Travelling to East Timor? Need Vaccinations?
East Timor has had a long history of invasion and occupation which has greatly influenced this country. There are 37 local languages here but you can get by with speaking Indonesian or Portuguese. East Timor has vibrant and varied sea life due to its large numbers and different types of coral reefs. This makes snorkelling and diving here quite rewarding. If you are so inclined, try a spot of fishing or at least try to see the local fisherman of Atauro who still fish using traditional kit.
What Vaccinations do I need for Travel to East Timor?
Before travelling to East Timor please ensure you have had all of your routine UK vaccinations, including:
Diphtheria Vaccine (Given as the combined DTP Vaccine)
Tetanus Vaccine (Given as the combined DTP Vaccine)
Polio Vaccine (Given as the combined DTP Vaccine)
Hepatitis A Vaccination
Depending on where in East Timor you are travelling, your current health condition, lifestyle and occupational risks, the other injections that you may require for East Timor are:
Yellow Fever Vaccination
Rabies Vaccination
Hepatitis B Vaccination
Typhoid Vaccination
Have a look at our pricing table for information about the cost of the travel vaccinations required for East Timor. Should you be travelling in the region, also take a look at the vaccination requirements for neighbouring countries and areas including Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Further Travel Heath Advice for East Timor
Malaria
Malaria precautions are advised for travel to East Timor as it is a high risk malarial country. Please talk to our travel nurse who will be best able to advise you. Taking reasonable steps such as repellent and mosquito nets to reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes to give you the greatest protection against infection.
Dengue Fever
Dengue fever precautions should be taken for travel to East Timor as Dengue Fever has been known to occur here. Dengue fever is caused by mosquito bites from a specific mosquito, which seems to be most active during daylight. There is no medical protection against dengue fever. What you can do is try to avoid mosquito bites and use mosquito repellent and a mosquito net. Our travel nurse will be best able to advise you.
Altitude Sickness
Due to the fact that a spot in East Timor is situated higher than 2500m, altitude sickness could be a problem. You can obtain altitude sickness medication and practice appropriate acclimatisation and gradual ascents to counter altitude sickness. Don’t forget, its not just your climbing altitude but your sleeping altitude as well that must be considered. Our travel nurse will be able to discuss these with you and offer you the relevant advice.
Heat and Humidity
East Timor has a wet season and a dry season. The wet season can really affect your travel so be warned Please make sure to check the weather for the period you are travelling, as you will need to pack adequately and take reasonable precautions for the climate here.
Water Safe
Tap water in East Timor is not considered safe for foreigners to drink so drink bottled water and always check the water that food has been washed in. As an extra precaution, take some water purifying tablets with you or some kind of water purification system.
Food and Drink
Food in East Timor is delightful, especially if you like rice and spices. Being coastal means an abundance of great fish, which is mostly eaten fried or grilled. There is also excellent organic coffee to be found here, so enjoy.
Animals and Insects
Lots of different infections can be spread through insect bites, including Malaria and Dengue Fever which is spread by mosquitoes. Symptoms can include fever, headache and severe joint, bone and muscular pain. Advice for these infections listed above.
Health Insurance
Make sure you have health insurance in place that will cover the full range of activities you plan to undertake while in East Timor and make sure it covers medical evacuation.
Personal Safety
Please check the advice of your foreign office before travelling to East Timor as there is still some sporadic violence and information on this changes over time. Also please bear in mind that this is a poor country so there is an element of petty theft here. In some areas, there has also been some violence against tourist so please be sensible and always put your own safety first whenever travelling.