Health - Vietnam travel advice (2024)

FAQs

Do I need malaria pills for Vietnam? ›

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Vietnam take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip.

Japanese encephalitis vaccination is recommended for many travellers going to Vietnam. The mosquito-borne virus is potentially deadly and poses a risk to all travellers.

The CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Vietnam: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza. Shot lasts 2 years.

Vietnam - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

Exercise normal precautions in Vietnam. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Vietnam.

Antimalarial drugs are available in the United States by prescription only. Medicines should be obtained at a pharmacy before travel rather than in the destination country.

The PHAC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Vietnam: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza. Shot lasts 2 years.

There is no risk of Yellow Fever in Vietnam. Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Japanese Encephalitis in Vietnam

In the past, it has been estimated that there were 2000-3000 cases of encephalitis annually, among them Japanese encephalitis accounting for 61.3%. Thanks to the Vietnam National Immunization program, the Japanese encephalitis vaccine is now provided to Vietnamese children.

Vietnam has restrictions on medicines which it classifies as “addictive” or “psychotropic” medicine. These include medicine that can be used for the treatment of addiction, to treat anxiety, depression, insomnia and other conditions.

Entry Requirements: You must have a valid passport and a visa (or pre-approval for a visa on arrival) to enter Vietnam. Your passport must be valid for six months beyond your planned stay, and you must have at least one blank visa page (not including the endorsem*nt page).

Are masks required in Vietnam? ›

Do I need to wear a face mask in Vietnam? Wearing face masks in Vietnam is required in some public spaces.

Remember that short shorts, crop tops and tank tops are not considered appropriate in Vietnam. Loose, long clothing is both respectful and tends to keep you cooler in hot climates.

Since it fully reopened for tourism in early 2022, becoming one of the first in SEA to drop entry rules and welcome U.S. travelers irrespective of vaccination status, demand for nationwide tourism has increased dramatically.

The basic rule of thumb is to not wear revealing clothing at any time, especially outside of the cities. Do not wear large amounts of jewelry – traditionally the Vietnamese consider it impolite to flaunt wealth in public. A few pieces of simple costume jewelry will dress up any outfit if you need to.

Medications. The most common antimalarial drugs include: Chloroquine phosphate. Chloroquine is the preferred treatment for any parasite that is sensitive to the drug.

Other antimalarials : include teracycline, doxycycline, clindamycin, mepacrine, erythromycin, benflumentol, hydroxypipraquine, trioxanes, tetraoxanes, peroxides and azithromycin. Multidrug resistant malaria : Drugs recommended for use are mefloquine, halofantrine and quinine with tetracycline.

Begin 1-2 weeks before travel, weekly during travel, and for 4 weeks after leaving. Adults only: 200 mg per dose. Begin daily for 3 days prior to travel, weekly during travel, and for 1 week after leaving.

Items that you cannot bring into Vietnam include weapons, munitions, explosives and inflammables, firecracker of all kinds, opium and drugs, toxic chemicals, and cultural materials unsuitable to Vietnamese society (p*rnographic seditious publications, films and photos), harmful child toys.

Boiling water destroys pathogens that can cause Travellers' Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal infections. If you cannot boil your water, opt for treated or bottled water instead. The risk of Travellers' Diarrhea can also be minimized by following good hygiene practices.

How can we prevent getting sick in Vietnam? ›

Keep your sodium levels up. The humidity in Vietnam means most travelers will be sweating profusely, and it is important to keep your body stocked with salt as well as water to sweat in a healthy way. There are lots of Vietnamese soup dishes that will help with this.

Travelers. Everyone ages 9 months through 59 years who plans to travel to parts of Africa or South America where yellow fever is a risk needs 1 dose of the yellow fever vaccine. If you plan to continue living in or traveling to that country, it's possible you'll need a booster shot every 10 years.

Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for people who are 9 months old or older and who are traveling to or living in areas at risk for yellow fever virus in Africa and South America. For most people, a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides long-lasting protection and a booster dose of the vaccine is not needed.

Transmitted by infected mosquitoes, Yellow Fever infection causes fever, severe liver issues, acute kidney problems, bleeding, and shock. Case fatality is 10% to 50% in the indigenous population in an endemic area but approaches 90% in unimmunized travelers.

Most people infected with JE do not have symptoms or have only mild symptoms. However, a small percentage of infected people develop inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), with symptoms including sudden onset of headache, high fever, disorientation, coma, tremors and convulsions. About 1 in 4 cases are fatal.

The people most at risk are those who live and work in rural areas, such as on pig farms and in rice fields, where the condition is widespread. Around 75% of cases involve children under the age of 15. Find out more about the causes of Japanese encephalitis, and which countries have the highest risk.

Japanese encephalitis causes headache, convulsions, encephalitis and meningitis. Most people will have a mild illness with no or few symptoms but for those with severe disease around 30% can develop permanent neurological problems and around 30% will die from the disease.

Declare all drugs, medicinals, and similar products to the appropriate CBP official; Carry such substances in their original containers; Carry only the quantity of such substances that a person with that condition (e.g., chronic pain) would normally carry for his/her personal use; and.

In Vietnam, legislation states that antibiotics can only be purchased with a medical prescription [11].

Mefloquine is a puzzling drug with an unusual history. It was discovered by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war. The military realized that in many parts of the world, the malaria parasite was evolving resistance to a drug called chloroquine, which was the standard antimalaria drug of the time.

How much cash can I bring to Vietnam? ›

How much cash can I carry into Vietnam? Currently, there is no legal limit on the amount of cash you can bring to Vietnam (either for Vietnamese Dong or any other foreign currency).

Do United States Citizens Need a Visa to Vietnam? Yes. All US citizens need a visa to enter Vietnam for business or leisure trips.

How Long can American Citizens Stay in Vietnam? Americans can stay in Vietnam for a maximum of 30 days in Total then will have to leave or do an in-country extension.

Tipping isn't mandatory or customary in Vietnam, but it is always appreciated. If you're happy with the services provided by waiters, drivers and other service workers, leaving a small tip is a good way to show your appreciation.

Effective May 15, 2022, Vietnam lifted all Covid-19 travel requirements, including mandatory travel insurance. With that said, these entry rules are subject to change at any time, and all travelers heading to Vietnam should confirm the latest entry requirements prior to departing for their trip.

For Vietnam there are three associated plug types, types A, C and F. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins, plug type C is the plug with two round pins and plug type F has two round pins with two earth clips on the side. Vietnam operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.

Red áo dài are worn during Tết for luck and prosperity. Brides and grooms may also wear red on their wedding day, so it's a good idea to come in a different colour if you're a guest. White symbolizes purity and innocence, as seen in the white dresses of highschool students, and black is most often worn at funerals.

Bring enough for your stay. Toilet paper – It may be beneficial to keep toilet paper with you while traveling, especially on long bus rides. Most hotels, hostels and restaurants in the city have conventional toilets but many bus stop bathrooms have squatting-style toilets without toilet paper.

Wear Light, Breathable Fabrics

In order to cover up and stay comfortable during your trip, it's crucial to find breathable fabrics that can dry quickly if you sweat. Lots of Vietnamese people who live in the city enjoy wearing denim, but following this trend can make sightseeing unpleasant since its so heavy.

Vietnam, one of the countries with the most favorable public opinion regarding the U.S., is the only Marxist-Leninist country to have such a favorable view.

Do a lot of Americans live in Vietnam? ›

There are an estimated 100,000 expats living overseas in Vietnam. Some cultural advantages of moving to Vietnam include living among a different culture, learning a new language, and trying new food.

In 2022, South Korea is largest source market of Vietnam tourism, with 965.4 thousand arrivals, accounting for 26.4% of the total number of international visitor arrivals. The US ranked second with 318.2 thousand arrivals (8.7%).

Credit cards are widely accepted but, in rural areas particularly, you should carry cash as a back-up. It may be difficult to cash travellers' cheques.

Wearing shorts is acceptable in most situations for both men and women. However, Vietnam's traditional culture is somewhat conservative, so avoiding sleeveless shirts, tank tops, or short shorts—especially while visiting Buddhist temples—shows the greatest respect for it.

Dress standards can be more conservative outside of major cities in Vietnam. To respect this, and for your own comfort, we strongly recommend wearing modest clothing. This means clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, particularly in pagodas and religious sites.

Is it safe to eat vegetables in Vietnam? Even eating salads and raw vegetables are not the best idea. Adding raw herbs to your hot pho is usually fine but again, you will have to use your judgment. Note that restaurants will flash boil the raw vegetables and herbs for you at your request.

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Vietnam take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip.

Malaria mosquitoes sting mainly in the evening, at night, and in the early morning. As in other countries, wearing clothes with long sleeves and trouser legs reduces the risk of getting malaria in Vietnam. Mosquito repellents are also recommended, as is the use of a mosquito net.

The key preventive measure is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes (which carry the disease), but if you're travelling in high-risk areas it's advisable to take preventive tablets. Mosquitoes are also responsible for transmitting dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis.

Major mosquito-borne diseases in high-incidence areas of Vietnam include malaria, dengue, and Japanese encephalitis.

Which countries require malaria tablets? ›

Vietnam is a tropical country in Asia where individuals are at high risk of acquiring mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, Japanese encephalitis, and lymphatic filariasis [8].

Most travelers to Vietnam never get sick so the advice we offer is meant to be precautionary and not scaremongering. Please also keep in mind that if there is a big difference in the time zone or change in temperature from where you're from, your body may need time to adapt.

If you visit Vietnam during the rainy season, you'll want to pack either an umbrella or a rain jacket to keep you dry.

You may not be a fan, but DEET containing repellents are still the most effective way known to man of preventing mosquitoes and mosquito bites. Whenever you head outside during your Vietnamese holiday, be sure to apply a good thick coating of repellent to all areas of exposed skin.

The food-borne parasites include the digeneans (flukes): Fasciola spp., Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Paragonimus spp., Haplorchis spp., Heterophyes heterophyes, and Stellantchasmus falcatus; and the cestode (tapeworm): Taenia solium (Do, 2017; MoH, 2021; Chai and Jung 2022).

27, Zika) is also endemic in Vietnam, but the risk to travelers is believed to be low. Because of the risk of birth defects in babies born to infected women, pregnant women should take special precautions and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.

In the instance that you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible that day. For daily regimes, if you miss the dose completely for that day, skip the missed dose entirely and continue with your next dose. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

Which country has the worst malaria? ›

Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Niger account for about half of all such fatalities. Nigeria alone had 31.3% of the world's malaria deaths in 2021.

Children under 5 years of age accounted for about 80% of all malaria deaths in the Region. Four African countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths worldwide: Nigeria (31.3%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12.6%), United Republic of Tanzania (4.1%) and Niger (3.9%).