Malta
Travel Destination – Malta
Malta is a Mediterranean archipelago renowned for its sun‑drenched coastlines, ancient history, and vibrant cultural heritage. Visitors can explore fortified cities like Valletta, swim in clear blue seas, and enjoy a unique fusion of Maltese, Italian, and North African influences in local cuisine and architecture. Malta’s compact size, efficient transport, and high standard of services make it an accessible and rewarding destination for a wide range of travellers.
Although Malta has advanced public health infrastructure and generally low levels of serious infectious disease, being informed about health risks and preparation requirements remains essential for a safe and enjoyable visit.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before departing for Malta, it is strongly recommended that you schedule a consultation with a travel health specialist around six to eight weeks before departing. This consultation enables your clinician to review your vaccination history, confirm that routine immunisations are current, and advise on any travel‑specific vaccines or medications appropriate to your plans. It also provides an opportunity to discuss how any chronic health conditions might be managed while abroad. If your travel date is imminent, a last‑minute consultation can still provide valuable advice on essential protections and risk mitigation.
In addition to vaccination planning, discuss with your clinician the need for travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation, how to carry and legally transport prescription medications, and how to access healthcare services in Malta if needed. Comprehensive preparation enhances resilience against unexpected health issues and helps travellers maintain wellbeing throughout their stay.
Insect avoidance
Although Malta is an urbanised, developed destination, outdoor environments can harbour insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, particularly coastal areas, parks, and rural countryside. These can cause nuisance bites and, in some cases, transmit diseases such as lyme disease.
Travellers engaging in outdoor activities should use insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin, wear long‑sleeved clothing and long trousers in vegetation or shaded areas, and perform regular tick checks after spending time outdoors. Taking these simple measures reduces the risk of insect‑borne infections and contributes to a more comfortable experience in nature.
Food and water hygiene
Maltese cuisine is a delightful blend of fresh seafood, robust Mediterranean flavours, traditional pastries, and local produce. While the food and water quality in Malta is generally high, travellers should maintain sensible hygiene practices to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal illness.
Before meals, practising thorough hand hygiene with soap and water or alcohol‑based hand sanitiser helps prevent transmission of pathogens. Choose meals that are prepared hygienically and served freshly cooked, particularly in busy outdoor markets or informal settings. Although the tap water in Malta is potable and safe for drinking, travellers should remain mindful of general food‑safety practices - especially when consuming raw vegetables or foods that may have been handled frequently.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Malta?
Measles
+
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection transmitted through respiratory droplets and aerosols that can linger in the air. It causes fever, cough, conjunctivitis, and a characteristic rash. Despite strong routine immunisation programs in Europe, measles can still be present, and outbreaks occur when vaccination coverage declines. Travellers born after 1966 should ensure they have received two documented doses of a measles‑containing vaccine, typically measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), well before departure to minimise risk of infection.
Influenza
+
Influenza is a seasonal viral respiratory illness spread through droplets and close contact, with symptoms including fever, cough, fatigue and muscle aches. It circulates year‑round with increased transmission due to international travel, with peaks in Malta's cooler months. Travellers may encounter influenza viruses while in Malta, particularly in crowded indoor environments or during peak travel periods. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged six months and older to mitigate risk of illness and complications.
COVID-19
+
COVID‑19 is caused by the SARS‑CoV‑2 virus and is transmitted through respiratory droplets, aerosols, and close contact, especially in indoor or poorly ventilated environments. International travel can elevate exposure risk due to crowded environments in airports, tourist attractions and public transport. Symptoms range from mild respiratory illness to more severe disease affecting the lungs and other organs.
Travellers should be up to date with COVID‑19 vaccination according to Australian recommendations, including booster doses. This includes six‑monthly boosters for adults aged 75 and over and annual boosters for those aged 65 to 74, with additional doses for persons with underlying health conditions if indicated. Good hand hygiene, mask use in high‑risk settings, and avoiding travel when unwell are important preventive strategies.
Yellow fever
+
Malta does not have endemic yellow fever, and there is no risk of transmission within the country.
However, travellers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present may be required to show proof of vaccination upon entry, including layovers over 12 hours in endemic countries. If your itinerary includes transit or travel through a yellow fever–risk country, it is important to carry an International Certificate of Vaccination. Travellers should consult a travel health specialist well in advance to confirm whether yellow fever vaccination is necessary based on their travel route and to ensure documentation meets entry requirements.
Routine vaccinations
+
Routine immunisations remain foundational for traveller health. Even in countries with robust healthcare systems like Malta, vaccine‑preventable diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, and varicella continue to circulate globally. Confirm that your routine vaccinations are current and discuss with your health provider whether any boosters are recommended before departure.
Discuss with your doctor whether additional vaccinations such as hepatitis A or hepatitis B are recommended depending on your itinerary and individual risk factors.
Malta
Other health risks in Malta
Gastroenteritis
+
Gastroenteritis can occur in Malta even though the country maintains high standards of sanitation and food safety. This condition is commonly caused by viral agents transmitted in crowded community settings, or bacterial agents through contaminated food. Symptoms usually include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and general malaise, and they typically appear within one to three days of exposure.
Most cases are mild and resolve on their own within a few days with rest and adequate fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Oral rehydration solutions or electrolyte drinks are particularly helpful for maintaining hydration. Medical attention should be sought if symptoms are severe, persistent, or accompanied by signs of dehydration, high fever, or blood in the stool, as complications may require professional management. Preventative measures help reduce the likelihood of gastroenteritis transmission.
Lyme disease
+
Lyme disease is a tick‑borne infection transmitted by bites from infected ticks in grassy or wooded areas. While Malta’s small geographic size and urbanised landscape mean the risk is lower than in heavily forested regions of northern Europe, travellers spending time in rural or vegetated terrain should be aware that ticks can carry infectious agents.
Protective measures include using insect repellent, wearing long clothing during outdoor activities, and conducting regular tick checks after time in natural areas.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
+
Although Malta has low levels of violent crime, petty offences such as wallet snatching, bag theft and opportunistic crime can occur, particularly in busy tourist zones, crowded sites, and night‑time entertainment districts. Travellers should stay aware of their surroundings, secure valuables, and avoid isolated areas after dark. Travellers are advised to avoid large gatherings and heed local law enforcement guidance.
Check the Australian government's Smartraveller website for safety updates before and during travel.
Deep vein thrombosis
+
Long‑haul travel between Australia and Malta can increase the likelihood of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs as a result of prolonged immobility.
To mitigate DVT risk, travellers should regularly mobilise during flights, perform simple leg exercises while seated, and ensure adequate hydration throughout the journey. Those with existing risk factors may benefit from graduated compression stockings and should seek personalised advice from a healthcare provider prior to travel.