10 things to do before your trip to Vietnam
Are you planning a trip to Vietnam? If so, keep reading this post to find out what to do before your trip there.
Here are the most remarkable tips accumulated for those who attend to choose Vietnam for the upcoming discovery:
It is undeniable that Vietnam is an attractive nation with diverse culture, delicate food and also stocked with authentically nice people. Before making an exciting trip to this tourist destination, you’ll have a lot of things to bear in mind. Here are the most remarkable tips accumulated for those who attend to choose Vietnam for the upcoming discovery.
Trip to Vietnam
Seriously take your visa
Most of the tourists who come to Vietnam have some trouble at the airport due to visa misinformation or failing to print their visa-on-arrival and pre-approval paper. Thus, you should double and triple check all of your information and make sure that you have your accommodation address ready to go for the arrival form. It is good to be respectful to the immigration officers, no matter how cold they are.
Ready to be stamped and enjoy your trip after that! But first of all, please check out requirements of Vietnam visa for Filipino and see how you can obtain the visa without hassle.
set of passports with visa and immigration stamps for travel to Asia
Money Matters
Issues related to money always make difficulties for most visitors coming to Vietnam. The outstanding problem is confusing the notes in various value as they may look the same. Take this as an example: 10,000 dong notes (44 cents USD) looks a lot like 100,000 notes ($4.44), and 50,000 dong bills ($2.20) can easily be confused with 500,000 dong notes ($21.99).
It should be wise for double checking the passing over bills you have used. Also be smart to deal with haggling by willing to walk away as vendors will call you back for your negotiation price.
Hotel/Hostel Reservations
It is better to find good deals on hotel on food but not online. On the contrary to booking online with the less expensive cost, hotel charge can be cheaper if you take into a walk on the most main route to find out a cheaper and nicer hotel instead of booking online.
Motorbikes
It cannot be denied that motorbikes (scooters and larger motorcycles) are the most popular means of transportation that take you to every stunning place. With six to nine dollars a day, you can own a rental bikes to go around the city in case you are actually an experienced motorcyclist as Vietnam is a dangerous place to ride. If you are not sure about your ability, you can also have the driver took you to every places with only around $14.
Booking Travel
Transportation becomes a inevitably part of your trip, so to save the most of your dollars for means of travel, book your train and/or bus reservations directly at the terminals to avoid the invisible – service charge from hotels when they recommend to book via their service.
Another tricky you should pay attention to is the shady cyclo’ drivers who may initially offer you the fixed cheap fare then drive you to a far-away places with higher bills without prior announcements. Similarly applied for taxi driver.
Personal Safety
Be aware of the pickpockets who are normally surfing around urban areas to steal laptops, packs and cellphones out of your hands while zooming by on a motorbike. Be kind to your stomach as food and water matters are also a certain issue in Vietnam. Always eat try the street food that has been properly cooked and drink purified or bottled water. It is a good idea to have your hepatitis A and B vaccinations. Drug scams and prostitutes are also actual concerns, such as in many countries in South East Asia.
Dressing conservatively
Vietnam is a young and colorful country, thus, it is comfortable for you to bring the most stylist clothes for your trip. One thing to remember is doing as the locals do and be moderate. It is clear that locals don’t wear bikinis on the street, or walk around showing off their tattoos.
Hanoi is for tradition and ‘attractions’; while Ho Chi Minh City is for style and modern culture.
For those who love the ancient style, Hanoi is the great place to discover, while Ho Chi Minh City is a comtemporary one for those who are fans of modern culture.
Expatriates can instantly feel that Hanoi is very much the governmental capital, with a part of Ho Chi Minh is preserved here. The willowy lakesides located some ancient pagodas around, with the French quarter preserved from the old time. Turning to the past with the trip to this quintessential capital city- a straight, low-key and traditional value.
To dip into the culture of nightlife, Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City) is your must – go destination. Having a walk under the sexy neon lights, enjoy yourself on rooftop bars, visit the most lovely cafes, a sophisticated art and music scene. Expats certainly take a trip to Saigon for many good reasons, but the significant concerns are culture and people here.
Ho Chi Minh City
Get off the ‘tourist trail”
Don’t take a pale trip on every easiest route to travel. You may have been recommended Nha Trang, but let’s check out Quy Nhon. Or instead of staying in Saigon’s Centre area, try District 3, or District 10. Give Da Nang a shot as it is really a fresh and friendly city without too many tourists. Try not to limit your journey with most stunning landscapes in Vietnam!
Vietnam is bigger than you think
You are planning the whole trip from north to south? Just give yourself three weeks for preparation. The train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (1726 km) takes about 34 hours and 50 hours by bus. Be careful if you underestimate Vietnam’s size as it is bigger than you think.
Let give yourself enough time to explore. Don’t try to force it all down in one short fling but stick to either the Northern, Central or Southern areas to ensure you can enjoy most of your desire destination!
Welcome to Vietnam and wish you have a wonderful trip!
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[…] For a complete list of everything you need to prepare before a trip to Vietnam, click here! […]
Gary R Wertz
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The first time I went to Vietnam was with the USAF 1967-69, enlisted not a pilot or aircrew in the USAF. Later I flew as a first officer for a US Airline between 1970-71 and flew in and out of Vietnam during that time along with many other destinations globally. After an airline layoff I worked in Vietnam as a civilian from February 1972 to September 1974; I initially worked in Quy Nhon aka Qui Nhon on a Mountain Communication site south of the city (Vung Chua Mountain) for a year or so. After the stint at Vung Chua my job took me all over Vietnam from Phu Quoc Island and Rach Gia in the south clear up to Dong Ha and most cities between and our company sites between. My wife is Vietnamese we were married in 1974 and we left in late 1974. We did not return to Vietnam until 2011, we were both working in Japan at the time. Now we go every two years. I have travelled extensively not only in Vietnam but all over the world; six of seven Continents (46 Countries) including all countries of East Asia, between the Philippines and the Andaman Sea, except for three. N. Korea, Siberia state of Russia and Indonesia (have flown over Siberia enroute to and from China and within sight of Indonesia when flying through the Strait of Malacca). I have also been to India, Pakistan and Iran too on west of the Andaman Sea. In February of 2019 we will go back to Vietnam again. My wife does not care for travelling extensively so she does not go around the country she prefers to visit her sisters and family in Ho Chi Minh City while there. I will fly from HCMC on Vietnam Air and will visit Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and Dalat, I have not been to any of these places since 1974. While in Quy Nhon I will go back up to the top of the mountain where I worked and plan on visiting several of the ancient Cham Towers in Binh Dinh Province, couldn’t do that in the seventies. I will be staying at the Muong Thanh Hotel in Quy Nhon and a private car has been arranged for going around Binh Dinh Province. Nha Trang and Dalat were two of my favorite cities in Vietnam. I will travel to Nha Trang from Quy Nhon by train. I know Nha Trang is now beach resort and heavily visited. In Nha Trang I will stay at the Hotel Intercontinental on the Beach. I wanted to stay at the Michella, is across from the beach totally updated and a high rise now, it used to be the La Frigate where I stayed multiple times in Nha Trang but it was booked. The older La Frigate was a one story quaint place with a courtyard and across the road from the beach back in the seventies but it is not so quaint and relaxed any more. Dalat may not be as touristy now but I won’t be surprised if it is. I will have to see when I get there. In Dalat I will stay in an old French venerable hotel I used to stay in when going there with my work in 1973-74; the Dalat Palace, travelling to Dalat from Nha Trang by private car and while travelling around Dalat and Lam Dong Province. I will fly back to Saigon from Dalat on Vietnam Air. In October 2019 I’m going back up north to Hanoi for a couple of days then up to Ba Be National Park, Ban Gioc Falls (Cao Bang Province, Chinese border area) then to Halong Bay all by private car. Last year I went to Hanoi (2nd time there), Sapa and Lao Cai. The nice thing about Vietnam is the country is not overrun with tourists very few except for Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon, Hanoi, Sapa and Halong Bay. Good advice pertaining to visas, my wife and I both have five year multiple entry exit Visas for Vietnam. I am looking forward to my next two trips to Vietnam.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Such a detailed information about your trips to Vietnam, thanks so much :) And I hope you enjoy your next trip as well ;)
Denise Morris
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Useful information. I did my own trip in the North Vietnam last month. Almost time I stayed in Hanoi but had most impressive experience with Lan Ha Bay. The scenery was so stunning and gorgeous. I took a overnight cruise with La Pinta boat and did a lot of interesting activities. Hope that next time I would the chance to visit the South
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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That sounds great. Happy you enjoyed your trip there ;)