Vietnam

Sunset in Ha Long Bay

Overview

Mountains, jungles, beaches.  History, culture, cuisine.  It’s no secret why Vietnam is becoming a top travel destination around the world.  It really does have it all, and with a well trodden tourist trail, travel around this country is rather easy.  The people may not be as friendly as nearby Thailand or as laid back as neighboring Laos, and not everyone has an affinity for travel here, but once you get used to the chaos, Vietnam offers all travelers an unforgettable experience.

Highlights/What to Do

Hanoi- A city that just celebrated its 1000th anniversary, Hanoi is absolutely bonkers at times.  Navigating its tiny, narrow streets without getting run over, and withstanding the touts and aggressiveness of the people can be challenging, but the city has a unique charm to it, and the food is downright spectacular.

Ha Long Bay- A top site not only in Southeast Asia but the entire world, Ha Long Bay is spectacular.  The choices for exploring Ha Long Bay are many and can be extremely confusing, so be sure to check back soon for my Guide to Visiting Ha Long Bay.

Hoi An- If you’ve come to Southeast Asia for shopping, then Hoi An is your place.  With over 400 tailors in this small little town, getting custom made clothing is the main reason tourists visit.  But there is more to Hoi An than the tailors.  The food is amazing, with dishes that are uniquely Hoi An, and beaches, temples, and mountains are a day trip away.

The Crazy House, one of the many quirky sites in Dalat

Dalat- This quirky little town located in the central highlands offers a respite from the balmy, humid weather of the rest of the Vietnam.  A popular honeymoon destination for locals, Dalat is a city that sees a lot fewer western tourists.

Mekong River- Exploring the Mekong River south of Saigon is a wonderful way to see a different way of life that has you feeling like you’ve hopped in the Delorean to visit the past.  Floating river markets and homestays offer travelers a unique and interesting experience not offered in many other places in the world.

Budget

Keeping with the theme of Southeast Asia, Vietnam can be cheap, cheap, cheap, if you want it to be.  You can also live like a king for a fraction of the price it would cost in western countries.  Custom made suits for about $100US, $1 steaming bowls of pho from a food stand in an alley, and 25 cent Bia Hoi’s all make this a wonderful backpacking destination.

Pho, traditionally eaten for breakfast, can be found for as little as a dollar

We spent about $65US/day for the two of us, and we stayed in pretty nice, private rooms with private bathrooms and air conditioning the entire time.  Most of our rooms had cable televisions in them, while averaging about $20-25US/night.  While in Southeast Asia, it would be downright silly not to eat the street food, as it’s among the best in the world.  Super fresh and extremely flavorful, it’s quite easy to get by on under $10/day for food.  Transportation costs are also low, with buses and trains available for cheap.

When to Go/Weather

Vietnam is mostly tropical, which means hot and steamy in most places.  But the weather in some areas would surprise many travelers.  It’s not uncommon to need a jacket at night in Hanoi and other cities in the north along with several of the hill stations in the central highlands, particularly in January.

May to September is the hottest and wettest time of the year, and even though this is the monsoon season, it rarely rains for days on end.  Like most of the rest of SE Asia, the monsoon season is characterized by heavy rain once or twice a day for a short period of time, followed by steamy, hot temperatures.  The mountains generally aren’t affected by the monsoon season.

Transportation

The Cai Rang Floating Market on the Mekong River

Getting around Vietnam is actually quite easy, while not always the most comfortable if you plan on traveling overland.  Most visitors to Vietnam arrive in either Saigon in the south or Hanoi in the north then travel north to south or vice versa.

Bus- Many travelers choose the open bus ticket option when traveling the length of Vietnam.  You can choose the cities you want to go to and purchase a ticket in either Hanoi or Saigon for a low price.  Your ticket for the entire time in Vietnam will then be covered.  You can choose to buy as you go if you don’t want to have your entire itinerary set in stone.  It will probably be a bit more expensive, but not much.  You can choose sleeper tickets and literally have a bed for those overnight journeys.  Don’t expect to sleep too soundly though as the bus drivers are rather crazy, honking their horns incessantly and driving like maniacs.  Try to sit somewhere in the middle of the bus, far enough away from the obscenely loud car horn but not in the back where it can get really bumpy.

Train- Train travel is more expensive than bus travel and not as popular on the backpacker circuit, but comfort is typically better than buses.  There are several classes when it comes to train travel, each one going up in both price and comfort.

Air- Vietnam Airlines is the main airline in Vietnam, though you may want to check Air Asia for cheap, budget flights in the country.  If you’re short on time, check out airfares as it will save you tons of time.

Motorbike- Motorbikes and scooters dominate the Vietnam roads and highways, and if you’re really comfortable riding one, renting one and seeing the country on your terms is certainly possible.  It’s not for the feint of heart though, as driving in Vietnam is quite the challenge for most westerners.  This is not the country to learn in.

Boat- It is also possible to travel by riverboat in certain areas of the country, particularly in the south near the Mekong.  We took a riverboat from Vietnam into Cambodia, and it was a fantastic experience and new way of traveling.

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks and months as I will put up more and more posts and pages about traveling in Vietnam, including city pages for all places we visited, plus various tips and advice for traveling around this beautiful country.  When a post or page is published, the links below will be live, exactly like the Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina pages.

• Our First Day in Vietnam
• Hanoi
• Ha Long Bay Recap
• Guide to Visiting Ha Long Bay
• Ha Long Bay Picture Post
• Hue
• Hoi An
• Guide to Shopping in Hoi An
• Nha Trang
• Dalat
• Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
• Mekong River