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Travel Advice




Cambodia Vaccinations

Not all are required but some may be advisable. Travel physicians often recommend some or all of the following vaccinations and prophylactics. This list was compiled from magazine articles about travel in Cambodia. IT IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. Consult your travel physician before travel to determine which if any of the vaccinations you should receive.

Hepatitis A - A food borne disease, not uncommon in Cambodia.
Vaccination: Injection series.

Hepatitis B - Transmitted primarily by sexual contact, shared needles and contaminated blood. Prevalent in Cambodia.
Vaccination: Injection series.

Typhoid - A food borne disease, not uncommon in Cambodia.
Vaccination: Injection or pill series.

Japanese Encephalitis - A mosquito borne disease. Limited to parts of Cambodia.
Vaccination: Injection series.

Cholera - A food/water borne disease. Occasional outbreaks in some parts of Cambodia.
Vaccination: Injection.

Rabies - A bodily fluid borne disease. Present in Cambodia. Generally limited to certain professions.
Vaccination: Injection series.

Malaria - A mosquito borne disease. Prevalent in some parts of Cambodia.
Vaccination: None. Prophylactic pills and/or good mosquito prevention habits. Mefloquine (Lariam) resistance has been reported in Cambodia.

Tetanus - Make sure your tetanus vaccination is up-to-date..
Vaccination: Single Injection.

Childhood diseases - polio, measles, mumps, rubella, etc - If you are going to be working with children such as doing volunteer work at and orphanage or teaching, it may be advisable to update your childhood disease vaccinations.

Other diseases of concern:

AIDS/HIV - A bodily fluid borne disease. Prevalent in Cambodia, particularly amongst commercial sex workers. Avoid blood products except in emergencies. Practice safe sex.

Dengue Fever - A mosquito borne disease. Prevalent in some parts of Cambodia, particularly at certain times of year. No vaccination or prophylactic available. Practice good mosquito bite prevention habits.

Worms - A food borne parasite. Eat at reputable restaurants. Practice good hygiene. Beware of street food. Beware of undercooked meat.

Giardia, Salmonella - Food/water borne diseases. Eat at reputable restaurants. Practice good hygiene. Beware of street food.

Cambodian Visas

Passport/visa requirements: In order to visit Cambodia, a visa is required for most nationalities. A passport with at least six month validity is required.

Availability: Cambodian visas are available on arrival at all international airports in Cambodia (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap), at overseas Cambodian embassies and through the new online E-Visa procedure.

Issuance requirements and price: Issuance of a visa on arrival at the airports and international border crossings is relatively quick and easy, taking about 20-30 minutes. One 4x6 photo is required.

30-day tourist visa (Type ‘T’): US$20
Tourist visas can be extended for one month, but only one time.

E-Visa: The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs now offers 'e-visa' - visas available online through the Ministry's website. Scan of passport and passport size photo required. Payment by credit card. US$25 for a 30 day visa (three month validity.) Processing time: 3 days. Issued by email and print from your computer. The Ministry recently announced that e-visa entry points now include Siem Reap International Airport. To order an E-visa see the following website: http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/index.php?version=eng

Weather Cambodia

Cambodia has four seasons: 1) November-February, cool/dry; 2) March-May, hot/dry, 3) June-August, hot/wet; 4) September-October, cool/wet. The hottest days of the hot season rarely climb above 35°C though the sun can be quite intense. The cool season may push the mercury as low as 20°C. The monsoons between June and October follow a regular pattern, clear mornings with 1-3 hour rains in the afternoon. The cool dry season is more comfortable but the regularity of the wet season rains make them easy to plan around.

Vietnam Vaccinations

Main health risks

Malaria is present in Vietnam, except in coastal areas and deltas where no chimioprophylaxy is necessary. In the rest of the country, strains are highly resistant to chloroquine (zone-3 resistance). Dengue fever is endemic in the country, and it is essential to take prevention measures against mosquitoes. The number of reported cases has known a sharp increase during the spring of 2008 in the south of the country (+50% compared to the same period in 2007).

Vietnam has been site by the avian flu epizootic, with numerous human cases (44 deaths between 2003 and June 2007; the outbreak had seemed under control since the end of year 2005, but new lethal human cases have been reported during spring 2007). Cases of Japanese encephalitis have been observed in the north of the country. This disease, which exists only in Asia (rural areas), is transmitted by mosquitoes. Rabies is endemic in Vietnam. It is recommended to be very careful with wandering animals, even in urban areas. The HIV prevalence is sizeable. Diarreic diseases are common. Northern provinces have been hit since March 2008 by acute diarrhea and cholera outbreaks.

Food safety

Gastric diseases are common among tourists who are not accustomed to local food or who do not take precautions. Do not drink tap water and favor bottled mineral water, without ice; avoid eating ice cream and sherbet. Avoid eating raw or undercooked dishes, especially meat or fish. If possible, order hot dishes. Bring anti-diarrhea medication with you. Wash your hands thoroughly before each meal.

Immunizations and medication

Travelers entering the country from an endemic area are required to present a certificate of immunization against yellow fever. Please contact your GP for advice about this issue well before departure date.

Systematically:
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis: get a booster shot before leaving if your last shot is more than ten years old.

Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip:
Typhoid fever: if the stay is occurring in precarious hygiene condition.
Rabies:
Japanese encephalitis: for stays longer than a month in rural areas during the rain season.
Tuberculosis: in case of a long stay
Recommended chemoprophylaxis against malaria (except if you stay in deltas or on the coast): mefloquine (commercial name: Lariam) or doxycycline (commercial name: Doxypalu).

Vietnam Visas

Only citizens of certain countries can visit Vietnam without an entry visa (valid for visit within 30 days). Those countries include: most Asian countries, Korea, Japan & Scandinavians (2005). All other citizens are required to get an entry visa before departure or a pre-approved entry visa (visa is issued on arrival at Vietnam’s International Airports) supplied before arrival in Vietnam.

We recommend that you obtain your entry visa by having a valid passport stamped prior to your departure by applying to any one of the Vietnam Embassies and/or Consulates worldwide. However, if your particular city does not have a Vietnamese embassy, and you wish to avoid procedural delays (anywhere from 4 to 10 days) which sometimes happen with visa approvals at embassies outside Vietnam, there are companies (found on the internet) that can make this requirement a fairly easy exercise.

Weather Vietnam

Winter (Nov-Feb) is generally cool and dry, with temperatures between 10-15°C (59-68°F). Spring (Feb-Apr) is warmer, but accompanied by constant drizzle which can start to wear a bit. Summer (May-Sep) is blatantly hot (30-36°C; 86-97°F) and sticky with the occasional devastating typhoon. Autumn (Sep-Nov) however, sees sunny, often perfect weather.