Asia · Southeast Asia
🇻🇳 Vietnam travel guide
Limestone bays, lantern towns & street coffee.
- Currency
- ₫ VND
- Time
- UTC +7
- Emergency
- 113 · 115
Best places in Vietnam
- Ha Long / Lan Ha Bay. Overnight cruise between thousands of karst islands.
- Hoi An old town. Lanterns, tailors and riverside cafés.
- Hanoi Old Quarter. Street food, train street and Hoan Kiem Lake.
- Mekong Delta. Floating markets and fruit orchards.
Hidden places
- Ha Giang loop. Mountain passes and minority villages.
- Pu Luong. Rice terraces and bamboo stilt houses.
- Quy Nhon. Quiet beaches and Cham towers.
- Ba Be Lake. Kayak through limestone caves.
When to go
- Best time. North: Oct–Apr; Centre: Feb–Aug; South: Dec–Apr.
- Avoid. Central typhoon season (Sept–Nov); Tết week travel crowds.
- Festivals. Tết Lunar New Year (Jan/Feb), Hoi An full-moon lantern nights.
What you need
- Documents. Passport, official e-visa printout.
- Pack. Rain jacket, layers for the north, comfortable walking shoes.
- Apps. Grab, Xanh SM, Vexere (buses), Google Maps offline.
- Health. Ask about hepatitis A and typhoid; use mosquito repellent.
The soul of Vietnam
- Start somewhere unforgettable. Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Ha Long or Lan Ha Bay, lantern-lit Hoi An and the Mekong Delta.
- Choose your season. North is cool in winter; the centre has heavy rain roughly October–December; the south is warm year-round.
- Before you leave. The country is long: fly between regions and travel slowly within each.
Visual money
- Currency · VND ₫. Notes look similar: check 10,000 vs 100,000 and 20,000 vs 500,000 carefully.
- A daily budget. Illustrative, per person: budget ₫700,000–1,200,000; comfortable ₫1,800,000–4,000,000.
- Paying locally. Cash dominates markets and street food. Cards and QR payments work in cities and hotels.
Arrival playbook
- Documents first. Many visitors need an e-visa. Apply only on the official evisa.gov.vn portal.
- Your first ride. Use Grab or Xanh SM, or reputable taxi companies at the official rank.
- Get connected. Buy a SIM at the airport with your passport; data is inexpensive.
Street codes
- Crossing the street. Walk slowly and steadily; motorbikes will flow around you. Don’t run or stop suddenly.
- Temples & homes. Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes where indicated.
- Face & calm. Raising your voice causes embarrassment. Stay calm in disputes.
Beyond the postcard
- Ha Giang loop. Dramatic mountain roads in the far north — ride with an experienced local driver.
- Phong Nha. Vast cave systems and jungle rivers in central Vietnam.
- Con Dao. Quiet islands with clear water, turtles and an important history.
Food dossier
- A few first plates. Phở and bún chả in Hanoi, cao lầu in Hoi An, bánh mì everywhere.
- Coffee culture. Try egg coffee in Hanoi and cà phê sữa đá (iced milk coffee).
- Eat with care. Choose busy places, avoid tap water and uncertain ice, and mention allergies to fish sauce or peanuts.
Scam shield
- Fake taxis. Copycat taxi brands exist. Use apps or check the company name and meter.
- Shoe-shine & fruit photos. Friendly offers may end with a demand for payment. A polite “no, thank you” is enough.
- Agreed prices. Confirm price and currency before cyclo or boat rides.
Language cheat sheet
- Hello · Xin chào. Thank you · Cảm ơn. Sorry / excuse me · Xin lỗi.
- How much? · Bao nhiêu?. Water · Nước. Help · Cứu tôi. Not spicy · Không cay.
- Tones matter. Show written words on your phone when pronunciation doesn’t land.
Survival essentials
- Emergency · 113 / 115. Police 113, fire 114, ambulance 115. Save your embassy’s number.
- Riding safely. Wear a helmet. Riding without a valid licence can void travel insurance.
- Power & time. 220V; sockets commonly accept types A and C. Time zone UTC+7.
Your Vietnam chapter
- A gentle first journey. Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Hoi An → Ho Chi Minh City suits about two weeks.
- A different pace. Base yourself in Hoi An and cycle to rice fields, beaches and craft villages.
- Before confirming. This is a starter guide, not live advice. Verify visas, prices, opening times and safety conditions with official sources.