Registered Yellow Fever Centre
Travel Vaccines for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka packs beaches, tea country and ancient cities into one island. The health advice for Sri Lanka differs in some useful ways from its neighbours, particularly on malaria and yellow fever. This page summarises current UK advice from TravelHealthPro. For advice that fits your own plans, book a travel consultation.
Vaccines recommended for most travellers
For Sri Lanka, TravelHealthPro lists one vaccine for most travellers:
Tetanus: you should have completed the UK course. If medical facilities may be limited, a booster is recommended if your last dose was more than ten years ago, even if you have had five doses before.
You should also be up to date with routine UK vaccines, including MMR. TravelHealthPro notes that measles is endemic in Sri Lanka or the risk is higher than in the UK. See our MMR vaccine page.
Vaccines for some travellers
Unlike India and Vietnam, hepatitis A and typhoid sit in the "some travellers" list for Sri Lanka. Whether you need these and others depends on your itinerary, activities and health:
Hepatitis A: recommended for those whose activities put them at increased risk, such as staying with local people, frequent or long stays in areas with poor sanitation and adventure travel in basic accommodation.
Typhoid: could be considered for those at increased risk, such as people visiting friends and relatives and long-stay travellers in areas with poor sanitation.
Hepatitis B: could be considered for all travellers, and is recommended for long stays, visiting family and anyone who may have unprotected sex. See hepatitis A and B vaccines.
Rabies: a pre-exposure course for stays of more than one month, trips where post-exposure treatment is limited, higher-risk activities and work with animals.
Japanese encephalitis: for stays of a month or more during the transmission season, frequent travellers and those with uncertain plans, and sometimes for shorter trips that include rice fields or pig farms.
Dengue: may be considered for people aged 4 and over who have had dengue before and are going to a risk area or outbreak.
Chikungunya: may be considered for people aged 12 and over going to an outbreak area, and for frequent or long-term travellers to higher-risk areas.
Cholera: an oral vaccine for aid workers and people going to outbreak areas with limited safe water and medical care.
For less common vaccines, such as dengue and cholera, we’ll check stock when you book so it’s ready for your appointment.
Malaria: no risk in Sri Lanka
The World Health Organization certified Sri Lanka as having eliminated malaria on 5 September 2016. TravelHealthPro states: "There is no risk of malaria in Sri Lanka." Antimalarial tablets are not needed for Sri Lanka itself, but TravelHealthPro still recommends bite avoidance because of the other mosquito-borne infections below.
Yellow fever certificate
TravelHealthPro states: "There is no risk of yellow fever in this country, however, there is a certificate requirement." Under International Health Regulations, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 9 months of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travellers having transited for more than 12 hours through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Check your route carefully if it passes through Africa or South America. Since 11 July 2016, certificates are valid for life. Both our branches are registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres; see our yellow fever vaccine page.
Other health risks
Dengue and chikungunya
Dengue is a real concern in Sri Lanka this year. TravelHealthPro reported that, as of 15 August 2026, the National Dengue Control Unit had recorded 92,011 cases and 68 deaths in 2026. UKHSA has also reported 18 chikungunya cases in the UK linked to travel to Sri Lanka in 2026, as of 14 July 2026. Both are spread by mosquitoes that bite in the daytime, so use repellent and cover up. Zika is also present.
Rabies
Rabies is a risk in Sri Lanka, and bats may carry rabies-like viruses. Avoid contact with animals, and get urgent medical assessment after any bite, scratch or lick, even if it seems minor.
Food and water
Typhoid, cholera and hepatitis A are linked to contaminated food and water, so all travellers should take care with personal, food and water hygiene.
Before you go
A small travel health kit saves a lot of hassle if you feel unwell abroad. It is worth packing:
Any regular medicines in your hand luggage, with a copy of your prescription
Insect repellent and high factor sun cream
Oral rehydration sachets and simple pain relief
Plasters, antiseptic and hand sanitiser
Make sure your travel insurance covers medical treatment and repatriation. Save the local emergency numbers in your phone before you leave; the FCDO travel advice for Sri Lanka lists them along with current safety information.
When to book
Ideally, book your appointment 6 to 8 weeks before you travel. Some vaccines need more than one dose, and protection takes time to build. If you are leaving sooner, a last-minute appointment is still worthwhile. Many vaccines can still be given, and you will leave with practical advice.
Please tell us if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or have a weakened immune system. Some travel vaccines are live vaccines, such as MMR and the yellow fever vaccine. The Green Book advises delaying live vaccines until after pregnancy and not giving them on certain immunosuppressive treatments without specialist advice.
Book your Sri Lanka travel consultation
Every appointment is with one of our pharmacists. We check your whole itinerary against current UK guidance and go through every vaccine and travel medicine you might need in one visit.
We have two branches, and both are registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres. Cambridge Travel Clinic at Petersfield Pharmacy, 56 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2AS (01223 354383), is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Book at Mill Road online. Cambridge Travel Clinic at Waterbeach Pharmacy, 5 Greenside, Waterbeach, Cambridge CB25 9HW (01223 564422), is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm and 1:30pm to 5:45pm. Book at Waterbeach online.
We see travellers from Cambridge, Cherry Hinton, Trumpington, Chesterton, Histon, Milton, Cottenham, Waterbeach and nearby villages. Our current fees are on the pricing page. If you are combining your trip with India, read our India advice too.
We’re happy to talk through your plans, however close your departure.