Overall Tips

• While English is widely spoken in urban areas, it might not be as prevalent in more remote or rural regions. Having a translation app or learning a few basic Vietnamese phrases can be very helpful.

• The best time to visit varies by region. Generally, the months of November to April are considered favorable for most areas. Vietnam experiences a range of climates from north to south. The north has distinct seasons, while the south tends to be hot and humid year-round. Check the weather for the specific regions you plan to visit.

• Vietnam offers various transportation options including trains, buses, and trains. However, the cities are quite far apart so I recommend going with flights as they are relatively cheap anyway. Within cities I recommend using ride-sharing services like grab with are widely available. If you want to use a taxi, be sure to agree on fares or use meters before starting a journey.

• To avoid waterborne illnesses, it's best to drink bottled or filtered water. Avoid tap water as much as possible

• While street food is a great way to experience Vietnamese cuisine, choose vendors that appear clean and busy to minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses.

• Check with your healthcare provider for recommended vaccinations or health precautions before traveling to Vietnam.

• The most important festival in Vietnamese culture is celebrating the Lunar New Year in February. It's a time of family gatherings, feasts, and traditional customs. Many businesses may close during this period, so plan accordingly.

Hanoi

Day Trip

• Ha Long Bay Cruise: Considered one of the best experiences in Vietnam. Staying at least a night is highly recommended for the breathtaking views and excellent service, offering the best value for money experience anywhere.

• Sa Pa: Although I didn’t have the chance to visit personally, it looks amazing. The traditional rice fields are breathtaking, but do plan for at least an overnight stay.

Food

• Best Banh Mi: Banh Mi 25

• Best Egg Coffee: Cafe Dinh

• Kem Trang Tien: This famous ice cream shop often has massive lines due to its rich history.

• The Note Coffee: The coffee may not be exceptional, but the cool vibes make it worth a visit if time allows.

• Hải Xệ - Bánh Rán Cao Lâu (Vietnamese donut): Street vendors often sell these for 10k dong, but they’ve likely been out all day. This supplier offers them hot for 2 or 3k dong.

Night Life

• Beer Street: Chaotic but unlike anywhere else in the world. Enjoy cheap drinks and plenty of places to hang out or party for the night.

Things to Do

• Sword Lake on Weekends: The busiest street is closed to traffic on weekends, making it ideal for leisurely strolls. Street vendors and shows pop up, creating a lively atmosphere.

• Train Street: While very cool, please note that it is considered dangerous and technically illegal. If police are outside, you might not be allowed in. Typically, someone will ask if you want to go into a cafe, which is the only way to access it, as it’s meant to be hush. For good photos, there’s a continuation of Train Street that isn’t policed and is usually empty, providing a background-free shot.

• Free Private Walking Tour: Despite potential language barriers, these tours are a fantastic way to explore places not easily found online. Guides, usually university students learning English, can help with translation. A small tip at the end is appreciated.

• Hoa Lo Prison: This is a very interesting historical site with a captivating history.

Massage

• Serene Spa: While I didn’t try other places for comparison, Serene Spa was clean and reasonably priced. You might find cheaper options, but not with the same level of quality and cleanliness.

Hoi An

Food

• Morning Glory/Group: This is the best and cleanest restaurants in Hoi An. Cheap but authentic food with multiple locations that all serve very similar food some of the same dishes.

Things to Do

• Boat on the River: Get on a boat at night when all the other boats are out, it’s very pretty and you light a lantern too.

• Shopping for Suits: Shop around as there are hundreds of stores with all different fabrics and offers. The quality really will vary not by fabric but by experience. Usually price is an indicator of that but not always. It’s no longer so cheap that you buy one even if you don’t need it, but if you need a suit it’s good value.

• Ba Na Hills: Not a must but fun if you have a day to spare, has some cool photo spots, the longest cable car in the world, nice restaurants and is technically an old French Village but it’s basically been turned into Vietnamese Disneyland including cringy rides and a carnival in one area.

Day Tour

• Cu Chi Tunnels: Considered one of the best day tours out of HCMC. It offers intriguing insights into the tunnels used during the Vietnam War and isn’t too far away. It doesn’t even take the whole day.

• Floating Markets: These are quite far, and to make it on time without staying overnight means leaving at 3 am. However, it’s worth noting that these markets are gradually shifting from retail to wholesale and for tourism purposes. Don’t go without a tour, as you might struggle to communicate or get anything on your own.

Food

• Make a Booking!: Otherwise, you may struggle to get into places when you want to eat.

• Hao Tuc: Offers unique Vietnamese cuisine and is one of my personal favorites.

• Propaganda: Offers great Vietnamese food with a slightly more Western style and less fussiness.

• Secret Garden: Despite mixed reviews, it was definitely one of the best restaurants we went to.

• The Cafe Apartments: One of the more unassuming yet coolest sites of Saigon. Built in the mid-1960s, this 9-storey apartment building has been converted into a tourist spot in the epicentre of Nguyen Hue walking street. (I copied the history off TripAdvisor, but you get the point; it’s cool. I went to Dosh for Donuts, but all of the cafes look nice.)

Things to Do

• Nguyen Hue Walking Street: The Main Street, you can’t miss it. Go at night for street performers. Be prepared for beggars, and some acts might be quite sad (e.g. kids as young as 8 drinking gas to do fire breathing).

• Water Puppet Show: It’s interesting to see this famous local art form, but you would have to be very desperate to see this. It’s a little funny but mainly very boring. Look it up first and watch YouTube videos before booking.

• War Remnants Museum: It might sound boring, but it’s an amazing museum. While it does have a bit of a bias against America, if you take it as one-sided, it’s very interesting.

• Ben Thanh Market/Saigon Square: Your hub for cheap fakes. Saigon Square has slightly better fakes but is more expensive. You might get lost, so don’t count on finding the same store again. If you see something you like, just get it. Why are you bargaining over $5? It means a lot more to them!

Nightlife

• Social Club at Hotel Des Arts: The rooftop bar is an amazing nightlife spot to have drinks with an amazing view.

• Bui Vien Walking Street: Similar to Beer Street in Hanoi, it offers cheap drinks and plenty of places to hang out or party for the night.

Ho Chi Minh City

Day Tour

• Cu Chi Tunnels: Considered one of the best day tours out of HCMC. It offers intriguing insights into the tunnels used during the Vietnam War and isn’t too far away. It doesn’t even take the whole day.

• Floating Markets: These are quite far, and to make it on time without staying overnight means leaving at 3 am. However, it’s worth noting that these markets are gradually shifting from retail to wholesale and for tourism purposes. Don’t go without a tour, as you might struggle to communicate or get anything on your own.

Food

• Make a Booking! Otherwise, you may struggle to get into places when you want to eat.

• Hao Tuc: Offers unique Vietnamese cuisine and is one of my personal favorites.

• Propaganda: Offers great Vietnamese food with a slightly more Western style and less fussiness.

• Secret Garden: Despite mixed reviews, it was definitely one of the best restaurants we went to.

• The Cafe Apartments: One of the more unassuming yet coolest sites of Saigon. Built in the mid-1960s, this 9-storey apartment building has been converted into a tourist spot in the epicentre of Nguyen Hue walking street. (I copied the history off TripAdvisor, but you get the point; it’s cool. I went to Dosh for Donuts, but all of the cafes look nice.)

Things to Do

• Nguyen Hue Walking Street: The Main Street, you can’t miss it. Go at night for street performers. Be prepared for beggars, and some acts might be quite sad (e.g. kids as young as 8 drinking gas to do fire breathing).

• Water Puppet Show: It’s interesting to see this famous local art form, but you would have to be very desperate to see this. It’s a little funny but mainly very boring. Look it up first and watch YouTube videos before booking.

• War Remnants Museum: It might sound boring, but it’s an amazing museum. While it does have a bit of a bias against America, if you take it as one-sided, it’s very interesting.

• Ben Thanh Market/Saigon Square: Your hub for cheap fakes. Saigon Square has slightly better fakes but is more expensive. You might get lost, so don’t count on finding the same store again. If you see something you like, just get it. Why are you bargaining over $5? It means a lot more to them!

Nightlife

• Social Club at Hotel Des Arts: The rooftop bar is an amazing nightlife spot to have drinks with an amazing view.

• Bui Vien Walking Street: Similar to Beer Street in Hanoi, it offers cheap drinks and plenty of places to hang out or party for the night.