and thanks for this amazing article. can I ask your advice please about kenya travel? you say you treated some of the water when travelling in east africa, did this include kenya? what would you recommend as we are going to be there (2 of us) for about 3 weeks, some in hotels but some out in the far north (rural parts) doing volunteer work where can be hard to avoid relying on bottled water but we want to avoid single-use plastic when safe and possible. should we just rely on boiling or would filtering also be a good idea? travelling from uk (manchester) so need something we could buy locally here or online in next month. thanks!

Laurence Norah says

3rd March 2023 at 1:26 pm

Hi John & Charlotte,

It’s my pleasure. So yes, we did travel in Kenya as part of that trip in East Africa and yes, we did treat our water. We primarily did that with the Grayl UltraPress on that trip.

We’re actually on a trip in East Africa at the moment again (Uganda / Rwanda) and are again travelling with the Grayl. However, we have also been boiling water. If we are staying somewhere where we can boil water for at least a minute (so using a stovetop rather than a kettle), I find it a lot easier to boil water as I can do batches. Any filtration system is a bit slow and takes a bit of effort in most cases, so if I have the opportunity to boil it I will. The downside of boiling is that whilst it kills things, it doesn’t remove any taste or filter out anything that can discolor the water. We’ve not found that to be a big issue, but as you are going more remote in rural areas it might be an issue.

So I would probably pick one of the filter options in the list, the LifeSaver, the Survivor or the Grayl. I do like the Grayl but it has a limited filtering capacity compared to the other options, so do keep that in mind when purchasing and consider the cost of spare filters.

I hope this helps, let me know if I can offer any more advice! Have an awesome time in Kenya as well!

Michaël says

23rd September 2022 at 9:24 am

Great post, with many useful information, links, tables, etc.!

My plan is to go cycling and wildlife/birdwatching through everywhere in South-East Asia for more than a year, in Indo-China, Phillipines, Indonesia, etc. The dream is to end up in Papua New-Guinea.

While cycling in hot weather I drink about 10 liters of water a day. I don’t want to, and in many remote places I wouldn’t even be able to, buy water bottles for all of that. In Europe I can use my loyal Sawyer Squeeze filter and filter unlimited amounts of water everywhere, both through a big gravity system or squeezing by hand.

But unfortuntely, the Sawyer Squeeze doesn’t filter viruses out of the water, so it’s only a partial solution for South-East Asia. I don’t know whether it’s possible to buy chlorine dioxide tablets/ liquid in many places in South-East Asia and I don’t want to lug around too much. I also don’t like the chemical taste and don’t know whether it’s healthy to use in large quantities for extended periods of time. I could buy a Steripen, but you can treat only one liter of water at a time, and you need to bring multiple spare batteries and possibly another light bulb.

I found two options. First, an electricied purifier like the Aqua Research H2gO Global or Prime or the Potable Aqua Pure. Very interesting, but somehow not used a lot by outdoor people (unknown, bad marketing?). Second, to have one of the filter/purifier combinations that also get rid of viruses. But those filters are mostly inside (smaller) bottles and often have limited lifetimes (definitely compared to the unlimited lifetime of the Sawyer Squeeze). For a water purify filter, it would be important for me to both be able to use it with a larger bag (as a gravitation system) or with a smaller bag (squeezing, on the go) and to have long lifetimes (so, I don’t have to lug different filters around). I found the LifeStraw Mission, but it seems only for a large gravitation system and the flow rates are very slow (six minutes per liter). There’s also the Survivor Filter Pro, which is a pump system, so it might be time-consuming and less ideal for large amounts of water (but there’s also an electric version…).

You mentioned the ‘Sawyer Pro Filter’ (or did you mean the Survivor Filter Pro?) with a large lifetime, but I cannot find it on the Sawyer website or anywhere else on the internet. I can only find the Sawyer S3 Select Water Purifier, which has only 400 uses and is not able to purify large amounts at the same time.

Thanks for any suggestions!

23rd September 2022 at 9:40 am

Hi Michael!

Thanks for your comment. First, you are correct, that was a typo and it should have been Survivor Filter Pro. Apologies for that!

So the main issue that you will definitely encounter with most filter system for viruses is that they are slow. The pressure required to get the water through such a fine filter is quite high, so flow rates end up being slow. This is still the same with the Survivor, one of the main negative things people say about it is that it takes a while to filter the water. Other than that though it is a very portable and handy bit of kit that with proper care should last for a lot of water. The electric version might be a good option, most user reviews are positive and suggest it can do around half a litre in a minute.

I am not familiar with the two products you mention, although looking at them it seems they fall into the chemical disinfection category. It looks on paper like they would be a good option, as long as you have the time for the purification to work (normally 4 hours for viruses). Being chemical it’s also possible they would affect the taste but not having tried them I’m not sure.

Another option you might consider is the LifeSaver Bottle . It’s a bottle with a built in pump which can do viruses as well as everything else, and it can do up to 4,000 litres of water, which should cover your whole trip. I mention that one in my list of water filters here .

Have a great trip!

18th October 2022 at 10:16 am

Hey, thanks a lot for the reply! I’m still researching and hesitating a lot. I’ll have to make a decision soon, since I’ll be leaving Georgia, Caucasus, in a month and will travel to Thailand afterwards.

My main options now are the pumps Survivor Filter Pro X and MSR Guardian, or chemical purifiers Aqua Research H2gO Prime and the Potable Aqua Pure.

The Survivor Filter Pro X seems awesome. It produces very clean (0.01 main filter) and tasty (carbon filter) water without effort (electronic). The downsides are that it is fairly bulky and heavy and, I’ll need one or two carbon filters and, most importantly, that it’s an electronic device and I’m a bit hesistant in placing all my trust for clean water for a year into that. A good option would be to order the manual convertion kit with it. So that, if something happens, you can still manually pump. But it will add even more to the weight and bulkiness of the set-up and the flow rate for manually pumping is really low (0.5 l per minute), which means 20 minutes of pumping for ten liters. So, I wouldn’t want to do that for extended periods.

An alternative would be the MSR Guardian, which is a fully manual pump with an exceptional flow rate of 2.5 l per minute. The downsides are that is is even bulkier and heavier than the Survivor Pro X (without the manual back-up kit), that is has only a 0.02 main filter (compared to 0.01 for the Survivor) and that it is super expensive (almost 400 dollars). It also does not have a carbon filter, so the water will taste less good. Furthermore, there are reports of the pump breaking, which could be a potential disaster and unexceptional for a pump with a price like that.

In either case, I might still bring my Sawyer squeeze filter, combined with chemical drops, as a back-up system.

On the other side are the chemical purifiers Aqua Research H2gO Prime and the Potable Aqua Pure. I couldn’t really find a difference between those two. The upsides are that they are lightweight, you only need salt and that it is easy to pair them with my existing Sawyer Squeeze filtration system. The downsides are that it is chemical, so it makes the water taste less good (although better than usual pills). And from a health perspective I also don’t want to drink a lot of chemically-treated water for a year straight.

18th October 2022 at 8:55 pm

Hey Michael!

It sounds like you have most of your work done in terms of the research. If it was me I’d probably go with the lighter, easier option (the Survivor Pro X), but I’d bring water filtration tablets as a backup as they work regardless. I’d probably not use the tablets long term either.

Have a great trip to Thailand!

13th July 2022 at 2:57 pm

Hi there Laurence & Jessica,

Great post here. Taking first holiday to Mexico and know I should not drink the water. My sister got a lot of stomach troubles when she visited, although may have been from food rather than water. Also want to avoid plastic bottles when possible when travelling which is what is provided at the hotels and resorts.

1. Do you think the LifeStraw Go would be sufficient in Mexico? Planning to filter tap water (not from streams or anything like that). I guess we would probably want to bring one per traveller?

2. I read somewhere to not eat peeled fruit…can you tell me more about that? Is that related to water? I wasn’t really sure what it meant. I eat a lot of fruit and just want to know what is safe and what I should avoid.

Thanks! Dawn

13th July 2022 at 3:36 pm

Thanks very much! So the answer will depend a little on where you are going. First, you are obviously correct in that you shouldn’t drink the tap water in Mexico. You should also not use it to brush your teeth or clean fresh food you plan to eat raw.

In Mexico many hotels and resorts provide their guests with access to safe drinking water, either they purify their own on site for the tap water or there are large containers you can fill your bottles from. Some, as you say, provide the water in plastic bottles which is of course not ideal environmentally.

For tap water in Mexico, a LifeStraw Go should be fine. It will filter out bacteria and parasites, which are the main causes of upset stomachs. The LifeStraw Go doesn’t filter out viruses but that should be less of a concern in most situations. The main water borne virus in Mexico is Hepatitis A (source: https://www.indexmundi.com/mexico/major_infectious_diseases.html ), which most travellers would likely be vaccinated against, along with Hep B, Typhoid, Tetanus etc. You can see a list of recommended travel vaccines for Mexico on the CDC site here .

The other option would be the SteriPen which also covers viruses, but I think the risk of that is lower. Of course, it is a personal decision, and I would stress when it comes to health matters that I am not a doctor or infectious disease expert, so this is just my opinion. The LifeStraw is easy to use, but has the downside that because it filters as you suck you can’t filter water for later use for example. If you want more peace of mind, you might prefer a Steripen or Grayl, but as I said, these tend to be more for backcountry use or rural travel in less developed countries.

In terms of how many LifeStraws, yes, you would need one per person. The filtering happens as you suck the water, so it’s kind of a personal use item! If you are in the USA, Amazon currently has them included as part of Prime Day for a pretty impressive discount.

For the second part of your question, yes, this is also largely related to water. It’s important to be cautious when travelling when consuming any fruit or vegetable that might have been exposed to contaminated water, normally through washing. When you peel fruit, you take off the skin so this removes any contamination. Things like bananas, oranges etc. If the fruit is already peeled, or doesn’t need peeling (like an apple), then there is a higher risk that it might have been washed in unfiltered water. The same applies to salads, ice in drinks, etc. Many travellers are very cautious about what they drink, but forget that water can be used on food and that is how they get sick.

Now, it is worth noting that the risks vary depending on where you are. In reputable hotels and restaurants in popular destinations, they normally use filtered water for the ice and food preparation because they are aware that getting tourists sick is not good. But it is definitely something to keep in mind, and feel free to ask the wait staff if you are unsure!

I hope this helps, feel free to follow up with any questions 🙂

13th July 2022 at 3:52 pm

Hi there Laurence,

Thanks you for your speedy reply and help with these questions!

Yes, I realize you can’t determine safety of specific water or wan to give too specific health related advice. But your answer was still helpful. I found some reviews by others who also said they used a Lifestraw Go in Mexico and had no issues. Some used it for months. So I think it must filter out the main things that make people sick.

I think we will go with the Lifestraw Go as I don’t think paying more for the other kinds that are more for outdoor travel makes sense for this trip. Sadly I cannot take advantage of the Lifestraw deal on Amazon as I live in England.

And tahnks for taking time to explain about the fruit, that make sense.

Thanks again! Dawn

13th July 2022 at 4:02 pm

No problem! We live in the UK too and are also sadly missing out on the deal, it seems not be available for us this time round, otherwise I would have picked up another one for us!

I agree, most reports suggest that the LifeStraw Go works well in Mexico, so I think you should be fine. Also, I linked to the US CDC but as you’re in the UK you might prefer the UK gov website here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico/health . The NHS Fit for travel website is also a great resource: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/north-america/mexico

Have an awesome time in Mexico!

Brandon says

5th July 2022 at 10:53 am

great tips, this article got me thinking – I have a gap year in australia coming up and will be doing a lot of travelling staying in campsites and hostels. Is water safe to drink there in outback areas and campsites? If not, what system would you recommend for that? thanks

5th July 2022 at 11:00 am

Hey Brandon,

So I spent a year camping all around Australia, and in my experience the majority of campsites had drinkable tap water available. We were travelling in a vehicle though, and normally carried at least 100 litres of water with us (we did a lot of remote outback travel where obviously having a water supply in case of emergency was important). We also had a stove so could boil water if necessary. However we never had to purify our own water.

I’d say for the most part you should be fine. Of course, if you plan on drinking from streams or untreated supplies, or if there are water advisories in place, then you will need to purify the water. I’d say something like the Sawyer or Steripen would be a good option as they both last for a lot of water and are lightweight. If you’re already camping, then a camping stove would probably suffice as a backup.

Let me know if you have any questions, and have an amazing time in Australia!

3rd July 2022 at 7:59 pm

I’m not even traveling with water purification needs, but as always found myself reading the entire post due to the engaging style, clarity, and thoroughness of the writing. Two thumbs up for your blog!!

4th July 2022 at 11:04 am

Thanks so much Larry, that is lovely to hear! Thanks also for taking the time to comment, it is appreciated!

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The Best Travel Water Bottle Tested on the Road

• In the City / Outdoors / Packing / Travel Gear

Looking for the best travel water bottle? These are our favorites that we tested on the road.

We travel as minimally as possible, but one item we won’t leave home without is a travel water bottle. They help us stay hydrated on our adventures and decrease our consumption of single-use plastics.

Like our travel backpacks and suitcases , the best water bottle depends on your type of travel , domestic or international , and activities. Some bottles are great for home use, but when you’re on the go, you must consider certain features.

This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure  for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: December 24, 2023

− − Content Menu

• What to Look for in a Water Bottle
• Best Carry Water Bottles
• More Water Bottles to Check Out
• Essential Tips

Planning Checklist

• Best Water Bottle Material
• Features to Look For

What to Look for in a Travel Water Bottle

Before we get into our favorite water bottles, here’s what you should look for.

Questions to Ask

• Where are you traveling? Will drinking water be hard to find? Do you need to filter the water?
• What is the climate? If you’re going somewhere extremely cold or hot, you may want your water to stay hot or cold longer.
• What activities are you doing? Are you spending most of your time outside or in cities?
• What is your travel style? If you travel light, some bottles take up minimal space.
• How are you carrying the bottle? Will you carry it in your backpack or separately? What is your bag capacity?
• Are you traveling with a partner? We tend to share our water bottles, so we bring a larger capacity, but I carry a smaller bottle when I travel solo.

See More: 15 Carry On Essentials You Need for Every Flight

Best Water bottles for Travel

Here are the water bottles we’ve tried and still use regularly.

1. Hydro Flask Lightweight Wide-Mouth 32 oz – Best for domestic travel ($49.95) →

The lightweight series from Hydro Flask is our favorite water bottle for domestic travel. We got our first Hydro Flasks when we started our outdoor journey and have been using them since (long before they became a trendy symbol for the eco-conscious!). The photo below shows our collection growing over the past 10+ years.

The lightweight series was their answer to complaints about weight. They don’t have the best reviews compared to the original bottle, but when we travel, we carry this the most because it has the best balance of insulation and weight (12 oz vs 15.5 oz). Weight isn’t an issue at home, so we use the original bottle, which keeps drinks cold and hot longer. We also have the 24 oz and 40 oz but use the 32 oz most often.

Capacity: 32 fl oz Weight: 12 oz Dimensions: 10.2 x 3.25 inches Material: Stainless Steel

• Lighter than the original Hydro Flask
• Easy to clean
• Tapered build to save on weight but durable on the bottom
• Keeps liquids cold and hot
• Lots of color options.
• Lots of lid options
• Fits in cup holders
• Not as insulating as the original bottle
• Hand wash only
• Dents easier than the original
• No boot options

2. Larq Bottle PureVis Insulated 25 oz – Best travel water bottle for international trips ($118.00) →

The LARQ Bottle uses PureVis tech to eliminate up to 99% (based on the elimination of 99.8% of E.coli in a 20-second cycle for all LARQ Bottles) of bio-contaminants from your water and bottle. All the tech is in the cap, which will turn on every 2 hours to clean the water and the bottle. You can also manually push the button on top to activate it.

It’s our go-to when we travel internationally and aren’t sure if the water is unsafe to drink. The non-insulated version is lighter, weighing 10.7 oz (24 fluid oz) and 12.5 oz (32 fl oz).

Capacity: 25 fl oz / 17 oz Weight: 17 oz / 13.5 oz Dimensions: 10.4 x 3 inches Material: Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel

• Cleans the water and bottle
• Eliminates up to 99% of bio-contaminates
• Cleans in 60 seconds
• Keeps water hot for 12 hours and cold for 24 hrs
• A full charge will last up to a month.
• No replacement filters needed
• Beautiful design, and we like their color combos
• Dishwasher safe except for cap
• You will need to charge it
• Still need to clean the rim of the bottle
• MicroUSB (will need another cable when traveling for over a month)

Pro Tip: They have a cute travel sleeve or active loop (with built-in carabiner) accessories.

3. Grayl 16.9 oz Ultrapress TI Purifier – Best For Backpacking ($199.95) →

We first discovered GRAYL water bottles in 2015 for our backpacking trips. It uses a French-press-style filtering system to remove waterborne pathogens (99.99% of viruses, 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.9% of protozoan cysts). The LARQ does not filter larger particles like the Grayl. It’s an excellent bottle for camping and backpacking, plus the titanium model can be used for cooking (without the cap/filter).

Capacity: 16.9 fl oz Weight: 14.1 oz Dimensions: 9.5 x 2.75 inches Material: CP54 Grade 1 Titanium

• French-press style filtering that’s easy to use
• Removes viruses, bacteria, and protozoan cysts
• Titanium offers great strength
• Can cook with the titanium part
• Filters last up to 3 years after opening
• A one-way valve allows for electrolyte drink mixes.
• Filters 3 liters per minute
• It fits in a cup holder.
• Not dishwasher safe
• Small capacity
• A slender body means you must prop it up if you’re cooking with it.
• Not many color options

Pro Tip: If you want to purify bigger quantities of water at a time, go with the GeoPress since it’s larger.

See More: Recap of Our Endless Caravan

4. Pelican Pacific – Best Handle ($40) →

If you plan on carrying your water bottle without a backpack, the Pelican Pacific has one of the best ergonomic handles with grip. The top has a built-in straw, and the water bottle comes in many colors.

Capacity: 26 fl oz Weight: 24 oz Dimensions: 10.5 x 3.25 inches Material: Stainless Steel

• Recycled 18/8 double wall stainless steel
• Vacuum-insulated and copper lining
• Leak-proof screw top lid
• Straw spout built-in
• Ergonomic and grippy handle
• Dishwasher safe
• Lots of color options
• Heavier bottle
• Straw adds one more thing that needs to be cleaned

Pro Tip: If you’re looking for something to use day-to-day, they also have the Pelican Porter, which is a mug-style bottle and has a 40 oz capacity. These are very trendy right now.

5. HiBear All-Day Adventure Flask – Best Versatile Bottle ($95) →

The HiBear All-Day Adventure Flask is the Swiss army knife of insulated bottles . You can make pour-over coffee , mix cocktails, decant wine, make loose-leaf tea, brew a batch of cold brew, infuse water, or simply use it like a regular water bottle.

Capacity: 32 fl oz Weight: 29 oz Dimensions: 11 x 3.7 inches Material: Stainless steel

• Versatile – Has many uses.
• Packs up nicely into one container
• Electropolish – micro-smooth internal finish makes it corrosion and pathogen-resistant
• The silicone sleeve can be used as a mug for your friends or your pet
• Insulation – even the lid is vacuum insulated.
• Thermal Core – You can freeze the steel core to keep your drinks cold without diluting
• Easy to clean. You can use the top rack of your dishwasher, but they recommend handwashing.
• Climate-neutral certified and 1% for the Planet member
• Heavier with lots of parts (although you can leave parts at home)
• A learning curve to make the most use of it

6. Hydro Flask 32 OZ Wide Mouth – Best Customized Bottle ($45) →

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind bottle, you can get a custom one from Hydro Flask! You select colors for each component and can even engrave it with a name, quote, or brand. They have several options for sizes and styles, but we have the classic 32 oz Wide Mouth with our blog name, Local Adventurer, as our engraving (colors – mint bottle, camelia cap, fog strap, and lupine boot).

Capacity: 32 fl oz Weight: 0.97 lb Dimensions: 11 x 3.55 inches Material: Stainless steel

• Double-wall vacuum
• Lots of different options to choose from
• Made with pro-grade stainless steel for durability
• The customizing interface on the website can load slowly.
• May get analysis paralysis with too many choices

7. Platypus SoftBottle 1L – Best Collapsible ($12.95) →

If you’re looking for something super lightweight, the Platypus Softbottles are the way to go. When empty, you can roll them up so they take up little to no space. For the longest time, I bought a bunch of these as gifts since I found them so useful.

Capacity: 34 fl oz Weight: 1.2 oz Dimensions: 13 x 6 inches Material: BPA-, BPS-, and phthalate-free plastic

• Extremely lightweight
• Packs small and flat when empty
• Versatile opening compatible with any threaded Platypus lid, water filters, and more
• Dishwasher safe (make sure they are fully expanded)
• Doesn’t sit well in cup holders
• Since it doesn’t hold form, it can be harder to drink from.

Best Water bottles for home use

8. hydro flask 128 oz oasis – best large capacity ($128) →.

If you’re always thirsty (or live in the desert like we do), we want to have a lot of water with us. The Hydro Flask Oasis holds 128 oz or one gallon of water. We bring it with us when we pickleball , when people run out of cold water, we can even share. It’s our newest bottle, and we’ve already gotten compliments on it!

Capacity: 128 fl oz Weight: 4.08 lb Dimensions: 17.35 x 6.45 inches Material: Stainless Steel

• Large liquid capacity
• Leak proof lid
• Sturdy yet flexible handle to carry it
• Double wall vacuum insulated
• It comes with a straw-cleaning brush.
• It’s heavy when full
• Doesn’t fit in bags

9. Popflex Gallon Timer Bottle – Best To Help You Stay On Track ($45) →

If you need a way to monitor your water intake at home, the Popflex Gallon Timer Bottle gives you goals to hit throughout the day. It has a solid handle, making it easy to transport, and the new ones come with an infuser. If you don’t like drinking plain water, add cucumbers or fruits to give it a little flavor. They also make cute bottle bags to help you carry it around.

Capacity: 128 fl oz Weight: 30 oz Dimensions: 12 x 6.25 inches Material: BPA Free Plastic

• Leakproof lid
• Sturdy handle to carry it
• Timer markings with encouraging words
• Removable fruit infuser
• It is hard to clean below the handle, and I need to use a separate, thinner bottle brush to clean the handle.

Best Water Bottle material

The type of material your bottle is made of will affect its durability and weight.

• Aluminum – Lightweight and affordable, but flavors cling to the lining, and it’s less durable than stainless steel.
• Glass – Dishwasher safe, zero effect on taste, and you can see what’s in it (con if you’re sneaking in alcohol somewhere lol). On the flip side, glass is heavy, there is no insulation, and it’s more fragile.
• Plastic – Lightweight and affordable but can leach chemicals into your water and leave an aftertaste. Plus, it ages quickly and isn’t great for the environment.
• Stainless Steel (Single Walled) – Lightweight, durable, and no health risk. Single walls have less insulation and transfer heat. Plus, they dent easier.
• Stainless Steel (Insulated) – Keeps drinks hot and cold the longest, durable, and no health risks. Cons include it’s heavier and requires hand washing only if vacuum insulated.

Features to Look for

• Size: How much water do you need with you? Will you have places to refill it?
• Bottle Shape: Bottles are made thinner and wider. Where do you want to store your bottle (backpack sleeve/cup holder etc.)?
• Collapsible vs Rigid: Some bottles are made to collapse when empty to save space.
• Bottle Height: This mostly plays into how you fill your bottle. Tall bottles may not fit into certain appliances.
• Mouth Size: Bottles come in narrow and wide mouths. We prefer wide mouths because they are easier to clean and drink.
• Water Bottle Lids: Usually, you don’t have a choice in what lid comes with the bottle, but most companies sell different lids that you can change out. Do you want a handle or your bottle, or do you want to carry it with a carabiner? Do you prefer a nozzle or straw so it’s easy to drink?
• Temperature Control: If you want your bottle to keep your drinks hot or cold, you’ll need an insulated water bottle.
• Filtering Capabilities: Some water bottles have built-in filtering, which you may need when traveling to some countries. Also, consider the filtering mechanism (i.e., UV lights don’t separate debris, filter straws allow you to suck through the straw, and a French press method requires more physical effort).
• Look & Feel: Water bottles can be as much of a statement piece as your clothes now.
• Cleaning the Bottle: Water bottles need to be cleaned regularly (many sources say daily). Wide mouths are easier to clean. Some bottle materials require hand washing only. Are there areas that are hard to access with a bottle brush?

See More: 17 Best Travel Backpacks You Need to Check Out

More Travel Water Bottles to Check Out

Here are more popular travel water bottles to check out. Some we’ve tested and didn’t think they belonged on our top list, and others we still need to check out. As we test them, we’ll add them to the list if we like them. Are we missing any that should be on here?

• Hydro Flask Vacuum Water Bottle – we love using these water bottles when we’re home or exploring our own city, but not so much when we’re traveling.
• Nalgene Wide Mouth Water Bottle – we’ve used nalgenes in the past, and it’s especially nice if you’re cold weather camping. You can pour hot water in it, and bring it into your sleeping bag.
• CamelBak Eddy+ Water Bottle
• Mira Cascade
• Mover Vacuum Water Bottle
• Parifyou Glass Water Bottle
• Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottle
• ThermoFlask Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle

Essential Tips for Your perfect travel water bottle

• Features – Think about what features you want in your bottle and prioritize them to help you decide what’s best for your lifestyle.
• Wash Your Bottles – Bottles will gather bacteria, and it’s always best to wash them regularly (ideally daily).
• Dump any unused water out at the end of the day to let it dry to reduce bacteria from growing.
• Pick up a bottle brush – it makes cleaning easier. Most bottle brushes need to be replaced between one to three months, depending on how often you use it. This natural fiber bottle brush set is more sustainable and can last up to six months.
• Get comprehensive insurance for your trip.
• Download these helpful language apps .
• Arrange a rental car for your trip.
• Get airport lounge access .
• Buy a travel charger to keep your devices charged.
• Get a new backpack for your trip.
• Pack the appropriate shoes for your trip.
• Don’t forget your in-flight essentials .

What travel water bottle do you recommend? Are there any others we should include on this list?

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Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

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World’s 1st electric flying passenger ship could 'revolutionize how we travel on water'

Candela's 30-passenger P-12 will enter Stockholm's public transport network in 2024, slashing a 55-minute commute to just 25 minutes.

The world's first electric flying passenger ship has completed test flights in Sweden and will now enter production ahead of its introduction into Stockholm's public transport network in 2024.

The Candela P-12, designed by Swedish tech company Candela Technology AB, is 39 feet (12 meters) long,runs on a 252 kilowatt-hour battery and can carry up to 30 passengers. By contrast, the battery in a 2024 Tesla Model 3 is up to 75 kWh. 

It will fly at up to 25 knots (29 mph, or 46 km/h) — although it can reach maximum speeds of 30 knots (35 mph, or 56 km/h ) — with a range of up to 50 nautical miles (92.6 kilometers).

"It will revolutionize how we travel on water," Gustav Hasselskog, CEO of Candela, said in a statement .

Related link: How do electric batteries work, and what affects their properties?

The vessel "flies" using hydrofoils, which are lifting surfaces that operate in water to elevate a boat's hull above the water's surface — similar to airfoils that help planes lift off from the ground. Hydrofoils reduce drag from the water, which enables vessels to achieve greater speeds while using less power than conventional boats. 

The P-12 uses computer-guided hydrofoils to elevate its hull, and it consumes 80% less energy while moving at speeds of more than 18 knots (21 mph, or 33 km/h) versus traditional vessels, the company said in the statement.

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Candela's flying ship runs with two custom-made engines with 340  kilowatts of total peak power. When in flight, the P-12's digital flight control system can adapt to waves, wind and water currents by adjusting the hydrofoils' angle up to 100 times per second. This system may help to reduce the chances of passengers experiencing seasickness, the company said in the statement. 

The P-12 also aims to be more sustainable than conventional vessels because it runs on electric power . Most electric ships built to date have a limited range and slow speeds due to the excessive energy consumption of their hull, keeping adoption rates low. But the P-12's reduced water friction, thanks to its hydrofoils, lets it run using less power than conventional boats and therefore travel farther using battery power.

— Is an electric car better for the planet?

— Will the drive for EVs destroy Earth's last untouched ecosystem?

— Are Electric Cars More Environmentally Friendly?  

From next year, the electric vehicle will fly on a TK mile route between the Ekerö suburb and Stockholm's city center — slashing a 55-minute commute to just 25 minutes thanks in part to the fact it's exempt from speed limits due to producing less wake while traversing water. 

"Today, in many cities, congested roads are common while waterways — humanity's oldest transport infrastructure — remain underutilized for rapid commuting," Hasselskog said in the statement. "The P-12 will let you use these waterways as green highways, enabling fast intra-city connections. Often, the quickest route is by water."

Keumars is the technology editor at Live Science. He has written for a variety of publications including ITPro, The Week Digital, ComputerActive, The Independent, The Observer, Metro and TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a technology journalist for more than five years, having previously held the role of features editor with ITPro. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist and has a degree in biomedical sciences from Queen Mary, University of London. He's also registered as a foundational chartered manager with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), having qualified as a Level 3 Team leader with distinction in 2023.

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How Deep Underwater Can a Human Really Travel?

Put on your helmet and fill up your oxygen tank. We're going for a dive.

Exactly how deep can a human being travel underwater using current technology?

The deepest point ever reached by man is 35,858 feet below the surface of the ocean, which happens to be as deep as water gets on earth. To go deeper, you'll have to travel to the bottom of the Challenger Deep, a section of the Mariana Trench under the Pacific Ocean 200 miles southwest of Guam. And you're going to need a shovel.

Two expeditions have successfully plumbed the almost-7-mile depths of the Challenger Deep. In 1960 U.S. Navy Lt. Don Walsh and Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard (no relation to Jean-Luc) sat through a nearly 5-hour descent in a submersible, then spent 20 just-to-say-we-did-it minutes on the bottom before surfacing. In 2012 director James Cameron repeated the feat in Deepsea Challenger, a one-seater made chiefly of syntactic foama blend of tiny glass spheres and epoxy resin that not only floats (a good thing in a submarine, assuming one doesn't want to remain underwater forever) but also stands up to the extreme pressures at that depth. Cameron's quasi-candy-bar-shaped craft was able to make the trip in half the time. He collected some data from the bottom, but, alas, no car keys.

Now, if you're talking just a guy in the water, no cozy little capsule, the answer becomes less definitive. Officially, divers employed by the French underwater exploration outfit Comex (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises), breathing carefully formulated gas mixtures and employing an elaborate pressurization regime known as saturation diving, hold the depth record of 1,752 feet. Unofficially, at least one person in a position to know suggests U.S. Navy divers may (wink, wink) have surpassed that depth, but details are, you guessed it, "classified."

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What’s the Best Travel Water Bottle? 10 Picks According To Travel Experts [2024]

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Hydration is an essential part of any trip, especially when you’re traveling by air.

Studies show that a 10-hour flight can cause your body to lose up to 64 ounces of water —that’s 3x of the qualification for mild dehydration! It’s obviously important to stay hydrated during flights, but it can be challenging (or very expensive) if you don’t bring your own durable water bottle.

We’ve researched to find the best travel water bottles on the market for your next trip and long flights so you can stay hydrated and healthy for your next big adventure!

Best Under $25

Brita Stainless Steel Water Filter Bottle

Read Review

Luxury Pick

Hydroflask Water Bottle

Most compact.

Vapur Solid Flexible Water Bottle

10 best travel water bottles.

Let’s dive into our list of the ten best travel water bottles for long flights!

1. Hydrocell Stainless Steel Water Bottle

This fashionable Hydrocell water bottle is one of the highest-rated stainless steel bottles on the market! It’s available in several stylish colors and six different sizes. Plus, each bottle comes with an alternate sports top and straw.

The double-wall, vacuum-insulated design keeps your drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for at least 8. However, reviewers have reported enjoying hot beverages up to 15 hours later! So whether you want your water ice cold or drink your coffee piping hot, this water bottle for travel will do the trick. We think it’s one of the best stainless steel water bottles around.

The included steel screw cap is spill-proof and uses ThermoLock Technology to keep the temperature consistent for as long as possible. We recommend the 24 oz. for travel ease, which is sleek enough to fit in a standard cup holder.

2. Contigo Autoseal Stainless Steel Water Bottle

The 24 oz. Contigo Autoseal line is heavy on convenience, with extra features like a carrying handle, sleek profile, and spout cover. It’s easy to travel with because you can slide it into a backpack bottle pocket, hold it in your hand, or use the handle to transport it. The only downside of this stainless steel bottle is that it’s a bit wide for a standard cupholder.

The Autoseal technology is 100% spill-proof, and the locking feature ensures that the cover stays in place until you push the release button. This keeps your drinking spout dirt and germ-free for your trip. This water bottle also uses Thermalock Vacuum insulation, keeping the contents cool for up to 28 hours!

3. Hydaway Collapsible Water Bottle

The Hydaway Collapsible Water Bottle is a fantastic choice when you need to travel light! In fact, Conde Naste Traveler called it “ the ideal travel buddy .” Although it’s a bit pricier than other collapsible water bottles, the convenience and durability of the Hydaway are hard to beat.

This silicone bottle weighs in at just 5.5 oz. and folds down to 1.5 inches when not in use! It’s slim enough to fit in your pocket when empty yet holds 17 ounces when decompressed. Other convenient features include leak-proof seals, dishwasher-safe material, and a cup holder-friendly profile.

4. S’well Stainless Steel Traveler

S’well Traveler bottles are always a great choice when you have a long flight ahead. These stainless steel water bottles are designed with travel in mind, so they have plenty of great features to keep you happy and hydrated.

Unlike most stainless steel bottles, the S’well Traveler is triple-insulated, keeping your beverages cold for 36 hours and hot for up to 15 with their exclusive Therma-S’well Technology. The design also includes a copper wall that keeps the bottle condensation-free, a leak-proof cap, and a wide-mouth top for easy cleaning and ice cubes. The final perk is design! The S’well traveler bottle is available in nearly 30 colors and patterns to fit every traveler’s style.

5. Vapur Solid Flexible Water Bottle

For travelers who like the convenience of a collapsible water bottle but not the price of the Hydaway, the Vapur Flexible Water Bottle is a great alternative. For around $10, you can get a Vapur that holds up to 1 liter ( 33 oz .) of water yet takes up only a few inches of space when not in use!

The Vapur rolls up into a small bundle that you can secure with the included carabiner clip for easy packing. The 1-liter bottle only weighs 1.4 oz when empty, making it perfect for your carry-on!

The bottle stands up on its own, can be frozen, and has a wide-mouth top for easy refills. It also comes with a spill-proof flip cap that keeps the spout free of germs and your beverages safely inside the container.

The only hold-up is that the Vapur is not safe for hot liquids, so you’ll need to stick to cold drinks.

6. Simple Modern Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle

These Simple Modern bottles are more than just pretty and affordable hydration accessories. They are some of the best-reviewed water bottles on Amazon, with an overall 4.8 stars!

The 22-oz version keeps your beverages cold for up to 24 hours and fits in a standard-sized cup holder. Plus, it only weighs 11 oz., making it one of the lighter stainless steel bottles available! The vacuum-insulated design also has a copper coating for maximum temperature retention without exterior condensation or heat transfer.

The included Summit Straw Lid has a convenient carry handle and is leak-proof when closed. However, it is only recommended for cold beverages. If you’d like to have the option of bringing hot drinks, you can add on a chug or flip lid for just a few dollars.

7. Amiter Travel Water Bottle

For a go-to water bottle that you’ll want to take on every adventure, these Amiter water bottles are hard to beat. While the bottle has the standard features of the other stainless steel ones we’ve discussed, the included accessories really set it apart. It comes with leak proof straw and chug lids, two straws, a straw brush, and a paracord rope handle. Plus, the paracord handle has several adventure-forward components built in, like a whistle, compass, flint, cutter blade, and a carabiner!

Take your pick of capacity between 22 and 128 oz, then enjoy cold beverages for up to 24 hours and hot ones for up to 12. And with five easy options to carry the bottle, it’s the perfect choice for your next long-haul flight!

8. Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle

The 22-oz. Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle is a great middle option for travel convenience and pricing. It holds both hot and cold drinks, rolls up into a portable bundle when empty, and can either slide into your carry-on bag or attach to an outer ring!

The Nomader adds the convenience of a grip sleeve, making it easier to hold and protecting your hand from hot liquids. The bottle has a leak-proof twist cap , which also doubles as a spout-protector and a wide-mouth opening for ice and easy cleaning. Other great features include a carrying strap, freezable and shatterproof silicone materials, and ultra-lightweight design.

9. Hydro Flask Water Bottle

There’s no denying that Hydro flasks are some of the top water bottles for travel in the market. This customer favorite is suitable for any hydration situation—long flights included! Take your pick of 18, 21, or 24 oz to make sure your water or favorite beverage is always on hand.

Hydro Flask uses TempShield Technology to keep your beverages as hot or cold as you left them for hours on end. It’s definitely one of those insulated water bottles that keeps its promises.

The Hydro Flask bottles also feature pro-grade stainless steel that won’t transfer unwanted flavors to your drinks. The exterior features an easy-grip coating that stays sweat-free and stands up to wear, and the leak-proof Flex Cap has an easy-carry handle for added convenience.

10. Brita Stainless Steel Water Filter Bottle

If you hate the thought of filling up at an airport water fountain because of the taste, the Brita Filter Bottle is the perfect solution. Available in 20 and 32-oz models, this stainless steel water bottle comes with a build-in Brita filter that makes your water taste fresh and clean for the long flight ahead.

The double-walled insulation keeps your water cold for up to 24 hours, and the sleek design of the 20-oz. is cupholder-friendly. Each filter can handle up to 40 gallons of water and fits seamlessly into the easy-sip straw. Plus, the bottle cap is leak-proof and features a button-release top that keeps your straw clean when not in use!

Why You Should Bring A Reusable Water Bottle For Long Flights

The best way to stay hydrated on a long flight is with a travel water bottle! You should pack a water bottle for your next flight (or any trip, really) for several reasons.

Firstly, bringing your own reusable water bottle is much better for the environment than buying disposable plastic bottles.

Secondly, airports and planes typically charge $3-5 per water bottle (yikes!) —not only is it expensive to buy every time you’re thirsty, but it’s also wasteful!

Lastly, not all airplanes provide free water anymore (depending on the class you’re flying in), so bringing your own water bottle is the only way to stay hydrated.

Types Of Travel Water Bottles

Although there are a variety of options when it comes to water bottles for travel, they all generally function the same way. The primary difference is the material from which they’re made, as well as other features such as size and insulation.

The most important factor in choosing the best water bottle for your next flight is the material from which it’s made. The main difference between most bottles is whether they are insulated or not, but the material is also important for other reasons—it can affect durability and taste!

There are three types of materials that water bottles are typically constructed of: plastic, stainless steel, and glass .

Plastic Water Bottles

Reusable plastic water bottles are typically the lighter option but are more likely to break. They generally don’t taste like plastic (like most single-use plastic bottles!) when they contain water (although some do) and are less expensive than stainless steel alternatives.

If you opt for plastic water bottles, we recommend choosing a plastic water bottle that is BPA-free and doesn’t contain other harmful chemicals. It’s nice to have a lightweight water bottle but make sure only to buy the best water bottle brands.

• Less durable
• More likely to absorb flavors from contents
• Not the most eco-friendly choice
• They don’t keep your drink cold

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Stainless steel travel bottles are generally much more durable than their plastic counterparts. Some models provide double-wall insulation, which helps keep beverages hotter/colder for longer periods of time.

A stainless steel water bottle is also less likely to break when dropped and doesn’t retain flavors, so it won’t taste like the last beverage you had stored in it. The best stainless steel travel water bottles can be more expensive than plastic but are also less likely to need replacing.

• Heavier than plastic bottles
• More expensive than plastic bottles

Glass Water Bottles

Glass water bottles are generally the heaviest and most breakable option. However, they’re also more eco-friendly (and do not contain any chemicals like bisphenol-A or phthalates) and can be easier to clean/sterilize than plastic bottles. Glass water bottles are a great choice if you prefer natural materials! The best glass water bottles are made of borosilicate glass, which is durable and can withstand high temperatures.

Features To Consider When Picking A Travel Water Bottle

There are several features to keep in mind when shopping for a reusable water bottle, all of which have different levels of importance depending on the type of person you are and how you plan to use your new water bottle.

The best travel water bottles are durable, easy to use, and leak-proof. When choosing a travel water bottle, you should look for a few key things.

Durability & Weight

Since travel bottles will be carried around while sightseeing, it’s important that they’re durable enough to withstand a little wear and tear. It’s also helpful if they’re lightweight so you’re not bogged down by your new water bottle.

The most important aspect is obviously whether or not the bottle will actually hold liquids! The second feature to check is size—if your reusable water bottle isn’t large enough, it won’t fill you up when you’re really thirsty. You’ll also want to look for a water bottle that is leak-proof, as there is no worse feeling than being stuck in your seat with wet pants !

Lastly, you want to check the cap style. Some caps are extremely difficult or even impossible to open when you’re on the go—and nobody wants to struggle with opening their water bottle while they’re thirsty!

Size & Portability

When choosing a travel water bottle, think about how you plan on using it. If you’re mostly going to be drinking while in transit (i.e. on planes and trains), then a smaller, more portable bottle is best.

On the other hand, if your plans include outdoor activities such as hiking or sightseeing, it may be advantageous to have a larger bottle so you don’t need to refill it as often. A great option for traveling is using a collapsible water bottle —you can pack it down smaller when you’re not using it, but it will expand to a regular water bottle size once you need a refill!

Design & Style

Style doesn’t play a huge role in choosing reusable water bottles. It’s important to take your personal preferences into account, however! Branded bottles are the most stylish and classic choice, but if you’re looking for something more unique, there are several one-of-a-kind travel water bottles out there.

While drinking in transit, it’s important to remember that the bottle isn’t the place to show off your personal style—personalized water bottles can be pretty! But when choosing a reusable water bottle for traveling (or any other activity), appearance isn’t as important as function.

One of the most annoying things about disposable water bottles—and even some reusable ones—is that they leak. If you’re going to be commuting or traveling with a water bottle, it’s essential to make sure that your water bottle is completely leak-proof.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Since it’s essential to regularly clean your travel water bottles , you want to make sure that the bottle is easy to clean. Look for removable parts so they can be easily washed, and check if you need any special equipment (soap or brush) to ensure that the bottle is hygienic.

Bottom Line

We know the search for “the best travel water bottle” can be overwhelming! There are a lot of things to consider when trying to find the best travel water bottle for your needs. However, if you keep a few key factors in mind, you should be able to find a great option that will serve you well on your travels.

First, think about the material of the bottle. Stainless steel is a great option for long-haul flights, as it will keep drinks cold for hours.

Second, consider the design of the bottle. Look for an easy-grip design and a wide mouth opening so that you can easily refill or clean it. Finally, think about whether you want a built-in filter. This can be helpful in getting rid of that airport drinking water taste.

With these factors in mind, you should be able to find the best travel water bottle for your needs.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list and good luck finding the best water bottle for your next trip!

Related: Best Packing Cubes For Travel

FAQs about Travel Water Bottles

Here are some frequently asked questions about travel water bottles:

What are the benefits of using a travel water bottle?

There are many benefits to using a travel water bottle. It can help you stay hydrated, save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and keep you safe in an emergency.

What are the best materials for travel water bottles?

The best materials for travel water bottles are those that are lightweight, durable, and leak-proof. Some good options include stainless steel, aluminum, and plastic.

What should I look for when choosing a travel water bottle?

When choosing a travel water bottle, you should consider its capacity, weight, durability, and leak-proofness. You should also make sure that it is made from safe materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic.

Can I bring any water bottle on a plane?

Yes, as long as the water bottle is empty, you can bring it through airport security. However, you will need to fill it up after you go through security. Keep in mind that glass bottles can break and add weight to your luggage.

Can I refill my travel water bottle at a water fountain?

Yes, most water fountains have a button that dispenses water into bottles. However, we recommend using a filter if you plan on refilling your bottle from a water fountain.

What is the best way to clean my travel water bottle?

We recommend hand-washing your bottle with soap and water. If you need to clean it more thoroughly, you can use a vinegar solution or put it in the dishwasher.

Can you take a stainless steel water bottle on a plane?

Yes, you can bring a stainless steel water bottle on a plane. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure the bottle is empty before going through security.

Second, if you plan on filling up the bottle after going through security, make sure to only use bottled water. This will help prevent any contaminants from getting into your water.

Do reusable travel water bottles save money?

Yes, reusable water bottles can save you money in the long run. They are often less expensive than buying bottled water, and they can help you save money on your water bill.

Do reusable travel water bottles help the environment?

Yes, reusable water bottles help the environment by reducing the amount of plastic waste. They also save water because you can refill them as needed. If you are an eco-conscious traveler we recommend staying away from plastic and avoid taking a reusable plastic water bottle.

What kind of bottles can you take on a plane?

You can take any water bottles on a plane as long as they are empty. However, we recommend using a stainless steel water bottle because it is durable and leak-proof.

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June 27, 2019

What Do You Hear Underwater?

A submerged science activity from Science Buddies

By Science Buddies & Sabine De Brabandere

Make waves--underwater! Learn how sound travels differently in water than it does in the air. 

George Retseck

Key Concepts Physics Sound Waves Biology

Introduction Have you ever listened to noises underwater? Sound travels differently in the water than it does in the air. To learn more, try making your own underwater noises—and listening carefully. 

Background Sound is a wave created by vibrations. These vibrations create areas of more and less densely packed particles. So sound needs a medium to travel, such as air, water—or even solids. 

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Sound waves travel faster in denser substances because neighboring particles will more easily bump into one another. Take water, for example. There are about 800 times more particles in a bottle of water than there are in the same bottle filled with air. Thus sound waves travel much faster in water than they do in air. In freshwater at room temperature, for example, sound travels about 4.3 times faster than it does in air at the same temperature.

Sound traveling through air soon becomes less loud as you get farther from the source. This is because the waves’ energy quickly gets lost along the way. Sound keeps its energy longer when traveling through water because the particles can carry the sound waves better. In the ocean, for example, the sound of a humpback whale can travel thousands of miles!

Underwater sound waves reaching us at a faster pace and keeping their intensity longer seem like they should make us perceive those sounds as louder when we are also underwater. The human ear, however, evolved to hear sound in the air and is not as useful when submerged in water. Our head itself is full of tissues that contain water and can transmit sound waves when we are underwater. When this happens, the vibrations bypass the eardrum, the part of the ear that evolved to pick up sound waves in the air. 

Sound also interacts with boundaries between two different mediums, such as the surface of water. This boundary between water and air, for example, reflects almost all sounds back into the water. How will all these dynamics influence how we perceive underwater sounds? Try the activity to find out! 

Bathtub or swimming pool (a very large bucket can work, too)

Two stainless steel utensils (for example, spoons or tongs)

Two plastic utensils

Small ball 

Adult helper

An area that can get wet (if not performing the activity at a pool)

Floor cloth to cleanup spills (if not performing the activity at a pool)

Other materials to make underwater sounds (optional)

Access to a swimming pool (optional)

Internet access (optional)

Preparation

Fill the bathtub with lukewarm water—or head to the pool—and bring your helper and other materials.

Ask your helper to click one stainless steel utensil against another. Listen. How would you describe the sound? 

In a moment, your helper will click one utensil against the other underwater . Do you think you will hear the same sound? 

Ask your helper to click one utensil against the other underwater. Listen. Does the sound appear to be louder or softer? Is what you hear different in other ways, too?

Submerge one ear in the water. Ask your helper to click one utensil against the other underwater. Listen. How would you describe this sound? 

Ask your helper to click one utensil against the other underwater soon after you submerge your head. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and submerge your head completely or as much as you feel comfortable doing. Listen while you hold your breath underwater (come up for air when you need to!). Does the sound appear to be louder or softer? Does it appear to be different in other ways? 

Repeat this sequence but have your helper use two plastic utensils banging against each other instead.

Repeat the sequence again, but this time listen to a small ball being dropped into the water. Does the sound of a ball falling into the water change when you listen above or below water? Does your perception of this sound change? Why would this happen? 

Switch roles. Have your helper listen while you make the sounds. 

Discuss the findings you gathered. Do patterns appear? Can you conclude something about how humans perceive sounds when submerged in water? 

Extra : Test with more types of sounds: soft as well as loud sounds, high- as well as low-pitched sounds. Can you find more patterns?

Extra: To investigate what picks up the sound wave when you are submerged, use your fingers to close your ears or use earbuds when submerging your head. How does the sound change when you close off your ear canal underwater? Does the same happen when you close off your ear canal when you are above water? If not, why would this be different? 

Extra: Go to the swimming pool and listen to the sound of someone jumping into the water. Compare your perception of the sound when you are submerged with when your head is above the water. How does your perception change? Close your eyes. Can you tell where the person jumped into the water when submerged? Can you tell when you have your head above the water?

Extra: Research ocean sounds and how sounds caused by human activity impact aquatic animals.  

Observations and Results Was the sound softer when it was created underwater and you listened above the water? Did it sound muffled when you had only your ear submerged? Was it fuller when you had your head submerged? 

Sound travels faster in water compared with air because water particles are packed in more densely. Thus, the energy the sound waves carry is transported faster. This should make the sound appear louder. You probably perceived it as softer when you were not submerged, however, because the water surface is almost like a mirror for the sound you created. The sound most likely almost completely reflected back into the water as soon as it reached the surface. 

When you submerged only your ear, the sound probably still appeared muffled. This happens because the human ear is not good at picking up sound in water—after all, it evolved to pick up sound in air. 

When you submerged your head, the sound probably sounded fuller. That is because our head contains a lot of water, which allows the tissue to pick up underwater sound—without relying on the eardrum. It also explains why closing your ear canal makes almost no difference in the sound you pick up while you are underwater. 

If you tried to detect where the sound came from when submerged, you probably had a hard time. Our brain uses the difference in loudness and timing of the sound detected by each ear as a clue to infer where the sound came from. Because sound travels faster underwater and because you pick up sound with your entire head when you are submerged, your brain loses the cues that normally help you determine where the sound is coming from. 

More to Explore Discovery of Sound in the Sea , from the University of Rhode Island and the Inner Space Center Can You Hear Sounds in Outer Space? , from Science Buddies Talk through a String Telephone , from Scientific American Sound Localization , from Science Buddies  Ears: Do Their Design, Size and Shape Matter? , from Scientific American STEM Activities for Kids , from Science Buddies 

This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies

August 11, 2015

Traveling to Another Planet? Just Add Water!

How “spacecoaches” could revolutionize interplanetary travel

By Brian McConnell & Alex Tolley

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

As NASA and other space agencies continue humanity’s interplanetary reconnaissance, one thing is becoming very clear: on balance, the solar system is a rather soggy place. Water, mostly in the form of ice, lurks practically everywhere we look. There are water deposits on the Moon , on Mars, and even in the cold, shadowed floors of deep polar craters on sun-broiled Mercury . Water exists in even greater abundance further out from the sun, constituting much of the crust for a wealth of dwarf planets, moons, and asteroids and even occasionally forming subsurface oceans.

Planetary scientists speak often and with great eloquence about how all this water boosts the possibility of alien life right in our solar system; much less discussed is how it boosts the possibility of carrying human life far beyond Earth. Water will be a cornerstone of our existence everywhere we go, of course, perhaps in more ways than you realize. The killer app for all that extraterrestrial water isn’t just beverages and baths—it’s also rocket fuel.

Water already serves as a fuel for rockets, by way of its chemical constituents, hydrogen and oxygen. Today, the highest performance rocket engines burn liquid hydrogen and oxygen to create a very hot exhaust of pure water that propels them through space. Such rockets are very complex and expensive, requiring cryogenic tanks to prevent the liquid hydrogen and oxygen from boiling away. They are also very mature technologies, performing at the outer edge of what is possible for chemical propulsion. In cost and scope, they offer limited room for growth. Fortunately, there is another way to fuel rockets using water, one that requires no cryogenic storage and that has huge possibilities for further development. Plain, old water, combined with electric propulsion , offers many advantages that chemical rockets simply can’t match.

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An electric water engine produces thrust by using electricity to accelerate water vapor at high velocities through an exhaust nozzle. That electricity can be produced essentially for free via sunlight soaked up by solar arrays on a spacecraft. From there, it can be used to produce microwaves or other electromagnetic forces that heat and accelerate the water vapor. A wide variety of electric propulsion technologies can be used in this form of rocket.

To understand why electric water rockets offer revolutionary prospects for space travel, consider the challenge facing a designer of a 500-day round-trip voyage to the Martian moons. To get there and back, every kilogram of mass—the crew, their life support and their spacecraft—needs many, many kilograms of rocket fuel. Thus mission planners ruthlessly reduce mass, often through compromising the robustness of life-support systems and minimizing the amount of potable water and food. Cut too much mass, and you jeopardize your crew. Cut too little, and you’ll be too heavy to ever go anywhere. For a 500-day mission to Mars, each astronaut may only have about 5 tons of water with which to drink, bathe and clean. A very short shower might be a weekly luxury.

A water-fueled electric rocket can change the rules of this game, and transform the economics of spaceflight, because it allows most of a crew’s water reserves to also serve double-duty as propellant.

This transformation of a large deadweight into working mass offers many advantages. Water for propellant would mean a huge reserve of water for the crew, greatly improving safety margins. For instance, if there was a problem with the spacecraft’s oxygen supplies, a small fraction of its extensive water reservoir could be electrolyzed to replenish the oxygen for many years, allowing time for a deep-space rescue or delayed return to Earth. Further, water could also bring another benefit, being held in tanks around the crew quarters to act as a shield against cosmic radiation. Even though all that water would be heavy, it would confer such significant mass savings overall that it could result in missions with a fraction of the mass of their chemical-rocket counterparts, dramatically reducing the high cost of launching supplies into Earth orbit.

Eventually, we envision that water ice from off-world locales around the solar system could be mined and used to refuel deep-space electric-water vessels, creating “interplanetary water holes” that would foster further development of space-based economies and infrastructures. Ceres , with its enormous water reservoir and low gravity, is an especially interesting destination.

This all may sound too good to be true, but a wealth of data confirms the fundamental promise of electric water rockets. Tests with a few possible engine types, such as microwave electrothermal thrusters , electrodeless Lorentz force thrusters and helicon double layer thruster s, show that they can produce exhaust velocities two to ten times that of the best chemical rockets while using water or waste gases as propellant. Those higher exhaust velocities translate into greater fuel efficiencies, and thus even larger cost savings for any interplanetary trip. However, while these engines have high exhaust velocities, they produce little thrust. This makes them unsuitable for launches directly from Earth to orbit, but they are perfect for long space voyages as the great distances involved allow the slow build up of velocity to astonishing speeds.

Developing electric water rockets would be only one small step in what is needed for humanity’s further expansion into outer space; what’s needed next is a giant leap, one that takes us from throwaway rockets to fully reusable interplanetary spacecraft. Reducing the mass of a spacecraft will only provide minimal cost savings if that spacecraft is only used once then thrown away. Very few of us would be flying to tourist resorts if our ticket price included building the airplane as well! Using a vehicle many times is a key to low ticket costs, and yet the wasteful paradigm of single-use spacecraft has held sway over human spaceflight for its entire history. (NASA’s vaunted Space Shuttles were, alas, only partially reusable, requiring extensive and expensive post-flight refurbishment that counteracted any possible cost savings.).

To forge a path forward, we can look to relevant examples from the past. At the dawn of the space age, many experts predicted that sturdy, enduring spaceships, such as Ernst Stuhlinger’s Cosmic Butterfly , would someday voyage between planets like any seagoing vessel. They would always stay in space just as ships stay in the sea, to be used many times before being scrapped or recycled, with crew and passengers ferried to and from by smaller craft. It was that system that allowed the Pilgrims to charter an aging mercantile ship, the Mayflower, to sail them to the New World, in 1620. Centuries later, stagecoaches were the great movers of people and goods across the American continent before the advent of railroads.

In honor of those pragmatic times, we propose the development of a “spacecoach,” our name for a fully reusable water-propelled solar electric interplanetary spacecraft. The synergies of using water and electric engines, as well as the reusability of the spacecraft, suggest that this approach should be considerably less expensive and thus more enabling than the current government plans for extending humanity’s off-world presence. We believe that this is a viable approach that could open up spaceflight to nations and institutions that could never afford today’s limited and exceedingly expensive disposable options.

While the idea of a reusable interplanetary spacecraft may seem like a huge technological leap, something that’s decades away, the component technologies needed to build spacecoaches already exist. Solar power, electric propulsion, and inflatable structures are well understood technologies that are in active development and are space ready. Through the development of elegant, inexpensive spacecoaches to harness the solar system’s abundance of solar power and water, perhaps a future group like those 17th-century pilgrims could gain the chance to begin again and found an off-world colony.

Brian McConnell is an author, engineer and technology entrepreneur based in San Francisco. Alex Tolley is a retired engineer, university lecturer and MOOC designer based in the Central Valley.For more information about the spacecoach concept, or their upcoming book from Springer Verlag, readers can visit www.spacecoach.org

Why Do I Retain Water When I Travel

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As someone who loves to travel, I’ve noticed a peculiar phenomenon that occurs whenever I’m on the road: my body tends to retain water.

At first, I thought it was just me being paranoid about gaining weight while indulging in local cuisine or not drinking enough water during long flights. But after some research and personal experience, I realized water retention is a common occurrence for many travelers.

While retaining water may seem like a harmless inconvenience, it can actually have negative effects on our bodies and overall health. From swollen feet to increased blood pressure, edema (the medical term for excessive fluid buildup in tissues) can be uncomfortable and alarming.

In this article, we’ll explore why our bodies tend to hold onto excess fluids when we travel and what we can do to prevent or alleviate this condition.

Table of Contents

Understanding Edema and Water Retention

Understanding edema and fluid buildup is crucial to comprehending why our bodies may experience changes when we’re away from home. Edema is a medical condition that refers to the accumulation of fluids in the body’s tissues, leading to swelling or puffiness. Fluid retention occurs when our bodies retain more water than they excrete, causing bloating and weight gain.

The causes of edema are varied and can range from hormonal fluctuations to severe medical conditions like heart failure and kidney disease. When we travel, several factors like altitude, humidity levels, prolonged sitting or standing, dehydration, and changes in diet can trigger fluid buildup in our bodies. Additionally, airplane cabins’ low humidity levels can cause dehydration, making it easier for water to accumulate in tissues.

It’s essential to note that mild cases of edema usually subside within a few days after traveling and don’t require medical attention. However, severe cases may require medication or lifestyle changes like reducing salt intake or exercising regularly.

Understanding the causes of edema goes a long way in preventing its occurrence while traveling or managing its symptoms effectively.

Fluid retention during travel is a common occurrence that affects many people worldwide. In addition to understanding edema’s underlying causes, learning how travel affects your body is vital in managing its effects on your health.

The next section will explore some ways that travel impacts your body and what you can do to reduce its negative effects on your well-being.

The Effects of Travel on Your Body

Jet-setting can wreak havoc on your physical state, leaving you feeling bloated and off-kilter. The changes in air pressure during a flight can lead to swelling and fluid retention, often noticeable in the hands, feet, and ankles. Sitting for an extended period of time can slow down blood circulation which exacerbates these symptoms.

Furthermore, traveling disrupts your regular routine which can affect digestion and metabolism leading to further water retention. Eating unhealthy foods and not drinking enough water also contributes to this issue. Dehydration is another common problem when traveling as it happens due to low humidity levels on airplanes or simply forgetting to drink enough fluids while exploring a new place.

Overall, it’s essential to pay attention to your body’s signals when traveling and take steps towards mitigating the effects of jet lag such as staying hydrated, eating healthy foods rich in fiber and nutrients, exercising regularly or taking walks whenever possible.

In the next section, we will explore dehydration and its role in water retention so that you can take better care of yourself on your next adventure.

Dehydration and Its Role in Water Retention

Staying properly hydrated is crucial for maintaining a healthy body while on the go, especially when it comes to managing swelling caused by changes in air pressure. Dehydration can be a major cause of water retention, as your body holds onto fluid when it’s not getting enough water. This can lead to bloating and discomfort, making travel even more challenging.

When you’re traveling, it’s important to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Keep a reusable bottle with you at all times and refill it whenever possible. Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol, which can dehydrate you further. If you’re flying, try drinking extra water before takeoff and during the flight to help counteract the effects of cabin pressure.

In addition to staying hydrated, there are other steps you can take to prevent water retention while traveling. These include wearing compression socks or clothing, taking breaks from sitting or standing for long periods of time, and exercising regularly.

By taking care of your body while on the go, you can minimize discomfort and enjoy your travels to the fullest.

How to Prevent Water Retention While Traveling

Wondering how to avoid bloating and discomfort while on the go? Here are some tips for preventing water retention during your travels!

First and foremost, it’s important to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water can actually help flush out excess fluids from your body. I always make sure to bring a reusable water bottle with me when I travel, so that I can refill it throughout the day.

Another way to prevent water retention is to watch your sodium intake. It’s easy to consume too much salt while eating out or snacking on processed foods during long flights or road trips. Try opting for fresh fruits and vegetables instead, which are high in potassium and can help balance out sodium levels in the body.

Lastly, staying active is key. Sitting for extended periods of time can lead to fluid buildup in the legs and feet, causing uncomfortable swelling. Make a point to take breaks during your travels and stretch or walk around whenever possible. Your body will thank you for it!

By following these simple tips, you can reduce your chances of experiencing uncomfortable water retention while traveling. But if you do find yourself feeling bloated or swollen despite your best efforts, don’t worry – there are natural remedies that can help alleviate symptoms.

Natural Remedies for Water Retention

I’ve found that natural remedies can be a great way to combat water retention. Three key points to consider are:

• Drinking herbal teas
• Reducing sodium intake
• Increasing potassium intake

Herbal teas like dandelion root or ginger can act as diuretics and help flush out excess water in the body. Additionally, reducing sodium intake can prevent water from being retained in the body, while increasing potassium intake can help regulate fluid balance.

Herbal Teas

Sipping on herbal teas can help alleviate bloating and discomfort while on the go. Certain herbs, such as dandelion, ginger, and fennel, have diuretic properties that promote urine production and decrease water retention.

Dandelion tea is particularly effective in reducing edema caused by excess sodium intake or hormonal changes. Ginger tea can aid digestion and reduce inflammation in the gut, which may contribute to bloating. Fennel tea is another great option for those experiencing water retention.

Fennel has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for digestive issues and menstrual cramps. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce swelling in the body, including edema caused by fluid buildup.

As you sip on these herbal teas, remember to also focus on reducing your sodium intake to further alleviate water retention.

Reduce Sodium Intake

To lower my risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, it’s crucial for me to cut back on sodium intake. The average American consumes over 3,400 mg of sodium per day – exceeding the recommended limit by almost double. Consuming too much sodium can cause water retention which leads to bloating and swelling. This is especially problematic when traveling since I’m already exposed to a variety of foods that may contain high levels of salt.

To reduce my sodium intake, I make sure to read nutrition labels before purchasing any food products. Additionally, I try to cook more meals at home using fresh ingredients and herbs instead of relying on processed foods.

By reducing my sodium intake, I also increase my chances of maintaining healthy potassium levels in the body. Potassium plays a vital role in regulating fluid balance in cells and tissues. It helps flush out excess sodium from the body through urine which reduces water retention and bloating. Therefore, increasing potassium-rich foods such as bananas, avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes can help me retain less water while traveling.

Increase Potassium Intake

Boosting potassium intake can be achieved by incorporating foods like bananas, avocados, spinach, and sweet potatoes into my daily diet. Potassium is an essential mineral that helps regulate the balance of fluids in the body.

When I travel, my body tends to retain water due to changes in my routine and environment. However, increasing my intake of potassium-rich foods can help flush out excess sodium from my body, which reduces water retention.

Incorporating these foods into my diet not only helps with water retention but also provides additional health benefits, such as reducing blood pressure and preventing muscle cramps. By adding a banana or avocado to my morning smoothie or having a side of roasted sweet potatoes with dinner, I am making a conscious effort to improve my overall health while reducing uncomfortable bloating that comes with traveling.

With this knowledge about increasing potassium intake, let’s explore medical conditions that may cause water retention.

Medical Conditions that May Cause Water Retention

Some medical conditions may lead to your body holding onto excess fluids, which can be exacerbated when you’re away from home. One such condition is heart failure, which occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. This can cause fluid buildup in the legs, ankles, and abdomen.

Another condition that may cause water retention is liver disease, as a damaged liver can impair the organ’s ability to produce proteins needed for fluid balance. Additionally, kidney disease can also contribute to water retention. When the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, they can’t properly filter waste products and excess fluids from the body.

This can lead to swelling in the feet and ankles, as well as other symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath. If you suspect that you may have a medical condition causing your water retention, it’s important to seek medical attention promptly. Your healthcare provider will be able to diagnose any underlying conditions through various tests and recommend appropriate treatment options.

Don’t hesitate to bring up any concerns or symptoms you may be experiencing during your appointment so that you can receive proper care and get back on track towards optimal health.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Water Retention

If you’re experiencing swelling or bloating that doesn’t go away, it’s important to seek medical attention for possible underlying conditions. While water retention can be a normal occurrence when traveling, excessive and persistent water retention may indicate an underlying medical condition such as heart failure, kidney disease, or liver disease. If left untreated, these conditions can lead to serious complications.

It’s also important to seek medical attention if you experience sudden weight gain, shortness of breath, chest pain, or difficulty breathing along with the water retention. These symptoms could be signs of a more serious condition that requires immediate medical attention.

Your doctor will perform tests to determine the cause of your water retention and develop a treatment plan based on your individual needs. Remember that seeking medical attention early is key in preventing further complications from developing.

Don’t ignore persistent swelling or bloating and don’t hesitate to speak with your healthcare provider about any concerns you may have. By working together with your doctor, you can manage your water retention and improve your overall health and wellbeing.

In conclusion, traveling can take a toll on your body and cause water retention. It’s important to stay hydrated, avoid salty foods, and move around frequently to prevent edema from occurring. Natural remedies, such as drinking dandelion tea or taking magnesium supplements, may also help alleviate symptoms.

As someone who loves to travel, I know firsthand how uncomfortable it can be to deal with water retention. It’s like carrying around a heavy backpack full of water that just won’t go away.

But with some simple preventative measures and possibly seeking medical attention if necessary, you can enjoy your travels without the added discomfort of edema. Remember, taking care of your body is essential for a happy and healthy journey.

Meet Veronica Williams, a spirited adventurer in her twenties, has already explored more than 15 countries, fueling her insatiable wanderlust. Her articles are a testament to her thirst for discovery and her desire to inspire others to see the world. As Veronica expands her travel repertoire, she shares her personal triumphs, challenges, and transformative experiences. Join her as she paints vivid pictures of breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cities, and awe-inspiring encounters.

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The Best Water Parks for Families

Our family at Tropic Falls theme park and water park at OWA in Foley Alabama in May 2023.

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Our favorite water parks

We’ve been to a handful of water parks over the last few years, and each one has something unique to make the visit memorable. These are our favorite water parks that we’ve been to… plus a few more that we plan on visiting this summer.

Great Wolf Lodge

Visitors to the Great Wolf Lodge are in for a real treat. This is one of the first water park adventures we took with our family. What we love about it is that it is more than just a water park hotel. The hotel theme and decorations are next level, and you really don’t have to leave the hotel during your stay. The water park is amazing and admission is included with your reservation. It also features a kiddie spa, bowling alley, arcade, and numerous restaurants. Plus, there are themed characters, nighttime story hour, and so much more.

The Great Wolf Lodge has 18 locations and four more on the way. Locations include Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Dallas, and Anaheim. We’ve visited the Anaheim and Charlotte locations over the years, and we plan on visiting the Cincinnati location this winter for a fun getaway.

View of the wave pool and water park at Great Wolf Lodge Garden Grove near Disneyland in June 2018.

Gaylord Hotels

This Marriott hotel brand features six destinations across the U.S., and each has its own water park. The Nashville location is the Gaylord Opryland, and its water park, SoundWaves, is amazing. The hotel offers room packages that include water park admission. Otherwise, admission to the water park is a separate ticket. And you don’t have to stay at the hotel to visit.

Gaylord Hotels has six locations across the U.S. These locations range from Southern California to Florida to D.C., so there’s one close by wherever you live. It is part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of resorts, so you can book rooms there using your hotel points to save money. Consider booking your visit during the winter to see all of the Christmas decorations in the hotel. While you’re there, you can also experience its annual ICE! attraction, which my kids love.

Lee and Scarlett at Soundwaves at Gaylord Opryland in Nashville in August 2022.

Wilderness at the Smokies

This water park hotel near Gatlinburg, TN, and the Smoky Mountains National Park is part traditional hotel and part timeshare. Wilderness at the Smokies has water slides and attractions both indoors and outdoors. The indoor water park is year-round, but the outdoor section is closed in the winter.

Just across the street is Soaky Mountain Water Park, which is a separate attraction. Although the hotel usually has discounts for guests, so be sure to ask at the front desk.

Timothy riding the waves at Wilderness at the Smokies near Pigeon Forge, TN, in June 2021.

Tropic Falls at OWA

Tropic Falls at OWA is located a couple of miles from the Alabama Shoreline. It includes admission to its theme park and water park for a single ticket price. Although the theme park has been open for several years, the water park opened in May 2023. The water park has an outdoor wave pool and a huge TV, while the rest of the rides, slides and lazy river are indoors.

And when you’re planning your visit, listen to my interview with Brandon Styles about the best things to do in Gulf Shores, Alabama .

• Read: Review of The Park at OWA

The Rollin’ Thunder roller coaster at OWA in Foley, Alabama.

Big Splash Adventure

Located in French Lick, Indiana, the Big Splash Adventure water park is on our bucket list this summer. It’s just a few hours away from Nashville and looks like loads of fun. This indoor water park is 40,000 square feet and features two large tube slides, two large body slides and a lazy river to relax in with your family. There’s also an underwater Virtual Reality experience that I’m really looking forward to trying out.

Big Splash Adventure is open to the public, but it’s also attached to a 153-room hotel. The hotel offers eight different room types to fit every budget. Rooms can fit up to nine people, so be sure to bring your friends. Spend the night at the hotel and get complimentary water park passes with a Water Park Room Package… or you can purchase day passes just for the water park.

Big Splash Adventure in French Link Indiana. Photo courtesy of Visit French Lick West Baden.

Nashville Shores

Nashville Shores is a local water park in Middle Tennessee that’s only open for part of the year. Timothy has been going for the past couple of years with his summer camp, so Scarlett and I got season passes to go this year as well. It offers RV and camping right by the lake if you want to stay a few days. And there’s also a Treetop Adventure Park next door.

Admission to both attractions is included in the almost 50 attractions from the Get Out Pass for Tennessee ( read my review ). Use promo code “ BALD ” for the best discount on the Get Out Pass .

• Read: Nashville Shores season pass sale

Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay

Another theme park that also has an outdoor water park. Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and one free admission is also included in the Get Out Pass. These attractions are seasonal, so they’re open from mid-May through late October, but the water park closes on Labor Day.

Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas

For Fall Break a couple of years ago, we visited the Bahamas to stay at the Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas resort. Luckily, our buddy David’s gambling status provided complimentary rooms, but you could also pay cash or book rooms using Marriott Bonvoy points. What I loved about this hotel’s water park is that only guests could use it and that it was themed to match the Atlantis decor of the property. There were two massive Aztec-themed pyramids at the resort that featured huge water slide drops that were thrilling, which makes this one of my favorite water parks for families.

In addition to the water park for guests, there are numerous other activities for families at Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas. Scarlett loved the Mermaid Experience with a “real live mermaid,” while Tim and I really enjoyed the Indiana Jones’ style cave and aquarium. For the truly adventurous, you could even book a snorkeling adventure to swim with the fish inside the massive aquarium tanks.

Scarlett at the Mermaid Experience at Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas Resort in October 2021.

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

We also visited the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar during our visit to the Bahamas in October 2021. I used World of Hyatt points to pay for our room, and I used my Hyatt Globalist Suite Upgrade certificates to get an amazing room upgrade. While the hotel itself and the restaurants were much higher-end than what we experienced at Atlantis Paradise Island, the water park itself wasn’t as good of an experience as the one at Atlantis.

It had some incredible rides, and the play area was super fun. However, it was open to the public, so there were others there that weren’t hotel guests. Additionally, you had to walk from the hotel to a separate entrance to visit the water park. This meant that it was harder for adults to chill out with a drink (billed to the room) while the kids went on the slides and water rides.

The water park slides and wave pool at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in October 2021.

Places we talked about on the podcast

This map highlights where these water parks are across the U.S. so you can plan your own water park adventures with your family. I’ve broken the map into three sections:

• Blue : Great Wolf Lodge locations
• Red : Hotel water parks
• Yellow : Outdoor water parks

Water park tips you need to know

Items to bring with you.

Be prepared. Here’s a handy-dandy basic list of items you’re going to need for a day at the waterpark:

• Swim diapers (if you have any non-potty trained family members)
• Waterproof sunscreen
• Lots of water (I recommend a water bottle for each member of the family)
• Lots of snacks (you are allowed to bring your own food into the park, and remember: objects in water appear hungrier than on land)
• Extra clothes (and a separate bag to throw the wet ones in)
• Band-Aids (you never know)
• Baby wipes (always come in handy)
• Waterproof watch for teens, so they don’t lose track of time
• A book (that you likely will not have a chance to read)
• Change. If you wish to rent a locker and not cart your things around all day.
• Shampoo, soap, etc., if you plan on showering after slide time
• Life vests… although they offer them, they may not have the right size or comfort level

Do your homework

Do your homework and research the water park slides and other attractions.

• Make sure there’s enough for everyone to do
• Look at height restrictions
• Wave pool vs. slides vs. climbing structure vs. surfing experience
• Set expectations… you may not be able to hit every ride

Strategically choose your dates

• Weekdays vs. weekends
• Avoid holidays
• When are lines the shortest?
• Many are open year round, while others close for the off-season

At the water park

• Pay to park closer. It’s a little extra money, but worth it when everyone is tired after a long day in the park.
• A lot of people sleep in, so you get the park to yourself for awhile
• Just like a theme park, you get to hit the popular rides first without a long wait
• Summer camps and others leave by mid-afternoon.
• Staying late also allows you to hit more rides without crowds
• Older kids need a watch and must return every so often
• Penalties for not showing up on time
• Gives everyone a break and pace yourself for the day
• Allows parents to assess time to eat, potty breaks, etc.
• Provides guaranteed seating
• Easy for the kids and adults to find
• You have shade in the summertime
• Extra amenities, like a TV, fridge, comfortable seats, a fan, food & drink service
• Avoid leaving valuables in the car
• The kids will be just fine if they don’t bring their electronics to the water park
• And they can chill out on the ride to and from instead of being glued to a screen

Big thanks to today’s affiliate partner – Acorns

With Acorns, you can invest spare change automatically on every purchase that you make. With your registered cards, purchases are rounded up to the next dollar and added to your investment account. When you shop at participating retailers, you can also earn bonus dollars called “Found Money.” Acorns is a great way to build up your travel fund automatically.

I’ve been using Acorns for years, and I love how easy it is to use. For a limited time, when you sign up at  wetravelthere.com/acorns , we’ll both earn $5.

Stay tuned for our next episode

What’s your favorite part of water parks? Send us a Tweet , let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in  our Facebook group !

Please take a moment to follow the podcast on your favorite podcast apps, like  Apple Podcasts  or  Stitcher , so you don’t miss the next episode! While you’re at it, give us a rating and Tweet the podcast to your friends.

To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit  WeTravelThere.com/map . If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at  WeTravelThere.com/guest .

Related episodes for the best water parks for families

To learn more about family-friendly activities and how to save money on travel, check out our episodes below:

• How to save money on flights
• How to save money on theme parks
• Family ski trips with Timothy and Scarlett
• How to start travel hacking
• 7 Favorite Holiday Travel Tips for Families

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National Weather Service launches new website for water prediction and products

The National Weather Service (NWS) is introducing the new National Water Prediction Service (NWPS), transforming how water resources information and services are delivered, and providing a greatly improved user experience through enhanced displays. (Image credit: NOAA)

NOAA’s National Weather Service launched a new website today: The National Water Prediction Service . This new hub for water data, products and services combines local and regional forecasts with water data and new national level capabilities, such as flood inundation maps and the National Water Model.

"This online water hub is modern and flexible — providing information to help our partners and the public make sound decisions for water safety and management," said Ed Clark, director of NOAA’s National Water Center. “The new site leverages modern software, geospatial technology and cloud infrastructure, vastly improving the customer experience before, during and after extreme water events such as floods and droughts.”

Key features integrated into the National Water Prediction Service website

• A new, dynamic and seamless national map with flexible options and expansive layers available to help analyze water conditions anywhere in the country.
• Improved hydrographs that are frequently updated, depict water level observations over the past 30 days and provide river flood forecasts up to 10 days in advance. 
• The National Water Model , which provides 24 hour coverage, seven days a week hydrologic forecast guidance along 3.4 million river miles across the U.S., including river segments, streams and creeks that have no river gauges.
• Real-time, comprehensive Flood Inundation Maps, which are being implemented in phases, will cover nearly 100% of the U.S. by October 2026.
• An Application Programming Interface (API) has been added to the traditional geographic information system (GIS) data, which will allow customers to flow water information into their own applications and services.

NWS continues to improve the essential support services it provides to communities locally and nationwide as part of its transformation into a more nimble, flexible and mobile agency that works hand-in-hand with decision makers. The National Water Prediction Service website provides tools that deliver actionable hydrologic information across all time scales to address the growing risk of flooding, drought and water availability, and enables partners and the American public to make smart water decisions.

Weather.gov Webstory - January 12, 2024

NWPS Product and Users Guide

Flood Inundation Mapping  news release

Biden-Harris Administration announces $80 million to improve flood prediction capabilities

National Weather Service - Flood Safety Tips and Resources

Media Contact

Michael Musher, michael.musher@noaa.gov , (771) 233-1304

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Travel With Purpose | Hilton ESG

Our Progress

“ Hilton was founded on the noble premise that travel can make the world a better place and that premise still guides us today . ” Christopher J. Nassetta, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hilton In line with this vision, we set bold Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals to redefine sustainable travel.

2030 Goal Tracking

Since the launch of our Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals in May 2018, we have been tracking all targets to ensure that we reach our goals. Below is a progress report on all targets. For additional reporting, please visit the  Our Reporting page.

Categories:

Environmental: paving the way to net zero.

Science-based targets:

• Reduce Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions intensity from managed hotels by 75% (MT CO 2 e/m 2 , 2008 baseline) 
• Reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions intensity from franchised hotels by 56% by working collaboratively with franchisees (MT CO 2 e/m 2 , 2008 baseline) 

Align with global environmental certifications that require third-party verification (e.g., certification to ISO 14001, 50001, 9001; US EPA ENERGY STAR)

7.2 7.3 7.a

PROGRESS TO DATE

• Committed to new, more ambitious science-based targets, which were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)  
• 47.1% reduction in carbon emissions intensity (managed hotels) 
• 44% reduction in carbon emissions intensity (all hotels)  
• 100% of hotels mapped in LightStay against climate risks 
• Opened Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, believed to be the first net-zero carbon emissions hotel in the U.S.  
• Working in collaboration with Schneider Electric, developed a robust plan of action to achieve our science-based targets by 2030  
• Established LED bulbs as a global brand standard for new builds and existing buildings across all brands 
• Invested in two ESG innovation funds with Fifth Wall, a VC firm that invests in innovative ESG technologies that decarbonize to tackle climate change  
• Expanded roll out of Aquicore, our building analytic program, to 33 managed Hilton properties, cutting energy costs through “low cost and no cost” energy efficiency measures 

Reduce water use intensity in our managed operations by 50% (liters/m², 2008 baseline)

Activate 20 community water projects to increase access and resilience

6.3 6.4 6.6 6.b

• 33.49% reduction in water intensity (managed hotels)
• 38.1% reduction in water intensity (all hotels)
• 9 community water projects completed
• Mapped 100% of hotels against WWF water risk indices
• Refreshed our Energy and Water Efficient Design Companion Guide to guide hotels on design decisions that can improve properties’ energy and water efficiency

Reduce landfilled waste intensity in our managed operations by 50% (MT/m², 2008 baseline)

Reduce food waste across our global operations by implementing a food waste reduction program in every kitchen

Send zero soap to landfill by recycling all used guest soap bars, where available 

• 65.4% reduction in landfilled waste intensity (managed hotels)
• 57.6% reduction in landfilled waste intensity (all hotels)
• Joined WRI Cool Food program to engage on best practices to reduce food waste and opportunities to adopt lower-emissions food selections
• Collaborated with WWF and the hotel industry to develop a standardized waste measurement methodology 
• Completed a pilot with GOODR, a food waste donation program designed to pick up edible food waste and donate it to local nonprofits 
• Partnered with Winnow, leveraging AI technology to help chefs accurately pinpoint food waste streams to cut costs and tailor purchasing decisions in select hotels across EMEA and APAC 
• Continued to expand Digital Key and transition hotels to bulk amenities, reducing plastic waste from key cards and miniature toiletry bottles 
• 5,500+ hotels partnered with soap recycling organizations to donate soap to those in need 

Social: Creating an Engine of Opportunity

Create 5 million learning and career growth opportunities for Team Members and communities with a focus on underrepresented groups

Achieve 50% Gender Diversity at our leadership levels globally by 2027

Achieve 25% Ethnic Diversity at our leadership levels in the U.S. by 2027

8.5 8.6 8.b

• In 2022, we created more than 677,359 learning and career growth opportunities against our 5 million commitment 
• 40% Women at global corporate leadership levels in 2022 (+3 vs. YE2020) 
• 19% Ethnic Diversity at our U.S. corporate leadership levels in 2022 (+2 vs. YE2020) 
• In 2022, training on Diversity & Inclusion/Unconscious Bias and creating a Harassment-Free Workplace was completed by 98% of managed hotels globally 

COMMUNITIES

Meaningfully impact 20 million community members

Contribute 10 million volunteer hours

Participate in food donation programs, where allowed by law (managed hotels)

Award 300+ Action Grants for hotel-led social and environmental impact projects that provide local support for our communities 

Design, standup and activate a disaster relief program to support our community members and Team Members 

Leverage our large global footprint and deep integration within our communities to expand local sourcing and business with diverse and small suppliers 

1.1 1.2 1.5

• In 2022, Hilton and the Hilton Global Foundation meaningfully impacted 2,793,920 community members through local support, disaster relief efforts and economic opportunities 
• Since establishment in 2019, awarded $8M+ in Hilton Global Foundation grants to more than 130 NGOs and community-based organizations 
• 2,155,702 hours volunteered since 2017, including 344,958 in 2022 
• Distributed nearly $3 million in critical financial support to more than 3,600 Team Members impacted by disasters, crisis, and personal hardship instances since 2014 
• Reached 78,588 refugees since 2015 through volunteering, in-kind donations, purchasing, training, shelter and employment 
• Awarded 39 Action Grants to nonprofit organizations around the globe for hotel-led social and environmental impact projects 
• Sourced from more than 2,400 women, minority, veteran, disabled and LGBTQ–owned businesses in 2022 
• Over $3.6M of spend moved from imported to local sourcing in 5 EMEA markets 

Promote responsible, inclusive conduct across 100% of our operations 

Promote responsible sourcing of beef, poultry, pork, eggs, seafood and produce from third-party recognized and/or certified suppliers across our managed hotels 

Embed ESG due diligence across our supply chain and partner with suppliers to advance positive impact 

Engage guests in supporting responsible travel and destination stewardship 

12.2 12.5 12.6

• Continued making progress on sourcing from Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council certified fisheries, with Japan, Korea and Micronesia becoming our first region to achieve 25% sustainable seafood volume in 2022 
• Achieved the following egg purchasing from cage-free sources across our Hilton-managed hotels: 54% in the Americas, 46% in EMEA, and 7% in APAC 
• 110 key suppliers invited to complete EcoVadis Assessment in 2022 to strengthen due diligence and support ESG performance across our supply chain 
• 50% of brands have at least one brand standard requiring local sourcing 
• Introduced Meet with Purpose checklist to enable customers to host more sustainable meetings and events, and launched feature in LightStay to purchase high-quality carbon offsets for carbon neutral meetings 

Governance: Advancing and Measuring our Goals

Public affairs.

Advocate for public policies that advance our Travel with Purpose goals 

Actively shape legislation and regulation to advance our corporate objectives, including making progress toward our ESG goals 

• Led advocacy efforts on behalf of our Team Member and owner community to support COVID-related relief and recovery 
• Advocated to advance legislation related to preventing human trafficking, immigration reform, climate action, plastic elimination, skills training and apprenticeships programs, and diversity, equity and inclusion 
• Monitoring forthcoming government regulations related to ESG disclosure requirements 
• Led advocacy efforts to stimulate leisure and business travel including removing remaining pandemic-era travel restrictions, tax incentives and funding for destination marketing 
• Supported policies to address our workforce needs and attract a diverse and talented workforce through immigration and visa reform, expanded skills training and apprenticeship programs, and commitment to DEI 
• Advanced legislation that helps our hotels become more sustainable including tax incentives for energy efficiency upgrades and EV charging stations and plastic elimination. Shaped forthcoming government regulations related to ESG disclosure requirements through public comment letters and advocacy 

PARTNERSHIPS

Create and partner with cross-industry networks to advance Travel with Purpose objectives. 

Build long-term relationships with organizations that help advance our enterprise objectives, including our ESG goals and advocacy efforts 

13.1 13.2 13.3

• Participated in Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and World Travel & Tourism Council committees and working groups and contributed to the development of the industry’s “Net Positive Pathway” 
• Collaborated with expert partners, including ECPAT and It’s a Penalty, on human rights topics 
• Led engagement with key industry trade organizations 
• Continued to work with partners, such as World Wildlife Fund, on sustainable destination management 
• In partnership with American Express and Hilton’s ownership community, in 2022 Hilton donated hotel rooms across Europe to support Ukrainian refugees in need 
• Continuing our legacy of prioritizing innovation, Hilton made an investment in two Fifth Wall climate technology funds that aim to decarbonize the global real estate sector 
• Committed to grant $500,000 to AHLA Foundation’s No Room for Trafficking (NRFT) Survivor Fund over 3 years 

POLICIES AND REPORTING

Operate through best-in-class measurement (LightStay), governance and oversight  

Continue board oversight with robust quarterly reporting at the committee level and annual reporting on ESG strategy to the full board 

Ensure accountability for LightStay compliance, enterprise risk management, annual trainings, and regular reporting efforts 

Provide mandatory annual training on preventing human trafficking to all hotel Team Members globally 

• Progressed partnership with EcoVadis to track and validate supplier sustainability performance 
• All suppliers are encouraged to observe and abide by Hilton’s Responsible Sourcing Policy, which is included in all corporate and managed property contracts 
• Where relevant, routinely incorporate sustainability criteria into our sourcing exercises, catalogs and purchasing data 
• 100% of hotels mapped against human rights risks 
• Continued to enhance LightStay, including the addition of a Meeting Impact Calculator report to calculate the environmental footprint of meetings and events 
• Continued Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)–Recognized Standard status for LightStay 
• 98% of managed hotels completed training on preventing human trafficking 
• Quarterly reports on progress delivered to Executive Committee, Board and key leaders across the business 

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The U.S. plans to limit PFAS in drinking water. What does that really mean?

The EPA’s plan to limit forever chemicals will be costly, experts say—but will protect millions of Americans from a host of health problems.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced on April 10 the first-ever limits on per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, in drinking water.

The agency says that the new rule will protect 100 million Americans from six PFAS known to accumulate in the body and cause a host of health problems —including kidney and testicular cancer as well as pregnancy-induced hypertension, preterm birth, and liver and immune system problems.

“I applaud the decision,” says Susan M. Pinney , director of the Center for Environmental Genetics at University of Cincinnati. “It’s in line with what we know about the health effects of PFAS.”

( Toxic "forever chemicals" are more common in water than we thought .)

But while public health experts approve of the new rule, they contend that getting forever chemicals out of our drinking water will be a herculean task given the sheer quantity of PFAS found in it along with the difficulty in removing them. And it may come at a cost to consumers. Here’s what to know about what comes next—and what the new rule means for you.

Next steps in cleaning up the nation’s drinking water

The downside of the new rule is the cost of installing the technology to fix the problem—which estimates suggest could be between $1.5 billion to $4 billion. Under the new rule , all U.S. public water systems will have three years to test their water for the six PFAS tagged by EPA and five years to reduce levels to the new national standard of 4 parts per trillion.

The EPA estimates that between 6 and 10 percent of the nation’s 66,000 public drinking water systems may have to make changes to their infrastructure in order to abide by the new rule. Eleven states already limit PFAS levels but many will still have to make operational changes if their levels are above the national limit.

Their first task, Pinney says, should be determining the source of pollution to prevent it from entering the water system—which is cheaper and easier than removing pollution that’s already there. Many facilities will have to install granular active carbon, ion exchange, or reverse osmosis water filtration systems, proven but costly methods for filtering PFAS from water.

As for infrastructural changes, the typical facility already has processes in place to coagulate or remove solids from water, polish it to remove things like heavy metals, and a chlorination treatment to disinfect the water of harmful microorganisms. “New infrastructure will likely fall somewhere in between the polishing and chlorination phase,” says Chris Moody, who handles regulation compliance for American Water Works Association (AWWA), an organization whose membership is made up of 4,300 utility suppliers.

( Is tap water safe to drink? Here's what you need to know .)

Updating infrastructure may also require hiring an engineer to design any new system for filtering PFAS as well as a piloting process to test that it’s working, adds Moody.

The EPA estimates the annual cost of compliance at $1.5 billion but Moody contends it’s vastly underestimated. In a report last year, AWWA estimated the implementation budget as closer to $3.8 billion .

What will that mean for your water bill? Moody says the cost burden depends on the size of your local water treatment facility. “Small systems just don’t have the economy of scale so your cost is much higher per household,” he says.

The EPA has already announced $1 billion in federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but municipalities may also have to secure funding at the state level and much of that cost is likely to be shouldered by the consumer. Moody estimates it could cost thousands annually per customer for smaller utilities and hundreds for the larger systems where the cost is spread over a greater population.

Is it worth it?

But many experts argue that the new limits make sense given the “weight of evidence” showing health problems associated with PFAS.

“It is these very low concentrations that can have big effects overtime as chemicals bioaccumulate in the body,” says Scott Belcher , director of the Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

( Here's where forever chemicals are hiding in your kitchen .)

PFAS are ubiquitous, found in everything from cleaning products and food packaging to water-resistant fabrics. Water, says Belcher, is low-hanging fruit when it comes to cleaning up what he calls a “long-term pollution crisis.”

While the EPA has only imposed strict limits on six PFAS based on a preponderance of scientific evidence, thousands more persist in the environment. The hope is that once new infrastructure is in place it will also remove many of those chemicals that haven’t yet been banned.

In the future, Belcher says, identifying polluters ahead of time needs to be a priority. “We’ve learned lessons over the past few decades that once these compounds get into our environment, they’re extremely difficult to remove."

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Colombia's capital announces new measures to cut water consumption as dry weather persists

Colombia reservoir.

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The mayor of Colombia's capital on Monday announced new measures to reduce water consumption in the city of eight million people, where a drought associated with the El Niño weather pattern has already prompted officials to ration water in most neighborhoods and ask residents to change their showering habits.

In a statement aired by local media, Bogotá's Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said homes that use more than 22 cubic meters of water per month will have to pay additional fees. He also threatened to impose fines of up to $300 on people who wash their cars on the streets or conduct other activities that are deemed to be a waste of water.

The mayor said that city buses, which are usually washed every day, will now only be washed once per week. For public health reasons, the insides of the buses will still need to be cleaned on a daily basis.

“We have started to reduce water consumption, but there is still a long way to go to reach our goals,” Galán said.

Water rationing is rare in Bogotá, a city that is located in a humid patch of the northern Andes Mountains and is surrounded by cloud forests and emerald green fields .

But several months of dry weather, caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon have destabilized the city’s reservoirs and led to forest fires in January.

Bogotá's main source of water, the Chingaza Reservoir System, is currently 15% full, its lowest level ever. Experts have warned that if rains do not return to the area, its reservoirs could run out of water in two months.

Faced with this situation, officials in Bogotá last week rolled out a water rationing system that divides the city into nine zones. Each zone is cut off from the water supply for 24 hours, on a rotating basis.

Galán said on Monday that since the rationing system began on Thursday the city’s water consumption has dropped to 16.01 cubic meters per second, from 17.84 cubic meters per second. But the mayor said that the city’s water consumption must fall to 15 cubic meters per second in order for reservoirs to recover.

Over the past few days, city officials have also urged residents to use less water, by limiting their showers to five minutes and turning off their taps while they brush their teeth.

The mayor also suggested that residents of the capital should stop showering on a daily basis, as is customary in Colombia, especially when they don’t have to leave their homes.

“We are not only going to reduce consumption through rationing, but also by changing our behavior,” Galán said.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024

Let’s have fun with the festive activities: fantastic parades, concerts, and EDM in a Thai style. Enjoy Thailand’s tallest dancing fountain show and the stunning performances of more than 1,200 drones in choreographed patterns.  ​See you from 11-15 April, 2024, at Ratchadamnoen Klang Road and Sanam Luang, Bangkok.  ​On the occasion of “Thai Songkran” being enlisted as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, this year, TAT invites everyone to enjoy the magnificent Thai New Year celebration, preserve our priceless tradition, and splash happiness across all the places.  ​Witness the spectacular Maha Songkran parades moving along Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, led by Miss Thailand Universe 2023, Anntonia Porsild as the Songkran Goddess, followed by the parades representing 16 provinces, Thailand’s soft power showcases, including an LGBTQ parade.  Special for you, we provide you the 2,000 seats exclusively on 11-12 April, 2024.  ​Enjoy the concerts at Sanam Luang for 5 consecutive days. The headliners include 4Eve, Milli, FHero, Bodayslam, and many more. Have fun tasting a variety of food from the line of food trucks. Watch the beautiful light decorations and installation art around Sanam Luang. Enjoy open-air retro movies on a vertical screen, rare cultural performances, drone light shows, and so many more!  ​Do not miss the highlights: The over-20-metre-high dancing fountain show, as well as the EDM zone for dancing amidst unlimited water splashing.

Date: 11-15 April, 2024  Time: 13.00 – 22.00 Hrs.  Venues: Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, and Sanam Luang Field.

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EPA announces first-ever national standard limiting 'forever chemicals' in drinking water

The agency says the move will protect 100 million people from PFAS exposure.

The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced a new rule mandating the first-ever national standard for the presence of so-called "forever chemicals" in drinking water.

The new standard limits six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, found in drinking water -- a move the EPA says will protect abou 100 million people from exposure.

"Today, I'm extremely excited to announce that we are finalizing the first ever nationwide, legally enforceable drinking water standard for PFAS -- the most significant action on PFAS the EPA has ever taken," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said during a call with reporters. "This standard will reduce PFAS exposure to approximately 100 million people."

PFAS are a ubiquitous group of chemicals found in a host of industrial and personal products, including fire extinguishing foam, food packaging, dental floss and others, according to the EPA .

The chemicals break down very slowly, allowing them to build up in people, animals and the environment over time -- hence the nickname, "forever chemicals."

"This rule really is a breakout from where we've been for decades," Erik Olson, senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told ABC News. "Finally, we're seeing government start to take the PFAS crisis seriously."

MORE: How PFAS are entering America's water supply

The EPA says it expects 6% to 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S. might have to reduce PFAS from their water systems to meet the new standard.

Under this rule, water systems across the country will have three years to monitor for these chemicals and an additional two years to implement new technology to reduce PFAS levels.

One billion dollars in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be available to help states and territories with testing and treatment for PFAS as they work to come into compliance over the next few years.

By reducing PFAS exposure for millions of Americans, the Biden administration says this new standard will also prevent severe illness and death for many Americans.

"One hundred million people will be healthier and safer because of this action," Regan said. "This action will prevent thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of serious illnesses."

PFAS exposure has been linked to increases in cholesterol, changes in liver enzymes and pregnancy complications like preeclampsia, among other issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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"Every single person in the United States is walking around with PFAS in their bodies," Olson said. "The risks are very real. These EPA rules will start the process of controlling the risks from tap water."

MORE: CDC now encouraging doctors to consider more blood testing for "forever chemicals"

The chemicals targeted by the EPA in this rule include five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA. These five are also known as "GenX Chemicals." The rule also targets mixtures of two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and "GenX chemicals."

At a press conference in Fayetteville, North Carolina, marking the official announcement on Wednesday, Regan explained that the EPA is currently targeting this group of PFAS because they're the most well understood.

"We're starting with this six, because with this six we have the best science and data to design these health standards," Regan said. "I think you might know that everyone is not in agreement with us regulating this, and I think we all can gauge the temperature of the courts these days. So, what EPA is doing is we're measuring twice and we're cutting once. This is the first of six and we're going to continue until we get to all of them."

Many communities in North Carolina have been impacted by heavy PFAS contamination in the Cape Fear River due to decades of chemical dumping in the water by the companies DuPont and Chemours.

Regan was secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality in 2017 when news of the contamination broke. He announced the proposed PFAS standards last year in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Olson called the six a "good step," but said more needs to be done to regulate other PFAS chemicals.

"There's still only six that EPA is regulating, which is a good step, but they are 14,000 of these PFAS," Olson said. "So, we're taking a bite out of the problem, but we really need to regulate this whole class of toxic chemicals together because if we keep regulating them a few at a time, we're just never going to get off the toxic treadmill and never going to catch up with all the new chemicals the industry keeps producing and exposing us to."

The American Chemistry Council, an industry group representing chemical companies, announced its opposition to the new standard on Wednesday, expressing concerns with the science behind the limits and saying the EPA is underestimating the cost of compliance for water systems.

Biden administration officials say they expected opposition under the finalized standards, but that they designed the rule to withstand potential challenges.

"We feel very confident that we have designed a very durable rule, well within our statutory authority, that begins to protect people from harmful pollutants that are showing up in their drinking water," a senior administration official said. "This is something that we've done in concert with our sister agencies. It's a government wide effort, and we're very proud of the product that we are releasing today."

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Watch: Hordes of baby penguins jump off 50ft ice cliff

T he mystery of why hordes of baby penguins congregate at the top of vertiginously sheer cliffs in Antarctica has finally been solved – they are there to jump off.

Filmmakers from National Geographic were astonished to see hundreds of fledgling emperor penguins leaping from 50ft ice sheets into the freezing water below.

It is known that at six months old, the chicks leave their colonies and march to the ocean to take their first swim, but they usually only dive from heights of 1-2ft.

Since 2009, satellite imagery has shown that some colonies are breeding and raising their chicks high up on ice shelves, and many have been spotted making their way to the edge of steep cliffs.

Now for the first time filmmakers have shown that chicks are leaping from the summit of the Ekström Ice Shelf at Atka Bay, often belly-flopping into the water beneath, before bobbing to the surface, completely unscathed.

It is the first time this moment has been captured on camera.

The footage was captured in January by Bertie Gregory for National Geographic’s documentary series Secrets of the Penguins which is due to air next year.

In the film, around 700 baby penguins were seen making their way to the cliff and loitering trying to pluck up the courage to make the jump. 

Once the first one took the plunge, the others soon followed suit.

Mr Gregory said: “I’ve only ever seen emperors jump in off the sea ice and that is a couple of feet maximum.

‘Pretty unbelievable to see’

“We know these chicks have grown up together and they stick together. 

“Those first brave jumpers seem to give the rest the confidence to follow. 

“Some of them are even trying to flap their wings.

“I had no idea that the chicks would be able to make such a giant leap and not just survive but happily swim off together into the Southern Ocean. 

“That is a pretty unbelievable thing to see.”

Mr Gergory and the production team lived and worked from a tented camp on the Ekström Ice Shelf near the main Atka Bay penguin colony for almost nine weeks.

The team worked for two months in minus 5C using drone technology to capture overhead views.

Emperor penguin chicks start to lose their fluffy baby down when they are five months old, replacing it with feathers which they waterproof using oil from their preen gland.

In January each year, the new generation leaves their colony en masse in a rite of passage that will take them to the sea for the first time.

The footage is reminiscent of BBC footage of barnacle goslings diving more than 400ft from their nests to reach their parents below.

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'We can't go home': Tallahassee swamped by torrential rains; 'overwhelming' ordeal ahead

A slow moving but powerful storm system dumped more than 10 inches of rain on parts of Tallahassee area, flooding roadways, vehicles, homes, schools and businesses and prompting rescues of stranded people in the middle of the night.

Two Florida Highway Patrol troopers suffered minor injuries after one of their patrol vehicles flipped over in standing water on Geddie Road. One of the troopers was “entrapped within the vehicle,” FHP said, but was pulled out by the other trooper. There were no other immediate reports of injuries.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Tallahassee Fire Department rescued several people by boat from their flooded mobile homes on Southern Bell Loop and Emily Loop, located off West Tennessee Street near the Munson Slough.

The Sheriff’s Office said it rescued others from swamped vehicles on Meridian Road and Trimble Road and that the Tallahassee Police Department took part in several rescues elsewhere.

“LCSO and other local first responders are rescuing residents impacted by waters this morning,” the Sheriff’s Office said early Thursday.

One of the storm’s biggest casualties was Godby High School, where all but three buildings endured significant flooding. Other schools suffered minor flooding, Superintendent Rocky Hanna told the Democrat in an interview.

"Right now the campus is not occupiable," Hanna said. "I started my career at Godby 36 years ago and I've never seen anything like this. We have an inch of standing water in a large number of classrooms."

Flood waters also hit the Florida State University and West Tennessee Street area, prompting one reported rescue near Bullwinkle’s. The university, which delayed classes until 11 a.m., said it was “assessing the effects of the storm”

Video footage circulated on social media showing cars underwater in the parking lot at FSU's Leach Student Recreation Center.

The prolonged downpour flooded homes on Ridge Road in south Tallahassee, washed out Sir Richard Road off Highway 20 in the Fort Braden area and caused a wooden barrier holding back vegetation along Tennessee Street to collapse into the road.

At Best Buy on Apalachee Parkway, the store closed for the day because of a flooded floor inside. At the Circle K at Capital Circle Northeast and Centerville Road was down after it was hit by floodwaters.

City and county crews spent the morning in mop-up mode. A little after noon, the city tweeted that the water was receding in many areas “and reports of businesses and residences being impacted are coming in.”

Leon County Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters said the Florida Division of Emergency Management asked counties affected by the storm to conduct damage assessments and report back. He said the county was working with partner agencies to help in assessments and building inspections. Residents can report property damage on the Emergency Management website .

“We’ll be coordinating with (partner agencies) on doing some of the site surveys so we can collect data that we can give to the state,” Peters said. From there, he said the state will decide whether any emergency declarations or request for federal assistance will be made.

Weather Service: Parts of Leon County got up to a foot of rain

The Weather Service initially said more than 14 inches of rain fell at Lake Iamonia. Later Wednesday, it said that report was likely erroneous after consulting with hydrologists and the Northwest Water Management District.

Joe Worster, meteorologist with the Weather Service in Tallahassee, said eastern Leon County saw between 10 inches and a foot of rain, with 10.49 inches recorded at Piney Z Lake. The official amount at Tallahassee International Airport was half that at 7.11 inches.

Worster said two rounds of storms hit Tallahassee, one that arrived earlier than expected on Wednesday and another Thursday. The convection was further south than forecast, which allowed the system to train over the area for hours as it slowed down and fed off abundant Gulf moisture.

“Not only with the training, we had just a lot of moisture in the atmosphere, which allowed pretty intense rainfall rates to follow these storms,” Worster said. “So it was just kind of like a perfect storm for this kind of scenario.”

The storm knocked down trees across the town, and the Sheriff’s Office warned that more could fall because of the torrential rain and soggy ground. The Weather Service issued at least one tornado warning, for Taylor County and parts east, early Thursday. But Worster said there were no confirmed tornadoes.

The Weather Service warned at 3:40 a.m. in a post on X/Twitter that “a significant flooding event” was unfolding across Leon and several other counties.

“If possible, do not go outside!” the Weather Service said while declaring a Flash Flood Emergency. “There are currently multiple water rescues ongoing.”

Godby High School swamped by storm

In preparation for the storm, Leon County Schools delayed all class start times by an hour— but for Godby, the delay may be indefinite.

Teachers and administrators who arrived to work Thursday morning were met by excessive flood waters, leaving some classrooms with several inches of water.

“This has been my classroom for 11 years,” a Godby teacher said. “I cried a little when I saw it.”

Godby Assistant Principal Jenn Powell said she had no idea when the school will reopen. The main focus was excavation and drying out the classrooms to make sure they are safe for the staff and students, Powell said.

Workers from the school district were working diligently to mop up and mitigate flood waters inside and outside of the school while teachers worked to remove classroom and office items that were ruined by the water.

“It’s really overwhelming,” she said. “The last thing a school administrator wants to do is to have to turn kids and teachers away.”

Floodwaters hit Ridge Road, surrounding homes and totaling cars

Percillia Hatten woke up at 4 a.m. to whipping winds and torrential rains wreaking havoc on her home nestled on Ridge Road.

Water rushed from the street into her yard, and before long, Hatten’s elevated home was surrounded. Because her house was raised high above the ground, nothing inside was damaged, but her cars were totaled and many of her belongings stored under the house will have to be thrown out.

“I just didn’t know what to do,” she shouted from her front porch where she stood surrounded by the floodwater, the worst she’d seen there.

Hatten said she planned to stay put for the time being and wait for the water to recede. But she said if she has to, she’ll throw her good clothes in a bag and walk through it.

Boat rescues on Southern Bell and Emily loops: 'We can't go home'

Sidericca Maynor and Vondoria Whaley said they woke up Thursday morning to find their home on Southern Bell Loop surrounded by water. 

Other homes on the street and nearby Emily Loop, located off West Tennessee Street near the Munson Slough, were also underwater.

Two ponds in the area overflowed into the neighborhood, trapping numerous residents inside their mobile homes. The Sheriff’s Office spent roughly two hours rescuing as many as 13 people with a boat, – Maynor and Whaley included.

With water completely blocking the entrance to their home, Maynor said she might have to book a hotel room down the road for the night if the water hasn’t gone down.

“We can’t go home,” Maynor said.

Contact Jeff Burlew at [email protected] or 850-599-2180.