Yemen
Travel Destination – Yemen
Yemen features Red Sea and Arabian Sea coastlines, rugged mountains, desert landscapes and distinctive historic architecture. Sana'a's old city is characterised by multi-storey tower houses decorated with geometric white plasterwork, while Shibam in Hadramaut is known for its closely packed mud-brick high-rises. Socotra, an archipelago administered as part of Yemen, features limestone mountains, beaches and endemic plants including the umbrella-shaped dragon blood tree. Access to Yemen's historic sites and natural areas varies considerably.
Healthcare, transport and essential supplies may be difficult to access in Yemen, so careful pre-travel preparation is essential.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
A travel medicine consultation before any visit to Yemen, whether to Socotra Island or to mainland areas, is an essential first step and should be arranged at least six to eight weeks before departure. Yemen presents a range of serious and active infectious disease risks, including malaria outbreaks, cholera transmission risk, and multiple other vaccine-preventable diseases, all requiring careful assessment and preparation.
Healthcare infrastructure across mainland Yemen has been severely affected by years of conflict, with many facilities non-functional or lacking basic supplies, medicines, and personnel. Even for those visiting Socotra, pharmaceutical access on the island is limited and all medications must be sourced from Australia before departure. Medical evacuation is the likely outcome of any significant health event anywhere in the country. Comprehensive travel insurance that explicitly covers emergency medical evacuation is therefore essential.
Insect avoidance
Malaria-transmitting Anopheles mosquitoes are active across much of Yemen, primarily in the coastal lowlands and below 2,000 metres in elevation, feeding predominantly from dusk to dawn. Increased cases of malaria have been reported in Yemen, including in areas previously considered low risk, making current chemoprophylaxis recommendations particularly important to discuss with a travel doctor before any visit. Dengue and chikungunya are also present, spread by Aedes mosquitoes active during daylight hours. Insect protection is therefore required throughout the full day and evening.
Apply insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin to all exposed skin and reapply regularly. Long-sleeved clothing and trousers provide a physical barrier, particularly important around dusk. A permethrin-treated bed net must be used in any sleeping environment without reliable insect protection, which applies across most accommodation in both Socotra and mainland areas. Treating outer clothing with permethrin before departure provides further protection.
Sandflies capable of transmitting leishmaniasis are also present in Yemen, and fine-mesh or permethrin-treated nets offer better protection against these than standard nets.
Food and water hygiene
Yemeni cuisine includes flatbreads, slow-cooked lamb, spiced rice, honey and seafood. Implement appropriate food and water precautions to reduce the risk of gastroenteritis, cholera and hepatitis A, which spread through contaminated food or water.
Tap water is not safe to drink in Yemen. Bottled water from sealed containers should be used for all drinking and dental hygiene, and ice from uncertain sources avoided. Wash hands thoroughly with soap before eating and after using the toilet, and carry alcohol-based hand sanitiser for situations where running water is unavailable. Food that is freshly cooked and served hot carries the lowest risk. Anything raw, reheated, or sitting at ambient temperature for an uncertain period should be avoided. Fruit should be peeled immediately before eating.
Rabies prevention
Avoiding animal contact is an important part of preventing rabies during travel in Yemen. Do not approach, feed or handle stray dogs, bats or other mammals, including wildlife encountered in Socotra or rural areas. If a bat is found in a room where you have been sleeping, seek medical advice promptly, as bites can be very small and may go unnoticed.
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms develop. The virus is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite or scratch. Access to rabies post-exposure treatment may be limited in Yemen, so travellers should discuss pre-travel rabies vaccination with a doctor before departure, particularly when travelling to remote areas or undertaking activities involving animals.
Following any bite, scratch or contact between animal saliva and broken skin, immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and running water and seek prompt medical assessment. This is required even if you have previously received rabies vaccination.
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 Yemen?
Hepatitis A
+
Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that is usually spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the virus. Hepatitis A can cause tiredness, nausea, abdominal discomfort and jaundice, and illness may be more severe in older adults.
Vaccination for hepatitis A is recommended for travellers to Yemen who are not already vaccinated, as exposure can occur wherever food and water sanitation is inadequate, including on Socotra. Two doses provide long-lasting protection, so travellers should check their vaccination history and complete the course before departure where needed.
Typhoid
+
Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria in contaminated food or water, producing sustained fever, headache, fatigue, and abdominal pain that can progress to serious complications without treatment.
Vaccination is recommended for most travellers to Yemen, and is particularly relevant in a country where water treatment and food safety infrastructure is severely compromised. Food and water hygiene remains an important complement to vaccination throughout the stay.
Rabies
+
Avoiding animal contact is an important part of preventing rabies during travel in Yemen. Do not approach, feed or handle stray dogs, bats or other mammals, including wildlife encountered in Socotra or rural areas. If a bat is found in a room where you have been sleeping, seek medical advice promptly, as bites can be very small and may go unnoticed.
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms develop. The virus is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite or scratch. Access to rabies post-exposure treatment may be limited in Yemen, so travellers should discuss pre-travel rabies vaccination with a doctor before departure, particularly when travelling to remote areas or undertaking activities involving animals.
Following any bite, scratch or contact between animal saliva and broken skin, immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and running water and seek prompt medical assessment. This is required even if you have previously received rabies vaccination.
Mpox
+
Mpox (formerly monkeypox) is a viral infection spread mainly through close physical contact, including contact with an infected person's rash, skin lesions, body fluids or contaminated materials. Mpox can cause fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes and a characteristic rash or blisters, which may be painful and can occur on the face, mouth or genital area. Most people recover within a few weeks, although more serious illness can occur in some people.
For travellers to Yemen, the risk is generally associated with close contact with someone who has mpox or with infected animals, rather than casual contact. Avoid contact with people who have an unexplained rash or illness and do not handle sick or dead animals. Travellers who develop a new rash, fever or swollen lymph nodes during or after travel should seek medical advice and mention their travel history.
Cholera
+
Cholera outbreaks continue to occur in Yemen, affecting many people across the country. Cholera is caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria in contaminated food or water, producing sudden, profuse, watery diarrhoea that can cause severe and rapidly progressive dehydration, becoming life-threatening within hours without prompt treatment.
Oral cholera vaccine may be recommended for travellers to Yemen, particularly for humanitarian workers, healthcare personnel, and those operating in areas with limited sanitation. A travel doctor can advise on suitability. Careful and consistent food and water hygiene throughout the stay is an essential protective measure regardless of vaccination status.
Routine vaccinations
+
Before travelling to Yemen, ensure routine vaccinations are up to date to reduce the risk of common vaccine-preventable infections during travel. This includes measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, with a tetanus booster worth considering if more than 10 years have passed since the previous dose, particularly for travellers working in field or community settings where injuries may occur and medical care may be limited. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone aged six months and over, while COVID-19 vaccination should be in line with current Australian recommendations.
Yemen
Other health risks in Yemen
Malaria
+
Malaria is a potentially life-threatening infection spread by infected mosquitoes, with risk present year-round in Yemen below 2,000 metres, particularly from September to February. Most infections are caused by Plasmodium falciparum, and increasing transmission has been reported in areas previously considered lower risk. The parasite is spread by mosquitoes that bite mainly from dusk until dawn and can cause fever, chills, severe headache, nausea and muscle aches, with illness potentially becoming severe quickly. Chloroquine is not reliable for malaria prevention or treatment in Yemen because resistance is widespread.
Travellers visiting malaria-risk areas should discuss antimalarial medication with a travel doctor before departure. Obtain the full prescription in Australia and take it exactly as directed, including for the recommended period after leaving Yemen, as some medications need to be started before travel. Seek urgent medical attention for any fever during the trip or within one year of returning, and clearly tell the treating doctor that you have travelled to a malaria-risk area.
Gastroenteritis
+
Gastroenteritis is a common risk for travellers to Yemen, with bacteria, viruses and parasites spread through contaminated food and water. Poor or disrupted sanitation and water treatment can increase exposure, and symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal cramps and vomiting usually develop within one to three days of infection.
Most uncomplicated cases of gastroenteritis improve within several days, with oral rehydration solutions the mainstay of treatment to replace lost fluids and salts. Seek medical care if diarrhoea is severe or persistent, contains blood, or occurs with fever, as these may indicate a more serious infection.
Dengue
+
Dengue is present throughout Yemen and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes active primarily during daylight hours, causing sudden fever, severe headache, and significant muscle and joint pain. Some cases progress to more serious illness.
No specific antiviral treatment is available for dengue. Consistent daytime insect protection is the mainstay of prevention for most travellers.
Leishmaniasis
+
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection spread by infected sandfly bites, particularly in rural and semi-arid areas of Yemen. It can cause persistent skin ulcers or, in its more serious form, affect internal organs and become life-threatening. There is no vaccine or preventive medicine, so avoiding sandfly bites is the main protection. Any slow-healing skin sore after travel should be checked by a doctor, with your travel history mentioned.
Tuberculosis
+
Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne bacterial infection that most often affects the lungs. It spreads when a person with active TB releases bacteria into the air through coughing, speaking or singing, particularly during prolonged or close contact. Symptoms can include a cough lasting several weeks, fever, night sweats, tiredness and unexplained weight loss.
Exposure risk varies with the type of travel. Short-term visitors generally have a lower risk, particularly with limited close contact with local communities, while people working in healthcare, humanitarian settings or spending extended periods in crowded communities have greater exposure. Travellers in these higher-risk groups should discuss TB screening before and after travel with a doctor. Any persistent unexplained cough after returning from Yemen should be medically assessed, with travel history provided.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
+
Security conditions vary across Yemen. The mainland has experienced prolonged conflict, with risks including unexploded ordnance and landmines in some areas. Socotra has different local conditions, but remains risky. Travellers who must visit should review current advice from the Australian Givernment's Smartraveller, website, maintain appropriate insurance and contingency arrangements, and use reputable local operators familiar with the area.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
+
Road travel on mainland Yemen carries risks from conflict, checkpoints, landmines, poor roads and limited emergency services, while Socotra has mainly unpaved roads requiring experienced 4WD drivers. Sea conditions around Socotra can also be challenging, so use experienced, licensed operators for road and boat travel.
Deep vein thrombosis
+
Reaching Yemen from Australia involves long-haul flights through at least one connecting hub, typically in the Gulf region, with total journey times commonly exceeding fifteen hours. Sitting immobile for these extended periods can slow blood flow in the deep veins of the legs and raise the risk of clot formation, which can present as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Moving regularly during flights, performing seated leg exercises including ankle rotations and calf raises, and drinking water consistently throughout the journey reduce this risk. Travellers with predisposing factors including prior blood clots, recent surgery, pregnancy, hormonal contraceptive use, or significant overweight should discuss whether compression stockings are appropriate with a travel doctor before departure.