Before You Travel
Vietnam - Consular Information Sheet US State Department
Before you travel visit the State Department’s website for travel and health advisories for Vietnam.
CDC’s Health Information for Travelers to Southeast Asia
Another must visit site, the Center for Disease Control’s health advisories are excellent resources for international travelers. (If you are traveling with children, review the children’s section as well.)
A note on local pharmacies and antibiotics:
Pharmacies, called “nha thuoc” in Vietnamese, can be found on almost every square block of the city. Many medicines which require presciptions in the U.S., including many antibiotics, can be purchased over-the-counter. Antibiotic misuse is widespread as a result, and many bugs which are easily treatable in the U.S. have become drug-resistant and much more stubborn here. Treatment requires persistence and often more than one type of antibiotic. Another note of caution — the medicines available at local pharmacies are often counterfeit or past their expiration dates. The western clinics noted above sell imported, authentic medications.