Recovery travel guide

Bariatric surgery abroad: where to recover and what you can do

This is major abdominal surgery. The first days are in hospital, then short walks, liquids only, no lifting and no baths or swimming. The CDC advises medical tourists not to fly for 10 days after abdominal surgery.

Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.

Compare cities for bariatric surgery

City	Safe things to do on days 1 to 3	Safe things on day 7	Weather	Clinics
TijuanaMexico	0 to 5	6	Mild and dry most of the year, around 20 to 27°C in summer.	Get quotes
IstanbulTürkiye	0 to 13	15	Hot, sunny summers (often above 28°C in July and August) and cool, wet winters.	Get quotes

Counts are activities from our city lists that fit the published activity limits on those days. More cities are coming.

Recovery timeline

Days 1 to 2
In hospital. Most people leave 1 to 3 days after surgery. The team gets you up and walking early.
Days 3 to 5
Recovery hotel. Short, frequent walks, liquids only, plenty of fluids. No lifting.
Days 6 to 7
Longer walks. Short, seated outings with the car close by. Still liquids only.
Going home
Weeks 1 to 4 are liquids, then puréed and soft food. No heavy lifting for at least two months and no baths until the wounds have healed, around 6 weeks.

Typical stay: 5 to 10 days: 1 to 3 nights in hospital, then a recovery hotel near the clinic.

Day-by-day guides

Bariatric surgery
Tijuana
7 days, day by day. This is major abdominal surgery.
Open the guide
Bariatric surgery
Istanbul
7 days, day by day. This is major abdominal surgery.
Open the guide

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Questions people ask

Getting home after gastric sleeve surgery in Tijuana

Sources

Recovering from weight loss surgery. NHS (UK). Checked 2 November 2026.
Recovery after bariatric surgery. North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol Bariatric Service. Checked 2 November 2026.
Medical tourism (CDC Yellow Book). U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checked 2 November 2026.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): long journeys. NHS (UK). Checked 2 November 2026.