Traveller's diarrhoea
Very common in Vietnam — affects up to 50% of visitors. Usually from contaminated food or water, including ice. Street food is delicious but carries higher risk.
Prevention Dukoral vaccine plus careful food choices.
Travel health · Vietnam
Vietnamtravel vaccines & health advice · from Calgary
Street food, karst bays and motorbike cities — mostly a food-and-water trip, health-wise.
The short version
Most travellers to Vietnam need 3 vaccines, and 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.
What you’ll need
Recommended for essentially everyone going to Vietnam.
Hepatitis A
The single most useful vaccine for Vietnam. Street food is the reason to go and the reason for this.
Any time before you fly.
Typhoid
Same route as hepatitis A, and worth it for almost every itinerary.
At least 2 weeks ahead.
Routine boosters
Tetanus in particular — scooter grazes are the most common travel injury here.
We can check your records.
When do you leave?
The honest answer to “am I too late?” depends on the date. Put yours in and we’ll work backwards. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Depends on your trip
Worth a conversation — the answer changes with where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.
- Japanese encephalitisfor a month or more, or rural and rice-growing areas in season
- Rabiesworth discussing if you are cycling, hiking or staying long
- Malaria tabletsnot needed for the usual Hanoi–Hue–Hoi An–Saigon route
Every vaccine, and whether you need it
The full list for Vietnam. Most people need the first two or three; the rest depend on where you are going and for how long.
Hepatitis AAlmost everyone
Protects against contaminated food and water — essential for all travellers to Vietnam. Whether you're enjoying pho in Hanoi or street food in Ho Chi Minh City, this vaccine is a must. One dose protects your trip; a booster protects you for decades.
TyphoidAlmost everyone
Bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water. Highly recommended for Vietnam given the popularity of street food and local markets. Available as an injection or oral capsules.
Routine vaccines (Tdap, MMR, polio)Almost everyone
Ensure your routine vaccines are up to date. Many Canadians are overdue for their Tdap booster. We'll check your records during your consultation.
Hepatitis BAlmost everyone
Spread through blood and bodily fluids; Vietnam has higher prevalence than Canada. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers of ALL ages, and the Government of Canada for all travellers — broader than the older "long stays only" advice. Many Canadians already have it from the school programme, so we check first.
Cholera (Dukoral)Usually recommended
Oral vaccine that also protects against traveller's diarrhoea. Consider it for humanitarian workers, those visiting areas with active outbreaks, or travellers with limited access to safe food and water.
COVID-19Usually recommended
Updated boosters recommended. Check current Vietnam entry requirements before travel — requirements may change.
Japanese encephalitisDepends on your trip
Mosquito-borne virus that can cause brain inflammation. Recommended for travellers spending a month or more in rural areas, visiting during transmission season, or staying overnight in rice-farming regions.
RabiesDepends on your trip
Vietnam has significant rabies risk from dogs and other mammals. Consider it for rural areas, cycling, or long stays where medical care is limited — and the Government of Canada specifically names children as higher risk. Pre-exposure vaccination buys critical time if you are bitten.
What to actually watch out for
Honest about the risks, and specific about what prevents each one.
Traffic accidents
The number one cause of death for travellers in Vietnam. Motorbike accidents are extremely common, traffic rules are loosely followed, and medical care may be limited outside major cities.
Prevention Wear a helmet; consider avoiding motorbikes entirely, and check your insurance covers them.
Dengue fever
Widespread throughout Vietnam, especially in southern regions during the rainy season (May–November). Symptoms include high fever, severe headache and joint pain. There is no vaccine available for travellers.
Prevention DEET 20%+ repellent, long sleeves, and screened or air-conditioned rooms.
Zika virus
Mosquito-borne virus with serious risks for pregnant women — it can cause birth defects. Present in Vietnam with ongoing transmission.
Prevention Avoid travel if pregnant; strict mosquito prevention otherwise.
Japanese encephalitis
Mosquito-borne virus found in rural agricultural areas. Most infections are mild, but severe cases can cause permanent brain damage. Higher risk during the rainy season.
Prevention Vaccination plus mosquito bite prevention.
Rabies
Vietnam has thousands of rabies cases annually. Stray dogs are common in cities and rural areas, and bites, scratches or licks on broken skin can transmit the virus.
Prevention Pre-exposure vaccine; avoid stray animals.
Malaria in Vietnam
Prevented with tablets rather than a vaccine, and only needed for some routes — which is why the answer depends on your itinerary.
Where the risk is
Rural highland areas, especially near the borders with Cambodia, Laos and China. Provinces with risk include parts of Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Binh Phuoc and border regions. There is NO risk in major cities, coastal resort areas or the usual tourist route.
What we would prescribe
If you are visiting risk areas: atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone) or doxycycline, because of drug resistance. Both P. falciparum and P. vivax are present. We advise based on your specific itinerary.
Staying well while you’re there
The things that prevent most travel illness are not medical.
Food and water
- Drink only bottled or boiled water
- Avoid ice from unknown sources
- Street food is safer cooked fresh and hot
- Choose busy stalls with high turnover
- Peel fruit yourself; avoid pre-cut fruit
Bug bites
- Use DEET 20%+ or picaridin repellent
- Apply to exposed skin AND clothing
- Wear long sleeves at dawn and dusk
- Sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms
- Consider permethrin-treated clothing for rural areas
On the road
- Always wear a proper helmet on motorbikes
- Consider using Grab instead of self-driving
- Cross streets slowly and predictably
- Avoid night driving on rural roads
- Check your travel insurance covers motorbike accidents
Worth knowing
Can I eat street food?
Yes — that is rather the point of Vietnam. Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccination is what makes that a relaxed decision instead of a gamble. Choose busy stalls with high turnover and you have covered most of the rest.
Do I need malaria tablets?
For the standard tourist route, no. Risk is limited to specific rural and highland areas, mostly in the south and centre. Tell us your route and we will tell you plainly.
What about Japanese encephalitis?
Rarely needed for a two-week city-and-coast trip. It becomes a real conversation for longer stays, rice-farming regions, or the wet season in the Mekong Delta.
Bringing the family
Most people booking a travel consult with us are sorting out a household, not just themselves. A few things are different for children.
Booking for a young child? We aren’t legally allowed to give injections to children under 2, so please see your family doctor for them. Children under 5 need a special assessment first, so call us at 403-910-0385 before booking for them.
One appointment can cover everyone
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.
Hepatitis A starts at 12 months
CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over, and it can also be given to infants 6 to 11 months old travelling to Vietnam. That earlier dose does not count towards the routine schedule, so it is repeated later.
Rabies matters more for children
The Government of Canada singles children out as higher risk for rabies. Small children are more likely to approach an animal, less likely to report a lick or a scratch, and more likely to be bitten on the face or hands. If your trip includes rural areas or long stays, this is the one worth discussing per child rather than per family.
Hepatitis B is now recommended for everyone
Both CDC and the Government of Canada now recommend hepatitis B for travellers of all ages to Vietnam, not only for longer or higher-risk trips. Many Canadian children already have it from the routine school programme — we check rather than assume.
Bring what you have, not what you think we need
Any immunisation records you can find, for each traveller. Alberta records we can often look up; out-of-province or overseas records we cannot. A photo of a yellow card is enough.
Common questions
Can I eat street food in Vietnam?
Yes — that is rather the point of Vietnam. Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccination is what makes it a relaxed decision instead of a gamble. Choose busy stalls with high turnover and food cooked fresh and hot, and you have covered most of the rest.
Do I need malaria tablets for Vietnam?
For the standard Hanoi–Hue–Hoi An–Ho Chi Minh City route, no. Risk is confined to rural highland areas near the Cambodian, Lao and Chinese borders. There is no risk in the cities or coastal resorts. Tell us your route and we will tell you plainly.
What is the most dangerous thing about travelling in Vietnam?
Traffic. Motorbike accidents are the number one cause of death for travellers, well ahead of any infectious disease. Wear a helmet, consider using Grab rather than driving yourself, and check that your travel insurance actually covers motorbike accidents — many do not.
Do I need the Japanese encephalitis vaccine?
Rarely for a two-week city-and-coast trip. It becomes a real conversation for stays of a month or more, rice-farming regions, or the wet season in the Mekong Delta.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Vietnam?
No. Both CDC and the Government of Canada state that yellow fever vaccination is neither required for entry to Vietnam nor recommended, because there is no yellow fever risk in the country. If your trip routes through a country with yellow fever risk, that can change the answer — tell us your full itinerary.
Can my children come to the same appointment?
Yes, and most families do. We review each person’s records separately but plan the trip as one visit. Tell us how many people are travelling when you book so we set aside enough time. Hepatitis A can be given from 12 months, and from 6 months for infants travelling to Vietnam.
How much does the consultation cost?
The travel consultation is free — there is no consultation fee. It includes a complete itinerary review, all recommended vaccines discussed, and personalised health advice. You only pay for the vaccines actually administered.
I am leaving in less than two weeks. Is it too late?
No. Hepatitis A gives useful protection quickly and can be given right up to departure, and a tetanus booster can be given the same day. Some vaccines will not reach full effect before you fly and we will tell you honestly which — but one well-chosen vaccine beats none.
Sort it in one visit
Bring your travel dates. A pharmacist will go through what you need for Vietnam, 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 29 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.
Where this comes from
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.
- CDC — Travelers’ Health: VietnamUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Government of Canada — Vietnam travel adviceOfficial Canadian advisory and health recommendations
Checked against both sources on 29 July 2026. Official advice changes — if your trip is months away, check again or ask us.