Top Tips for Your Next Vietnam itinerary
– Top Tips for Your Next Vietnam Itinerary –
If you are reading this post, you probably have no idea how to organize your Vietnam itinerary and that’s why we are here to help you. This Vietnam trip is organized based on our travel experience and we are sure that after reading this post your itinerary will be much more clearly and prepared.
Please note that this is not a typical travel guide to Vietnam, we are not going to tell you what to see or do in this country, we just want to clear up some doubts about how to get around, if there is Wi-Fi and more.
Traveling to Vietnam might be challenging, especially if it is your first time traveling to Southeast Asia. On the other hand, based on our experience once you visit one Southeast Asian country, you will see that the organizing trip to other destinations is more or less the same and it’s easy if you follow our tips.
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Vietnam is an amazing country that has to be on your travel list of countries you should visit at least once in your life. Personally, we are in love with this country, friendly people, delicious food, and more. We can’t wait to travel to Vietnam for the third time and enjoy all its charm.
We want you to enjoy this beautiful country to the maximum and without problems, so we have compiled all the basic information you need for your next trip to Vietnam. Hopefully, you find these tips for your one trip to Vietnam useful.
Our tip: When we travel we always make sure to have travel insurance. Our personal recommendation is Truetraveller as they have great support and health coverage around the world. And don’t worry if you forget about it, you can purchase the insurance during your trip!
1. Security – Vietnam itinerary
Is it safe to travel to Vietnam in 2023?
Overall, Vietnam is a very safe country and suitable for any type of traveler. Vietnamese people are very nice, honest and friendly. We visited Vietnam two times and we didn’t experience any kind of problems or situations which made us feel in danger.
In Vietnam, the crime rate is very low, including cities and tourist areas. Even considering that Vietnam is a safe country, we recommend that you use certain precautions so that your trip does not suddenly turn into a nightmare. We always follow some steps and rules that help us avoid unpleasant surprises. If you want any ideas, we have included them in our post about safe travel.
Grab our Travel Checklist and Let the adventure begin!
2. Visa – Vietnam itinerary
Vietnam doesn’t make it difficult as they have good relations with many countries so it’s easy to get tourist visas.
In November/December 2022, it was mandatory to request an electronic visa to enter the country for tourist reasons. We recommend requesting an online visa in advance because it took us about a week to receive confirmation.
Please note that for several countries it is not necessary to request an entry visa before arrival. Only if you plan to be in the country for a period of more than 15 days.
Before spending money for a visa, we recommend checking the information on whether or not you need a tourist visa to enter Vietnam because it could save you some money and time.
If you want to get an online visa, we recommend visiting the official website of the Vietnamese immigration office here.
Whether we go, to the beach or to the mountains, on a day trip or for several months, we always carry this incredible product with us.
The portable water filter is an essential product on our trips, as it is sustainable, useful and super small, a real joy. Click here for more information!
3. Vaccines – Vietnam itinerary
There are no mandatory vaccinations to travel to Vietnam.
Even so, the health authorities advise several types of vaccines, typhus, rabies, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever and Japanese encephalitis.
The yellow fever vaccine is mandatory only for people who live in or have been in a high-risk country in the previous 12 months, and where this disease is considered endemic.
We recommend that you take malaria pills on your trip to Vietnam. Keep in mind that there have been cases of this disease, especially in the rural areas.
In November 2022 and up to the date that we published this post, it is no longer necessary to be vaccinated against COVID and you do not even need to do any test to enter the country.
However, things can change very quickly so we advise you to be up-to-date with possible changes through the Vietnamese government website.
4. Coins and Exchange – Vietnam itinerary
The currency used in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (₫). When we were writing this post the exchange was $1 = 23403 ₫ or €1 =25252
Since the value of the currency could vary suddenly, we recommend this converter to know the exact change on the date of your arrival Xe.com.
In all cities, small or large towns, you will find banks with ATMs and exchange shops so it’s easy to withdraw or change money for your next trip to Vietnam.
Here we leave you a couple of tips if you decide to exchange money from your currency for Vietnamese Dong:
- Do not change the money in advance in your country of origin, the commission could be very high.
- We recommend not to change all the money at the airport exchange office, simply because the commissions are usually much higher than in the city.
- If you arrive by plane, change just enough money to be able to move from the airport to the city center, the rest of the money is better to change where you find favorable commissions.
- If you are thinking of staying in Vietnam for a longer period of time, probably the idea of taking all the cash with you is not the best option, nor is it the safest.
If you (like us) do not carry cash with you, because you are traveling for a longer time, don’t worry, in Vietnam, you can withdraw money at any ATM with your debit or credit card.
Remember to notify your bank that you will be abroad and that you will use the card, this way you will prevent them from blocking your card for security reasons and running out of money.
In many countries in Southeast Asia, banks usually charge you a commission to withdraw money at their ATMs. Fortunately, in Vietnam, not all banks charge commissions when withdrawing money and this is our secret tip for you:)
Until December 2022, the VP bank (green bank) and the TP bank (purple bank) did not charge fees when withdrawing money, which is why we recommend these two.
7 years ago Agrobank doesn’t ask for commissions, but currently it does (although they probably have the best and lowest commissions in the country).
If you discover any other banks during your trip to Vietnam which don’t have commission when withdrawing money, let us know and we will add the information in this post.
Although Vietnamese banks do not take commissions when withdrawing money, you should keep in mind that your local bank could charge you for this type of service.
During our trips we use Wise online banking and we are very happy with this company. It turns out to be virtual banking with an incredibly good exchange rate and low fees, perfect for all the countries we’ve had the pleasure of visiting so far, including Vietnam.
In Vietnam, payment by card is accepted, although with a commission that ranges between 3% and 5%. Remember that this service is only available in big cities, in hotels and shopping centers, in other more rural places cards are usually refused. We advise you to always carry a little cash with you so you don’t have problems on the way. To minimize commission from your bank, we advise you to get this virtual banking card so you can easily manage the account from an App.
Our Tip: Wise is a great card when you are travelling to a country with a different currency than yours. We use this online bank during our trips and we never had problems, even in remote places around the world.
5. Internet and Sim Card – Vietnam itinerary
If we rule out rural and sparsely populated areas in Vietnam, the internet works adequately and is quite fast. Wherever we have been (hostels and hotels) in Vietnam, we have found Wi-Fi with a good signal to make online meetings and zoom calls.
We’ve noticed that there are many bars, restaurants and cafes offering free Wi-Fi which wasn’t available six years ago when we first visited Vietnam. So if you plan to travel for a short time in the country, you probably won’t need a SIM card.
On the other hand, if you want a SIM card on your trip, we recommend the Viettel company, which has incredible coverage and good speed.
The SIM card cost us 180,000 VND with “fast” unlimited Giga for the whole month, just over $8 Euros. Remember that to buy a sim card they need your passport or ID, just showing a copy of a document is enough.
In Vietnam, at least as far as we know, no company offers GIGA packages per week and you will have to buy the monthly package. We are not sure if they don’t want to sell it to you or if these sim cards don’t exist. If you have any information about it, please let us know.
Tip: If you constantly need the internet and want to connect it to your PC, remember to check if the company allows hotspot option before buying it because not all of them allow it in Southeast Asia. Our Viettel card was good to connect with the PC via hotspot so we can only recommend it.
Recently, on our trip to Southeast Asia, we discovered that there are electronic cards in trade. Practically with the use of an app you can get a number, data and calls without having a physical card in your phone. At the moment they are only compatible with some latest generation smartphones (iPhone, Samsung and little else). In this list of smartphones, our expensive Chinese mobiles do not enter (and expensive only because we love them), and for now they are not compatible, although we hope only for now 😉 . That is why we have not had the opportunity to test this card in person, despite this, this e-SIM seems like a great invention and will be a total revolution when it comes to moving from one country to another. Here is the link that other travelers suggested to us.
6. Transportation – Vietnam itinerary
Public transport in Vietnam is mostly comfortable, well-organized, and punctual. Since our first visit to this country six years ago, the transportation system and the roads have greatly improved and it’s faster to get from one place to another.
If you are one of those travelers who want to organize your trip in advance, you can opt-in for applications such as 12go.asia.com or rome2rio.com that will help you to organize the trip.
Here we list the most common means of transportation:
TAXI
We use this service many times mainly in big cities. In some cities, such as Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, you can use Grab App to know in advance the price you are going to pay and avoid possible scams.
PLANE
Vietnam is quite big so if you don’t have a lot of time, it is better to use a plane to get to your next destination. The main cities are well connected to each other and with quite affordable prices, sometimes it is even cheaper to fly than to use any other transport.
If you are looking for low-cost airlines, we recommend Air Asia and Viet Jet Air which usually have better prices. Another company that sometimes has good prices and offers is Vietnam Airlines.
BUS
The bus is the most used means of transportation in Vietnam, both by locals and by tourists. We can confirm that the buses are quite comfortable and you can get to almost every corner in this country. You can find many types of buses, a lot depends on the traffic, the final destination, the price you are willing to pay, and of course the company.
On our trip from Hanoi to Saigon we used buses which almost had no wheels :-), We also had a great experience with a night bus with a seat/bed that turned out to be the most comfortable transport we have had in all of Southeast Asia.
The prices of the buses, although they can vary a lot, are usually quite cheap and perfect for travelers on a low budget.
You can buy tickets at all bus stations, travel agencies or in many hostels; however, today there are applications that will make this job much easier.
TRAIN
The train is another means of transport used in Vietnam. It has two advantages, besides being cheap it is quite comfortable for long distances. The train is connecting all major cities and towns from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh.
There is also another railway line that goes from Hanoi to “Sapa”.
We took a night train from Hanoi to Da Nang, and it was a comfortable ride. We arrived a few hours late, but we had a comfortable cabin to ourselves and also the opportunity to chat with locals and tourists during the trip.
BOAT: We have not used any boat service in Vietnam except for a 3-day mini-cruise in the magical Halong Bay. We know that there are companies that connect various islands, but we do not have any information about them.
MOTORCYCLE (scooter): It is the most used means of transport by Vietnamese people, it seems that there are more motorcycles than people:) It is a good option if you like riding a scooter but always use the right precautions.
Chaotic traffic, thousands of scooters everywhere that are constantly using clacson for no apparent reason, and almost zero respect for the rules, can be a challenge even for the most experienced driver.
During our first visit to Vietnam, we didn’t drive motorcycles in big cities, only in small towns in the South of Vietnam where the traffic was more manageable.
Once you get used to it (like us ) and become familiar with it, everything is easier and more natural even in cities like Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi.
For this we recommend you to read this post of the 9 most exciting motorbike tours in Hanoi, surely it will be a memorable and unforgettable experience
The rental price of a motorcycle starts at $5 per day; however, it depends a lot on how many days you want to rent it and for how long.
We recommend that you get your international license before visiting Vietnam to avoid fines and problems, and above all, you always wear a helmet, which, although it may seem uncomfortable, can save your life.
7. Accommodation – Vietnam itinerary
Accommodation prices will depend a lot on your budget, your requirements, and whether the location is popular or not.
Avoiding the most crowded places, the prices of the accommodations in Vietnam remain very cheap and suitable for every type of traveler.
In December 2022, a double room with air conditioning cost on average between 10 and 25 EUR/$, a bed in a hostel in a shared dormitory between 3-10 Euros/dollar.
It will not be difficult to book your accommodation with several online reservation companies, since most of the accommodations in 2022-2023 use this type of application.
We generally use Booking.com, for convenience, and also because we have discounts. We sporadically use Agoda, Airbnb, and Hostel World, which allow us to evaluate different options when booking accommodation and give us a better overview of prices and standards in the country.
8. Food – Vietnam itinerary
If you know us a bit, you know that food is our weak point and that it is one of the things that we explore in depth when we arrive in a new country.
We knew the gastronomy of this country, but traveling to Vietnam confirmed the deep love we have for it.
Vietnam is a quite big country, so you can find a wide variety of dishes that will delight your palate.
Pho, Bun Cha, Num nem cuon, or Cha ca are some names of the dishes that you will taste sitting at mini tables with colorful plastic chairs and never forget.
In general, Vietnam is one of the countries with the cheapest food prices in all of Southeast Asia. A good example is the famous Banh Mi sandwich, made with an extra crunchy mini-baguette (from the years of French colonization) and all Vietnamese ingredients for a price that does not exceed $2.
An authentic and successful fusion of cultures that, according to us, puts this sandwich on the list of one of best sandwiches in the world.
If you are not totally ready to try all Vietnamese gastronomy, it is not difficult to find good Western food or dishes from other countries such as China, Korea, or Japan. This is especially true in the tourist areas since many foreigners decided to stay here.
In our double travel experience in Vietnam, we have never had stomach problems, and we have literally eaten everything.
We know that many times, as general advice, it is recommended not to eat raw vegetables, but in this case, fresh herbs are a wonderful integral part of this gastronomy, and without them, we could almost say that Vietnamese gastronomy would not have the same vibe and taste.
Even so, we are not advising you to eat everything everywhere, it would be irresponsible and in the worst cases, it could put you in a KO for several days and ruin your trip. Be careful where you eat, especially if this is your first trip to Southeast Asia.
We recommend you try Vietnamese food but follow your instinct.
You know what you like and check if the place is clean and suitable enough before eating there.
9. Insurance – Vietnam itinerary
In our opinion, the only useful mandatory thing you had to have while traveling during the COVID emergency was travel insurance. Now that many countries no longer require it as mandatory, many people decide not to invest in it and make a serious mistake.
We do not travel anywhere without travel insurance, it is a basic and essential thing that you cannot ignore. We assure you that in case of health problems (and not) during your trips it will get you out of trouble and save you a lot of money.
Our insurance is TrueTravelers. We strongly recommend it, because it is a very serious company, super organized and with good conditions. I think that it is one of the few insurances that you can take out while traveling, so it is perfect for travelers and digital nomads like us.
10. Cultures and Habits – Vietnam itinerary
With over 90 million people, Vietnam happens to be one of the most populous countries in the world. The majority religion practiced in this country is Buddhism, more than 50% of the population, the rest is divided into other religions.
Visiting this country you can notice differences in people’s character, especially between the north and the south. Even so, there are some social traits that are identical, such as being very familiar, having great respect for older people, being proud of their own roots, and being friendly and smiling.
Although some elders are a little reluctant towards Western foreigners due to many hard years at war with America and a government with socialist/communist overtones, in general, Vietnamese elderly people have no grudges towards Americans and everyone is welcome.
Young people, on the other hand, are quite curious and kind, because they usually try to communicate with you and they are willing to help you on any occasion.
From our personal experience, we know that Vietnamese people are very shy and it is difficult if not impossible for them to tell you about their problems and parts of their private life unless they consider you a true friend.
Vietnamese New Year
Tet, or Vietnamese New Year, is the most significant and widely celebrated festival in Vietnam, marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar.
This cultural event, which usually falls at the end of January or early February, is a time for family reunions, remembrance of ancestors, and welcoming the New Year with good health, luck, and prosperity, all while preparing and sharing traditional foods.
11. Other tips and curiosities – Vietnam itinerary
- Vietnam is the country with the most number of motorcycles and scooters that we have been able to see in Southeast Asia. There is a fact that one person usually has two motorcycles in this country.
- There are two seasons, the dry one that goes from November to April and the rainy one that goes from May to October. Even so, due to its magnitude and its elongated S shape, it can happen that during the dry season it is raining in some areas or vice versa.
- As in the other Southeast Asian countries bargaining the price in Vietnam is a normal practice used by everyone on a daily basis. Remember that you should not haggle the price of food in restaurants and street food stalls.
- Although the prices of local food are usually cheap and affordable, we recommend that you ask for the prices in advance or check the menu to avoid surprises.
- Throughout the country when you go to restaurants, they provide you with napkins. Remember that each pack of tissues is not included in the meal and is charged separately.
- In Vietnam people drink and smoke a lot. Beer is usually served warm with an “ice” glass. You can smoke everywhere, although usually only men smoke, since smoking is seen as an exclusively male thing.
- Although the country still tends to be a conservative country, the population is quite young, and consumerism and Westernization is gaining ground, a clear example is Ho Chi Minh City.
11. General prices – Vietnam itinerary
The prices are based on our double travel experience in this country. The last time we went to Vietnam the exchange rate was 1$=23.635₫ or 1E=25.725₫.
We remind you that due to various factors, prices could change (up or down) and that these below are only an informative basis since they are based on our approximate average.
Street food 5,000 – 100,000₫ or 0.25 – 4$
Restaurants Local 25,000 – 170,000₫ or 1-7$
Banh Mi: 15,000 – 35,000₫ 0r 0.5 – 1.6$
International restaurants (pizza, burger, etc.): <150,000₫ or <7$
Water 0.5 LT: 7000₫ or 0.30 $
Water 1.5 LT: 12000₫ or 0.5$
Espresso coffee: 40,000₫ or 1.7$
Local coffee: 20,000₫ or 0.8 $
Fruit smoothie: =<25,000₫ or <1$
Fresh coconut: = 30,000₫ or 1.3$
Local beer: 20,000₫ or 0.8$
Intercity buses: >100,000 – 700,000₫ or >4-30$
Train (Hanoi to HO chi MInh): 1,400,000₫ or 60$
Scooter (motorbike) 125cc: 100,000 – 140,000₫ or 4-6$
Gasoline: 26,500₫ or <1$ per lt
Accommodation 2 pax/day with a/c and private bathroom: 250,000 – 580,000₫ or 10-25$
Bunk bed in a shared room: 75,000 – 250,000₫ or 3-10 $
SIM card: 180,000₫ or 8$ card + unlimited GB one month
Laundry: 20,000 ₫ or 0.8$ x kg
Conclusions – Vietnam itinerary
Traveling to Vietnam for the first time was not just a trip for us, it was the first step in the life we now have as digital nomads. In one of the most difficult moments of our lives, this country and its people gave us the necessary energy and made us realize that our dream is to travel the world while working.
For this, and for much more, we are totally in love with this incredible country and of course with Vietnamese food:)
If you are looking for a country where you want to find beautiful landscapes, exquisite people, and delicious and affordable food, we can only recommend this country.
In fact, coming to the end of this post, we can only remind you that you are only one step away from living one of the most exciting trips/experiences of your life, we hope you enjoy it.
Our travel tips and recommendations for beautiful Vietnam end here, we hope you can use some or all of them for your next Vietnam trip. Remember that this entire post is based on our personal experience and our travel style. If you want to add any information or advice, do not hesitate to write them in the comments below, we will answer you as soon as possible.
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Thanks for reaching the end of this article, if you are interested in more travel and food tips around the world, every month (more or less) we come out with a new post in Spanish and one in English.
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