Destination guide
Travel vaccines for Vietnam
From Hanoi and Halong Bay to the Mekong Delta, here's what UK travellers are usually advised before visiting Vietnam — confirmed for you at a quick consultation.
Overview
What vaccinations do I need for Vietnam?
Vietnam runs 1,600 km north to south, and the health picture shifts as you travel it. For most people the core is Hepatitis A, Typhoid and up-to-date Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio. The extras depend on your route: the northern rice-growing regions and highlands around Sapa and the Mekong Delta carry the Japanese Encephalitis risk that Hanoi and coastal cities don't, while dengue is mostly an urban, wet-season problem in Ho Chi Minh City and the lowlands.
Two practical realities shape our advice for Vietnam. Rabies is present and street dogs are common, so bites — including from Vietnam's famous motorbike traffic scattering animals — are a genuine concern. And malaria is now low and limited to specific rural and highland pockets, so tablets are the exception rather than the rule.
Plan ahead
Book 4–6 weeks before you fly
Aim for 4–6 weeks ahead. Japanese Encephalitis, if your route through the rural north or the Mekong Delta calls for it, is a two-dose course spread over about a month, and rabies (worth weighing up for longer or remote trips) is three doses over three to four weeks. Travelling sooner? We can prioritise and use accelerated schedules.
Recommended vaccinations
Vaccines commonly advised for Vietnam
Grouped by how often they're recommended. Your personal list is confirmed at consultation. Vaccine guidance is based on public health information from TravelHealthPro (UKHSA/NaTHNaC).
Hepatitis A
Most travellers
Spread through contaminated food and water — advised for most trips to Vietnam.
Typhoid
Most travellers
Worth having for Vietnam, where street food is part of the trip and stomach infections are common away from the main tourist restaurants.
Tetanus, Diphtheria & Polio
Most travellers
A combined booster is recommended if you're not up to date.
Hepatitis B
Some travellers
Advised for longer stays, healthcare work, or possible medical/dental treatment.
Rabies
Some travellers
Worth considering — rabies is present and dog bites are common.
Japanese Encephalitis
Some travellers
For longer rural or rice-field stays, particularly in the wet season.
Chikungunya
Some travellers
Carried by daytime-biting Aedes mosquitoes and reported across Vietnam. A newer vaccine may suit some travellers — bite avoidance is the mainstay of protection.
Dengue
Some travellers
Dengue occurs in Vietnam. The dengue vaccine may be considered for travellers aged 4 and over who have had a previous, laboratory-confirmed dengue infection — bite avoidance remains essential for everyone.
Measles (MMR)
Some travellers
Make sure you have had two documented doses of MMR, as measles still circulates in many regions.
Tuberculosis
Some travellers
BCG is usually only relevant for longer stays or close community contact, typically younger travellers who have not had it before.
Entry rules — separate from your jabs
Yellow fever certificate: what Vietnam requires
A yellow fever certificate requirement is a legal condition of entry — it is not the same thing as the vaccine being recommended for your health. The recommendation (when there is one) appears in the vaccine list above; the entry rule is below.
No yellow fever certificate is required to enter Vietnam
Vietnam does not ask arriving travellers for a yellow fever certificate, whatever your route.
There is no yellow fever transmission risk in Vietnam itself — this rule exists purely to stop the virus being carried in from elsewhere.
Malaria & mosquitoes
Malaria and dengue in Vietnam
Malaria risk in Vietnam is low and mostly limited to rural and forested areas, particularly in the south and central highlands — tablets are usually only advised for specific routes. Dengue occurs across the country, including cities, so mosquito-bite protection matters everywhere.
- We'll advise whether antimalarial tablets are needed for your itinerary
- Use insect repellent, cover up at dawn and dusk, and use nets where needed
- Cities and main tourist areas are generally low or no malaria risk
FAQ
Vietnam travel vaccines — FAQs
Getting ready for Vietnam?
Book a quick consultation at our Timperley clinic near Manchester and we'll get your vaccinations and malaria advice sorted for your trip.