What vaccines do I need for Southeast Asia?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Baseline: routine vaccines up to date, plus hepatitis A, which the CDC recommends for unvaccinated travelers to Thailand and the wider region. Then it depends on the trip: typhoid for rural stays and adventurous eating, Japanese encephalitis for long rural or outdoor exposure, and rabies pre-exposure for remote travel where post-bite care is far away. Malaria pills apply only to specific rural and forested areas, not the cities and beach hubs. Country lists differ, so a travel clinic visit 4 to 6 weeks before departure, working from the CDC's destination pages, is the real answer.
What to do
- Update routine vaccines and get hepatitis A if unvaccinated.
- Match extras to your itinerary: typhoid, Japanese encephalitis, rabies by risk.
- Ask about malaria only for rural and forested areas.
- Book a travel clinic 4 to 6 weeks before you go.
Related questions
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- Can an online doctor do a travel health consult?
- Can I get a malaria prescription before travel?
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