Indian Ocean island hopping: vaccines, visas & the UK traveller's prep guide
The classic British honeymoon route, and increasingly a multi-stop holiday in its own right. Sri Lanka for the cultural triangle, tea plantations and surf; the Maldives for an over-water bungalow; the Seychelles or Mauritius for the granite-and-turquoise finale. Direct flights from London to Colombo, Malé, Mahé and Port Louis make a 2-3 island combination genuinely viable for two-week trips.
The paperwork is lighter than you'd expect. British passport-holders get visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to all four (Sri Lanka requires an ETA online, the others issue visas-on-arrival or are outright visa-free). The vaccine profile is moderate - mostly the standard travel set, plus a careful look at dengue and Japanese encephalitis if you're spending time in rural Sri Lanka. The Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius have very low infectious-disease risk; Sri Lanka has the most to plan for.
Country data is automatically refreshed from gov.uk Foreign Travel Advice, NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro and the UK government's IDP convention list. Editorial sections (intro, when to go, current health watch) are written and reviewed by Trek Ready. Not medical advice - always confirm with a travel-health professional before you travel. Read our full methodology →
At a glance
| Country | Visa | IDP | Currency | Plug |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Required (Other) | 1949 | LKR |  D· G· M |
| Maldives | Required (Visa on arrival) | — | MVR | D·G· J· K· L |
| Seychelles | Not required | 1968 | SCR | G |
| Mauritius | Not required | — | MUR |  C· E·G |
Tell us when you fly and we'll turn every lead time below into a real deadline - so you know exactly when each vaccine, visa and IDP needs to be booked.
Vaccines for the trip
A combined list of every vaccine NaTHNaC suggests for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius - deduped, with the strongest recommendation across the route. Lead time is the longest course duration so a single appointment covers the whole trip.
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Tetanus / Diphtheria RecommendedRecommended for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
Most UK adults are covered if their last booster was within the past 10 years - check your GP record before booking.
Booster recommended if last dose was more than 10 years ago.
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Chikungunya ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
For ages 12+. Consider for outbreak regions, long-term or frequent travellers.
14 days lead time -
Cholera ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka
Free on the NHS for travellers to high-risk areas. Most UK adults have not had it - it's a 2-dose oral course given 1-6 weeks apart.
For humanitarian workers, outbreak areas with limited water access, or high-risk occupations.
7 days lead time -
Dengue ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
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Hepatitis A ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
Free on the NHS for most travellers to higher-risk countries. A single dose protects for up to a year; a booster after 6-12 months extends protection to 25+ years.
Recommended for those staying with locals, long-stay visitors, adventure/rural travellers, or those with underlying liver conditions.
14 days lead time -
Hepatitis B ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
Hepatitis B has only been part of the routine UK infant schedule since 2017 - most UK adults have NOT had it. A 3-dose course is needed (or 2 doses for the accelerated schedule).
Recommended for those with sexual/needle exposure risk, healthcare workers, and long-stay travellers.
21 days lead time -
Japanese Encephalitis ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka
Recommended for 1+ month stays during transmission season, frequent travellers, or uncertain itineraries.
28 days lead time -
Rabies (Pre-exposure) ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
Pre-exposure for occupational risk, limited medical access, high-risk activities, or long stays (>1 month).
28 days lead time -
Tuberculosis (BCG) ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka
Most UK adults born before 2005 received BCG through the schools programme. After 2005, BCG was only given to at-risk infants.
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Typhoid ConsiderConsider for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius
Free on the NHS for travellers to higher-risk countries. A single injection protects for around 3 years.
For those in poor sanitation areas or laboratory personnel.
14 days lead time
Source: NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro. Also worth consulting NHS Fit for Travel and the US CDC Traveller's Health.
Suggested prep timeline
When to start each vaccine course, counted back from your departure date. Multi-dose courses (rabies pre-exposure, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis) have fixed dosing intervals you can't shortcut - book your first appointment early.
- Japanese Encephalitis · 28 days
- Rabies (Pre-exposure) · 28 days
- Chikungunya · 14 days
- Hepatitis A · 14 days
- Hepatitis B · 21 days
- Typhoid · 14 days
- Tetanus / Diphtheria
- Cholera · 7 days
Current health watch
Dengue: Year-round risk in Sri Lanka with sharp seasonal peaks in June-July and October-December (after the monsoons). Cases also occur in the Maldives. Cover up at dawn and dusk, use a 50% DEET repellent. There is no UK-licensed dengue vaccine for travellers without prior infection.
Japanese encephalitis: Risk is present in rural Sri Lanka, particularly in the dry zone (north-central and eastern provinces), and higher during and just after the monsoon. The vaccine is worth discussing with a travel-health nurse if you're spending more than a couple of weeks in rural Sri Lanka, the wildlife parks (Yala, Wilpattu) or the cultural triangle. The course needs at least 28 days.
When to go
The Indian Ocean has two monsoon seasons that affect different islands at different times - getting them right is the single biggest decision on this trip. Sri Lanka has two monsoons: the southwest (May-September) hits the south and west coasts (Galle, Mirissa, Bentota); the northeast (October-January) hits Trincomalee and the east coast. December-March is the practical sweet spot for the south and west. The Maldives dry season is November-April (peak December-February); May-October is wetter but cheaper. The Seychelles are pleasant year-round - the trade-wind seasons (May-September southeast, December-March northwest) shift which beaches are calmer. Mauritius is best November-April; May-October is the cool/dry winter, occasionally chilly enough that you'll want long sleeves in the evenings.
Visas & passports
Sri Lanka
Full guide →Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond arrival.
British passport holders need a visa - apply for an Other before travel.
Maldives
Full guide →Passport must be valid for at least 1 months beyond arrival.
British passport holders need a visa - apply for an Visa on arrival before travel.
Seychelles
Full guide →No visa needed for short tourist stays.
Mauritius
Full guide →No visa needed for short tourist stays.
Source: UK Foreign Travel Advice. Apply for any pre-arrival visas in plenty of time - eVisa processing takes 3-5 working days for most countries.
Driving & International Driving Permits
This route crosses multiple IDP conventions. A 1968 Vienna Convention IDP is accepted in 1949 countries, so if you need both, the 1968 covers you. UK IDPs cost £5.50 from PayPoint.
- Sri Lanka1949 Geneva Convention
- MaldivesNo IDP listed
- Seychelles1968 Vienna Convention
- MauritiusNo IDP listed
What to see along the way
Sri Lanka
Sigiriya rock fortress, Kandy's Temple of the Tooth, the Ella-Kandy train through tea country, Yala National Park for leopards, Mirissa for whale watching
Maldives
Over-water bungalows on private-island resorts, manta-ray encounters at Hanifaru Bay, surfing on the central atolls, Malé's old fish market
Seychelles
Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue (the postcard beach), Vallée de Mai's coco-de-mer palms on Praslin, Mahé's hiking trails, snorkelling at Curieuse Island
Mauritius
Le Morne and the underwater waterfall illusion, Black River Gorges National Park, Chamarel's coloured earths, Île aux Cerfs, Port Louis market
Indian Ocean island hopping: frequently asked questions
Do I need different vaccines for each country on this route?
Mostly no. Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius share a similar vaccine profile under UK NaTHNaC guidance, so a single travel-clinic appointment can cover the whole trip. commonly recommended jabs include Tetanus / Diphtheria. The combined list above shows exactly which countries each vaccine is needed for.
How far in advance should I start preparing?
Aim to book your travel-clinic appointment at least 8 weeks before you fly. For this route specifically, the longest lead times come from Japanese Encephalitis (28 days), Rabies (Pre-exposure) (28 days) and Hepatitis B (21 days), so plan to start those courses around 12 weeks out. Visa applications and an International Driving Permit are quicker - allow 1-2 weeks for an eVisa and same-day for an IDP from PayPoint. The prep timeline above shows what to do when.
Can I do this trip on one visa?
No - each country issues its own visa or pre-arrival authorisation. Sri Lanka: Other; Maldives: Visa on arrival; Seychelles: no visa needed; Mauritius: no visa needed.
Do I need an International Driving Permit for this trip?
Only if you plan to drive yourself - hire cars and motorbikes alike. UK photocard licences are not legally sufficient on their own in any of these countries. This route crosses both 1968 Vienna and 1949 Geneva Convention countries. A 1968 Vienna Convention IDP from PayPoint (£5.50, same-day) is accepted in 1949 countries too, so a single permit covers everywhere. Note: most travel insurance won't cover a road accident if you don't hold the right licence and IDP for the country you're in.
Where can I get UK travel vaccines for this trip?
NHS GPs provide some travel jabs for free under the NHS schedule (typically: tetanus/diphtheria/polio booster, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera). For this route, paid jabs you may need include Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies (Pre-exposure) - charged privately even at NHS clinics, or available at private travel clinics like Boots, Superdrug, MASTA and local pharmacies. Boots and Superdrug publish their travel-vaccine prices online and can usually book you in within 1-2 weeks. Always cross-check the UK NaTHNaC list above against your destinations.
See our other guides
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