Travel health · Maldives
A rare destination where CDC and the Government of Canada agree on every vaccine. Which leaves the two things you cannot vaccinate against: mosquitoes, and distance.
The short version
Most travellers to Maldives need 4 vaccines, and two to four weeks is enough time to do it properly.
Leaving sooner? Most of it can still be done — we prioritise what matters for your route. Nobody gets turned away for booking late.
Recommended for essentially everyone going to Maldives.
Food and water. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one and over going to the Maldives; the Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present. Resort included — the vaccine does not know where you ate.
Any time before you fly. One dose covers the trip; a second, six months later, covers decades.
Blood and bodily fluids — unplanned medical or dental care, injuries, tattoos, piercings. Both sources say everyone here: CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers of ALL ages going to the Maldives, which is broader than its usual wording, and the Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers. Many Canadians already have it from the school programme, so we check first.
The standard course runs over months. Faster schedules exist — bring your dates.
And this is the one that usually splits the two sources, but does not here. CDC recommends it for most travellers, especially those staying with friends or relatives; the Government of Canada says a vaccine is available and is recommended for most travellers to this destination. When both use "most travellers", we take it at face value.
At least two weeks before departure. The oral capsules take a week to finish.
Tetanus, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, diphtheria, chickenpox. CDC asks travellers to be current before every trip and says all international travellers should be fully vaccinated against measles with MMR vaccine, with a standing notice that measles cases are rising worldwide.
Tetanus if it has been more than ten years — which for most adults it has. Coral cuts are the usual reason it comes up here.
The honest answer to “am I too late?” depends on the date. Put yours in and we’ll work backwards. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Worth a conversation — the answer changes with where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.
The full list for Maldives. Most people need the first two or three; the rest depend on where you are going and for how long.
Spread through contaminated food and water. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over going to the Maldives. The Government of Canada recommends vaccination for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present, alongside safe food and water practices.
Spread through blood and bodily fluids — unplanned medical or dental care, injuries, tattoos, piercings. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers of ALL ages travelling to the Maldives, which is broader than the "under 60" wording it uses for many destinations; the Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers, noting the risk exists in every destination. Many Canadians already have it from the routine school programme, so the first thing we do is look.
Bacterial infection from contaminated food and water. CDC recommends it for most travellers to the Maldives, especially those staying with friends or relatives. The Government of Canada calls the risk low for most travellers but still says a vaccine is available and is recommended for most travellers to this destination — closer to CDC than its usual wording for a beach destination. Injection or oral capsules; the capsules take a week to finish.
CDC asks travellers to be up to date on routine vaccines before every trip — chickenpox, DTaP/Tdap/Td, influenza, MMR, polio and shingles — and says all international travellers should be fully vaccinated against measles with MMR vaccine. The Government of Canada names measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella, meningococcal disease and seasonal flu. Tetanus is the one that lapses quietly, and here a coral scrape is the usual reason it matters.
CDC advises all eligible travellers to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
The one place the two sources read differently for the Maldives. The Government of Canada says there is a risk of chikungunya in the country, that a vaccine has been approved in Canada, and that you should discuss it with a healthcare provider. CDC does not list a chikungunya vaccine recommendation for the Maldives. Worth raising at the appointment rather than deciding from a web page — the answer depends on how long you are staying and where.
CDC says dogs infected with rabies are not commonly found in the Maldives and treats pre-exposure vaccination as a judgement call based on your activities. The Government of Canada notes rabies may be present in some wildlife including bats, and that vaccination may be recommended for people working with wildlife. For a resort holiday this does not come up. The general rule still applies: wash any bite or scratch thoroughly and seek advice the same day.
Not recommended for the Maldives itself by either source — there is no yellow fever in the country. But proof of vaccination IS required for travellers from nine months of age who are arriving from, or have transited an airport in, a country where yellow fever occurs. Coming from Canada it does not apply. If the Maldives is one leg of a longer route, bring the whole itinerary.
Honest about the risks, and specific about what prevents each one.
Named by both sources. The Government of Canada states dengue is a risk to travellers in the Maldives and that there is no vaccine or medication available in Canada to protect against it. CDC carries a standing notice that dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world.
Prevention Repellent applied properly and reapplied — and reapplied again after swimming, which is the bit that fails on a beach holiday. Sunscreen first, repellent over it. Air-conditioned or screened rooms, and long sleeves in the evening. There is nothing to take instead.
Named by both sources. Spread mainly by mosquito bite but also sexually, and it can cause serious birth defects.
Prevention If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, this deserves a conversation before you book rather than after. The Maldives is a honeymoon destination, which is exactly why it is worth raising.
The Government of Canada names it as a risk in the Maldives and notes an approved vaccine is available in Canada; CDC does not list a vaccine recommendation for the destination. Fever and joint pain, which can persist well after the trip.
Prevention The same mosquito precautions that cover dengue, plus a conversation with us about whether the vaccine makes sense for your trip.
The Government of Canada says there are three hospitals in Malé providing adequate service for routine medical problems, that some more isolated islands may be several hours away from medical facilities, and that you will likely need medical evacuation in case of serious illness or injury.
Prevention Comprehensive insurance covering medical evacuation and hospital stays, bought before you pay the trip balance. The 24-hour assistance number saved offline and shared with whoever you are travelling with. Every prescription in hand luggage with several days spare — a resort shop is not a pharmacy.
Snorkelling and diving are the reason most people come. Coral cuts get infected quickly in warm water, and a decompression problem in an outer atoll is a very long way from help.
Prevention Clean and cover every scrape properly and watch it. Reef shoes for anyone walking on coral. Check your travel insurance actually covers diving to the depth you plan — many standard policies do not, and this is the single most common gap we hear about.
Equatorial sun, reflected off white sand and water, on people who arrive from a Calgary winter. Burn happens faster than anyone expects, and dehydration follows it.
Prevention High-factor sunscreen reapplied after every swim, a rash vest for snorkelling — your back is the bit that burns while you are face down — a hat, and more water than feels necessary. If you take a medication that increases sun sensitivity, ask us before you go.
The Government of Canada calls it the most common illness that affects travellers, and says staying hydrated is the priority if you get it.
Prevention Bottled or boiled water where you are unsure, ice you trust, food cooked fresh and served hot. Rehydration salts weigh nothing and matter more when the nearest chemist is a boat ride away. We can send you with a standby antibiotic where it is appropriate.
The things that prevent most travel illness are not medical.
The Maldives has no malaria and the vaccine list is short and uncontroversial. The three infections both sources do name — dengue, Zika and chikungunya — are all carried by mosquitoes, and for two of them there is nothing available in Canada to take. The Government of Canada states there is no vaccine or medication available in Canada to protect against dengue, and names Zika as a risk spread by mosquito bite and also sexually. Chikungunya is the exception it flags: it says a vaccine has been approved in Canada and to discuss it with a healthcare provider, while CDC does not list chikungunya vaccination for the Maldives. So for most people, bite prevention is not the backup plan on this trip — it is the plan. That is an odd thing to say about a place where everybody is in swimwear from breakfast onwards, which is exactly why it is worth saying.
The Government of Canada notes that there are three hospitals in Malé that provide adequate service for routine medical problems, and that some more isolated islands may be several hours away from medical facilities. It then says plainly that you will likely need medical evacuation in case of serious illness or injury, and recommends comprehensive travel insurance covering medical evacuation and hospital stays. Most resorts have a doctor or a nurse on site and that is enough for ordinary things. What it does not cover is a serious problem at an island an hour or more by boat from anywhere with a ward. Buy the insurance before you pay the trip balance, read the evacuation limit rather than the brochure, and save the 24-hour assistance number offline — the person who needs to ring it may not be you.
The Government of Canada advises Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution in the Maldives because of the threat of terrorism. That applies to the whole country rather than a particular region. It is a level above the "normal precautions" that most beach destinations sit at, and it surprises people, because the Maldives is sold entirely on the image of a private island. We are not going to leave it out. It is not a reason not to go — thousands of Canadians go every year without incident — but read the current advisory in full on travel.gc.ca before you book rather than after, and know that the level applies in Malé and on the local islands as much as at a resort.
The Maldives has import rules that catch travellers out. The Government of Canada notes that alcohol cannot be imported and is available only at resort islands, that pork products cannot be brought in, that e-cigarettes and vaporizers are illegal to import, distribute, sell or possess, and that non-Islamic religious materials, pornographic material and weapons are prohibited. Neither source describes a restriction on ordinary prescription medication, but the sensible approach in a country with rules like these is the one we would give you anyway: bring everything in its original labelled packaging, keep it in your hand luggage, and carry a copy of the prescription. A customs officer who can read the label has no reason to ask a second question.
Most people booking a travel consult with us are sorting out a household, not just themselves. A few things are different for children.
Bring the whole household to the same consultation. We review each person’s records separately but plan the trip as one, which usually means fewer visits and no repeated explanations. Tell us how many people when you book so we set aside the time.
This is the practical detail that decides how well the trip goes. Children are in and out of the water all day, which takes the repellent off, and both sources name dengue and Zika as risks with nothing available to take instead. Sunscreen first, repellent over it, and both reapplied after every swim. Bring more than you think you need — a resort shop is an expensive place to restock.
CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over going to the Maldives. A travel dose for a younger infant does not count towards the routine schedule and is repeated later — bring their dates and we will work it out.
The Government of Canada says you will likely need medical evacuation in case of serious illness or injury. Check each child is on the policy, that the evacuation limit applies to them, and that a parent can travel with them. It is the dullest thing you will do before this holiday and the one you would most regret skipping.
Any immunisation records you can find, for each traveller. Alberta records we can often look up; out-of-province and overseas records we cannot. A photo of a yellow card is plenty.
No. Neither CDC nor the Government of Canada lists malaria as a risk in the Maldives, so there is nothing to take and nothing to weigh up. It is one of the genuinely simple answers on this site.
Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, and your routine vaccines brought up to date. What is unusual about the Maldives is that CDC and the Government of Canada agree on all four — CDC even widens its hepatitis B wording to unvaccinated travellers of all ages, and Canada, unlike its wording for most beach destinations, says typhoid is recommended for most travellers here. When both say the same thing we do not hedge.
No. The Government of Canada states there is no vaccine or medication available in Canada to protect against dengue. That is why bite prevention is the plan rather than the backup. The practical version on a beach holiday: repellent goes on over your sunscreen and goes on again after every swim, and long sleeves come out in the evening. Chikungunya is the one exception among the mosquito-borne infections here — Canada notes an approved vaccine exists and says to discuss it, so ask us.
Most resorts have a doctor or nurse on site for ordinary problems. For anything serious, the Government of Canada says there are three hospitals in Malé that handle routine medical problems, that some more isolated islands may be several hours away from medical facilities, and that you will likely need medical evacuation in case of serious illness or injury. So buy insurance that covers medical evacuation and hospital stays, read the limit rather than the brochure, and save the 24-hour assistance number offline before you fly.
Because of the threat of terrorism — that is the reason the Government of Canada gives, and the level applies to the whole country, not one region. It is one step above the level most beach destinations sit at, and it catches people out because the Maldives is marketed entirely on the private-island image. We report it as it stands. Read the current advisory in full before you book, and remember it applies in Malé and on local islands as much as at a resort.
Not coming from Canada. There is no yellow fever in the Maldives and neither source recommends the vaccine for the destination itself. Proof is required only for travellers from nine months of age arriving from, or having transited an airport in, a country where yellow fever occurs. If the Maldives is one stop on a longer route, bring the whole itinerary and we will check where it applies.
One thing worth raising, awkward as it is. Both sources name Zika as a risk in the Maldives; it spreads by mosquito bite and also sexually, and it can cause serious birth defects. If a pregnancy is anywhere in your near-term plans, that belongs in the conversation before you book rather than after you come home. Come in and we will talk it through properly and privately. The other honeymoon item is duller and just as useful: check the insurance covers diving, because a lot of policies do not.
Nothing. The travel consultation is free — a full itinerary review, every recommended vaccine discussed, and advice for your particular trip. You pay only for the vaccines actually given.
Bring your travel dates. A pharmacist will go through what you need for Maldives, give what can be given that day, and book anything that needs a second dose. No doctor referral, no wait list.
Written from current CDC and Government of Canada guidance, checked 31 July 2026. Advice for your particular trip comes from our pharmacist, in person.
Imagine Health Pharmacy & Travel Clinic — #4120, 15 Sunpark Plaza SE, Calgary, Alberta. In Sunpark Plaza, off Macleod Trail, serving Sundance, Midnapore, Shawnessy, Chaparral and the rest of south Calgary.
No doctor’s referral is needed. In Alberta a pharmacist can assess you, prescribe what your trip needs and give the vaccines in the same visit — so for most travellers this is one appointment, not a clinic queue and then a pharmacy.
The vaccine guidance on this page follows the official recommendations below, read and applied by a pharmacist. Where the two differ we say so rather than pick one.
Checked against both sources on 31 July 2026. Official advice changes — if your trip is months away, check again or ask us.
