Cities with larger hospitals and English-speaking staff · map not to scale
At a glance
- Doctor visit
- Two months ahead (VNAT); at least four to six weeks (CDC)
- Check
- Each medicine with Vietnam's embassy and any layover country
- Carry
- Original labelled packs, prescriptions, extra supply
- Pack
- Hand luggage, away from heat
- Budget
- From 140 USD per person per day at 4★ (2 travellers)
The short answer
Check every medicine with Vietnam's embassy, and with any layover country, well before you go. Then follow the CDC: original labelled containers, copies of prescriptions with generic names, a doctor's letter for injectables or controlled medicines, enough for the whole trip plus extra, all in hand luggage. Vietnam's tourism authority adds that some medicines are hard to find locally.
Many of the guests our team looks after on long trips take daily medication: blood pressure tablets, insulin, thyroid medicine, an inhaler, an EpiPen. None of that is a reason not to travel. It is a reason to prepare properly, because on a two- or three-week trip through several countries, a lost bag or a medicine that is not allowed at the border can cause real trouble. This is the checklist I give every guest before a long trip in Vietnam and the region. Everything in it comes from the US CDC and Vietnam’s national tourism authority, linked at the end. It is not medical advice: your own doctor has the last word.
Bringing medication to Vietnam: the first step is the embassy, not the pharmacy
The CDC’s guidance on travelling with medicine is clear that each country has its own laws on medicines. Some medicines that are commonly prescribed or sold over the counter in the United States may be unlicensed or treated as controlled substances elsewhere, and the consequences of breaking a destination’s rules can include having the medicine taken away or penalties up to jail.
So the first step is to check with your destination’s embassy, and with the embassies of any countries where you have a layover, that each of your medicines is permitted. For a trip to Vietnam, that means the Embassy of Vietnam in your country. If the route continues to Cambodia or Laos, check with their embassies too. I do not give a list of allowed or banned medicines here, because I could not find a Vietnamese government page that sets one out for travellers; the embassy is the right place to ask.
The CDC also notes that many countries allow a 30-day supply of certain medicines but require you to carry a prescription or a medical certificate. If a medicine is not allowed, the CDC suggests asking your doctor about alternatives and for a letter describing your condition and treatment plan.
Bringing medication to Vietnam: the checklist I give every guest
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Two months before | Book a doctor or travel clinic visit | Vietnam’s tourism authority suggests two months; the CDC says at least four to six weeks |
| Two months before | Check each medicine with Vietnam’s embassy, and with any layover country | Rules on medicines differ by country |
| At the doctor | Ask for a letter describing your condition and treatment | Vietnam’s tourism authority advises it for conditions that need particular attention; the CDC advises a note for controlled substances and injectables such as EpiPens and insulin |
| At the doctor | Ask how to time doses across time zones | The CDC says doses follow the time since your last dose, not local time |
| At the pharmacy | Get enough for the whole trip, plus extra for delays | Both sources say some medicines can be hard to find; the CDC advises extra in case of delays |
| Packing | Keep medicines in their original, labelled containers | Labels should show your full name, your doctor’s name, generic and brand name and exact dosage |
| Packing | Carry copies of prescriptions, with generic names | Leave another copy at home with a friend or relative |
| Travel day | Pack medicines in your hand luggage | In case checked bags are lost or delayed |
| On the trip | Keep medicines away from heat | The CDC notes extreme temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of many medicines |
Packing medication for a long trip
A three-week trip means a lot of packing and unpacking: hotels, a ship, perhaps a train. In our experience, medication is safest in one clearly marked pouch that never leaves your hand luggage. Split it if you are travelling as a couple, so each of you carries half of the shared supplies.
The CDC’s travel health kit list is a useful reminder of what else to bring: copies of prescriptions for medicines, glasses and medical supplies; your health and travel insurance documents; diabetes testing supplies if you need them; pain and fever medicine; an antihistamine; diarrhoea medicine; motion sickness medicine; insect repellent with an active ingredient such as DEET or picaridin; and sunscreen. Vietnam’s tourism authority suggests a similar kit.
If a medicine needs to be kept cold, check how to store it with your pharmacist before you go. Our team then asks each hotel and ship in advance about refrigeration, so you are not searching for a fridge on arrival.
Buying medicine during the trip
Vietnam’s tourism authority notes that some medications can be difficult to find in Vietnam, and advises travelling with a full supply of any prescribed medicine. The CDC goes further: counterfeit medicines are common in some countries, so it recommends using only medicine you bring from home.
If you must buy medicine in an emergency, the CDC advises buying only from licensed pharmacies and asking for a receipt, never from open markets; asking the pharmacist whether the medicine has the same ingredients as yours, ideally showing them your own packet; and checking that it is in its original, good-quality packaging. Our guides can take you to a reputable pharmacy or clinic and help translate.
Vietnam’s tourism authority adds that Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City have state-owned and private hospitals with English-speaking staff, while rural areas may be far from the nearest pharmacy or hospital. That is one more reason to carry everything you need.
Insurance and the details to carry
Vietnam’s tourism authority advises buying insurance before you travel, and the CDC suggests considering travel health and medical evacuation insurance. If you have an existing condition, check that the policy covers it, and keep the policy documents with your medication pouch. If your doctor prescribes antimalarials for part of the route, the CDC’s Vietnam page advises filling the prescription before you leave.
I also suggest keeping a short note on your phone and on paper: your conditions, allergies, medicines with their generic names, and your doctor’s contact details. Our guide can then show it to a doctor quickly if needed.
Mistakes I see most often
- Medication in the checked bag. If the bag is delayed by a day, so is your medicine.
- Decanting tablets into a pill box for the flight. Use the pill box on the trip, but cross borders with the original labelled containers.
- Checking Vietnam but not the layover country. The CDC advises checking every country on the way.
- Bringing exactly enough. Flights change. Bring extra.
- Assuming a brand name will be recognised. Abroad, generic names are what doctors and pharmacists understand.
Where to stay when health matters
For guests with a medical condition, I keep the longer stays close to the cities with larger hospitals. In Hanoi, Fairmont Hanoi is a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. Near Da Nang, TIA Wellness Resort is fifteen minutes from the airport, and The Nam Hai is about 30 minutes away. In Ho Chi Minh City, we choose a central 4–5★ hotel and name it in your quote. For more on planning for older travellers, see my checklist for parents in their seventies and how I choose 4–5★ hotels.
What it costs
Our private trips start from 140 USD per person per day, confirmed in your private quote, based on two travellers sharing 4★ hotels with a private guide and driver; a 14-day trip is from 1,960 USD per person. Groups of four save 5% and groups of six save 8%. Top-tier resorts and ships start from 350 USD per person per day and are quoted individually. Booking needs a 30% deposit, with the balance due 45 days before arrival, and a non-refundable 100 USD per traveller holding fee (kept even if you cancel early), separate from the 30% deposit; your quote shows how it is applied to the final invoice. Card payments carry a 3.5% fee, and domestic flights are quoted separately. For the full breakdown, see how I price 10, 14 and 21 days. A good starting route for an unhurried pace is Metta Voyage’s 10-day in-style tour for couples.
Sample itinerary, price from and a quote
If you want to see this advice turned into a bookable plan, start with a gently paced private tour: Vietnam Tour in Two Weeks: My Private 14-Day Route and Prices. It has a day-by-day sample itinerary, the hotels I would use and the price logic.
As a guide, a private trip of 14 days starts from 1,960 USD per person (14 days × 140 USD, 2 travellers sharing, 4★ hotels, private guide and driver), about 1,862 USD per person for a group of four and 1,803 USD for a group of six, confirmed in your written quote. Domestic flights are not included and are quoted separately; 5★ and luxury stays are quoted individually.
Request a quote for this route
Sources
Medicine laws, embassy checks, prescriptions, labels, time zones, storage and hand luggage: US CDC – Traveling Abroad with Medicine. Travel health kit and documents: US CDC – Pack Smart. Buying medicine abroad: US CDC – Counterfeit Medicines. Vietnam-specific advice, including insurance and antimalarials: US CDC – Travelers’ Health: Vietnam. Doctor’s letter, medicines hard to find, hospitals and timing of the doctor visit: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism – Health and safety. All checked on 11 November 2026.
Questions we are often asked
Can I bring my prescription medication to Vietnam?
Usually, but rules differ by country, so the CDC advises checking each medicine with your destination's embassy before you travel. For Vietnam, ask the Embassy of Vietnam in your country.
Do I need a doctor's letter for my medicines?
Vietnam's tourism authority advises carrying a doctor's letter if you have a condition that needs particular attention. The CDC advises a note for controlled substances and injectable medicines such as EpiPens and insulin.
Can I buy my medicine in Vietnam if I run out?
Vietnam's tourism authority says some medications can be difficult to find there, and the CDC warns that counterfeit medicines are common in some countries. Bring enough for the whole trip plus extra.
Should medication go in checked luggage?
No. The CDC advises packing medicines in your carry-on in case your luggage is lost or delayed.
How do I take medication across time zones?
Ask your doctor before you go. The CDC notes that doses should follow the time since your last dose, not the local time of day.
David — for The Metta Voyage team. Checked against our itineraries and the sources above on 11 November 2026.
