Vietnam Travel Vaccines: What You Need Depends on Where You’re Going

You have booked the flights to Hanoi, or maybe you are starting in the south and working your way up. Somewhere between the Ha Long Bay cruise and the street food in Hoi An, the question lands: what jabs do you actually need, and is there still time to sort them?

At Ealing Travel Clinic on 30 Northfield Avenue, we help London travellers plan their Vietnam travel vaccines every week, and the honest answer is that it depends almost entirely on where you are going and what you are doing. A two-week trip up the classic Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City route is a very different health picture from three weeks trekking around Sapa or riding the Ha Giang loop. We won’t push vaccines you don’t need, but we will make sure you have the ones that matter for your specific trip.

Vietnam rewards a bit of planning. A handful of the recommendations are the same for everyone, and a few depend on your route, your activities and how long you are staying. Here is what most travellers to Vietnam need, and what comes down to the detail of your itinerary.

The vaccines almost everyone needs for Vietnam

Three recommendations apply to virtually every traveller heading to Vietnam, whatever the route. They cover the risks that come simply from eating, drinking and moving around the country.

Hepatitis A is the big one. It spreads through contaminated food and water, and Vietnam’s street food culture, which is one of the best reasons to visit, is also where the risk sits. The vaccine gives around 95% protection within two weeks, and a second dose six to twelve months later extends that to over twenty years. It is £45 per dose at our clinic.

Typhoid follows the same logic. It is present throughout the country and spreads through contaminated food and water, so it is recommended for all travellers. A single dose costs £30 and protects for three years.

The third is your diphtheria, tetanus and polio booster. This matters more in Vietnam than many people expect, because motorbike hire is everywhere and minor wounds are common. If your last booster was more than ten years ago, you are due one. It is £30, and it is worth having current before a trip that may involve a scooter.

Vaccines that depend on your itinerary

Beyond the core three, a few vaccines come down to where you are going, how long you are staying and what you plan to do. This is where a five-minute conversation about your route saves you money and makes sure nothing important is missed.

Rabies deserves real attention for Vietnam. Stray dogs are common in both towns and rural areas, and eight people died of rabies in Vietnam in 2025. Pre-exposure vaccination does not remove the need to seek urgent treatment after a bite, but it buys you time and removes the need for rabies immunoglobulin, which is scarce in rural Vietnam. We recommend it for anyone spending time in rural areas, staying longer, riding a motorbike, or travelling with children, who are both more likely to approach animals and less likely to mention a scratch. It is £90 per dose, and £180 for the two-dose pre-exposure course (days 0 and 7).

Japanese encephalitis is a rural risk, not a city one. The virus breeds around rice paddies and is spread by mosquitoes, so it matters for the Mekong and Red River Deltas, the northern highlands around Sapa, and rural overnight stays. It is not needed for a city-to-city trip through Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Where it is needed, it is a two-dose course at £100 per dose (£200 in total), and protection begins seven days after the second dose. Adults aged 18 to 65 can have an accelerated course a week apart if time is short. There is more in our guide to the Japanese encephalitis vaccine for Vietnam.

Hepatitis B is worth considering for longer stays, anyone who might need medical or dental care, and repeat visitors. It is a blood-borne infection present throughout the country. The course is £40 per dose, £120 in total.

Do you need malaria tablets for Vietnam?

For most people, the honest answer is no. Vietnam’s malaria situation has improved enormously, and the entire popular tourist route carries no malaria risk. Tablets are only worth taking for specific rural areas, mainly in the Central Highlands. This is one area where a lot of general advice is unhelpfully vague, so here is the picture by region. There is a fuller breakdown in our guide to malaria tablets for Vietnam.

Which kind of Vietnam traveller are you?

The right list depends as much on your style of trip as your destination. These are the profiles we see most often at the clinic, with a rough guide to what each one needs. If you’re heading north, our Sapa trekking vaccines guide goes into more detail.

Current health alerts for Vietnam

When to book your Vietnam vaccines

The earlier you come in, the more options you have, particularly for the two-dose courses. Here is how the timeline works.

1. Book six to eight weeks before you fly. This gives room for the Japanese encephalitis and rabies courses, which need more than one dose.
2. Bring your itinerary and any vaccination records. Include any rural or trekking sections, as those change the recommendations.
3. We assess your trip and recommend exactly what you need, nothing you don’t. Most people have their first, or only, vaccines the same day.
4. If time is tight, we still help. Adults can have an accelerated Japanese encephalitis course a week apart, and a single hepatitis A dose already gives strong protection. Even partial cover beats none.
5. Book online or call us with any questions before you come in.

Left it late? That is common, and rarely a dead end. Come in anyway and we will make the most of the time you have.

Check availability and book online →

Vietnam vaccination costs

Our prices are per dose, and the consultation is included. There are no separate assessment fees. You can see a fuller breakdown in our Vietnam vaccination costs guide.

A typical classic-route traveller pays about £105 for the core three. A backpacker adding rabies is usually around £285, and a full rural or trekking package with Japanese encephalitis comes to roughly £485. The consultation is included in every case.

Vietnam travel vaccines: frequently asked questions

What vaccines do I need for Vietnam?

Almost everyone needs hepatitis A, typhoid and an up-to-date diphtheria, tetanus and polio booster. Depending on your route and length of stay, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B are worth considering. We tailor it to your trip.

Do I need malaria tablets for Vietnam?

For the popular tourist route, no. Cities, beaches, Ha Long Bay and the deltas carry no malaria risk. Tablets are recommended for certain rural areas, mainly the Central Highlands. We check this against your itinerary.

Do I need the rabies vaccine for Vietnam?

It is strongly worth considering, especially for rural travel, longer stays, motorbiking and children. Eight people died of rabies in Vietnam in 2025. Pre-exposure vaccination does not replace urgent treatment after a bite, but it gives you more time and removes the need for scarce immunoglobulin.

Do I need the Japanese encephalitis vaccine for Vietnam?

Only for rural or rice-growing areas, rural overnight stays, and trekking such as around Sapa. It is not needed for a city-to-city trip. It is a two-dose course, and protection starts seven days after the second dose.

How much do Vietnam vaccines cost?

Hepatitis A is £45 per dose, typhoid £30, the DTP booster £30, Japanese encephalitis £100 per dose, and rabies £90 per dose (£180 for the course). The consultation is included. A classic-route traveller usually pays about £105.

How far in advance should I get vaccinated?

Ideally six to eight weeks before you travel, so multi-dose courses can be completed. If you have less time, come in anyway. Accelerated options and partial protection still help.

Can I still get vaccinated if I’m travelling soon?

Yes. Adults can have an accelerated Japanese encephalitis course a week apart, and a single hepatitis A dose gives strong early protection. It is always worth coming in rather than travelling with nothing.

Is dengue a risk in Vietnam?

Yes, all year, with a peak in the May to October rainy season. There is no tablet, so avoiding daytime mosquito bites is the main defence. A dengue vaccine (Qdenga) is available in the UK and we can advise whether it suits you.

Do I need vaccines for a Vietnam beach holiday?

For a resort trip to Da Nang, Nha Trang or Phu Quoc, hepatitis A, typhoid and the DTP booster cover most people. Malaria tablets and Japanese encephalitis are not needed for the main resort areas.

What about motorbiking in Vietnam?

Motorbike hire is very common and carries real injury risk. Make sure your DTP booster is current, always wear a helmet, avoid riding at night, and check your travel insurance covers motorbike use.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Vietnam?

Not if you are travelling directly from the UK. A certificate is only required if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk. There is no yellow fever in Vietnam itself.

Vietnam is one of those trips where a short conversation makes all the difference, because the right vaccines really do depend on your route. Whether you are doing the classic north to south run, trekking the north, or heading straight for the beach, we will work out exactly what you need and nothing you don’t.