Health & Vaccinations for Mozambique

Let’s Be Straight With You

Mozambique requires a bit more health preparation than your average beach holiday. But don’t let that put you off — millions of people live here happily, and thousands of travelers visit every year without any health issues. A little preparation is all it takes.

Vaccinations

Check with your doctor or travel clinic at least 6-8 weeks before your trip. Here’s what’s typically recommended:

Yellow Fever — Required if you’re arriving from a yellow-fever-endemic country (including transit). Carry your yellow card as proof.
Hepatitis A — Recommended for all travelers. Spread through contaminated food and water.
Hepatitis B — Recommended, especially for longer stays.
Typhoid — Recommended. Street food is tempting (and delicious), so this is good insurance.
Tetanus/Diphtheria — Make sure you’re up to date.
Rabies — Consider it if you plan to spend time in rural areas or around animals.
COVID-19 — Stay current with your vaccinations. Check the latest entry requirements before traveling.

Your travel clinic will tailor recommendations to your specific situation. This list is a starting point, not medical advice.

Malaria: Take It Seriously

Here’s the part where we’re completely honest: malaria is present in Mozambique, including Vilankulo. It’s a real risk, not a theoretical one. We’re not saying this to scare you — we’re saying it because we care about our guests.

Prevention

Take prophylaxis. Talk to your doctor about Malarone (atovaquone-proguanil), doxycycline, or mefloquine. Start before you arrive and finish the full course after you leave.
Use mosquito repellent. DEET (20-50%) or Icaridin/Picaridin (20%) on exposed skin, especially from dusk to dawn. Reapply after sweating or swimming.
Sleep under a mosquito net. Most accommodation in Vilankulo provides them. Check for holes and tuck the net in fully before sleeping.
Cover up in the evenings. Light long sleeves, long pants, and socks help a lot (many bites happen on lower legs/ankles).
Choose your room setup carefully. Screens, ceiling fans, and air-conditioning reduce mosquito activity indoors.
Bring your full medication course from home. Don’t assume you’ll find the same brand locally.

If You Feel Unwell

Malaria symptoms can appear from about 7 days after exposure to up to 1 year after return: fever, chills, headache, body aches, nausea, flu-like fatigue. If you develop a fever during or after your trip, get tested immediately and tell your doctor you’ve been to a malaria zone.

Important: one negative test doesn’t always rule malaria out early. If symptoms continue, repeat testing promptly until malaria is confirmed or another cause is clearly identified.

Sun and Heat

This might sound obvious, but the Mozambican sun is intense. We see more travelers knocked out by sunburn and dehydration than anything else.

Wear SPF 50+ reef-safe sunscreen and reapply after swimming. See our packing list for what to bring.
Drink plenty of water — more than you think you need.
Wear a hat and seek shade during midday hours (11am-2pm).
If you’re snorkeling, wear a rash vest. Two hours on the water without one and you’ll regret it.

Drinking Water

Stick to bottled or filtered water. It’s cheap and available everywhere. Avoid ice in drinks at smaller establishments unless you’re confident it’s made from purified water. Most hotels and restaurants in Vilankulo use filtered water, but when in doubt, go bottled.

Medical Facilities

Vilankulo has a local hospital and a couple of private clinics for basic medical needs — stitches, infections, stomach bugs, malaria testing. For anything serious, medical evacuation to Maputo or Johannesburg is the standard procedure.

This is exactly why we insist on one thing: get travel insurance with medical evacuation cover. It’s non-negotiable. An evacuation flight can cost thousands of dollars without insurance. Don’t skip this.

We Look Out for Our Guests

On every tour, we carry a first-aid kit and our team is trained in basic first aid. Your safety matters to us — not just as a business, but because you’re our guests. If you ever feel unwell while you’re with us, tell us immediately. We’ll get you the help you need.

Questions about health preparation? Drop us a message and we’ll share what we know — though always confirm with your doctor.