Malaria still occurs in Vietnam, but the risk is not the same across the country. For most travellers following the main urban and coastal routes, malaria risk is considerably lower than it is in some rural, forested and mountainous areas.
Vietnam has also made substantial progress towards eliminating the disease. The World Health Organization reported only 353 malaria cases in Vietnam in 2024, including 171 imported cases, compared with more than 4,600 cases in 2019. However, local transmission has not disappeared completely, and travellers visiting particular rural areas may still need prescription medicine to prevent infection.
This guide explains the current risk of malaria in Vietnam, which destinations require more attention, how to prevent mosquito bites and what to do if you develop a fever during or after your trip.
Is there malaria in Vietnam?
Yes. Malaria transmission still occurs in parts of Vietnam, although cases have declined sharply.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted mainly through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The two most important malaria parasites globally are Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, and both occur in Vietnam.
Current CDC guidance describes transmission in Vietnam as primarily a rural-area risk, with rare cases in the Mekong and Red River Deltas.
The situation is very different from a country where malaria transmission is widespread nationwide. Your itinerary matters much more than simply whether you are entering Vietnam.
Where is malaria found in Vietnam?
CDC travel guidance identifies malaria transmission mainly in rural parts of Vietnam.
It specifically identifies the following provinces as areas where certain preventive medicines may be recommended because of the local resistance pattern:
- Binh Duong
- Binh Phuoc
- Dak Lak
- Dak Nong
- Gia Lai
- Khanh Hoa
- Kon Tum
- Lam Dong
- Ninh Thuan
- Tay Ninh
Malaria can also occur in other rural transmission areas. The recommended preventive medicine may differ according to where you are travelling.
Risk is often associated with remote, forested and mountainous environments rather than central tourist districts. WHO reported in 2025 that remaining malaria transmission in Vietnam had become concentrated in a relatively small number of isolated and remote communities, including populations living or working around forests and mines.
This means a traveller trekking, camping or working in remote forest areas can have a different risk profile from somebody spending two weeks in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
Which Vietnamese cities have no malaria transmission?
According to current CDC guidance, there is no malaria transmission in the cities of:
- Da Nang
- Hai Phong
- Hanoi
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Nha Trang
- Quy Nhon
For travellers staying only in these cities, CDC does not recommend malaria medication on the basis of malaria exposure there.
That does not mean mosquitoes are irrelevant. Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases occur in Vietnam, including in urban areas, so mosquito bite prevention remains useful even when malaria medication is unnecessary.
If you become unwell during your trip, Sick in Vietnam? What to Do and Where to Go explains how to access routine and urgent healthcare.
Is there malaria in Hanoi?
CDC lists Hanoi as an area with no malaria transmission.
A tourist staying in central Hanoi does not generally need malaria prevention medication specifically because of time spent in the city. However, someone using Hanoi as a base for travel into rural or mountainous northern Vietnam should assess the full itinerary rather than the city alone.
The distinction is important. A travel health recommendation should be based on everywhere you plan to go, including overnight stays, trekking routes and rural excursions.
Is there malaria in Ho Chi Minh City?
CDC also lists Ho Chi Minh City as having no malaria transmission.
For most visitors spending their trip within the city, malaria medication is therefore not recommended specifically for that destination.
Risk can change if you travel onward into rural areas of southern Vietnam or regions with recognised transmission. Tell a travel health clinician your complete itinerary rather than simply saying that you are flying into Ho Chi Minh City.
Is there malaria in Da Nang?
Da Nang is another city that CDC identifies as having no malaria transmission.
The same applies to Nha Trang and Quy Nhon. This is useful for travellers following Vietnam's popular central coastal route.
However, a trip that includes inland trekking, forested areas or overnight stays in rural parts of the Central Highlands may require a different assessment.
For general medical needs in central Vietnam, Vietnam Clinic maintains a directory of hospitals in Da Nang.
What about the Mekong Delta?
CDC describes malaria cases in the Mekong Delta as rare and currently recommends mosquito avoidance rather than malaria chemoprophylaxis for the delta itself.
This is different from some other rural parts of Vietnam where preventive medication may be recommended.
The Red River Delta is treated similarly in current CDC guidance, with mosquito bite precautions recommended rather than routine malaria prevention medication.
Recommendations can change as malaria transmission declines or new cases appear, so travellers should check current guidance rather than relying on advice from a previous trip to Vietnam.
How common is malaria in Vietnam now?
Malaria has become much less common in Vietnam.
WHO reported that Vietnam recorded 353 malaria cases in 2024, including 171 imported cases. No malaria deaths were reported that year. This represented a reduction of more than 90% compared with 2019, when the country reported more than 4,600 cases.
WHO also reported that 48 provinces and cities had been officially recognised as malaria-free by 2025.
Vietnam is working towards eliminating malaria nationally by 2030. WHO reported that the country aims to interrupt transmission from 2027 onwards as part of that process.
These figures are encouraging, but they do not mean that malaria can be ignored in the remaining transmission areas. The small number of cases is increasingly concentrated among populations and locations with specific exposure risks.
Do travellers need malaria tablets for Vietnam?
Some do, but many do not.
Whether preventive medication is recommended depends mainly on your itinerary.
CDC currently recommends malaria chemoprophylaxis for travellers going to certain transmission areas. It does not recommend medication for the major cities listed above or for the Mekong and Red River Deltas, where mosquito avoidance is advised instead.
For several provinces with malaria transmission and resistance to both chloroquine and mefloquine, CDC lists options including:
- Atovaquone-proguanil
- Doxycycline
- Tafenoquine
For other areas with transmission, possible options may also include mefloquine.
This list is general travel-health information, not a recommendation for an individual traveller. The appropriate medicine depends on the destination, medical history, age, pregnancy status, other medicines and the timing of the trip.
Speak to a travel medicine professional before departure rather than buying antimalarial medicine after guessing which product you need.
When should you arrange travel health advice?
CDC advises travellers to review vaccines and medicines at least a month before travel when possible.
This provides time to assess your itinerary and start preventive medication at the correct point if it is recommended. Different malaria medicines have different schedules before, during and after exposure.
Bring information about:
- All places you plan to visit
- Rural or forest travel
- Trekking and camping
- Length of stay
- Previous reactions to antimalarial medicines
- Pregnancy or plans for pregnancy
- Current prescription medicines
- Significant medical conditions
A vague itinerary such as "Vietnam for three weeks" is less useful than explaining that you will spend four nights trekking in a rural province followed by time in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
How to prevent mosquito bites in Vietnam
Mosquito avoidance is important whether or not you are taking preventive malaria medicine.
WHO recommends measures including mosquito repellents, protective clothing, mosquito nets and screens in areas where malaria occurs.
Practical measures include:
- Use an effective insect repellent according to its instructions
- Wear long trousers and long sleeves when practical
- Sleep in screened or air-conditioned accommodation where available
- Use an insecticide-treated mosquito net when sleeping in accommodation that is not adequately protected
- Check rooms for mosquitoes
- Keep doors and windows screened or closed when possible
Malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes commonly bite between dusk and dawn, making protection during the evening and overnight particularly important.
Mosquito protection also helps reduce exposure to other mosquito-borne diseases found in Vietnam.
What are the symptoms of malaria?
The most common early symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Chills
Other symptoms can occur, and early malaria may resemble many other infections.
WHO states that symptoms often begin around 10 to 15 days after the bite of an infected mosquito, although the timing can vary according to the malaria species and other factors.
This matters because a traveller may develop symptoms after leaving the area where exposure occurred, or even after returning home.
Do not try to diagnose malaria from symptoms alone. Fever in Vietnam has many possible causes, including dengue and other infections.
When should you seek medical care?
If you develop a fever during or after travel in a malaria-risk area, seek medical assessment promptly and tell the clinician about your travel history.
Malaria can become serious quickly. WHO notes that untreated P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe disease and death within 24 hours in some cases.
Emergency warning signs can include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Confusion or impaired consciousness
- Repeated seizures
- Extreme weakness
- Dark or bloody urine
- Jaundice
- Abnormal bleeding
- Rapid deterioration
Seek immediate local medical help for severe symptoms.
If you need to arrange an appointment while in the country, What to Check Before a Medical Appointment in Vietnam covers documents, medication lists, insurance and follow-up preparation.
How is malaria diagnosed?
Malaria cannot be reliably diagnosed from symptoms alone. Laboratory confirmation is needed.
Testing may involve examination of blood under a microscope or a malaria rapid diagnostic test. The appropriate method depends on the healthcare facility and clinical circumstances.
Tell the doctor where you have travelled, including rural areas and countries visited before Vietnam. Imported malaria is relevant in Vietnam too. WHO reported that 171 of the country's 353 cases in 2024 were imported.
If an initial test is negative but malaria remains clinically suspected, the treating clinician may decide that additional testing is necessary.
Can malaria be treated in Vietnam?
Yes. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, and Vietnam maintains diagnostic and treatment capacity as part of its national elimination programme.
Treatment depends on the malaria species, severity of illness, where the infection was acquired and patterns of antimalarial drug resistance.
Do not self-treat suspected malaria with medicines obtained without a proper assessment. Resistance is an important issue in the Greater Mekong region, and the correct treatment should follow current clinical guidance.
For tourists and expatriates who want to identify healthcare options in advance, general medical clinics in Vietnam provides a starting point for comparing providers.
Malaria and long-term living in Vietnam
For most expatriates living in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang or the other cities where CDC reports no malaria transmission, everyday malaria exposure is not the main mosquito-related concern.
The situation changes for people who regularly work, trek or spend nights in rural forest areas where malaria transmission persists.
Long-term residents should therefore assess risk according to travel patterns rather than their home address alone. Someone based in Ho Chi Minh City who frequently works in rural high-risk areas may need different advice from someone who rarely leaves the city.
Malaria prevention versus dengue prevention
Travellers sometimes assume that taking malaria medicine removes the need to worry about mosquitoes. It does not.
Antimalarial medication protects specifically against malaria and does not prevent dengue or other mosquito-borne infections.
Mosquito bite precautions remain important throughout Vietnam, including major cities without malaria transmission.
If you develop fever, headache, severe weakness or another significant illness during your stay, avoid assuming that it is malaria based only on mosquito exposure. Vietnam has several causes of febrile illness that require different assessment and treatment. 10 Most Common Illnesses in Vietnam provides broader context for travellers and residents.
What travellers should remember about malaria in Vietnam
Malaria exists in Vietnam, but the risk is geographically concentrated and has fallen dramatically. Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Nha Trang and Quy Nhon are currently listed by CDC as having no malaria transmission, while some rural and forested areas still require more careful prevention.
Before travelling, check your complete itinerary against current malaria guidance. If you will enter a transmission area, ask a travel medicine professional whether preventive medication is appropriate and which option fits your circumstances.
Wherever you travel in Vietnam, reduce mosquito bites. If you develop a fever after spending time in a malaria-risk area, tell the healthcare professional exactly where you have been and seek assessment promptly rather than waiting for symptoms to resolve on their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is malaria common in Vietnam?
Malaria is now uncommon compared with previous decades, but transmission has not been completely eliminated. WHO reported 353 cases in Vietnam in 2024, including 171 imported cases, with remaining local transmission concentrated mainly in specific rural and remote areas.
Do I need malaria tablets for Vietnam?
It depends on your itinerary. CDC recommends preventive medicine for certain malaria transmission areas, while it does not recommend chemoprophylaxis for major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Nha Trang or for the Mekong and Red River Deltas.
Is there malaria in Hanoi?
CDC currently lists Hanoi as having no malaria transmission. Travellers using Hanoi as a base for rural or mountainous trips should still assess malaria risk for the other places on their itinerary.
Is there malaria in Ho Chi Minh City?
CDC currently lists Ho Chi Minh City as having no malaria transmission. Malaria prevention recommendations may change if you travel from the city into rural transmission areas.
Is there malaria in Da Nang or Nha Trang?
CDC currently reports no malaria transmission in the cities of Da Nang and Nha Trang. Travellers heading inland or into rural areas should check recommendations for those specific destinations.
What should I do if I get a fever after visiting a malaria-risk area in Vietnam?
Seek medical assessment promptly and tell the clinician exactly where you travelled. Malaria symptoms can resemble other infections, so laboratory testing rather than symptoms alone is needed to establish the diagnosis.
Sources
Writer
Tan Nguyen
Medical writer for Vietnam Clinic. MD, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.
