Southeast Asia is home to food and waterborne disease, mosquito-borne illness and rabies risks that are uncommon in the United States.
Japanese encephalitis (a mosquito-borne brain infection) occurs across much of Southeast Asia, with the highest risk in rural and farming areas during the rainy season. We generally recommend the vaccine for longer stays, rural travel or extensive outdoor time.
Our certified specialists will recommend the right vaccines based on your specific destination and travel plans.
Southeast Asia covers very different destinations, from big cities to remote islands.
Two weeks of beaches in Phuket, a motorbike loop through northern Vietnam and a month in Bali each need a different plan. At your consultation we review every country on your route, the season, how long you will stay and how rural you will be, then recommend only the vaccines for Southeast Asia travel that fit your trip.
Street food is half the reason to go, and it is also the main source of travel illness. We recommend hepatitis A and typhoid protection for most travelers, and we talk through street food safety and how to handle traveler’s diarrhea if it hits.
Dengue is common across the region, including in cities, and has no vaccine for most travelers, so mosquito bite prevention matters on every trip. Japanese encephalitis is a rural risk, highest during the rainy season. Malaria is limited mostly to forested and border areas, and most city and beach itineraries carry little risk. Where it applies, we discuss prescription prevention.
Rabies is present across Southeast Asia, and monkey bites at temples and tourist sites, including in Bali, are a common reason travelers need urgent care. We may recommend pre-exposure rabies vaccination, a 2-dose series given on days 0 and 7, which makes any treatment after a bite much simpler.
Planning a specific country? See our guides to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia and Bali, or the wider Asia travel vaccines page.
We recommend booking 4 to 6 weeks before departure. Leaving sooner? Call (480) 435-2774, because many travel vaccines can still be given on short notice. Our Scottsdale travel clinic serves travelers from across the Phoenix metro, and you can book online any time.
Arizona’s only independent travel clinic with certified specialists
Don’t wait until the last minute. Yellow Fever and other vaccines require time to become effective.
Book at least 6-8 weeks before travel for optimal protection
