The characteristics of a trip to Vietnam include its diverse and rich culture, history, natural scenery, and delicious food. Vietnam is located in southeast Asia and has a diverse terrain and climate. You can experience beautiful beaches, dynamic cities, and traditional markets. Additionally, Vietnam has a diverse cultural heritage due to various historical influences.
1. Vietnam Quick Facts
Language Vietnamese
Religion Buddhist 12%, Catholic 7%, etc.
Currency Vietnamese Dong (VND, ₫)
Visa 45 days visa-free
Power Plugs 220V, 50Hz, (G Type)
Capital Hanoi
ATM ATM There are banks (ATMs) located throughout the city, making withdrawals convenient.
Use card There are restrictions on the use of credit cards except in luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, and large shopping malls.
restroom
Be sure to use the free restrooms at most tourist attractions, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls, etc. Toilets at some tourist attractions or highway rest areas charge around 2,000 VND (generally, you pay voluntarily by leaving the fare box)
Useful APP
Google Maps
“Grab” is a taxi application. Like a Taxi and Uber in Europe and the United States. In Vietnam, there are many taxis that take advantage of foreigners, so it is better to use
“GoViet” is a motorcycle taxi that can be useful for solo travelers traveling short distances that cannot be covered by public transportation. The usage is the same as Grab.
Google Translate : translates Vietnamese into Korean and Korean into Vietnamese. Voice translation as well as text image translation is possible.
BusMap (BusMap – Xe buýt thành phố) : provides information on bus routes, bus pick-up and drop-off point locations, travel time, and fares in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.
2. Packing for your trip
Air plain Ticket
Dollar Flight Club has made it easier and cheaper to buy flights to the Airport.
SIM card
Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving you access to 200+ eSIMs (digital SIM cards) globally at affordable prices.
New member one-time use 15% discount coupon
10% discount coupon for multiple use by all members.
Pacsafe Pro safe 800 Luggage Lock
Good protection against snatchers or impulse thieves.
Universal Power Adapter
One of the most essential but most forgotten items in your travel gear? A power adapter!
Travel insurance
Prepare for risky situations Travel insurance can be a big help in the event of an emergency
GoPro HERO11
If you want to capture your own memories of your travels, GoPro is the way to go. It’s small, has great image quality, and is easy to carry around
shower filter
The water in Vietnam, as well as in Southeast Asia, is very limey, so we recommend buying and drinking bottled water.
It is also recommended that you take a shower filter with you when washing, as the limey water in Vietnam can cause Traveller’s diarrhoea disease.
Mosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are one of the most annoying things about travelling.
3. Transportation
Transportation: Taxi basic fare 11,000 VND, bus 7,000 VND (may vary by region) Taxis are cheaper than anywhere else in the world, so we recommend using them often.
4. Safety
The security situation in Vietnam may vary depending on the region, but is generally considered to be relatively safe. Vietnam is a country that plays an important role in the tourism industry and provides a relatively safe environment for tourists. However, caution may be necessary in urban areas or areas with high tourist traffic.
Emergency Calls
Crime : 113
Fire : 114
Emergency Room : 115
5. Climate
Vietnam’s weather is broadly categorised into two seasons: the rainy season and the dry season.
The rainy season in Vietnam is very rainy and generally cold and chilly, while the dry season is very hot and extremely humid with very little rain.
Weather in Northern Vietnam
Hanoi
Dry season November to April, chilly in the morning and evening from December to March.
Rainy season June to August, April to November Relatively humid and hot all year round.
Halong Bay
Great for travelling, just watch out for the occasional typhoon
Sapa
High mountainous region with low average annual temperatures and changeable weather, with large temperature differences between morning and evening.
Weather in Central Vietnam
The central region is hotter than the south. It can be as hot as 30°C (86°F) all year round
Hoi An
Typhoons and torrential rains are common in October and November, causing flooding and inundation.
Hue, Da Nang
Very hot in summer, reaching 40°C (104°F).
Southern Vietnam weather
Similar to central weather
Ho Chi Minh
April and May are very, very hot, but there are frequent squalls that provide some relief from the heat.
Dalat
Being an alpine city, it’s sunny and cool all year round.
June to October is the rainy season with squalls
From November to February, it’s cold, so you’ll need to wear winter clothes.
Phu Quoc
Recommended for good weather from November to May, April to May is hot
June to September is rainy and humid.
6. price
Prices are generally cheaper than other.
Groceries: 500ml water 6,000 VND
Accommodation: Hostel 6 USD~, 3 star 35 USD~, 4 star 100 USD~
Restaurant/Cafe: Coffee 29,000VND~
rice noodles 55,000VND~
local restaurant 80,000VND~
7. Travel precautions
Be especially careful with ice. Street vendors and restaurants will often add ice to your beer or cola, which can cause enteritis, stomach upset, etc. because of poor hygiene.
Like most Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam is prone to tropical downpours, especially during the summer months. The weather can be unpredictable, so it’s always a good idea to carry an umbrella or raincoat and bring a thin cardigan.
Vietnam maintains a socialist system, so public security is strongly organized.
Compared to other Southeast Asian countries on the Indonesian peninsula, security is relatively good, but crimes such as pick pocketing and snatching may occur in busy cities such as Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi, so always be careful when traveling.
8. Etiquette & Service Tip
Touching someone’s head or pointing your finger at them is perceived as rude. You should avoid showing off money or being unconditionally critical.
A familiar touch, the shoulder rub. This is one of the behaviors you should avoid in Vietnam because of the Vietnamese belief that shoulders have guardian spirits, so be careful about putting your hand on someone’s shoulder.
Vietnam considers the left hand unclean
If you meet a Vietnamese person and need to shake hands, keep your left hand tucked away. Vietnamese consider the left hand to be unclean, and it is not customary for women to shake hands with men as a gesture of trust.
No Tip
Although there is no original tipping culture, tourists are expected to tip. If you are satisfied with the service, 20,000 dong is reasonable. However, massage shops customarily provide a tip of 50,000 dong per hour of service.
9. Holidays
2024 National Public Holidays:
1 January New Year
9 February – 14 February Lunar New Year (Tet)
18 April King’s Day
30 April Reunification Day
1 May Labour Day
2 September Independence Day
2025 National Public Holidays:
Wednesday, 1 January: New Year’s Day
Tuesday to Monday, 28 January to 3 February : Tet
Monday, 7 April : Hung Kings Commemoration Day
Wednesday, 30 April : Reunification Day
Tuesday, 1 May : Labor Day
Monday, 1 September : National Day Holiday
Tuesday, 2 September : National Day
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