Travel destination
Rainforest, volcanoes and two coastlines. One of the shorter lists in Central America for most travellers.
Costa Rica is moderate risk for most travellers. Hepatitis A and typhoid come up for many, dengue is present, and malaria is very limited. Yellow fever is not a risk itself, but Costa Rica requires a certificate from travellers arriving from a risk country. We tailor advice to your itinerary.
Costa Rica's rainforest, coast and volcanoes are a classic eco-trip, and travel health is mostly food-and-water illness and mosquitoes, with very limited malaria.
Your pharmacist tailors advice to your route at South London Clinic.
Vaccines
A starting point, not a prescription. What you actually need depends on where exactly you're going, what you'll be doing, how long for and what you've already had — a pharmacist confirms all of it at your appointment.
What to check before you fly
No vaccination certificate is routinely required for UK travellers going directly to Costa Rica. Entry requirements change — we confirm the current rules for your exact itinerary at your appointment.
Bites, risk and tablets
Malaria risk changes by region, altitude and season, and depends on exactly where you are going and when. We check the current TravelHealthPro country advice against your itinerary at your appointment, and talk you through bite avoidance and, where it is needed, antimalarial tablets.
Give yourself enough time
Ideally see us six to eight weeks before you travel, as some vaccines are given as a course over several weeks. A rabies course runs over about three to four weeks, so start that one early. Travelling sooner than that? Book anyway — there is usually still something worth doing.
From San Jose to the Pacific and Caribbean coasts and the cloud forests, Costa Rica is an outdoors-heavy trip. What you need leans on your route and activities, at your South London Clinic consultation.
Hepatitis A and typhoid come up for many travellers because both spread through food and water; the NHS lists them among common recommendations. Hepatitis B and rabies come in for longer or adventurous trips, plus a routine tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR check.
Dengue is common and rises in the rainy season, spread by daytime-biting mosquitoes, so bite avoidance matters; Zika has circulated, so raise pregnancy plans early. Malaria risk is very limited and focused on a few rural areas; the TravelHealthPro Costa Rica advice sets out the position, which we check.
There is no yellow fever risk in Costa Rica itself, but the country requires a certificate from travellers arriving from a risk country, including much of South America and sub-Saharan Africa, so onward or multi-stop trips need checking. Where needed, we direct you to a designated centre.
Four to six weeks is usually enough, more if a course is involved.
Q: Do I need malaria tablets for Costa Rica?
A: Usually not; risk is very limited. We check your route.
Q: Do I need a yellow fever certificate?
A: Only if arriving from a risk country, which Costa Rica checks. We confirm your itinerary.
Q: Which vaccines for Costa Rica?
A: Hepatitis A and typhoid for many, plus hepatitis B and rabies for longer trips.
Who you'll see
Superintendent Pharmacist & Independent Prescriber
Rafay has been a pharmacist for more than 12 years and runs the travel clinic at Hills Pharmacy. He'll go through where you're going, what you'll be doing and what you've already had, then explain in plain language what's worth having for your trip and what isn't.
GPhC registration 2240995
Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane, Kennington, South London SE11 4HQ — GPhC premises 1093041 (Marlborough UK Limited)
Check on the GPhC registerUsually not. Risk is very limited and focused on a few rural areas. Your pharmacist at South London Clinic checks the current advice against your route.
Costa Rica requires a certificate from travellers arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country, including much of South America and sub-Saharan Africa. We confirm your itinerary and point you to a designated centre if needed.
Hepatitis A and typhoid for many travellers, plus hepatitis B and rabies for longer or adventurous trips, and a routine vaccine check.
Yes, particularly in the rainy season, so daytime bite avoidance matters. There is no preventive tablet.
Book a travel appointment and a pharmacist will go through your itinerary with you — where you're going, what you'll be doing and what you've already had — then tell you what's worth having and what isn't.
Vaccines and antimalarial tablets are prescription only medicines. Suitability is assessed at your consultation — nothing is sold or supplied without it.
Book an appointment
Appointments are with a pharmacist at Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane — free parking nearby.
What to bring: a list of any medicines you take, and any records that are relevant to what you're coming in for.
Book an appointmentSouth London Clinic at Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane, Kennington, South London, Lambeth, SE11 4HQ · Free parking nearby
Bookings for this clinic are taken by phone and email. Give us a call during opening hours and we'll go through the times that are free.
Opening hours
Appointments are subject to availability. If you are travelling, call as early as you can — some travel vaccines need a course started in advance.
Where to find us
The clinic is inside Hills Pharmacy on High Street. Come in through the shop and tell the counter you're here for an appointment.
Address
South London Travel Clinic at Hills Pharmacy99 Kennington LaneOpening hours
Clinic appointments run within these hours. Bank holiday hours can differ — please call before travelling in.
South London Travel Clinic at Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane, Kennington, Lambeth, SE11 4HQ