THE COMPLETE VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE FOR YOU

Looking to explore Vietnam but not sure where to start? This Vietnam travel guide will help you plan the perfect trip, whether you’re interested in history, culture, food, or natural beauty. Vietnam is a country with something for everyone, and this guide will help you make the most of your time there. 

Overview of Vietnam

• Capital: Hanoi (since 1010)
• Other main cities: Hue, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City
• Currency: dong. The Vietnamese use paper money ranging from VND 1,000 dong to 500,000. However, remember to keep small changes on you, because finding someone to break up a 500,000 bill might be difficult. Some places do take cards, and locals use bank transfers or send money via digital wallets such as Momo (available for residents only).
• Language: The official language is Vietnamese. Many people take English, French, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean as a second language. You will be able to get around with English (and occasionally Google Translate).
• Entry/Visa: You can apply for an E-visa online, at your local embassy or consulate, or get a visa on arrival. FTrip has a handy guide on how to get your visa.
• Safety: The rule of thumb is not to drive after dark, and get home before 10. Of course, on holiday, you can keep yourself safe and still have fun by staying in public, well-lit places, and keeping a close eye on your valuables.
• Transportation: You can get around the cities and the country in general by taxi, ridesharing apps, rented motorbikes and cars, buses, BRT (in Hanoi), and trains. 

How to get to Vietnam

• By air: The three main international airports in Vietnam are Noi Bai International Airport (serving Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat International Airport (serving Ho Chi Minh City), and Da Nang International Airport (serving Da Nang). Additionally, Phu Quoc International Airport serves arrivals from some cities such as Seoul or Delhi.
• By train: Not available at the moment. There used to be direct two-way routes from China to Hanoi. 
• Bus: You can take buses from Vientiane and Luang Prabang to Hanoi. Travelers out of Cambodia can take buses from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City, the nearest major city.

Traveling around Vietnam

Traveling by Air

The Vietnamese national flagship carrier is Vietnam Airlines. Other options are Jetstar Airlines, VietJetAir, and Bamboo Airways. In addition to the major airports named above, Vietnam also has airports in Can Tho, Cam Ranh, Cat Bi, Phu Bai, Van Don, and Vinh.

Traveling by taxi or moto taxi 

Booking a ride in Vietnam has never been easier. In addition to the traditional methods of waving down a passing cab or calling a phone number, you can book a car or motorbike ride through smartphone apps such as Grab, Bee, or GoJek. (Caveat: You might have to wait longer during rush hour and in the rain.)

Traveling by Bus 

Within the cities, tickets are paid for in BRT stations and on the normal buses themselves. As it’s only VND 7,000 for a single ride, you must pay in cash. For long-haul buses, you can ask travel agents or book with reputable websites such as 12go.  

Traveling by Motorbike 

Travel agencies often offer motorbikes for rent. Navigating the traffic in Vietnam can be a terrifying affair requiring nerves of steel, with local drivers being quite cavalier about safety, but you can never be too careful. Keep your helmet on at all times and avoid the temptation of speeding.

Traveling by Train (online booking available, sleeping train)

The official website of Vietnam Railways is available in Vietnamese and English. You can book tickets there directly and pay online or upon ticket pickup, instead of through a third party.

Top 5 Vietnam travel experiences

Saigon Food Tour on a Vespa

As night falls, experienced drivers hop on their Vespas and take culinary adventurers to see a different side of Ho Chi Minh City. Depending on the Saigon food tour, in addition to sampling local delicacies such as Banh Xeo (Vietnamese pancakes), cha Gio (fried spring rolls), and other “Best of” authentic Vietnamese street foods, you may be able to go on the town at cafes with live music, as well as visit markets and local vendors to learn more about the culture and cash economy.

Ha Giang loop tour

This circular route, close to the border with China, is often traversed by semi-automatic motorcycles over the course of three to five days. The winding, narrow, and precarious roads will take you past jaw-dropping canyons and awe-inspiring mountain passes beneath an endless blue sky. In the right season, you can see massive fields of rice or buckwheat flowers in bloom in Ha Giang loop tour.

Read More: Ha Giang Loop Tour By Motorbike – A Complete Travel Guide

Cruise the Mekong Delta

The Mekong River runs through multiple countries, and it is here in Vietnam that it exits into the East Sea through nine mouths, earning the name Cuu Long (Nine Dragons) River. Many cruise lines offer the opportunity to ford the waters of this mighty river in luxury, comfort, and safety. Just as royals once sailed this river, you will see the diverse animal life, lush greenery, and schools of fish that sustain the locals.

Explore Phong Nha Cave

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was recognized by UNESCO in 2003 as a World Heritage Site. To enter one of the caves in this system is to enter another world, liminal and dream-like, as dim lighting gives way to darkness and solitude. Some caves even have a thriving ecosystem, with plants (similar to what grows outside the caves) growing wherever there is light from a collapse and water from an underground river.

Hanoi tour: Discover the Old Quarter and street food

Before Hanoi was “the city within the river”, or Thang Long, “the city of the Ascending Dragon”, it was Ke Cho, “market-folk/place of the market”. The city sprang up around the “36 streets of Hanoi”, (mostly) organized by the things they sold: Hang Bac housed jewelers and silversmiths, Hang Non had conical leaf hats for sale, and more. Today, the streets lined with classic Vietnamese two-story tiled buildings are an excellent place to roam the past and taste the best of what Hanoi has to offer in streetside stalls. The Old Quarter is also home to Sword Lake and the Jade Mountain Temple, a jewel in the heart of the city, and tied to the legend of a famed sword returned to a god.

Best places to visit in Vietnam

Vietnam – is an S-shaped country with numerous destinations worth visiting. Here are the top 10 best places to visit in Vietnam:

Hanoi

The “capital of a thousand years of culture” stands at the intersection of past and present, as the ancient mossy buildings of the Old Quarter coexist with modern glassy skyscrapers. In addition to nature’s gifts such as the vast, mirrorlike West Lake, the city also possesses manmade marvels like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, which houses the former President’s body and preserves the place where he actually lived and worked. You can read Our Hanoi travel guide to know more about Hanoi.

Ho Chi Minh City

The youngest of Vietnam’s major cities, Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon, its former name) is a vibrant metropolis. It was once nicknamed “Paris of the Orient”, and the French colonial influence can still be felt strongly in the architecture of the city. A half-day trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the guerilla fighters lived underground and fought against the Americans, is a must for any student of history. 

Ha Long Bay 

With stunning limestone karst wreathed in green dotting the blue waters, Ha Long Bay is one of the best places to visit and one of beautiful beaches in Vietnam. Many tour companies offer daytime, dinner, and overnight cruises on the bay, serving luxury drinks and gourmet dinners that may be made from fresh-caught seafood.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park

Nestled in the midst of the Truong Son Range, Quang Binh Province, this national park has an abundance of massive, spectacular caves that have captured the interest of scientists and tourists alike. The karst caves come in a variety of types: terraced, dry, suspended, intersecting, and dendritic. Among these, Son Doong Cave is believed to contain the largest cave passage in the world. 

Hoi An

The town’s status as a thriving river port for centuries has made it a charming intersection of influences from around the world: Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, French, and Japanese. For a taste of its unique melting-pot qualities, take a stroll along its streets and savor the architecture, and book a cooking class to learn how to make any of its special dishes such as Cao Lau or Mi Quang. 

Da Nang 

My Son Holy Land is a cluster of ruined temples, legacies of the Cham people who once lived here. The Marble Mountains cluster (Ngu Hanh Son, “Five Elements Mountains”) provides stunning views of the region, enables stone craftsmanship to thrive, and houses several Buddhist sanctuaries. The province also boasts a coastline with crystal-clear blue waters, sparkling white sand, and warm sunshine for most of the year.

Hue 

This dreamy, elegant city was the capital of the last Vietnamese feudal dynasty, the Nguyen. Hue is renowned for its poetic beauty, its well-preserved Imperial Citadel, and the elevation of cuisine into a nearly ritualized art form.

Nha Trang

Similar to Da Nang, this province’s biggest attractions are its beaches. Here, you can go diving and snorkeling to see the coral reefs, and visit the Po Nagar Tower, another Cham spiritual point of interest.

Sapa

If you have the opportunity to visit in harvest season (September), you will get to witness the stair-like terraced fields of Sapa draping a golden cape over the mountains. In the dry season, trekking through tribal villages to “hunt for clouds” and see how the people live in harmony with nature is an eye-opening and enriching, if exhausting, experience.

Mekong Delta 

The silt-enriched soil has turned the Mekong Delta into “the granary of Vietnam”. Its fresh produce can be bought from floating markets as you cruise down the magnificent river; Ben Tre Province in particular is home to the coconut processing industry, creating products ranging from sweet candies and crepes to household goods. An Giang Province is home to villages that are prime examples of the simple, rustic life in the Delta.

Con Dao Island

Once a wretched place comparable to Alcatraz, where revolutionaries and patriots were sent for backbreaking labor, torture, and execution, modern-day Con Dao is a thriving tourist destination. Tourists can still visit its prison, but also enjoy its magnificent natural beauty, and may even have the chance to assist park rangers in making sure endangered sea turtles give birth, their eggs hatch, and the babies return to the sea safely.

Phu Quoc Island

In addition to swimming and snorkeling for corals, when the winds pick up on the island between October and April you can go kitesurfing. The islanders here also make a world-renowned fish sauce – you can tour their facilities and bring bottles home as gifts for experimental or homesick cooks.

Best time to travel in Vietnam

The best time to visit Vietnam depends on where you want to travel. Here are the best times for each region of Vietnam

• North Vietnam (Sapa, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay): October to April
• Central Vietnam (Hue, Hoi An): Any time outside of this rainy season (September to November)
• South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta): Except for May and June because of frequent flooding and high tides

Travel tips for Vietnam

• Get a local SIM card with 4G (cellular Internet). Wifi is not available everywhere, and you wouldn’t want to be running around looking for a cafe (that most likely will make you buy a drink or snack) just to book a Grab. We recommend getting a Viettel for a stable Internet connection.
• Book your tours, trips, and experiences through a reputable website or agency.
• Tap water is not safe to drink. Your best bet is to buy bottled water, and/or bring reusable bottles that you can refill at public taps in some cities such as Hanoi.
• Bring a travel adapter. Vietnam uses 220V electricity at a 50 Hz frequency. Typical plug types are A (2 vertical pins), C (2 round pins), and F (Schuko plug). Avoid frying your devices or letting them run out of battery with nowhere to charge.
• Keep your IDs and valuables in fanny packs or special travel bags close to your body at all times. When possible, hand them over to hotel concierges or put them in your hotel safe.

This Vietnam travel guide is to provide useful information for your travel. There is so much to see and do in Vietnam, from lively cities to stunning beaches. Whether you’re interested in history or culture, in food or adventure, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful country. Vietnam is a place that will stay with you long after you’ve left, and it’s sure to leave you wanting more.

Source: Ttravel