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Travel Vaccines and Advice for East and Southeast Asia

Seoul’s urban amenaties, Japan’s countryside and China’s Great Wall are just a few of the reasons that millions of people visit East and Southeast Asia every year. With a wide variety of cultures, cuisines and historical sites, it is one of the most popular regions to visit.

On This Page:
What Vaccines Do I Need for East and Southeast Asia?
Are There Other Health Concerns in East and Southeast Asia?
What Are the Entry Requirements in East and Southeast Asia?
Travelling to Another Destination?

Passport Health offers medications, immunizations and personalized consultations for your trip to East and Southeast Asia. See our What Vaccines… section to learn more.

Countries in this region include:

Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
China
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Japan
Laos
Macao
Malaysia
Mongolia
Myanmar (Burma)
North Korea
Philippines
Singapore
South Korea
Thailand
Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Vietnam

The PHAC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for travellers to East and Southeast Asia: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and polio.

Some routine vaccinations are also recommended, this includes: measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap), influenza, chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia, meningitis.

While rare, polio cases have been sporadicly reported in some parts of the region. While generally a routine vaccination, it may be recommended for your trip.

Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required for some travellers, based on their specific itinerary.

See the tables below for more vaccination information:

Recommended Travel Vaccinations for East and Southeast Asia
VACCINE HOW DISEASE SPREADS DETAILS
Hepatitis A Contaminated Food
or Water 		Recommended for all
travellers to most regions.
Hepatitis B Contaminated Body
Fluids (Sex, needles, etc.) 		Recommended for all
travellers to most regions.
Typhoid Contaminated Food
or Water 		Recommended for all
travellers to most regions.
Cholera Contaminated Food
or Water 		May be recommended based
on your specific itinerary.
Yellow Fever Mosquito-borne May be required based
on your specific itinerary.
Japanese Encephalitis Mosquito-borne Recommended in most countries in region.
Highly recommended for specific itineraries.
Rabies Infected Animals Vaccine recommended for long-term travellers
and those who may come in contact with animals.
Polio Infected Animals Generally a routine vaccination.
Recommended for some countries in region.

Recommended Routine Vaccinations for East and Southeast Asia
VACCINE HOW DISEASE SPREADS DETAILS
Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) Various Vectors Given to anyone unvaccinated and/or born
after 1957. One time adult booster recommended.
Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) Wounds or
Airborne 		One adult booster of pertussis recommended
for most travellers.
Influenza Airborne Generally recommended for all travellers.
Vaccine components change annually.
Chickenpox Direct Contact
or Airborne 		Given to those unvaccinated that
did not have chickenpox.
Shingles Direct Contact Recommended for individuals 50+. Vaccine can
still be given if you have had shingles.
Pneumonia Airborne All individuals 65+ or immunocompromised
should receive this vaccine.
Meningitis Airborne or
Direct Contact 		Given to anyone unvaccinated or at an
increased risk, especially students.

Sources: PHAC, WHO and ISTM

There are a few additional health concerns for East and Southeast Asia that are not vaccine preventable.

Malaria is present in East and Southeast Asia. Antimalarial medication may be recommended based on your specific itinerary. Antimalarial resistance is also found in some areas, this may limit your medication options. Speak with a travel health specialist to learn more.

Dengue, chikungunya and Zika are found as well. Mosquito netting, repellents and protective clothing may be recommended. Avoid outdoor activities during high times for mosquito activity, especially at dusk and dawn.

Tuberculosis is common in some parts of the region. If you feel you may be exposed during your trip, or have returned and believe you were exposed, TB testing is available. Testing should be done upon return and within eight to ten weeks of the first test for long-term travellers.

Travellers’ diarrhea another common risk for travellers. While new cuisine is always fun to try, it may lead to some unpleasant side effects if not prepared safely. Bring a travellers’ diarrhea kit to help prevent illness and stop symptoms if they start.

A visa may be required for some popular destinations like China and Cambodia. But, many others have minimal requirements. Check the table below for more information on your destination.

China’s visa rules for Hong Kong and Macao are very different from many other countries. Be sure to check the visa page if you are travelling to any of these regions.

Do I Need a Passport or Visa for My Trip?
Passport Tourist Visa Business Visa Required
Vaccinations
Brunei table check mark table check mark
Cambodia table check mark table check mark table check mark table check mark
China table check mark table check mark table check mark table check mark
East Timor (Timor-Leste) table check mark table check mark table check mark table check mark
Hong Kong table check mark table check mark
Indonesia table check mark table check mark table check mark
Japan table check mark table check mark
Laos table check mark table check mark table check mark table check mark
Macao table check mark table check mark
Malaysia table check mark table check mark table check mark
Mongolia table check mark table check mark
Myanmar (Burma) table check mark table check mark table check mark table check mark
North Korea table check mark table check mark table check mark table check mark
Philippines table check mark table check mark
Singapore table check mark table check mark
South Korea table check mark
Taiwan table check mark table check mark
Thailand table check mark table check mark table check mark
Vietnam table check mark table check mark table check mark

Embassy information for each country is available on its own destination advice page.

Travelling outside of East and Southeast Asia? Learn more about your destination with our full compliment of destination advice pages!

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