Updated October 2026
To travel to Angola you need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if you are 9 months or older; it is an entry requirement, and airlines and border health officers check it. Malaria, mostly the dangerous P. falciparum type, is present all year across the whole country, so plan antimalarial tablets with a travel clinic and protect yourself against mosquito bites. Add routine vaccines, hepatitis A and typhoid, and buy travel insurance that includes medical evacuation, because good hospital care is limited and usually paid for up front.
Yellow fever: the certificate you cannot skip
The World Health Organization lists Angola as a country where “proof of vaccination against yellow fever is required for all travellers aged 9 months or over,” and the WHO also recommends the vaccine for all eligible travelers because the disease is present in the country. The UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre (TravelHealthPro) reported confirmed yellow fever cases in five Angolan provinces in July 2025.
What you need to know
- Get vaccinated at least 10 days before you travel. The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (the “yellow card”) becomes valid 10 days after the vaccine.
- One dose lasts for life for certificate purposes. Under the International Health Regulations, a single dose gives lifelong validity. Some people, such as those vaccinated during pregnancy or with weakened immunity, may be advised to have a booster.
- Use an authorized center. Only designated yellow fever vaccination centers can issue a valid certificate. Your doctor or national health service can tell you where they are.
- Carry the original. Keep it with your passport, not in checked luggage. A photo on your phone may not be accepted.
- Medical exemptions. If a doctor says you cannot have the vaccine (for example due to age, pregnancy, certain allergies or immune conditions), ask for a signed exemption letter on official letterhead. Contact the Angolan embassy before you travel to confirm it will be accepted.
Warning: Do not buy a yellow fever certificate without getting the vaccine. Fake certificates are sold in some places, and they leave you unprotected in a country where the disease is present. They can also get you refused at the border.
Malaria: the biggest health risk for visitors
According to the WHO, malaria risk in Angola exists throughout the year in the entire country, including Luanda, and is predominantly caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the species most likely to cause severe illness. The WHO puts Angola in its highest prevention category, which means bite prevention plus preventive medication.
Antimalarial tablets
UK travel health guidance (TravelHealthPro) lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline and mefloquine as suitable options for Angola, and the CDC gives a similar list. Which one is right for you depends on your health, other medicines you take, pregnancy, length of stay and cost. A travel clinic or doctor should prescribe it; ideally see them four to six weeks before you leave. Follow the prescribed schedule exactly, including the days or weeks after you leave Angola, which is when many people stop too early.
Bite prevention
- Use an insect repellent with DEET, picaridin (icaridin) or another ingredient recommended by your health authority, and reapply as directed.
- Wear long sleeves and trousers from dusk, when the Anopheles mosquitoes that carry malaria bite most.
- Sleep under an insecticide-treated net unless your room is fully screened and air-conditioned.
- Ask if your accommodation sprays or treats rooms, especially in the rainy season, roughly October to April.
When to see a doctor
Any fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or above from one week after arriving in Angola, and for up to a year after leaving, should be treated as possible malaria until a test says otherwise. Go to a clinic the same day and ask for a malaria test. Symptoms can look like flu: fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, vomiting. Malaria can become life-threatening within a day or two, even if you took tablets. If you fall ill after returning home, tell the doctor you were in Angola.
Long-stay expats sometimes stop prophylaxis after the first months. Discuss this with a travel medicine specialist rather than deciding alone; immunity built in childhood elsewhere does not protect adults who have lived years outside a malaria area.
Other vaccines and health risks
Make sure routine vaccines (measles-mumps-rubella, tetanus-diphtheria, polio and seasonal flu) are up to date. Beyond that, UK guidance recommends the following:
| Vaccine | Who it is for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow fever | All travelers 9 months and older | Entry requirement and disease present |
| Hepatitis A | Most travelers | Spread through food and water |
| Typhoid | Most travelers | Spread through food and water |
| Tetanus | Most travelers | Keep boosters current |
| Hepatitis B | Some travelers: long stays, health workers, possible medical treatment | Spread through blood and body fluids |
| Rabies | Some travelers: stays over a month, rural work, contact with animals, far from care | Rabies immunoglobulin may not be available locally |
| Cholera | Some travelers: aid workers, outbreak areas with poor water and sanitation | Large outbreak in 2025 |
| Polio booster | Some travelers, such as those in close contact with local communities | Check current advice |
Recent outbreaks
- Cholera: Angola reported more than 36,000 cholera cases in 2025, according to TravelHealthPro. Drink bottled or treated water, avoid raw food that may have been washed in tap water, and wash your hands often.
- Mpox: As of late August 2026, 274 confirmed clade Ib mpox cases had been reported in Angola. Avoid close skin-to-skin and sexual contact with people who have a rash, and seek care if you develop one.
- Dengue and chikungunya: both are spread by daytime-biting mosquitoes, so the bite-prevention steps above matter during the day too.
Outbreak information changes quickly. Check the WHO, the CDC or TravelHealthPro shortly before you travel.
Travel insurance and medical care in Angola
Private clinics in Luanda, mostly in Talatona and the city center, can handle many routine problems, but serious trauma, cardiac care and complex surgery often mean evacuation to South Africa, Namibia or Europe. The U.S. State Department notes that most services, including hospitals, expect payment in advance and in cash. Read our guide to the kwanza, cash and cards before you go.
What your policy should cover
- Emergency medical treatment with a high limit, and a 24-hour assistance line that can guarantee payment to a clinic.
- Medical evacuation and repatriation. This is the most important part for Angola; check that it is included and the limit is high.
- Pre-existing conditions, declared in full, so a claim is not refused.
- Activities you plan, such as diving, driving or offshore work, which standard policies may exclude.
- Trip cancellation and lost baggage, if you want them.
If you are moving to Angola for work, a travel policy is not enough. You will need long-term international health insurance; see our guide to health insurance for expats in Angola. Your Angolan visa or employer may also have their own insurance requirements; check your visa conditions before you buy.
Pre-departure health checklist
- Book a travel clinic visit four to six weeks before departure.
- Get the yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before travel and pack the original certificate.
- Collect your antimalarial prescription and enough tablets for the whole trip plus the period after.
- Pack repellent, a mosquito net if needed, oral rehydration salts, a basic first-aid kit and your regular medicines in original packaging with a copy of the prescription.
- Buy travel insurance with medical evacuation and save the assistance number in your phone.
- Note the location of a reputable private clinic near where you will stay.
Frequently asked questions
Is the yellow fever vaccine mandatory for Angola?
Yes. Angola requires proof of yellow fever vaccination from all travelers aged 9 months or older. The certificate is valid from 10 days after vaccination and, for one dose, for life.
Is there malaria in Luanda?
Yes. The WHO says malaria risk exists all year throughout Angola, including the capital. Use bite prevention and take the antimalarials your doctor prescribes.
Which antimalarial is best for Angola?
Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline and mefloquine are all recommended options. The best one depends on your health and trip, so a doctor or travel clinic should choose and prescribe it.
Can I drink tap water in Angola?
It is safer not to. Drink bottled or properly treated water, especially given recent cholera outbreaks.
Do I need travel insurance for Angola?
It is strongly recommended. Choose a policy that includes medical evacuation, since serious cases are often transferred to South Africa or Europe and care must usually be paid for up front.
Sources: WHO: vaccination requirements and recommendations for international travellers, country list, WHO: yellow fever, WHO: malaria, CDC: Angola travelers’ health, TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC): Angola, U.S. State Department: Angola country information.
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