Chloe AndersonVietnam Travel Surge: 5 Health Risks Australians Must Know Before Their Trip
Vietnam has become one of the most popular travel destinations for Australians, with tourist numbers climbing steadily through 2025 and 2026. Direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane have made Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang more accessible than ever. But the surge in visitor numbers has also brought a rise in health incidents — from food poisoning to tropical infections — that too many Australians discover only after they've left home.
Here are the five health risks Australian travellers face most often in Vietnam, and what to do about each.
1. Dengue Fever
Dengue fever is endemic throughout Vietnam and is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness among travellers to Southeast Asia. Unlike malaria, dengue is transmitted by daytime-biting mosquitoes, which means standard nighttime protection isn't enough.
Symptoms include a sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, and a rash that typically appears 3 to 7 days after infection. There is no specific antiviral treatment — management is supportive.
Cases tend to spike during Vietnam's rainy season (May to November in the south; September to January in the north), but transmission occurs year-round, especially in urban areas.
Prevention: Use DEET-based repellent during the day, wear long-sleeved clothing in the morning and late afternoon, and choose accommodation with air-conditioning or screened windows.
2. Food- and Water-Borne Illnesses
Typhoid fever and hepatitis A are both common among Australians who travel to Vietnam without vaccination. Typhoid is transmitted through contaminated food and water — particularly ice, raw salads washed in tap water, and shellfish. Hepatitis A spreads via contaminated food handled by infected individuals.
Street food is part of the appeal of Vietnam, but it carries real risk for unvaccinated travellers. Even high-end restaurants can expose guests to hepatitis A if basic hygiene isn't maintained.
According to the Australian Government's Smartraveller portal, travellers should ensure typhoid and hepatitis A vaccinations are current before departure. Hepatitis B vaccination is also recommended for extended stays or travellers who may receive medical care locally.
Prevention: Get vaccinated 4 to 6 weeks before departure. Stick to bottled or boiled water, avoid ice cubes from unknown sources, and eat at busy establishments where food turns over quickly.
3. Skin and Wound Infections
Vietnam's tropical climate creates ideal conditions for bacterial and fungal skin infections. Minor cuts, insect bites, and scrapes that would heal quickly at home can become seriously infected within 24 to 48 hours if left untreated.
Melioidosis — a bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, found in soil and water — is rare but documented in Vietnam, particularly in rural areas. More common are cellulitis and wound infections caused by bacteria resistant to standard antibiotics.
Prevention: Carry an antiseptic wash for minor wounds, clean any break in skin promptly, and cover wounds in moist or soil-heavy environments. Seek medical attention for any wound that shows signs of increasing redness, warmth, or discharge.
4. Rabies
Rabies remains a significant risk in Vietnam. Dog bites — including from animals that appear healthy — are the most common cause of rabies exposure for travellers, though bites from monkeys, cats, and bats also pose risk. Vietnam reports dozens of human rabies deaths annually, primarily in rural areas.
Australia's own rabies-free status means many Australians underestimate the risk. The disease is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear.
Prevention: Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is strongly recommended for any traveller planning extended stays, rural travel, or activities around animals. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal in Vietnam, seek medical care immediately for post-exposure treatment — do not wait until returning to Australia.
5. Heat-Related Illness and Sun Exposure
This may seem obvious, but heat exhaustion and heatstroke are among the most common medical presentations among Australian tourists in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City and the coastal resorts can see temperatures above 35°C with high humidity throughout the year.
Australians who are fit and experienced with warm weather often overestimate their tolerance in tropical humidity. Heatstroke — a core temperature above 40°C — is a medical emergency.
Older travellers, children, and those on medications that affect thermoregulation (diuretics, antihistamines, certain antidepressants) are at highest risk.
Prevention: Acclimatise gradually on arrival, drink water consistently rather than waiting to feel thirsty, and avoid outdoor exertion during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm).
Before You Go: See a Travel Medicine Specialist
The right time to address Vietnam travel health isn't in the departure lounge — it's four to six weeks before you travel. A travel medicine consultation allows a doctor to review your vaccination history, recommend relevant boosters (typhoid, hepatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis, and rabies for certain itineraries), prescribe medications such as standby antibiotics or antimalarials for rural areas, and brief you on recognising early symptoms of tropical illness.
For travellers with pre-existing conditions — heart disease, diabetes, immunosuppression — a pre-travel consultation is especially important. Medications that are routine in Australia may not be available in Vietnam, and local medical facilities in rural areas may not meet Australian standards.
When to See a Doctor After Returning
Tropical illnesses don't always present during your trip. Dengue, typhoid, and hepatitis A can all have incubation periods of one to three weeks, meaning symptoms can appear after you've landed back in Australia.
If you develop a fever, severe headache, digestive symptoms, or unexplained rash within three weeks of returning from Vietnam, tell your GP immediately that you've been overseas. This is important because tropical illnesses can be misdiagnosed as standard flu or gastroenteritis.
For similar examples of health risks that caught Australian travellers off-guard, see this case of emergency surgery complications when illness strikes abroad.
Get Expert Advice Before You Travel
A travel medicine consultation is one of the most cost-effective health investments you can make for any trip to Southeast Asia. Find a travel health GP or specialist near you at Expert Zoom to get personalised advice based on your itinerary, health history, and vaccination status.
This article provides general health information only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Consult a qualified health practitioner before travelling.
