THE ULTIMATE ONCE UPON A TIME TRAVEL GUIDE TO VIETNAM

Ever since I was a teenager, it was my dream to travel to Vietnam, and it didn’t disappoint.

From lustrous valleys, through ancient emperor tombs and temples to busy city streets, Vietnam will definitely leave a lasting impression on your soul.

This was my first time ever in Asia and it turns out that if you travel to Vietnam, it won’t be that much different than going to Morocco or Colombia.  Of course, I’m talking about traffic nuisances and street vendors trying to suck your money dry.  In fact, it’s much worse!  Nonetheless, Vietnam’s rich history and vibrant landscapes make up for those nuisances towards tourists.

A BRIEF HISTORY

When you travel to Vietnam, you’ll quickly find out that its history can be divided into 2 periods so to speak.  On one hand, you’ll have the emperor dynasties that pretty much ends with the French colonizing, then called Indochina in the late 19^th century. 

The term Indochina (originally Indo–China) was coined in the early nineteenth century. It emphasizes the cultural influence on the area of Indian civilization and Chinese civilization. The term was later adopted as the name of the colony of French Indochina (today’s Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos). (source Wikipedia)

On the other hand, you’ll have the French short reign that ends at the beginning of the 20^th century and starts the second period comprising the Revolution and the American War (Vietnam War).

The name Vietnam is relatively new as it officially started to be used in 1945 and it was the last Emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, who coined it.  The country has been at peace for the last 45 years as the South merged with the North when they were defeated during the American War.  That being said, you’ll notice while you travel through Vietnam that things seem different in the North compared to the South.

The North has kept their ancestral culture and rich history and is a lot more authentic.  On the other hand, the South is a lot more cosmopolitan and turned towards western culture.   You’ll see capitalism at its worse, especially when it comes to haggling foreign tourists.

Chinese Influence

Don’t be surprised to see when you travel through Vietnam Chinese lettering on old buildings, especially in the North. This is due in part of more than a millennium rule under the Chinese in what is now North Vietnam.  The Vietnamese finally disassociated themselves from the Chinese rule only to have the Europeans try to get a piece of their land.

However, just like the French but on a higher level, the Chinese have left a big imprint on Vietnam’s architecture. In fact, one example can be noticed with Buddhist temples. The Chinese and Vietnamese have a very different approach to temple style. 

This can be noticed with the Bai Dinh Temple complex built in the 21^st century in the region of Ninh Binh, not too far from Hanoi.  It is an over the top place with gorgeous temples and pagodas withy impressive attention to details.  The mere fact that it’s a recent construction will leave you mesmerized. The Vietnamese use the Less is more approach when it comes to their Buddhist temples and spirituality.

GETTING THERE & AROUND

If you plan to travel to Vietnam, you’ll most likely fly there.  There are 3 major airports in the country that are located in Ho Chi Minh in the South (also referred to as Saigon), Da Nang in the Center and Hanoi in the North (the capital).

The airports are all straight forward and are easy to navigate through as they are not overwhelmingly big.  All airports provide FREE internet access which is perfect when you are waiting or need to call a GRAB (the Asian version of Uber).

Ground access does exist, and you can access Vietnam from Cambodia through the Mekong Delta (boat) which seems like a fun way to cross a border.

Getting Around

First of all, if you plan to travel to Vietnam you need to know that as a foreigner you are not allowed to rent a car to drive yourself.  However, you can hire a car with a chauffeur or rent a motorbike.

Renting a car with chauffeur

We used the company MyDayTrip to travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh and from Hué to Hoi An. As I was traveling with my 76-year-old mother, the bus option was out of the question.  Despite the relatively expensive price (for Vietnam), this was a great travel option in Vietnam.  Not only does this company take you from Point A to Point B (one way only), you can make stops to visit along the way and decide how long you want to stay there.  Therefore, you don’t lose any sightseeing time during your travel that day.  It’s a better solution than booking a tour to visit the sights you want and having to backtrack.

The cars that are used are super clean, with leather interiors and bottled water is provided. The drivers are courteous and speak English. You can either pay directly online when you book or shortly before taking the trip or pay in cash the day of the trip.  I recommend the online payment option in order not to lose money with the exchange rate when you pay by cash.  Apparently, we don’t all have the same exchange rate.

Internal flights

Internal flights are a fast and relatively cheap way to travel through Vietnam.  We flew from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City with Vietnam Airlines.  It was a quick 1h30 flight and it was great.  The cost of a one-way ticket is around $50 CAD.  It’s so cheap! Also, a checked bag is included in the price.

When I have to fly from Montreal to Paris (a much longer distance) I have to pay $70 CAD extra for a checked bag. What a scam!!!

You can use 12GOASIA to book your flight or anything else for that matter.

By Train

Once again, we used 12GOASIA to book our train ride from Ninh Binh to Hué.

One thing you need to know about trains in Vietnam is that they are very old. They date back to 1880.   They are nothing like the ones that are used in Morocco.   Therefore, you need to be prepared to be rocked and shaken.

A more comfortable option will be to travel 1^st class in a sleeper cabin if traveling on a night train. 

We took an overnight train with Lanam Express.  Not only are the 4 person cabins clean and comfortable, but they also provide you with food, drinks, and FREE internet.

A two-person cabin does exist and that is even lovelier.  A one-way ticket in 1^st class on a sleeper train from Ninh Binh to Hué cost $100 CAD per person.

By Bus

Although buses do exist and are probably the cheapest mode of transportation, I cannot pronounce myself on them as I never used one during my travel in Vietnam with my mother.

By Motorcycle

If you have the app GRAB (=Uber), you can hitch a ride on a motorcycle instead of on the car.  Don’t worry, they provide you with a helmet.  A scooter or motorcycle ride is much faster than in a car. 

I think some companies will let you ride your own motorcycle in the countryside but not in the city.  That is something that you’ll have to check as this is unfamiliar territory for me.

Taxis

Taxis are common in Vietnam but keep an eye out on the meter, try to have the exact change or close enough of you expect to get money back.  If such is the case, hand over the money inside of the car.  There is no tipping in Vietnam.

FORMALITIES

A visa is required to travel to Vietnam.  However, some countries such as France are exempt from it if you spend no more than 15 days in Vietnam.  It seems that you can apply for the visa online which makes it a relatively easy process.  You might have to give out the name of the first hotel you’ll be staying at in order to do so.  Therefore, make sure to book a hotel for the beginning of your trip. You can check the entry requirement for your country to Vietnam HERE.

Vaccines

Unless you are going deep in the jungle or mountains, there are no particular vaccines that are required to travel to Vietnam.  Of course, all your shots should be up to date but that should be the case, regardless of your travel destination.

MONEY MONEY

The currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND) and just. Like in Colombia, the bills are all in thousands.  I didn’t check beforehand if I could change money in Canada.

While I was in Vietnam in February 2020 the exchange rates were as follow:

• 100 000VND = 4€, $5 USD and $7 CAD

If you want to change money and unless you have American dollars or possibly euros, DON’T.  Just like in Colombia, it’s easier and a better exchange rate if you withdraw money directly from an ATM machine.  When you withdraw money from the ATM there will be a surcharge ranging from 30 000 VND (in Ho Chi Minh) to 66 000 VND (in Hanoi).

Be prepared to be a Millionaire while walking down the streets when you withdraw cash.  Oddly enough, we didn’t see any coins, only bills.  The bills that you will encounter range from 1 000 VND to 500 000 VND.  Try not to confuse your 100 000 and 500 000 bills with your 10 000 and 50 000 bills.

Little tip

Most of the time, when people verbally give you a price, they will remove the thousands.  It might seem confusing at first but you’ll the hang of it in no time.  Therefore 80 = 80 000 VND, 100 = 100 000 VND and so forth.  In taxis, you will see the same thing.  Sometimes, vendors might give you the price in US dollars, don’t listen to them and ask them for the price in VND.

Also, in most hotels and some shops, if you pay by credit card there might be a 2 to 3% surcharge.

DO YOU SPEAK THE LANGUAGE?

Did you know that there are 57 dialects in Vietnam? That’s a lot of languages to learn!  Don’t worry, you don’t need to learn all of them. Learning some basic polite common words will help you get by as is most touristic places they speak some or good English.

Here are some words to learn:

• Hello = Xin Chao (Sin chow)
• Goodbye = Tam Biet (Tarm Byeet)
• Please = Làm ơn (Lahm uhn )
• Thank You= Cam On (kahm uhn)
• Beer = Bia
• Bread = Banh Mi (Banh Mee)

When words don’t work, use your fingers when talking about money or the calculator on your phone.

Make sure to keep either a business card of the hotel you are staying at or the address registered on your phone.  If you download the Booking.Com App on your phone, you’ll be able to access your hotel’s address offline.  This will facilitate communication and get you where you need to go.

WHAT TO SEE IN VIETNAM

When you travel to Vietnam, you’ll see temples and lots of them.  By the end of your trip, you’ll be templed out unless you mix it up a bit.  Vietnam has just enough sites to do just that.

• For the bustling city life and some history, visit Hanoi.

• Ninh Binh will provide you the natural beauty that you are looking for without going out of your way. It’s a region that has been nicknamed the ‘Halong Bay in Land’.

• Take a 3- or 4-day cruise in Halong Bay to get away from it all.

• Visit the Sapa region for elevated rice paddies, gorgeous views, and treks. I found a great article that tells you all about the things to do there. You can check it out HERE.

• Ride a motorcycle in Central Vietnam along the shores from Hué to Da Nang.

• Discover the imperial city of Hué and its emperor’s tombs.

• Shop until you drop in Hoi An and have something tailored.

• Relax in Phu Coc, Vietnam’s 1^st beach destination, only a 1hr plane away from Ho Chi Minh City.

WHERE TO EAT & SLEEP

Vietnam is foodie heaven.  Therefore, if you are into the food scene, you’ll get your fix in Vietnam.   In Vietnam, any time is a good time to eat which is great when you have trouble getting over your jetlag.  However, be prepared to eat noodles and rice 24/7.

Although I personally don’t eat street food, a lot of foreigners do and that is the cheapest way to eat.

Aside from the Pho soup which is always a safe bet as it is served throughout Vietnam, here are a few specialties that I dared trying out and worth tasting.

Vietnamese specialties

• Cha Ca. A crispy turmeric-marinated fish that’s fried tableside in a pan with herbs. You can try it out at Cha Ca Thang Long in Hanoi, a popular place.  That is all they serve there and at a set price.

• White Rose, a Hoi An specialty also known as Banh Bao Vac.  The French supposedly gave it its name based on its appearance that does look like flower petals. They are basically dumplings filled with spiced minced shrimp or pork and can only be found in Hoi An.

• Fried Wontons. It’s said that the Chinese originally brought wontons to Vietnam. But while it’s usually served in a soup, the people of Hoi An have put their own spin on wontons by deep-frying the skins and topping them with a sweet-and-sour t of pork and shrimp.

• Banh Mi.  This is the Vietnamese version of French baguette and is delicious.  When you see it written somewhere, it usually means that it’s a sandwich split lengthwise and filled with various savory ingredients.  We’ve had some great sandwiches there.  Oddly enough, the best one I had was at the café in front of the tower of Hanoi.

• Fried Rice.  It’s not a specialty, but when you’re unsure of what to eat, fried rice is a good go-to and filling as well.

There is no tipping in Vietnam unless you eat in more of a western place in which case a service charge will automatically be added to your bill.

Sleeping in Vietnam

When you travel to Vietnam, you’ll find that the accommodations are super affordable.  Staying in boutique hotels can actually become a dream come true if you’d like.  Decent hotels are in a similar price range than hostels.

If you are traveling with someone of old age or with limited capacities, stay in hotels and make sure that they have an elevator.  In Vietnam, especially in big cities, everything is built upwards and the old houses do not have elevators.  That could become a problem if you have difficulties going up and down the stairs.  For my first trip to Vietnam, I only used Booking.Com to make my lodging reservations.  It was very practical as I didn’t have to pay in advance and all my reservations included breakfast.

Another lodging option is Homestay, where you actually stay in someone’s home with them.  This is a great way to meet the locals, learn about their culture and get insider tips.  Homestay is the cheapest lodging option.  I didn’t use it due to the lack of elevators.

Where we slept

The hotels we stayed at during our time in Vietnam were all really nice with good breakfasts and friendly staff.  Here are a few worth an extra mention.

Ha An Hotel in Hoi An. Located in an old colonial house near the heart of Hoi An, this hotel will really make you feel like you are on vacation while traveling.  It has a nice size pool open until 10 pm and a wonderful breakfast spread.  The rooms are really comfortable and have their own private balcony.

The Lief Mojo Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.  Located in Japan town at a walking distance from all the major sites, be prepared to feel like you are in yet another country.  The staff is super friendly, the breakfast is light but good and the interior is designed using a pastel theme to make you feel peachy.

The Orchid Hotel in Hué.  Located almost across from Hué’s Citadel surrounded by bars and restaurants, the staff will provide you with everything you need to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.  No matter what you want to do and see, they can arrange it for you.  The rooms are big and comfortable with nice little touches and they have a nice breakfast spread.

VIETNAM SOUVENIRS

Discover what you can bring back from your trip to Vietnam.

YES, I WANT TO KNOW

WHAT TO PACK TO TRAVEL TO VIETNAM

My best advice: pack light!  There will be so much you want to bring back from Vietnam that you’ll either have to pack light for real or bring an extra bag.

Either go with what you already have at home or buy the items you need in Vietnam as they will be cheaper.  You can also have clothing tailored made in a day or two!

The weather in the North and in the South aren’t always the same.  Therefore, if you plan to travel all over Vietnam, you’ll need appropriate clothing for all types of weather.  Here is a quick packing list to get you started.

• Pants
• Shorts
• T-Shirts
• Tank Tops
• Pareo or Shawl for when you visit a temple
• Bathing Suit
• Travel towel if you are planning on going to the beach.
• Sandals
• Comfortable walking-hiking shoes
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Dress and/or long skirt
• Long sleeve shirt

Survival Kit

• Mosquito repellant.
• After bite.
• Diva Cup, period underwear or hygienic pads.  Speaking from experience, there aren’t many options to choose from at the pharmacy if you have your period, especially in the middle of nowhere.  Plus, having to explain what you need to someone that doesn’t speak English can be tricky.
• Tylenol and Advil.
• Something for the stomach if you get food poisoning.
• Travel utensils that include a straw.  They don’t always offer a glass in Vietnam and sometimes you just might not want to have to put your mouth against it.  Also, if you like straws you can tell them not to serve your drink with one and use your reusable one.
• Guidebook.  When technology fails, having a backup can save the day.  Also, it can give you an idea as to where to eat and what to see while on the go.

Technology

• Unless you come from Europe, you’ll need a travel adapter for your electronics.
• Apps: 
  • Grab for car or motorcycle ride paid directly with your credit card.
  • Booking.Com for lodging options.
  • Google Maps.  Download ahead of time maps of all the places you plan to visit including addresses of your hotels and things you want to see or do.

WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE?

The weather in Vietnam is hot and humid.  Obviously, it changes with the season and where you’ll be in Vietnam but as a general rule, it never gets below 17 degrees Celsius in the North and 25 degrees Celsius in the South.

My travel experience to Vietnam was from late February to early March and we did not experience one drop of rain.  Upon my arrival in Hanoi, it was 26 degrees Celsius and when I left Ho Chi Minh it was 34 degrees Celsius.

It was a little cooler in Ninh Binh, two hours south of Hanoi, but not by much.

We didn’t go to Halong Bay nor Sapa as it is mostly under the fog that time of year, so not the best time to go.

An Overview of Vietnam’s Weather

As in everywhere else in Asia, there is a rain/monsoon season.  In Vietnam, it usually is from April to October with the summer months of June to August being the rainiest, hence maybe not the best time to go or is it?  Judge for yourself with the chart below from Vietnam Travel Guide.

VIETNAM WEATHER CHART

	Hanoi (North)		Danang (Centre)		Saigon (South)
Month	Av.Temp (C)	Av. rainfall (mm)	Av.Temp (C)	Av. rainfall (mm)	Av.Temp (C)	Av. rainfall (mm)
January	17	18	22	101	27	15
February	18	28	22	31	28	4
March	20	38	24	12	29	13
April	24	81	27	18	30	42
May	28	197	29	47	29	221
June	30	238	30	42	29	331
July	30	322	30	99	28	314
August	29	343	28	117	28	268
September	28	252	26	447	27	334
October	26	98	24	530	27	268
November	22	42	22	221	27	114
December	19	21	21	208	27	56

IS MY WALLET SAFE?

First of all, we did not encounter any problems during our travel to Vietnam.  However, there a couple of precautions to take just in case. 

• Try not to walk on the edge of sidewalks as it is easier for purse snatchers on motorbikes to grab your purse or bag.  It’s easier said than done as in Old Hanoi the sidewalks are relatively inexistent.

• Use a backpack instead of a purse and wear it in front in busy areas.  If you have one that has a strap in front you can keep it on your back as it will make it easier to grab.

• As for smartphones, keep them close or in your pocket.  If you need extra protection, use a telephone case with a cord that you can put around your neck like THIS ONE.

• If you plan to grab a taxi on your own, make sure that you have the exact change or close enough.  More often than not, the taxi drivers will think the extra money is for them which is definitely not the case.  Therefore, it’s best to pay for your ride while still inside the cab.  You don’t tip the drivers and they aren’t allowed to request it.

CAN YOU GO THERE WITH KIDS?

If you want to travel to Vietnam with kids, it’s totally doable.  Here is what you should know.

There are plenty of places that are safe to eat at with them.

Most hotels can provide a crib, or you can bring your own travel bed like THIS ONE for your child if he is small enough.

Pick a hotel that offers breakfast to make your life easier.  It’s also a good way to stock up on fruits and snacks for when you are out and about.

Plan your day accordingly.  As it’s usually super-hot early afternoon, use that time for naps, downtime or for a splash in the pool.  Just know that late February- early March, the sun starts setting around 5 pm.

A stroller will be pretty much useless while you travel through Vietnam.  In most cities, especially Hanoi, there are no sidewalks and when there are, they are usually used to park motorcycles.  Most sites are full of stairs or steps carved in rocks which makes it impractical with a stroller.  For babies and young toddlers, your best travel option will be a BABY CARRIER. It is a hassle-free and safer option.

As far as the visits go, most places don’t charge an entry fee for children or at least for those under 5 years old.

OUR ITINERARY

My mom (76 years old at the time) and I traveled through Vietnam for 2 weeks from Late February to Early March.

If you plan to travel to Vietnam, here is our itinerary to give you an idea of what you can see and do.

Hanoi (3 nights, 2 1-2 days): Old Quarter, Hoàn KiếmLake, Water puppets show, historical sites, and museums.

Ninh Binh (2 nights, 3 days): boat rides, limestone mountains, UNESCO site, temples, cycling through the countryside

Hué (2 nights, 1 1-2 days):  the Citadel, Emperor Tombs, hat and incense making.

Hoi An (3 nights, 3 days): beach break, shopping, UNESCO site, amusement park, ancient ruins.

Ho Chi Minh (3 nights, 2 1-2 days): day trip to the Mekong Delta, Remnants of War Museum, Binh Quoi, Japan Town.

Vietnam might not be the #1 travel destination in Asia but it’s definitely worth checking out and good enough a reason to actually go there.

The accommodations and food are great and affordable.  You can get by with some basic English and the best part is that it’s relatively inexpensive to travel to Vietnam aside from the plane ticket.  If you want to travel but don’t have a lot of cash, Vietnam is a wonderful option.

Ever wonder what you can bring back from your travels?  Here is our Vietnam Souvenir Guide.