If you’re just beginning to plan your trip to Vietnam, this page will save you hours of research.
Visas, SIM cards, ATMs, getting around, safety, best times to visit, where to stay…
Over the years, I’ve answered many questions about visiting or living in Vietnam. To help you get situated on your Vietnam travel plans, I’ve put together a list of what I’ve identified as the most common questions about traveling to Vietnam.
Join my free Vietnam travel planning Facebook group if you need help or have any questions.
Do I need a visa to visit Vietnam?
This will depend on your passport country. Many countries can enter Vietnam for 14-90 days without needing a visa. Here is my full guide to Vietnam’s visa requirements.
Below is a table of the current visa-exempt countries. Passport holders from these countries can enter Vietnam without needing a visa.
| Passport Country | Maximum Period of Stay |
|---|---|
| Chile, Panama | 90 days |
| Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom | 45 days |
| Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand | 30 days |
| Philippines | 21 days |
| Brunei | 14 days |
This is the current website to apply for an e-visa: https://evisa.gov.vn/
Things can change quickly, so please double-check my above table using these websites:
- https://vietnam.travel/plan-your-trip/visa-requirements
- https://www.myvietnamvisa.com/vietnam-visa-exemption.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Vietnam
If you need help or have any questions about visas or agents, contact me in my free Vietnam travel planning Facebook group.
When is the best time to visit Vietnam?
Da Nang, Hue, and Hoi An: March, April, and May are great times to visit. The rainy season has stopped, and it’s right before the hot summer. Here’s a guide I wrote on the best time to visit Da Nang. This one covers Hoi An.
Central Vietnam starts to get hot in May and stays hot through August. June and July can be very hot. These aren’t terrible times to visit because the skies are clear, and it rarely rains, but it will be hot.
The rainy season begins in September and lasts through January. The temperatures are much cooler, but there are periods of daily rain and gray skies.
Ho Chi Minh City is pretty hot all year round (30-35°C, 86F-95°F every day), but March and April tend to be the hottest. The dry season is from December to April. May through November are the wettest months in Ho Chi Minh City. Here’s my guide to the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City.
Hanoi experiences a wide range of weather. December through February sees cooler low temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and highs around 20°C (68°F). This is also the period with the lowest rainfall.
The months with the highest rainfall coincide with Hanoi’s hottest months. May through October are the hottest and wettest months; June through September are very hot and rainy. I would avoid these four months if you can.
Cooler temperatures with less rain occur from November to March.
What are the must-visit places in Vietnam?
This is a personal preference and will depend on your travel interests. Vietnam has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but there is a lot to experience in terms of nature, culture, and history.
As the main “hubs,” Hanoi is in the north, Da Nang is in the center, and Ho Chi Minh City is in the south.
If you’re visiting Vietnam for the first time, you’ll want to visit at least one of these main hubs. They each have unique things to see and are the most convenient bases to use to explore elsewhere in Vietnam.
A lot of travelers do a full country overview trip from north to south or vice versa, lasting over 10 days to two weeks. A common trip is from Hanoi to Da Nang/Hoi An, then to Ho Chi Minh City.
Others opt just to visit one or two of the hubs and their surroundings. You can also pair any of the hubs with lesser-visited cities nearby.
For example, when you do Hanoi, you can pair it with Ninh Binh, Cat Ba, Ha Long Bay, Sa Pa, Ha Giang, Mai Chau, or many other places. You have tons of options in the north.
Da Nang has a very convenient international airport that is directly in the city. Using Da Nang as a hub is very convenient.
Hoi An is 40 minutes south of Da Nang, and Hue is about two hours north. This area can be a trip entirely on its own. You could spend a week or 10 days in Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An, or just in Da Nang or Hoi An.
You’ll want to visit Ho Chi Minh City in the south. You can pair it with an island trip to Phu Quoc, a trip to Da Lat, or with Nha Trang. Vung Tau is a popular beach city for weekend getaways for locals in Ho Chi Minh City.
Da Lat, in particular, is a lesser-visited but highly-regarded gem in Vietnam. Nonstop flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat take less than one hour and cost under $40 USD.
What is the local currency, and where can I exchange money?
The conversion rate is around 25.000 VND to $1 USD. It fluctuates, but this is a good number to use as a rough baseline.
The local currency is the Vietnamese dong. Banknote denominations start at 100 dong and go up to 500.000, though the notes under 1.000 are hardly used.
You’ll most commonly use 1.000, 2.000, 5.000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000, 100.000, 200.000, and 500.000.
If you need to exchange money, I would avoid doing it at the airport upon arrival if you can wait. The best rates happen to come from gold dealers and jewelers in the city.
Otherwise, wait until you arrive in Vietnam to use an ATM.
Is it safe to use ATMs in Vietnam?
One of my biggest pieces of travel advice is learning to lock and unlock your ATM debit card through your bank’s app. Then, get in the habit of doing this whenever you need cash. I have an article with more tips for visiting HCMC.
I stand in front of the ATM, open my banking app, unlock the card, take out cash, and then lock it right away. This prevents ATM transactions and certain other purchases.
You don’t want to be in Vietnam in the event your card is skimmed or has fraud. It isn’t common, but it happens, and unlocking/locking your card only takes seconds.
Also, card fraud that occurs today could be the result of a theft from months or even years earlier. Oftentimes, numbers are skimmed or stolen, then passed around and sold in bulk before being used, or the thieves purposely delay using them right away to avoid being tracked.
What is the best way to get cash in Vietnam?
Use an ATM. Most ATMs in Vietnam allow you to take between 3.000.000 and 6.000.000 VND each time. However, HSBC lets you take out 10,000,000 VND per time.
It’s a bonus if you have an ATM card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and reimburses you for out-of-network ATM fees every month, like the Charles Schwab Debit Card. I’ve used this card for years.
You don’t need more than 2.000.000 VND to 4.000.000 VND cash for daily walk-around money. If you plan on shopping, that’s different. Most of the nicer stores and establishments take credit cards, too.
Entry tickets to certain places are around 40.000 VND each. Coffee can range from 25.000 VND to 75.000 VND—local places vs. franchises.
Street food meals or casual eateries with chicken and rice, pho, or banh mi, depending on the area, cost 30.000 VND to 150.000 VND per item/meal.
Sit-down meals in restaurants vary widely in cost. I eat at many Western-oriented casual restaurants, and full meals of great food can cost around 200.000 to 300.000 VND for one person. Bep Vo in Thao Dien is one of my regular spots.
Fancier restaurants, like Quince in Saigon or Elgin Saigon, will be more expensive. For two, you could spend 4,000.000 VND on a nice meal and drinks.
If you plan on shopping, that’s different. But randomly walking around with 8.000.000 to 10.000.000 VND or more is unnecessary.
How should I travel around Vietnam?
Within cities, the Grab app is easy and convenient to use. It is the Uber of Vietnam, and you can book taxis, hire private drivers, and order food delivery. You can download the Grab app here.
The app lets you add your credit card or pay entirely in cash. I would 100% use this for traveling within or between nearby cities.
Klook also offers many travel options, including airport transfers, bus and train tickets, and more.
Domestic flights between cities are plentiful and not expensive. One-way non-stop flights can be found for $25 to $45 USD.
I personally use Google Flights for my domestic and international flying. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet have numerous nonstop routes all over the country.
Example: You can fly directly from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi to Da Nang, then use the Grab app to hire a taxi to Hoi An. Hotels can also arrange airport pick-up.
You can fly from Hanoi to Da Nang and then from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City. You can fly nonstop from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City or vice versa.
You can fly from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc, Da Lat, or Nha Trang.
I personally wouldn’t waste time taking a long-distance bus or sleeper train. These trips are much longer and invite additional travel headaches, and domestic flights are relatively cheap.
If you’re interested in long-distance buses or sleeper trains, use Klook or 12Go.
A sleeper train or sleeper bus would be “an experience,” but it would not be fast or convenient. The windy and bumpy roads on buses can be exhausting and nausea-inducing. There will be constant stopping, noises, and dealings with other passengers.
Personally, if there’s a plane route, I just fly—it saves time and headaches.
If you want to go from Da Nang to Hue or from Hoi An to Hue, I would first ask your hotel about the arrangements. You can also book this trip using the Grab app.
You can also rent a motorbike and make the ride yourself. It’s a beautiful trip.
If you’re visiting Hanoi and want to visit any of the numerous sites or cities in the region, you’ll need to use a combination of taxis, private cars, vans, buses, and trains.
Again, use your hotel or hostel as a resource, too. They can help with arrangements.
What are the best apps for Vietnam?
This is a short list of some of the apps that I consider essential for traveling in Vietnam. I use some of these every day. You can read my full guide on the best apps for traveling in Vietnam.
- Klook: The app allows you to book tours, attractions, hotels, buses, trains, and ferries. It also allows you to rent scooters and order SIM cards. You can download the Klook app here.
- Grab app: This is a must-have app for traveling in Vietnam. It allows you to book taxis and private cars, order food delivery and groceries, and more. You can download the Grab app here.
- Google Translate: I mainly use this for scanning Vietnamese writing on menus, signs, food products, or the TV. You can hold up the phone over the writing, and it will instantly translate on the screen. I also use it conversationally.
- Google Maps: I use this every day, too. As a Local Guide on Google Maps, I’m always researching and reviewing new places to explore.
- Zalo: This is the most popular chat app in Vietnam. You may engage with a hotel or service provider who wants to connect with you on Zalo.
- Shopee and Lazada: These are like the Amazon’s of Vietnam. I personally use Shopee more than Lazada. You can order items and pay cash on delivery (COD).
- GetYourGuide: Popular for tours, classes, activities, and entry tickets.
Some of the apps may require you to have a local phone number to sign up. More on that next.
How do I get a SIM card in Vietnam?
The easiest way to get a SIM card for Vietnam is to order one online and pick it up at the airport upon arrival.
Use Klook to order your SIM card before you arrive. Note your airport of arrival.
If your phone is eSIM-compatible, I highly recommend Airalo. I’ve used the app and their service before. I thought it was very smooth and easy. The app walks you through the entire setup process.
Check if your phone is eSIM-compatible with this Airalo article. You can double-check this article here. Your phone will also need to be carrier-unlocked. You can find out if yours is here.
Airalo also offers regional eSIMs and global eSIMs.
Data is very cheap and fast in Vietnam. I’ve been using Vinaphone since 2018 and have nothing but great things to say.
Once connected at the airport, you can download and use the apps above. I would download the Grab app, set it up, and then use it to book a taxi from the airport to your hotel. You can pay with cash or link your credit card inside the app.
Read my complete guide on eSIMs and SIM cards in Vietnam.
Do people speak English in Vietnam?
In general, no. Some basic English is spoken more widely in the major cities and touristy areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Hanoi. However, finding random locals who are fluent in English is not common.
In hotels, hostels, and restaurants, you are more likely to find staff who understand context-appropriate English, such as food items, where the bathroom is, and so on. But sometimes, even this is hit or miss.
You’ll likely have to download and use the Google Translate app to fill in the gaps. The Google Translate app is free. You can download it for Android here and for iPhone here.
Can I find short-term or day passes for gyms in Vietnam?
Yes. Nearly all of the gyms I’ve gone to over the years in Vietnam offer a one-time pass. Some offer weekly passes, too. And month-by-month memberships are common.
Here is my guide to my favorite gyms in Da Nang, including the cost of day passes.
I’ve also written an extensive guide on my favorite gyms in Ho Chi Minh City.
I try to keep this information updated, but it can change quickly. If you have corrections, please contact me in my Vietnam travel planning group so I can update it for other travelers.
Where should I stay in Ho Chi Minh City?
You can read my in-depth guide on the best areas to stay in Ho Chi Minh City. This will give you a detailed overview of the city’s areas, including a district map. Also, don’t forget my Ho Chi Minh City travel guide.
Stay in District 1 to be in the action and near all the best attractions. Alternatively, nearby District 3 is a great choice. Personally, I would choose District 3 because its tree-lined streets and atmosphere are more pleasant to wander than District 1.
For the expat communities, you’ll want Thao Dien in District 2 or Phu My Hung in District 7. I personally love District 7 as a place to live.
What are the must-see attractions in Ho Chi Minh City?
Districts 1 and 3 contain the majority of Ho Chi Minh City’s best attractions. Some are free and outdoors, like the Ho Chi Minh Statue, Ben Thanh Market, the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, Book Street, and the Saigon Central Post Office.
Others require a small entrance ticket of around 40.000 VND. These are the Independence Palace (District 1) and the War Remnants Museum (District 3). I would absolutely visit both of these. They are touristy but a great experience—definitely worth the ~$1.60 USD entry tickets!
I also had a great time at the Saigon Skydeck observation area on the 49th Floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower in downtown District 1.
You can find more information and ideas in my list of things to do in Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve also written a short guide on hidden gems in HCMC that I’ve discovered.
If you’re planning a trip to HCMC, here’s my three-day itinerary and my must-see one-day itinerary.
How can I do a visa run from Ho Chi Minh City?
If you entered on a visa exemption or an e-visa and want to stay longer, you’ll need to exit Vietnam and return.
I used to ride my motorbike two hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Cambodia and do this run myself. This is when you were allowed to apply for your next Vietnam e-visa while still inside Vietnam. You can’t do that anymore.
You can fly out and order your next e-visa once you’ve left Vietnam.
You can also engage an agent and use their services or sign up for a border run. In Ho Chi Minh City, I recommend IzyViet. Here is their Facebook page.
Where should I stay in Da Nang?
I’ve written a guide on my favorite areas in Da Nang, which you can use to decide your preferred area. I moved to Da Nang in 2018 and spent hundreds of hours exploring the city. Here’s my full Da Nang travel guide, and this article covers how to get around Da Nang.
Unlike Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang’s areas are more straightforward. It has a city and beach side, split by the Han River. Staying in the city or near the beach each has advantages. Here are my favorite hotels in Da Nang. You can read about Da Nang’s beach resorts here.
The city side of Da Nang (Hai Chau District) has more gems to discover by wandering around on foot. The My An area near the beach is popular with tourists and travelers. Many Western-oriented restaurants are consolidated here.
But if you want to stay near the beach yet not be surrounded by tourists, head north along the coast into Son Tra. North of Nguyen Van Thoai Street, the area gets less and less touristy the further north you go. I wrote a guide on the best beaches in Da Nang.
Download and make use of the Grab app. Taxi or moto-taxi rides between the city and the beach are cheap and convenient. They cost just a few USD. So you can stay near the beach or in the city along the Han River and explore both places very easily.
See this article for things to do in Da Nang. If you’re planning a visit, here’s my one-day Da Nang itinerary.
How can I do a visa run from Da Nang or Hoi An?
Since these cities are nearby, service providers usually operate in both. Whether you’re staying in Da Nang or Hoi An, you can join a visa run by a company based in either city.
The Lao Bao station at the Laos border is about five hours from Da Nang. Just like doing a visa run from Ho Chi Minh City, you can fly out, then back in, or join a Da Nang/Hoi An border run on a bus or van.
I recommend using Lynn Visa. Here is her Facebook page.
I have used her for visa services since 2018. I’ve gone on her border trips and used her to secure my visas when I’ve flown out for a few days.
Where should I stay in Hoi An?
Here is my first-hand guide to the best areas to stay in Hoi An. As a long-time Da Nang resident, I often visit Hoi An for coffee, lunch, or to explore. I’ve spent much time exploring Hoi An, the countryside, and the town’s rice fields. This article details getting around Hoi An. Here’s a sample three-day Hoi An itinerary that I put together.
The Old Town of Hoi An is touristy but worth experiencing. Its streets are very walkable.
The beaches of Hoi An (An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach) are not within walking distance of the Old Town. Keep that in mind.
I would stay in or around the Old Town area, then rent or borrow a bicycle from your hotel and ride around town or to the beach. Bike riding in and around Hoi An and out to the countryside in the rice paddies is very popular.
Alternatively, a taxi ride from the Old Town to the beach will be cheap. Use the Grab app.
What are the best beaches in Da Nang?
I’ve written a guide on my favorite beaches in Da Nang. This article is full of my personal videos and photos from living in Da Nang.
My Khe Beach is the most popular and convenient beach in Da Nang. Vo Nguyen Giap Street runs along the coast, and many hotels are across from the beach. Here is my guide to the best beach resorts in Da Nang.
The beaches in Da Nang get crowded in the evenings. This is interesting because it’s the opposite of what we experience in the USA. The Vietnamese largely avoid sun exposure and get fresh air, outdoor exercise, swim, and socialize early in the mornings or evenings.
During the day, there is plenty of room on My Khe Beach. It will mainly be other vacationers.
Personally, I head further north from My Khe Beach into Son Tra to a beach area called East Sea Park. The further north you go along the coast, the quieter and less touristy Da Nang becomes.
Alternatively, for a beach where you may be the only visitor during the day, check out Non Nuoc Beach. The downside is it’s further south, so you’ll need to take a taxi or motorbike. But it’s quiet.
What are the best districts for expats living in Ho Chi Minh City?
I lived in four different Ho Chi Minh City districts and spent hundreds of hours exploring the others. I wrote a guide on the best districts to live in Ho Chi Minh City.
Thao Dien in District 2 and Phu My Hung in District 7 are the most popular expat-focused areas. These pockets have the highest concentration of Western amenities, international schools, and conveniences.
Alternatively, for a blend of convenience, local interaction, and being in the city’s energy, District 3 is a great choice.
How do I get from Tân Sơn Nhất Airport (SGN) into Ho Chi Minh City?
You have a few options. The easiest and most convenient way is to arrange airport pick-up when booking your hotel. However, the costs can vary. Sometimes, this service is way overpriced. Another easy choice is booking an airport transfer. Here’s my article on getting from HCMC to District 1.
The usual trip cost should be no more than 200.000 to 300.000 VND, depending on vehicle size and time of day. If this is what your hotel charges for pick-up, I would do this.
But some hotels charge multiples of this for pick-up. When booking your hotel, it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. But I wouldn’t do it for $60 to $80 USD—that’s way overpriced.
I use the Grab app to get from the airport to my destination. I am doing a test booking right now, and the cost of a four-person GrabCar taxi from the airport to the Ho Chi Minh Statue in downtown District 1 is under 100.000 VND.
Grab works on busyness, traffic, time of day, etc., so these prices will fluctuate. In the app, between 100.000 and 200.000 VND is a good price.
However, to use Grab at the airport, you’ll need a SIM card or access to the airport’s Wi-Fi. You can order a SIM card here ahead of time or get an eSIM here.
You can also book transfers through Klook, a very popular travel aggregator in Southeast Asia.
At the time of writing, the physical taxi stand is outside the arrival area and to the left. The most trustworthy taxi companies in Ho Chi Minh City are Mai Linh and Vinasun. These are green and white, respectively.
While these are the most trustworthy, actual experiences can vary from driver to driver. There is always the risk of overcharging. What you can do is agree upon a price with them upfront before taking the taxi ride.
In all cases, the drivers may ask you to pay the airport toll charge for exiting the airport. This is around 10.000 to 20.000 VND. Less than $1 USD.
My guide to getting around Ho Chi Minh City provides more details about navigating the city.
How do I get from Da Nang to Hoi An?
This will depend on whether your ultimate destination is Hoi An or if you’re staying in Da Nang and want to visit Hoi An on a day trip. I’ll answer both.
If you’re unsure which city you’re most interested in, I wrote this guide comparing Da Nang and Hoi An.
Da Nang has a very convenient international airport that is directly in the city. It is much easier to navigate than Saigon’s airport, to say the least.
To get from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An, I would use the Grab app or Klook. A private transfer from Da Nang Airport to a hotel in Hoi An’s Old Town will cost around $15 USD and take about 40 minutes.
A trip from Da Nang’s airport to most hotels near the beach in Da Nang takes 15 minutes. Using the Grab app, the trip is around 100.000 VND, depending on busyness and time of day. You can also use Klook to book airport transfers.
If you’re staying in Da Nang and want to visit Hoi An, you can use the Grab app, rent and ride a scooter, or see if your hotel offers Hoi An day trip shuttles (some do).
There are public bus routes, but I avoid them as Grab is very convenient and cost-effective.
You can read more in my guide on how to get from Da Nang to Hoi An.
How do I get from Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta?
The best way to experience the Mekong Delta is on a guided tour through Klook, Viator, or GetYourGuide. The best tours include pick-up and drop-off from Ho Chi Minh City hotels and have English-speaking guides.
Take this full-day guided tour of the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City.
How safe is Vietnam for tourists?
I can answer this question using my personal experiences living in Vietnam since 2018. It’s important to remember that Vietnam is still a developing country. Accidents and crimes happen, but you can avoid many of them by paying attention and being mindful.
For full details, I’ve written a personal guide on tourist safety in Vietnam.
Motorbike accidents happen. However, in my six years living in Vietnam, I’ve witnessed maybe 25 to 30 accidents. The issue is that you have less armor around you on a motorbike, so they can be more injurious at lower speeds.
You need to be careful when crossing the roads. From a driver’s point of view, there is a lot more activity going on (cars and tons of motorbikes), so you may not be easily seen crossing the road in a busy city. Proceed slowly and stick up/wave your hands. Cross in bigger groups if you can.
People will drive their motorbikes on the sidewalks to avoid waiting at a red light. Likewise, people will drive down the street in the opposite direction to avoid the delay of a proper U-turn.
Cell phone and purse snatchings happen but are relatively rare. Two people on a motorbike will drive by and snatch a cell phone from someone’s hand, a purse, or a handbag strap. In the latter case, the person is often pulled to the ground. I don’t know anyone personally who this has happened to.
Pickpocketing happens. Staying vigilant and using a money belt, fanny pack, or crossbody bag can help you avoid it.
You can help avoid snatchings and pickpocketing by wearing a fanny pack or crossbody bag and not carelessly snapping photos with your cell phone as you wander around busy areas.
Scams and overcharging are the most likely to happen. This can come in the form of a street vendor or restaurant charging inflated prices, or a taxi driver not correctly using his meter or trying to negotiate the ride cost. When paying in cash, some stores will try to underpay your change.
