Anyone who has visited a pharmacist in a third world country will know you can things like antibiotics are much cheaper than here in Australia. But travel health expert Dr Deborah Mills warns that all antibiotics are not alike and travellers should carry medications with them from Australia.

"Yes, drugs are cheap in the developing world but 40 per cent of them are dodgy," she says. "It is also better to have the medication with you before you get sick so you do not have to go out looking for it when you feel unwell."

Dr Mills says it is also important to carry the correct medications for the area you are visiting and the illnesses you are likely to catch. For example, she says there is bacterial resistance to some diarrhoea antibiotics in Nepal so it is important to tell your doctor exactly where you will be travelling. Local knowledge is good, but a travel medicine specialist can tell you which medication is best for which area - that's their job.

To find a local travel doctor, see www.thetraveldoctor.com.au