Tips For Your First Trip To Vietnam

A trip to Vietnam can be one of those experiences that change a life forever, and that provides the most rewarding adventures for travelers, but which are also very challenging. Taking advantage of your visit is just a matter of knowing the exact tricks, and there is certainly no better way to learn them than to hear them from the locals themselves.

And well, to start the purpose of this we will tell you throughout this article all the tips and details you need to know to make your stay in Vietnam an extremely pleasant and rewarding moment, minimizing the possible problems or obstacles that may arise in the way. Without more or less to add ... Let's start!

Visa or no visa?

Most people traveling to Vietnam are required to have a visa before they arrive in the country. However, there are some countries that can enter the country without a visa for certain periods of time. Those countries are:

30-day visit: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

21-day visit: Philippines 15-day visit: Brunei, Denmark, Norway, South Korea, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and Japan.

All remaining countries are required to obtain a visa before arriving in Vietnam. For instance - Vietnam Visa For US Citizens, Australian citizens, Canadian citizens, Indian citizens, English citizens, etc. is a must to enter Vietnam.

What to pack?

Climate and Clothing: Depending on the time of the year and the region you are visiting in Vietnam, the clothes to be packed will be different. Ho Chi Minh is hot all year, while Hanoi is warm in the summer, but cool in autumn and winter. The summer season in the north and south is maintained throughout the year. The most comfortable option to choose for is light, fresh clothes, and sandals that allow you to walk long stretches without much discomfort. In the north, winter being colder requires warmer and warmer clothes, since the weather can become very cold.

Culture and Clothing: It is not mandatory to wear clothes that cover the shoulders and knees when visiting temples and pagodas, as happens in Thailand, but it is advisable to wear casual clothes and not very provocative. Stay away from shorts or torn or very pronounced necklines to avoid becoming the center of attention in cultural or religious centers, and be sure it will not be proper attention.

Security: Prepare a small bag to store your passport and cash. Avoid leaving important things such as documents or money in the hotel room, but fortunately, most hotels have a safe where you can store things during your stay. There are many backpacks that can be tied around the hips, and these are the most reliable, and it is best to avoid those backpacks that have short straps that only go over one of your shoulders.

Backpacks that are tied to the body in the shape of a cross are a great way to keep things safe, but make sure they have a way of keeping them closed and also a way to open them without any complications.

Domestic Flights: If you are taking a domestic flight within Vietnam with a low-cost airline such as VietJet Air or Jetstar Pacific, you have to pay an extra for luggage check-in, as it is not included in the airfare. Vietnam Airlines allows you to travel on 20 kg, which has been involved in the plane ticket at the check-in. Always check that your bag is within the weight limit of the airline.

How to travel around in Vietnam?

Flights and trains: During long journeys, opting for airplanes and trains is the best way to save money and feel comfortable at the same time. Within the country, they are generally very cheap too. One of the best places to book a bus or train ticket is on this website which lets you compare prices for all routes and dates.

Buses and cars: These options are preferred for shorter or medium distances, especially when traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay, from Da Nang to Hue, or from Ho Chi Minh to the Mekong Delta, for example.

Motorcycles: Many adventurous travelers challenge themselves when riding a motorcycle in rural areas between the largest and most well-known cities, but it is good to know also that in some regions the roads are in a poor state of conservation. It is not advisable to travel by motorcycle from one city to another, and usually, it is not really worth the trouble and effort anyway.


You can buy a SIM card in Vietnam for easy use with your mobile phone. The main mobile service providers in Vietnam are VinaPhone, Mobifone, and Viettel. Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased at the store that suits you or local telephone stores, but be sure to ask the vendors so they can activate the SIM card to make international calls.

Wi-Fi internet is available in all major areas of the cities of Vietnam. Most of the cafes, restaurants, hotels have free Wi-Fi, so simply by buying a cup of coffee or tea, you can ask for the internet password and simply connect to check your email, make a Skype call, etc.

The exchange rate

The official currency in Vietnam is the Dong, or VND, as most people call it. 1 USD is equivalent to 21,000 VND, 1 Euro equals 28,000 VND and 1 GBP is equivalent to 32,000 VND (as of September 2019). Most smartphones have applications to quickly convert rates with the click of a button, which makes negotiation and financial planning much easier.

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