I’m off to Vietnam for a few weeks in February. I’m trying to decide on whether I should be taking Malaria tablets. Understandibly the travel company info says absolutely. The nurse was less sure but went on the cautious side. I am wondering if the downsides of the tablets outweigh the negligible risk.

We are mostly travelling through what is classes as very low risk areas (city and coastal) where tablets are not recommended. However, we are making a 2 day trip into the mountains (walking) where they are. It seems fairly low risk to me given the time we’ll be in a high risk area. Especially as I’ll be covered up and deet’d to protect against all the other biting things and mosquitos carrying dengue fever and other nice diseases that there is no pharaceutical prevention method.

My little sister had malaria twice while living in Africa for three years, tablets aren’t 100% effective and it didn’t seem that bad 😉

So anyone been, did you take tablets? Any experience of doing very short trips in risk areas and opinions?

malarone is expensive but very little side effect and I seem to remember you only have to take for two days before and after.

http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/home.aspx

is a good site for travel advice.

Just at the start of the rain starting again.

However, I’ve never worried about anti-malarial drugs before when traveling and living overseas. All depends on how you see things.

I would be more worried about Dengue Fever than Malaria, it’s rise has been huge over the last few years, and it’s a horrible disease to catch, wiped me out for three weeks completely, and another three on top of that to feel nearly 100%

We went in March this year and had a pretty similar itinery to the one you seem to but did it independantly i.e mainly low risk and a few days in the mountains (Sapa by any chance?) Neither of us took Malaria tablets, mainly due to my girlfriend taking them previously for a trip to Peru and them making her a bit ill.

Its an amazing country with some amazing people, just be firm with the hawkers in Sapa if you do go, funniest thing i saw was a wealthy couple having lunch on a balcony with about 20 girls screaming “You buy from me!!” at them below.

oh and remember to pack the imodium 😯

oh and remember to pack the imodium

Or not, if you don’t want to keep the bugs in and get them out.

Salty frozen orange juice is great stuff.

I lived in HCMC for 2 years and never took tablets. As you said the coastal regions and towns are fine. If you are walking in Dalat then I really would not bother. My SO went up to Sapa with her folks and none of them took tablets, the next year her brother went up there and I think he did. If you do take them go for malarone as it has less side effects and I would have thought due to the expense it is less widely used and therefore there maybe less resistance to it. If you are worried the cost of the tablets is tiny compared to the holiday and may help you enjoy the trip more.

If you’re sticking to populated areas then you’ll be fine. I spent a few months out in asia last year, and everyone local i spoke to said not to bother. Side effects of the drugs can be quite nasty.

Prevention is better than cure, so just make sure you’re covered up around dawn and dusk time, and use sprays to keep the bugs away.

When I travelled through the region in Jan/Feb 2005, I took Malarone. I was not sticking to the coast and did travel inland as well as Cambodia and North Thailand. I think it would be wise if you can afford it. It only takes one bite. Even if you do take anti-malarials, don’t be blase, cover up and sleep under a net, use repellants of your choice.