Most UK travellers to Vietnam are advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid, with hepatitis B, rabies and Japanese encephalitis considered for some trips. Your final list is confirmed at a consultation at Crewe Travel Clinic.
For Vietnam, most UK travellers are advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid, with hepatitis B, rabies and Japanese encephalitis recommended for some trips depending on your plans. Malaria risk is low and confined to certain rural and forested areas, so antimalarial tablets are only advised for some itineraries, while bite avoidance is recommended for everyone. The team at Crewe Travel Clinic will review your itinerary and confirm exactly which vaccines and antimalarials you need at your consultation.
From the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An and the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay to the buzz of Hanoi, the Mekong Delta and the beaches of the south, Vietnam is one of the most rewarding long-haul destinations for travellers from Crewe and across Cheshire. Because the country stretches more than a thousand miles from the highlands of the north to the tropical south, the health advice can vary with where you go, how long you stay and what you plan to do. A two-week city-and-coast tour staying in good hotels carries different risks from a longer trip through rural villages, the central highlands or the delta, or a stay that mixes in trekking, motorbiking and street food.
We recommend booking your travel health appointment ideally six to eight weeks before you fly, as several vaccines are given as a course over a number of weeks and a little forward planning gives them time to work. Even so, it is always worth contacting us at shorter notice, as there is usually still something useful we can arrange. At Crewe Travel Clinic our nurse will review your itinerary, planned activities, vaccination history and general health, then talk you through a tailored, non-individualised list that follows current TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) and NHS guidance for Vietnam.
Spread through contaminated food and water, which is a genuine risk across Vietnam, so this is advised for almost all travellers.
A combined booster is recommended if it has been ten years or more since your last dose, keeping your routine UK protection current.
Recommended for most travellers given the standard of food and water hygiene, particularly on longer trips or where you will eat outside larger hotels and resorts.
Considered for longer stays, healthcare or aid work, adventure activities, or anyone who may need medical or dental treatment while away.
Worth considering as rabies is present in dogs, monkeys and bats; pre-travel doses simplify treatment if you are bitten or scratched far from a reliable clinic.
Considered for longer stays, repeated travel or trips spent largely in rural and rice-growing areas, especially during and just after the rainy season.
Only occasionally advised for higher-risk travellers, such as aid workers or those heading to areas with outbreaks, poor sanitation or limited access to safe water.
Malaria risk in Vietnam is low and very localised. There is no risk in the main cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in the Red River and Mekong deltas, and in the popular coastal areas and resorts such as Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Da Nang, where mosquito-bite avoidance alone is recommended. A low risk remains in some rural and forested areas, particularly in the central highlands and provinces bordering Cambodia and Laos, where antimalarial tablets may be advised in addition to bite avoidance. Because the right approach depends on exactly where you are going and what you are doing, we will confirm whether you need antimalarials at your consultation.
There is no risk of yellow fever in Vietnam, so the vaccine is not recommended for health reasons. However, there is a certificate requirement under the International Health Regulations: proof of yellow fever vaccination is required from travellers aged 1 year and over who are arriving within six days of leaving, or transiting through, a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. If you are flying directly from the UK this does not apply, but it is important if your trip includes parts of Africa or South America beforehand. We can advise on certificates and arrange yellow fever vaccination where a registered centre is required.
Check yellow fever certificate requirementsFood and water hygiene is the single most common cause of illness in Vietnam, so stick to bottled or properly treated water, avoid ice of unknown origin, choose freshly cooked hot food and be cautious with salads, peeled fruit and shellfish. Street food is a highlight of any trip, so favour busy stalls with high turnover where dishes are cooked to order, and pack a simple travellers' diarrhoea kit. Mosquito-borne illnesses are common: dengue occurs throughout the country, including in cities and tourist areas, and rises sharply in the rainy season, while Japanese encephalitis circulates in rural areas; there is no vaccine for dengue routinely used here, so insect-bite avoidance is essential. Use a DEET-based repellent, cover up at dawn and dusk, and consider a treated net for rural or budget accommodation. Avoid contact with dogs, monkeys and other animals because of rabies; if you are bitten, scratched or licked on broken skin, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical advice urgently, whether or not you have had pre-travel rabies vaccines. If your trip includes higher-altitude trekking around Sapa or in the northern mountains, ascend gradually and be aware of altitude sickness. Traffic and motorbike accidents are a leading cause of injury to travellers, so take great care on the roads, wear a helmet and arrange comprehensive travel insurance that covers your planned activities.