Malaria is the most serious tropical disease. Increasing numbers of people are travelling to tropical destinations where they are at risk of malaria. Nurses need to be aware of the disease risk, prevention of mosquito bites and appropriate chemoprophylaxis to protect the health of travellers. This article describes the malaria lifecycle, bite prevention, chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis and prevention strategies for people travelling to malarious areas. Additional resources are supplied for nurses who want further information.