Vietnam is cruising up lists of popular places to travel. It is a country filled with history and amazing places. We wanted to share some things to know before traveling to Vietnam for anyone planning a trip. As always, please let us know if you have any questions or anything to add to the list.
12 Things to Know Before Traveling to Vietnam
1. Visa Process (for US Passport holders)
We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, and the process was pretty simple. We got our visa approvals online before traveling to Vietnam. The website looked a little strange, but we went with it, and it worked. Here is the link for the one we used. I know there are multiples out there, but not sure if any others work as easily. Here are the steps we followed when we arrived:
- At the end of the arrivals hallway, you will look for the visa desk. In HCMC, it looked like a bunch of bank teller windows. We brought our paperwork from the visa approval website and handed it over with our passport. The man didn’t speak any English and just pointed us to some chairs.
- You sit and wait. It feels weird because they’ve taken your passport with a stack of others, but you have to trust the process.
- They will call your name and you proceed to the cashier’s window. You need to have US dollars with you. $25 is the price for a one month visa which is what we did. If you forget money, we heard there was an ATM in the terminal, but it’s better to have it in advance.
- Once you pay, you will receive your passport back with a sticker showing your visa. You will proceed through immigration and customs like normal.
2. Cash Only
Credit cards are accepted in very few places. Having a bank that allows you to withdraw cash in foreign countries without fees is a good idea. We recommend the one we use in this article (plus you get $100 for joining). You can travel with some cash as well if that’s your preferred method, but you’ll want to ensure you have a safe place to keep it.
3. Consider What Kind of Cash You Bring
Remember that Vietnam is a country that still has lots of poverty. Shopping at local markets and street vendors with large bills is frowned upon. If you have bigger bills to break, try doing it at larger chain stores instead of family run businesses. We found an ATM that did dispense cash in smaller dominations, which was the best-case scenario.
4. Pointing is Universal
There will be times when you cannot communicate with a server or shop owner unless you are fluent in Vietnamese. I can’t tell you how often we ordered food by just pointing at the menu. It works. We got a little overwhelmed at first trying to order but realized that keeping it simple is the best approach.
5. Smiles Are Universal Too
When in doubt, smile. There were times when we had no idea if we were in the right place. A smile is universal, and it will help you through lots of situations. We learned how to say thank you and greet people in Vietnamese, but that only got us so far. Smiles work wonders, so even if you are a little flustered, just make sure to smile.
6. Get Yourself Grab
We recently shared the apps you should download before traveling to SE Asia here. Grab is the Uber of this region of the world. It saved us a lot of confusion because you can type in your location, and the driver has that information already. Plus, you can pay with a credit card, so it was easy for us right when we left the airport.
7. Plan Around the Heat
We visited Vietnam at the end of June, and it was hot. We learned quickly that afternoons are meant for inside activities – museums, swimming pools, and napping. If you think you can just deal with it, you will find yourself sick with heat stroke, especially if you aren’t used to it.
Remember to check the weather before you travel. The country is long and narrow, and each region of the country has different climates. If you go when we went, just plan on being hot everywhere.
8. Embrace the Colors
I don’t know that we’ve been to a more colorful place. The lights, food, buildings – it’s so colorful. Hoi An is famous for the lanterns that decorate the town center, and they are so beautiful and colorful. Almost any meal you order will come with a side of sauces and spices – add at your own risk. But make sure to take it in and appreciate it. And bring your camera.
9. Avoid Plastic
The chances you will see trash in places it isn’t supposed to be here is 100%. You can do your part by avoiding any additional packaging. It’s hard. Drinking water here comes in bottles, but if you bring a water bottle and take advantage of the refill stations – it helps.
10. Know the Scams
We did not have any issues while in Vietnam with safety or scammers. We read about issues with people who want to practice English and then scam you into paying for a very expensive meal at a cafe. Honestly, if you just use common sense, I think you’ll be OK. That said, you can also check Lonely Planet’s website for up-to-date information on things to watch out for.
11. Prepare for the Paparazzi
People might want to take your picture or have you in their selfies. It only happened to us at Ba Na Hills, but it was a little shocking. I can’t really explain why, but we were suddenly surrounded by a group of younger people and their cameras. They were posing us and moving us around and taking pictures. We could have said no, but we were all taken a little off guard now. Just be prepared for that.
12. Drink All The Coffee
This is the best advice I can give you. Try all the coffee. It is wonderful and unique and you won’t find it like this anywhere else in the world. We shared our favorite spots in Hanoi, but it’s wonderful all over the country.
That wraps up our list of things to know before traveling to Vietnam. Let us know if there are any tips we missed that you would share. If you are planning a trip to Vietnam, comment below if you have any questions. We are happy to help answer anything we can.
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