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Table of Contents
▼Before you travel, you should take time to understand Malaysia’s vaccine requirements for foreign visitors and anticipate possible medical needs for your stay.
In this post, you can find key information on vaccinations, as well as health and safety advice for Malaysia to ensure you’re well-prepared for your trip.
Do I Need Vaccines for Malaysia?
There are no required vaccinations for entry to Malaysia for foreign travelers.
However, you’re recommended to be up-to-date on all routine vaccines before you travel.
Routine vaccinations typically include:
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
- Polio
- Shingles
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
- Flu (influenza)
- COVID-19
Additional vaccines recommended for Malaysia
Your doctor might recommend that you get additional injections for Malaysia. These vaccines are not obligatory, but help to avoid developing health problems while you’re away.
| Hepatitis A | Causes stomach pains, nausea and jaundice Spreads through contaminated food and water | Vaccine recommended for all travelers over the age of 1 |
| Japanese Encephalitis | Causes fever, headache and vomiting Spreads by mosquito bite Prevalent in some rural areas of Malaysia | Vaccine recommended for travelers visiting known affected areas, especially if trekking or camping |
| Typhoid | Causes stomach pains, headache and diarrhea Spreads through contaminated food and water | Vaccine recommended for travelers visiting rural areas and small towns |
Countries With Mandatory Vaccines for Travel to Malaysia
While there are no vaccinations required for Malaysia, you might need a vaccine certificate if you’re traveling from a country with endemic disease.
Yellow fever vaccinations for Malaysia
If you’re traveling to Malaysia from a country where yellow fever is endemic, you’ll need to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
This includes transit passengers if you spend more than 12 hours in the endemic country while on your journey.
Children under the age of 9 months are exempt from the yellow fever vaccination requirement.
Seeing Your Doctor about Travel Vaccines for Malaysia
Your doctor can give you personalized advice on the best vaccines to get before you travel.
It’s best to make an appointment well in advance of your trip so you can get any required vaccines in time.
You should tell your doctor about:
- The dates of your trip and what season you’ll be visiting in
- Which regions of Malaysia you’re going to
- Any planned excursions, like trekking or visiting rural areas
- Any animal-based activities you’ve planned
- Your vaccine history
Your doctor might recommend a course of treatment or additional vaccinations for Malaysia if they think you’ll be at risk of developing any preventable health problems.
Are travel vaccines covered by health insurance?
In some cases, travel vaccinations are covered by private health insurance. This will depend on the details of your policy.
Contact your health insurance company to find out if your policy includes travel vaccinations for Malaysia.
Can Tourists Access Healthcare in Malaysia?
You’re recommended to take out private health insurance for your trip to Malaysia. This means you’ll be able to access healthcare in Malaysia without running up high expenses.
In big cities like Kota Bharu and Kuala Lumpur, it’s easy for tourists to access medical care and find English-speaking doctors.
However, large parts of Malaysia are very rural and medical facilities may not be close by in some areas. Malaysia also has a lot of mountainous areas and rainforest regions where doctors can be difficult to reach.
Is there a malaria risk in Malaysia?
In some rural areas of Malaysia, particularly the Sabah and Sarawak regions, there is a risk of malaria.
Generally, Malaysia’s malaria risk is low. Depending on your travel plans, your doctor might advise you to take a course of malaria prevention tablets. There’s no vaccine for malaria.
