8 Tips for Travel to Vietnam

8 Tips for A Meaningful Travel to Vietnam

Vietnam continually reinvents itself and retains its old-world charm in many of its cities' nooks and corners. One needs to explore beyond one's comfort zone to truly appreciate the place and have a more meaningful travel experience.

Vietnamese Flower Vendor. Source: aesta1

Here are some of the tips to make your travel to Vietnam much more meaningful:

Try Vietnamese street food
Plan short trips from 3 major bases: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, and Da Nang
When you plan trips outside of the major cities, join tours.
Get a guide if you arrange trips on your own outside the cities.
Dress appropriately for temples and memorials
Talk to the locals
Learn to navigate the streets of Vietnam
Remember, there's a time to stop drinking and close the bars

Vietnamese Street Food

It is awesome and will not kill you. President Obama went for the local favourite "bun cha" with Anthony Bourdain teaching him the noodle slurp. Watch the video to see for yourself:

3 Major Bases for Your Travel to Vietnam

These three places can easily be your base for your visit to Vietnam, Hanoi in the north, Ho Chi Minh in the South and Hoi An or Da Nang in the centre.

Map of Vietnam

As you can see in the Vietnam map, the country is long, so arranging your itinerary around these major bases will be a much better deal.

There are many places to see in Vietnam. Many of these are just day trips from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, or Hoi An.

The tourism infrastructure like local public transport outside of big cities still is not as developed as the other famous countries in Southeast Asia, but it works. In Hanoi, the Train station is not hard to find as it is a beautiful building from the French era. Check the schedule so you can arrange your itinerary.

Within the city, taxis abound, and they are not expensive. There are many women drivers, and they often do not abuse your being foreign and charge double. Ask your hotel to hail one for you. Let the hotel staff explain where you plan to go and ask for the fare to have no surprises.

Taxi in Vietnam. Source: aesta1

There is also safety in numbers, and sometimes, you learn more when other people are with you and share some information. You may gain new friends as well.

Vietnam Military Museum. Source: aesta1

From Hanoi, you will be able to explore Sapa, Ninh Binh, Perfume Pagoda, Bat Trang Ceramic Village and a host of other craft villages.

You can also visit Tay Nguyen, where jungles with waterfalls and lakes and rivers offer many adventures, and various ethnic traditions entertain you with feasts and festivals as well as other cultural vignettes.

For the Gong enthusiasts and collectors, this is the place to learn the different kinds of Gong and its various uses in community life.

My Son Cham Artifacts Source: aesta1

From Hoi An or Da Nang, you can visit the old Cham UNESCO World Heritage site of My Son, the ancient Imperial capital of Hue with its magnificent Citadel and tombs as well as mouth-watering dishes and beaches.

You can visit many ethnic communities in the hillsides and observe their unique ways and see their crafts. For the more adventurous, you can take long walks to reach some of the remote villages.

From Ho Chi Mihn, you can cruise the Mekong Delta and visit Da Lat. For flower lovers, Da Lat will not disappoint. The Mekong Delta is fascinating if you're interested in rural villages and the plants and fruits unique to the area.

Plan your Vietnam visit around these centres, and you will experience much more of the country. As you can see in the Vietnam map, the country is long, so arranging your itinerary around these bases will be a much better deal.

Vietnamese Painter's House. Source: aesta1

Join Tours for Trips Outside Major Vietnamese Cities

There are many tours in several of Vietnam's popular tourist destinations.

These tour operators know exactly where to bring you so you will not be wasting time. They have deals with local operators, and often, these are more advantageous. That is, of course, on the premise that you choose a reliable tour operator.

Guides for Trips Outside the Cities

English is not yet widely spoken, so it is helpful to have a guide to help you understand the language and the local customs. Besides, they are there to manage the crowd of hawkers in places where you need to take boats.

Many students volunteer as guides in exchange for practicing their English. They come in groups in popular tourist spots such as Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.

Vietnamese Temple. Source: aesta1

Dress Codes for Temples and National Memorials

Always place a scarf in your purse, something you can use to cover your legs and arms when entering sacred places. These places often have something for rent or sale at the entrance to enable you to go inside when not dressed appropriately.

Talk to the Locals

They will not eat you. Kindness and respect go far. Sit in one of the street food stalls and enjoy food with them.

Vietnam Street

Learn to Navigate the Streets of Vietnam

There are so many motorbikes, so observe the protocol before attempting to cross the road on your own.

It is better to use the road crossing with traffic lights. Join a group so transport stop for you. Always align yourself with the group as the Vietnamese drivers skirt around you. Avoid going back and forth in the street. You can cross with the street vendor, the road experts.

The sidewalks are always full of activities. It is not uncommon to see people cooking on the sidewalk, entertaining friends, or eating with families. Cages are hanging on tree branches, rooftops, or awnings of stores. Enjoy it.

Busy Street in Vietnam

Travelling to Vietnam always brings you amid the noise. You seem to find yourself often surrounded by people and the streets are full of activities which can overtax your capacity to absorb.

There's a Time to Stop Drinking and Closing the Bars

The bars can close their doors with you inside, but the police eventually come. Take it easy.

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