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Vietnam

Destination // Vietnam

Vietnam Insider Travel Guide

Vietnam is where we were born and grew up. We are proud of her beautiful sceneries, rich culture and the charming people. We love her from the fertile plains of the Mekong Delta, majestic mountains in the north, beautiful pagodas and temples, Hanoi and Saigon cities full of scooters, street vendors and markets, to rich history of the past wars and how local people stood up and rebuilt the country. Let us share with you our Vietnam insider travel guide below for your best interest when planning for a memorable Vietnam trip. 

Travellers visiting Vietnam would bring home with unforgettable memories of culture, rich tradition and history, and smiling people. At the end of the Vietnam insider travel guide below, you can find the list of preferred destinations of ours – amazing regions of Vietnam – which take you to our special collection of travel experiences handpicked for you. 

Please find below our collection of Vietnam travel tips from an insider so you can better plan for your trip of a lifetime to this amazing country. 

For Cambodia Insider travel guide, please click here

For Laos Insider travel guide, please click here 

Vietnam Visa

Visitors to Vietnam require a passport with at least six-month remaining validity and must either: obtain a visa from one of the Vietnamese diplomatic missions in their home country, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries, or obtain a Visa upon arrival. Go Experience can assist you with obtaining an approval letter for a visa-on-arrival as well as visa assistance service at major international airports – Tan Son Nhat, Danang and Noi Bai. Please use the Contact Us form or send us an email for more information.

For most nationalities, this visa must be obtained prior to arrival. Some nationalities, including British passport holders can enter Vietnam for up to 15 days without a visa (this is subject to change) however proof of onward flight out of Vietnam is required. It is your responsibility to ensure all visa and entry requirements are met prior to arrival. For latest information, please check directly with Vietnamese Embassy in your home country.

Some nationalities can apply for an e-visa by visiting https://evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn/trang-chu-ttdt

Language

Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam and is spoken throughout the country, though there are marked dialectical differences in the southern, central and northern regions. Unlike neighbouring countries, Vietnamese uses a modified Roman script and is tonal. English is well-understood and widely spoken by our guides and hotel staff. English is also spoken in most restaurants, shops and, to a lesser extent, by taxi and cyclo drivers. Vietnamese is a difficult language to master but it is easy – and much appreciated by the locals – to pick up a few basic words while you are traveling like xin chao (hello), tam biet (goodbye) and cam on (thank you). A phrase book or basic language guide will come in handy.

Money

The official unit of currency in Vietnam is the dong (VND). Exchange rates fluctuate so for current exchange rates please visit www.xe.com.

ATMs are widely available in airports, major cities and towns and issue VND only. We recommend you use VND for most transactions. You may use US dollars (USD) in some hotels and restaurants, or for larger purchases, however other currencies (AUD, GBP, CAD, NZD) will need to be exchanged into the local currency. Credit cards can be used in a number of shops and restaurants in major centres. We recommend you bring a combination of debit and credit cards, as well as some cash. It is safer to exchange your money at major banks or registered currency exchange stores. It is difficult to exchange Vietnamese Dong outside the country, so we recommend you convert or spend all your Dong before leaving.

Health & Fitness

Travellers to Vietnam should take precautions as they would elsewhere in Asia. There are now a number of international standard medical care facilities available in Saigon, Danang and Hanoi. Outside these cities, medical care facilities are more basic. Some of the diseases known to exist in Vietnam include Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, rabies and HIV/AIDS. We recommend you take adequate preventative measures to minimise your risk of exposure to these health risks. We strongly recommend you consult your preferred doctor for the most up-to-date health advice at least one month prior to travel.

Safety & Security

Vietnam is generally a safe destination by world standards, but usual common-sense precautions are advisable. In recent years petty street crime in large cities has risen. We recommend you take taxis rather than cyclos when traveling at night; taxis in Vietnam are numerous, metered and inexpensive. To assist in finding your way back to your hotel, make sure you obtain a hotel address card, to show drivers where you want to go.

Throughout your stay, always keep a photocopy of your passport, airline tickets and credit card numbers, and a detailed record of your traveler’s checks. You should leave valuables in hotel safety deposit boxes wherever possible. In large cities, such as Saigon and Hanoi, we recommend you wear as little jewellery as possible and keep your spending money close to your body in a secure place when out on the street.

Please check the following websites to get the latest news and travel advice from the region:

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade – www.smarttraveler.gov.au
Canadian Foreign Affairs & International Trade – www.voyage.gc.ca
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs – www.mfat.govt.nz/travel
UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office – www.fco.gov.uk
USA Department of State – www.travel.state.gov
World Health Organisation – www.who.int/en

Travel Insurance

Local medical facilities across developing Asia, including Vietnam, are often unable to provide the full range of medical services that are available in developed countries, making evacuation a requirement even in many non-life-threatening medical emergencies.

The costs of evacuation as well as international standard care are extremely high. In the most serious emergencies, travellers may not be positioned to authorise payment for an appropriate medical response that is urgently required. This may delay or prevent the provision of critical and possibly life-saving medical attention.

It is a requirement by Vietnamese law for all travellers to possess a valid travel insurance while travelling in Vietnam. Insurance should cover personal accident and medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation, baggage loss, and cancellation or curtailment of holiday. Note that travel insurance ‘attached’ to credit cards is often limited in scope (e.g. not covering serious medical, repatriation or evacuation expenses) and in any case is usually effective only if travel arrangements have been purchased with the card. Please note also that government regulations in Asia do not always require or enforce the possession of liability insurance by hotels, transport and other suppliers. Even when insurance is in place, it can be for very limited coverage only. Go Experience does its best to work with suppliers who possess liability insurance, however it is not always possible to find and contract with such suppliers.

Food & Water

The cuisine is a highlight of any visit to Vietnam. Rice and noodles are staple but Vietnamese cuisine is diverse – many regions specialise in dishes that are not found elsewhere in the country. The emphasis is on fresh ingredients and complementary flavours that balance yin and yang. A significant French influence is evident – the baguettes and pastries are as good as those you’re likely to find anywhere. Fresh seafood is inexpensive and incredibly fresh. Vegetarians are well looked after and western eating options are widespread, particularly in the major cities.

Most food presented is well cooked, however some optional dishes may be served cold. Please note that raw, cold food presents a higher risk of stomach upsets than well cooked food. Lunch should cost around 6-12 USD and dinner approximately 10-25 USD, depending on the restaurant.

Tap water should be avoided however bottled water is readily available and provided on a complimentary basis by most hotels.

Transport

For tour groups of 6 or more travellers, air-conditioned Hyundai with 25-35 seats are used on all road journeys. These vehicles are designed with excellent viewing windows and a high roof. For smaller groups, modern sedan cars and minibuses are used. All our vehicles are modern, spacious, comfortable, well-maintained, and safe. In cities, towns and villages expect to use a combination of cyclos, boats, bicycles (optional) and your own two feet – taking advantage of the variety of transport methods when traveling in Vietnam is part of the experience! The fleet is modern, with most flights using Airbus 320 or Fokker 70 aeroplanes, however schedules frequently change and this could result in alterations to your itinerary. Taxis in Vietnam are metered, readily available and cheap. Transfer and taxi scams are not uncommon at Hanoi airport.

Electricity

Voltage is mainly 220V alternating at 50 cycles per second. Many sockets will take both two-prong round pins and US-style flat pins however we advise you bring a universal adaptor. Alternatively, adaptors are readily available to buy in Vietnam. Electricity supply is generally reliable, even in more remote areas, though farm and hill tribe stays may rely on generator-run power and be less consistently available.

Internet

Internet: Internet services are widely available in main urban centers, and rates are usually minimal. Most of the larger cities and towns’ restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars have complimentary Wi-Fi.

Phone: Fixed line phone calls and faxes, most often found in hotels, can be expensive. It is possible to use your cell phone in Vietnam and Indochina, although you may need to organise roaming with your service provider prior to travel. You may also like to buy a local SIM card as it is inexpensive.

Mail: It usually takes a few days for international post to reach its destination, with rates similar to those in Western countries.

Tipping

If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides and drivers a tip is appropriate and appreciated. While it may not be customary to you, tipping inspires great service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across Asia. You are free to tip as much or as little as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip.

Should you have any questions about this Vietnam insider travel guide, please kindly contact us. Scroll down to explore further Vietnam cities and our collection of tours and local experiences.

Top Destinations in Vietnam

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)

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Hoi An

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Sapa

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Hue

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Nha Trang

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Mai Chau

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Phong Nha

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Dalat

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Ninh Binh

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Phan Thiet

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Can Tho

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Phu Quoc

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Con Dao

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