Vietnam Travel Guide

Overview

Vietnam is a fascinating travel destination with good cuisine and lots of history.

North Vietnam has rugged mountains and green rice terraces, while south Vietnam has the Mekong Delta, the infamous Cu Chi tunnels, and other interesting locales from the Vietnam War era.

Read through this complete Vietnam travel guide for more info on what to expect!

Quick Facts

Language

Vietnamese; 'Thank you' is 'cam on'

Religion

Folk religion

Capital

Hanoi

Visa

eVisa or visa free access for 70+ countries

Climate

Tropical; hot & humid year round. Dry season is Nov - April

Power Plugs

Apps

Flights

The main airports in Vietnam are in Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), and Da Nang (DAD), which all have direct flights from many countries in Southeast Asia and beyond. There are also direct international flights to popular spots like Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.

You can shop for flights to Vietnam on Skyscanner.

Safety

Vietnam is a relatively safe place to travel, with a low violent crime rate of 1.5 per 100k inhabitants (76% lower than the global average). People are very friendly and welcoming.

The biggest safety risks are probably motorbike accidents and natural threats, like dengue fever or malaria. Be sure to wear mosquito spray in rural areas or near farmlands, especially during the rainy season.

Climate

The climate of Vietnam is tropical, so the weather is generally hot and humid year round, although the northern part of the country can have cooler temperatures at altitude.

Vietnam's 'winter' is mostly dry and that runs from November to April in the north, while the summer experiences a lot of rain and lasts from May to October (with the wettest months being June, July, and August).

Budget

Vietnam is a very budget friendly travel destination, withΒ hostels available from 120k Vietnamese Dong ($5 USD) and private hotels from 360k. Meals are also cheap, costing about 50k to 150k VND depending on location.

Transportation in Vietnam is generally by motorbike or car, and these can be rented, but hiring a driver is cheap and often preferable. Transportation apps likeΒ Grab and Go-JekΒ are great for short distance trips. For longer distance trips, buses are the way to go.

Tours

The best Vietnam tours & activities

Posts

My latest blog posts about Vietnam

Get In Touch

Feel free to contact me if you have travel questions, comments, or suggestions!

I'll try to get back to you!