Cambodia Vaccination Guide for Indians: Shots You Need Before You Fly
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-22
Planning vaccines needed for Cambodia from India doesn’t have to be stressful. Most Indian travellers move through Cambodia without anything worse than a day of stomach upset. The six to eight weeks before your flight are when you lock in protection. This is the checklist I wish someone had handed me before my first Cambodia trip.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Do I need vaccines for Cambodia? | Not legally required for Indian passport holders, but hepatitis A, typhoid, and routine boosters are strongly recommended | Free to ₹2,500 (~$25.95) per shot |
| Which vaccine is most often skipped and regretted? | Hepatitis A. Cheap, two doses, and it covers 95% of the food-and-water risks in Cambodia | ₹1,200-₹1,800 (~$12.46-$18.68) per dose |
| Is rabies vaccine necessary? | Only if you’ll be near animals, temples with monkeys, or rural areas. Pre-exposure course is 2 doses | ₹350-₹500 (~$3.63-$5.19) per dose |
| How many weeks before the flight should I start? | Ideally 4-6 weeks. Minimum 2 weeks for most vaccines to take effect | — |
| What about Japanese encephalitis? | Only for rural stays beyond 1 month or rice-farming area visits. Skip for standard 7-14 day trips | ₹2,000-₹3,500 (~$20.76-$36.33) per dose |
Subodh’s Pro Tip: You can get every recommended Cambodia vaccine in one sitting at most Indian travel clinics. The Hepatitis A + Typhoid + Tetanus booster combo takes 45 minutes and costs under ₹4,000 (~$41.52) total. Walk into any major Apollo, Manipal, or government district hospital travel health OPD and ask for the “Cambodia package.”
What Cambodia Risks (Disease-Wise, Not Vibes-Wise)
Cambodia’s main health risks for short-stay Indian travellers fall into four buckets: food and water (typhoid, hepatitis A), mosquito-borne (dengue, Japanese encephalitis in rural areas), animal contact (rabies), and routine boosters most Indians forget to update (tetanus, MMR). The good news: none of these require exotic vaccines, all are available in Indian hospitals, and most are one or two doses.
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | How to Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis A | High | Moderate (weeks of fatigue, jaundice) | Two-dose vaccine, plus standard food hygiene |
| Typhoid | Moderate | High (can be severe, hospitalisation) | Single-dose injectable vaccine, valid 3 years |
| Dengue | Moderate (year-round, peak rainy season) | Moderate (no vaccine for travellers, supportive care only) | DEET 30%+ repellent daily, covered clothing |
| Rabies (stray dogs, monkeys at Angkor) | Low for tourists, higher for rural stays | Severe (post-bite shots are expensive and logistically painful in Cambodia) | Pre-exposure 2-dose course if you’ll be near animals |
| Japanese Encephalitis | low for short Phnom Penh/Siem Reap trips | Severe when it strikes | Only for rural 1+ month stays; vaccine is optional |
| Tetanus / Diphtheria | Low | Moderate | Routine booster every 10 years, free at government centres |
| Cholera | low | Moderate | Only for humanitarian workers; vaccine rarely needed |
Safety Alert: Dengue has no traveller vaccine. The previous Dengvaxia was withdrawn for seronegative recipients and is not recommended for Indian tourists. Your only protection is daytime mosquito avoidance (Cambodia’s Aedes mosquitoes bite during the day, unlike malaria mosquitoes), DEET repellent, and long sleeves at dusk.
The Recommended Cambodia Vaccine List (For Indian Passports)
This is what the CDC, WHO, and Indian travel medicine guidelines converge on for a standard 1-3 week Cambodia trip. I’ll skip the rare-or-rural-only ones and explain why in the next section.
Routine Boosters (Often Overdue)
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap): Most Indians had their last DPT shot in school. Tetanus boosters are valid 10 years; if yours is older than a decade, get one before Cambodia. The combined Tdap shot is free or ₹50-₹100 (~$0.52-$1.04) at government PHCs, ₹800-₹1,200 (~$8.30-$12.46) at private clinics. Cambodia’s rural paths and scooter culture mean real scrapes happen; tetanus is not the souvenir you want.
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): Cambodia had measles outbreaks in 2024-2025 in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap provinces. If you were born after 1985 and haven’t had two doses of MMR, get a booster. Two doses cost ₹600-₹1,000 (~$6.23-$10.38) total at most Indian clinics.
Hepatitis B: This is the one vaccine most Indians skip because it’s “extra.” If you’re a non-veg eater who might need medical care anywhere (Cambodia included), the 3-dose Hepatitis B series is worth it. Costs ₹200-₹400 (~$2.08-$4.15) per dose at government centres, ₹800-₹1,500 (~$8.30-$15.57) at private hospitals. Total course ₹600-₹4,500 (~$6.23-$46.71) depending on provider.
Cambodia-Specific Vaccines (The Core List)
Hepatitis A: This is the single most important vaccine on the list. Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water, exactly the surfaces Indian tourists encounter in Cambodia. Symptoms (jaundice, weeks of exhaustion) hit 2-6 weeks after exposure. The vaccine is two doses, 6 months apart. Even one dose gives 95% protection for a year, two doses give 25+ years. Cost in India: ₹1,200-₹1,800 (~$12.46-$18.68) per dose at Apollo, Manipal, or Max travel clinics. Government hospitals sometimes have it for ₹400-₹800 (~$4.15-$8.30) if you book through the district CMO office. If you get only one shot before the flight, make it this one.
Typhoid (Injectable, not oral): The injectable Vi polysaccharide vaccine is one shot, valid 3 years. The oral Ty21a vaccine is 4 capsules over a week, valid 5 years. Injectable is faster and cheaper for travellers. Typhoid is a real risk in Cambodia, especially outside Siem Reap and Phnom Penh’s tourist corridors. Symptoms are severe (40°C fever, abdominal pain, possible intestinal perforation). Cost: ₹300-₹600 (~$3.11-$6.23) at government centres, ₹800-₹1,500 (~$8.30-$15.57) at private clinics.
Rabies (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, PrEP): Cambodia has one of Southeast Asia’s higher rabies burdens, mostly from street dogs and the monkeys around Angkor Wat’s temples. If you’ll be touching animals, visiting rural villages, or doing any cycling through countryside, the 2-dose PrEP series is worth it. Dose 1 on day 0, dose 2 on day 7. After PrEP, post-bite shots drop from 4-5 doses to 2 doses. Cost: ₹350-₹500 (~$3.63-$5.19) per dose at government hospitals (often free for animal handlers), ₹700-₹1,200 (~$7.27-$12.46) at private clinics. Total ₹700-₹2,400 (~$7.27-$24.91) for the series.
Optional (Situation-Dependent)
Japanese Encephalitis (JE): This mosquito-borne virus is endemic in Cambodia’s rice-farming provinces, mostly rural northwest and the Tonle Sap lake area. The risk for a standard Siem Reap + Phnom Penh + beach trip is low, well under 1 in 100,000 per month. The vaccine is recommended only for travellers spending 1+ months in rural areas or doing extensive rural fieldwork. The Chinese SA 14-14-2 vaccine is the one used in India (two doses, 28 days apart, ₹2,000-₹3,500 (~$20.76-$36.33) each) and is the same one used in Cambodia’s national immunisation programme. Skip it for a standard 2-week trip.
Cholera: Only relevant if you’re doing humanitarian work or trekking in areas with active outbreaks. Standard tourists don’t need it. The oral cholera vaccine (Shanchol) is two doses, ₹300-₹800 (~$3.11-$8.30) each, but skip unless your itinerary specifically justifies it.
Yellow Fever: Cambodia does not require yellow fever vaccination for entry unless you’re arriving from a yellow fever endemic country (parts of Africa, South America). Indian passport holders flying direct from India do not need it. Some Indian travel clinics push yellow fever vaccines aggressively; refuse unless you’re transiting through a risk country.
Safety Alert: Cambodia does not require any vaccines for entry from India. If a travel agent tells you otherwise, they’re trying to upsell you a “vaccination package” or pushing yellow fever unnecessarily.
Vaccine Timing and Schedule
Most Cambodia vaccines need time to work. Plan ahead.
| Vaccine | Doses | Timing Before Flight | Duration of Protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis A (1st dose) | 1 dose | At least 2 weeks (ideally 4+) | 1 year (95% effective) |
| Hepatitis A (2nd dose) | 1 dose | 6-12 months after 1st | 25+ years |
| Typhoid (injectable) | 1 dose | At least 2 weeks | 3 years |
| Rabies PrEP (2 doses) | 2 doses | Day 0 and Day 7, finish 1 week before travel | 1-3 years |
| MMR booster | 1 dose | At least 2 weeks | Lifetime |
| Tdap booster | 1 dose | Anytime before travel | 10 years |
| Hepatitis B (3 doses) | 3 doses | 0, 1, 6 months (accelerated: 0, 1, 2) | Lifetime |
| Japanese Encephalitis | 2 doses | 0 and 28 days | 1-2 years |
The realistic timeline: 4-6 weeks before the flight, walk into a travel clinic. Get Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tdap, and (if needed) Rabies PrEP on day 1. Hepatitis A and Typhoid alone cover the bulk of Cambodia-specific risks. If you remember only 1 week before flying, Hepatitis A is the one shot still worth getting, since protection kicks in within 2 weeks.
Where to Get These Vaccines in India
| Provider Type | Examples | Cost Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government district hospital | Your local DH, often free or nominal | ₹0-₹500 (~$0-$5.19) per shot | Limited stock, walk-in early |
| Apollo Hospitals travel clinic | Major cities | ₹1,200-₹2,000 (~$12.46-$20.76) per shot | Walk-in, all vaccines in stock |
| Manipal Hospital travel OPD | Bangalore, Jaipur, others | ₹800-₹1,500 (~$8.30-$15.57) per shot | Cheaper than Apollo, similar stock |
| Max Healthcare travel clinic | Delhi NCR | ₹1,000-₹1,800 (~$10.38-$18.68) per shot | Good for last-minute appointments |
| Private clinic / general practitioner | Most neighbourhoods | ₹400-₹1,000 (~$4.15-$10.38) per shot | Confirm vaccine cold chain |
| International travel clinics | Metropolis, SRL Diagnostics travel arm | ₹1,500-₹3,000 (~$15.57-$31.14) per shot | Premium pricing, full documentation |
Carry your passport to the clinic. Most travel clinics issue an International Certificate of Vaccination (the yellow WHO booklet) for free or ₹100-₹300 (~$1.04-$3.11), even for non-yellow-fever vaccines. This becomes useful if you extend your trip to a yellow fever country later, or if you need medical care in Cambodia and want to show vaccination history. Before you fly, it’s also worth reviewing Cambodia travel insurance options for Indian travelers.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Book a slot at Apollo or Manipal travel clinic at least 2-3 days ahead online. Walk-ins are accepted but you wait 60-90 minutes. Most cities have a 5-7 day stock of Hepatitis A and Typhoid, but JE vaccine often needs 48-hour advance ordering.
What About Last-Minute or “I Forgot” Scenarios
If you’re reading this with 5 days to go before the flight, here’s the priority order:
- Hepatitis A: Still worth it even 2 weeks before departure. One dose gives a year of protection.
- Typhoid injectable: One dose, valid from 2 weeks onward. Get it on day 1 if you have 14+ days.
- Tdap: If your last booster was over 10 years ago, this is a single shot, valid immediately.
- Rabies PrEP: Two doses 7 days apart. You won’t finish the series, so only useful if you’ll be back in Cambodia within a month and can finish there. Skip for now, get post-bite care if scratched.
- MMR, Hepatitis B, JE: Not urgent for a last-minute departure. Skip unless your situation is unusual.
If you have less than 2 weeks, focus on Hepatitis A and Tdap only. Don’t stress about the rest, basic food and water hygiene covers most risk.
Cambodia-Specific Health Habits That Beat Any Vaccine
No vaccine replaces the basics. These are the habits that matter in Cambodia:
Food and water: Cambodia’s tap water is not potable. Stick to bottled water (check the seal), avoid ice in roadside stalls, eat at busy places with high turnover (the food is fresher), skip raw vegetables unless you’ve seen them washed in clean water. Street food in Siem Reap’s Pub Street and Phnom Penh’s BKK1 district is generally safe, the turnover is high enough that nothing sits. Travellers report that the bigger risk in Cambodia is unwashed fruit, not cooked food. Peeling fruit yourself is safer than eating pre-cut fruit from market stalls. For a deeper dive on risky dishes and ingredients, see our what not to eat in Cambodia guide.
Mosquitoes: Aedes mosquitoes (dengue carriers) bite during the day, especially early morning and late afternoon. Use DEET 30%+ repellent on exposed skin, wear long sleeves at dusk, and sleep in air-conditioned or well-screened rooms. Cambodia’s rainy season (May to October) is peak dengue. Travellers report that mosquito coils and plug-in repellent devices sold at every Cambodian 7-Eleven are cheap and effective for hotel rooms.
Animals: Don’t touch the monkeys at Angkor Wat’s Ta Prohm temple, around the Bayon, or at Phnom Kulen. They bite and the rabies post-exposure shots in Cambodia cost ₹19,268-₹48,170 (~200-500 USD) out of pocket (3,200- equivalent at current rates where 1 USD = ₹96.5289). The same applies to street dogs, especially in rural areas.
Scooters: Not a vaccine issue, but the biggest injury risk for Indian travellers in Cambodia. Most tourist scooter accidents come with road rash and broken bones, not infectious disease. Wear closed shoes, not sandals, especially in the rainy season when roads are slick. See our Cambodia transport safety and tuk-tuk accident guide for practical tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
What vaccines are needed for Cambodia from India? No vaccines are legally required, but hepatitis A, typhoid, and a Tdap booster are strongly recommended for any 1-3 week Cambodia trip. Add rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis if you will be near animals, temple monkeys, or rural areas.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for Cambodia from India? No. Indian passport holders flying direct to Cambodia do not need a yellow fever vaccine unless transiting through a yellow fever endemic country such as parts of Africa or South America.
How far ahead should I get my Cambodia vaccines in India? Start 4-6 weeks before departure if possible. A minimum of 2 weeks is needed for hepatitis A and typhoid to provide protection.
What is the total cost of the recommended Cambodia vaccines in India? Roughly ₹2,500-₹4,500 (~$25.95-$46.71) for the core set of hepatitis A, typhoid, and Tdap. Adding rabies PrEP raises the total to about ₹4,000-₹6,500 (~$41.52-$67.47).
Can I get these vaccines in Cambodia instead? Yes, but expect to pay ₹4,800-₹9,600 (~$49.82-$99.65) per shot and stock is not always reliable. Get them in India before flying.
Common Questions Indian Parents Ask
These come up on every India-to-Cambodia trip. Quick answers:
“Will my son/daughter need a yellow fever certificate at the airport?” No, unless they’re transiting through Africa or South America. Indian passport holders flying direct to Cambodia do not need yellow fever vaccination.
“What if they get a stomach bug in Cambodia?” Most cases resolve in 24-48 hours with ORS (Electral, ORS-L), paracetamol (Dolo 650), and rest. If fever exceeds 39°C, blood appears in stool, or symptoms last over 72 hours, visit a clinic. Cambodia’s private clinics in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are competent and English-speaking. Carry a course of Metrogyl (metronidazole) and Pantocid (pantoprazole) just in case.
“Are vaccines free in Cambodia if they get sick?” No. Cambodia’s medical care is private-clinic driven for tourists, and you’ll pay ₹2,890-₹14,451 (~30-150 USD) per consultation. Travel insurance handles this if you have it.
“Can they get vaccines in Cambodia instead?” Yes, but it’s more expensive, ₹4,817-₹9,634 (~50-100 USD) per shot, and not all vaccines are reliably stocked. Get them in India.
“What about malaria pills?” Cambodia has low malaria risk in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and the coastal tourist areas. Malaria prophylaxis is only needed for rural jungle treks (Cardamom Mountains, remote northeast provinces). Most Indian travellers don’t need it. Doxycycline is the most common prophylaxis if you do. Also confirm there is no current travel ban to Cambodia before you depart.
“Is there any risk from the temple monkeys at Angkor?” Yes. Rabies is endemic in Cambodian monkeys. Don’t feed them, don’t approach them, don’t eat in their presence. If bitten or scratched, wash thoroughly and get post-exposure shots within 24 hours. With pre-exposure PrEP, you’ll only need 2 booster doses. Without PrEP, you need 4-5 doses plus rabies immunoglobulin, painful and expensive.
“Should my daughter get the HPV vaccine before the trip?” HPV is unrelated to Cambodia travel. Skip unless she’s due for it anyway per Indian immunisation schedule.
What to Carry in Your India-Departure Medical Kit
This is the actual kit I recommend for any Indian going to Cambodia. Most items are available at any Indian pharmacy for under ₹1,000 (~$10.38) total:
- ORS sachets (Electral brand, 5-6 sachets): ₹50 (~$0.52)- Paracetamol 650mg (Dolo 650, 10 tablets): ₹40 (~$0.42)- Loperamide (Eldoper, 6 tablets): ₹30 (~$0.31), for emergency diarrhoea
- Metronidazole 400mg (Metrogyl, 10 tablets): ₹50 (~$0.52)- Pantoprazole 40mg (Pantocid, 10 tablets): ₹80 (~$0.83), for acid reflux and stomach upset
- Cetirizine 10mg (Alerid, 10 tablets): ₹40 (~$0.42), for allergies
- DEET 30%+ repellent (Odomos cream is DEET-free, carry a 30%+ DEET spray instead): ₹300-₹500 (~$3.11-$5.19)- Sunscreen SPF 50+: ₹400-₹600 (~$4.15-$6.23)- Band-aids, gauze, micropore tape: ₹100 (~$1.04)- Digital thermometer: ₹200-₹400 (~$2.08-$4.15)- Hand sanitiser (Dettol or equivalent): ₹100 (~$1.04) Total: ₹1,500-₹2,200 (~$15.57-$22.84). Pack these in your checked bag, not carry-on (liquids and aerosols have airline restrictions).
Post-Exposure Reality: What Happens If You’re Scratched or Bit in Cambodia
If a monkey at Ta Prohm scratches you, or a street dog bites you, here’s the sequence (and it’s also worth knowing your Cambodia medical emergency, hospitals, and pharmacies guide in advance):
- Wash the wound immediately with soap and running water for 15 minutes. This is more effective than any vaccine. Most rabies cases trace back to inadequate wound washing.
- Apply povidone-iodine (Betadine) if available.
- Find a clinic within 24 hours. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have multiple options, including the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital and the Siem Reap Provincial Hospital. Travellers report that the Pasteur Institute in Phnom Penh stocks rabies immunoglobulin and vaccine; they handle tourists routinely.
- Call your travel insurance before paying anything out of pocket. Most policies cover post-exposure prophylaxis as a “covered emergency.”
- Consider flying back to India for follow-up doses if you’re on a short trip. The 4-dose post-exposure series is easier to complete in a familiar healthcare system.
Without pre-exposure PrEP, expect to pay $200-500 USD (₹19,000-48,000 at current rates where 1 USD = ₹96.5289) for the full post-exposure series including immunoglobulin in Cambodia. This is one of the strongest arguments for getting the 2-dose PrEP series in India beforehand for ₹700-₹2,400 (~$7.27-$24.91).
The Bottom Line
For a standard 1-3 week Cambodia trip, get Hepatitis A (1 dose), Typhoid (1 dose), and a Tdap booster if your last one is over 10 years old. That’s the minimum. Add Rabies PrEP (2 doses) if you’ll be near animals, rural areas, or temple monkeys. Skip yellow fever, skip cholera, skip Japanese encephalitis unless your itinerary is rural and long.
Total cost in India: ₹2,500-₹4,500 (~$25.95-$46.71) for the core set, ₹4,000-₹6,500 (~$41.52-$67.47) if you add rabies PrEP. Total time at the clinic: 1-2 hours across two visits if you’re also doing Rabies. This is one of the cheapest insurance policies you can buy for the trip.
Subodh’s Take
Ninety percent of the Indians I know who had a “bad Cambodia trip” got sick from food they knew was risky, or skipped a vaccine that cost less than their third night out. The vaccine list for Cambodia is short, cheap, and available at any Apollo or Manipal travel clinic in India. Stop overthinking it, book the appointment, and spend your planning energy on the temples and the food instead.
