Trang An Vietnam
Things to do in Vietnam - Divergent Travelers
Mekong Delta Mekong Eyes Vietnam

Ultimate VIETNAM Travel Guide

Vietnam is a country located in the Southeast Asia. Hanoi is the capital, a city that offers an abrupt introduction to a fascinating country. Our Vietnam travel guide is here to take the guesswork out of your planning.

After many years of war and closure to the outside world, Vietnam opened its doors completely to tourism in 1997 and since has worked hard to develop its tourism industry.

The country has recovered into a diverse, beautiful destination with great food, natural wonder and overwhelming culture.

After talking with friends who had visited, we weren’t sure we would like Vietnam. So we headed in with plans to only spend a week. Well, we stayed for 3 weeks and can’t wait to get back!

Vietnam turned out to be one of our favorite countries in Southeast Asia.

Destinations

HANOI
HUE
DMZ
HOI AN
HALONG BAY
MEKONG DELTA

VIETNAM TRAVEL: QUICK TIPS

Vietnam
  • Do you need a visa? US Citizens must obtain visa letter in advance to receive Visa on Arrival for $45 at the airport
  • Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND)
  • Climate: Tropical, humid and very warm
  • Primary Religion: Buddhism
  • Local Languages: Vietnamese
  • Etiquette Tips: Do not touch people on the head, especially children, dress modestly and don’t point at or touch things with your feet, do not give money to begging children, do not ride elephants, do not wander off hiking trails or roads
  • WIFI: Available in most, if not all, accommodation throughout the state. Many restaurants and tourist offices offer free WIFI too.
  • SIM Cards: If you have an unlocked phone, it is possible to pick up a local SIM card at most Vietnam airports on arrival. This will enable you to have data like you would at home. Another alternative is a universal SIM card that works in multiple countries.
  • Travel Insurance: With all travel, we highly recommend you take out a travel insurance policy when you book your trip. This will cover your trip in case of any unforeseen events happen.

Don’t Visit VIETNAM Without:

UNIVERSAL TRAVEL ADAPTER

GET A GUIDEBOOK

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE

START PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO VIETNAM!

EPIC THINGS TO DO IN VIETNAM

WHERE TO STAY IN VIETNAM

Below you will find some of the places we have stayed during our travels in Vietnam. These are individual properties that we enjoyed and would recommend to other travelers.

HOW TO GET AROUND IN VIETNAM

Anyone looking to travel to Vietnam will likely fly into Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and connect to the other airports across the country. From these major cities, it is possible to use public transportation to see the city or take buses further afield.

Many people choose to engage in group tours or day tours to get around and see things in Vietnam. It is also possible to rent a motorbike and plan a road trip that takes you further afield and out of the city.

TOP VIETNAM TOURS

Panoramic aerial view of Halong bay, Vietnam in a summer day
CLASSIC VIETNAM

10 Days Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Visits: Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An & Ho Chi Minh City

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Hue Vietnam - Southeast Asia Travel
BEST OF VIETNAM

15 Days Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Visits: Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An & Ho Chi Minh City

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Mekong Delta Mekong Eyes Vietnam
EXPLORE VIETNAM – NAT GEO

13 Days Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Visits: Hanoi, Mai Chau, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, & Ho Chi Minh City

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TRAVELING ON A BUDGET?

BACKPACKING VIETNAM

VIETNAM TRAVEL: BOOKING RESOURCES

  • Skyscanner – A fantastic flight search engine that searches a lot of different airlines, including many of the budget carriers that larger sites miss. Every single flight search we do starts here.
  • Hotel Seach Engine – Our custom-built hotel search engine allows you to search hotels all over the world and compare prices before booking. It pulls the best prices from all the major online travel agents, such as Expedia, Priceline, Booking, etc. to one place.
  • Discover Car Hire – Allows you to search car rentals across multiple rental agencies worldwide.
  • Viator – The best trips are made up of multiple smaller tours to really dig in and get to know the places you are visiting. Our preferred place to book day tours, day trips and shorter multi-day tours is Viator.
  • G Adventures – If you want to do a group tour around Vietnam, go with G Adventures. They offer great small group tours that use local operators and leave a small environmental footprint. If you go on a tour with anyone, go with them.
  • World Nomads – We don’t travel without insurance and you shouldn’t either!

VIETNAM TRAVEL GUIDE: RELATED ARTICLES

Looking for more info? Check out all the articles we’ve written on travel to Vietnam and start planning your dream trip.