<\/p>\nVietnam weather chart \u2013 temperature and rain.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
15. The climate is dramatically different in various regions of the country.<\/p>\n
In the North (Hanoi, Sapa, Halong, Ninh Binh), it is the coldest from December to January, sometimes it snows, temperature ranges between 20 to 30\u00b0C. From May to October, it is hot and usually rains in the evening. It is cool but a little dry, the temperature is from 15 to 25\u00b0C.<\/p>\n
In the Central (Hoi An, Da Nang, Hue), it is very hot and dry from November to October, the average temperature is 35\u00b0C. It rains from September to November. In North Central, it still rains until January. It rains heavily in October and November.<\/p>\n
In Nha Trang, the dry season lasts from January to September, the average temperature in this season is 26\u00b0C. It rains from October to December.<\/p>\n
In South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta), the average temperature is 25\u00b0C. The dry season is from November to May, it is the hottest from February to April. It rains from May to November, it rains heavily from June to August, it usually rains in the afternoon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nTourists and guides wear convenient raincoats when it rains slightly.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
16. Vietnam is hot and humid, you will sweat despite continuous rains. It is only cold in the North and it is always hot in the South.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Best time to visit Vietnam<\/span><\/h2>\n17. What is the best time to visit Vietnam? Tourists can visit Vietnam at any time of the year. From October to December, it rains heavily in most provinces. From December to January, it is the coldest in the North. It is recommended to travel to Vietnam from February to April and August to September.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Vietnam packing list<\/span><\/h2>\n18. You should consider packing thick raincoats, umbrellas, thick books, many electronic devices, fabric masks, large toiletry bags, makeup bags, expensive jewelry, oversized and thick towels, all denim outfits, many winter clothes, knee high boots, foods and drinks for your trip to Vietnam. They may take up much space in your suitcase and make the suitcase heavier.<\/p>\n
19. Packing one outfit for each day is not necessary because laundry services are cheap, fast quick and abundant in big cities, tourist hotspots and areas near tourist attractions Vietnam.<\/p>\n
20. Hair dryers and flip flops are provided at most of the hotels in Vietnam. Ask the staff if you can not find them in your room.<\/p>\n
Read more about 10 Things You Should Never Pack for a Trip to Vietnam<\/p>\n
21. Insect repellent is a must thing to pack in Vietnam where mosquitos and other insects are everywhere. They may appear in your hotel rooms, on the streets and are abundant in forests and the countryside.<\/p>\n
22. Power adapters and portable chargers should be packed because you may not find suitable power sockets when you are in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
23. An earplug is an essential thing to pack for Vietnam because no one is sure that it is quiet in his hotel room. The noise caused by the crowds, vehicles on the streets, neighboring restaurants, bars or houses, construction sites may affect the quality of your sleep and ruin your trip.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat to pack and what to leave at home?<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
Read more about Top 10 Essential Things to Pack for Vietnam Trip<\/p>\n
<\/span>Foods<\/span><\/h2>\n24. Banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich, B\u00e1nh m\u00ec) is the most portable, cheap and amazingly delicious.<\/p>\n
25. A bowl of piping hot Pho (Ph\u1edf), topped with beef and served with vegetables and herbs is a safe, healthy and unique food in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
26. Other must-eat Vietnamese foods include spring roll (G\u1ecfi cu\u1ed1n), Kebab rice noodle (B\u00fan ch\u1ea3), Hue beef noodle soup (B\u00fan b\u00f2 Hu\u1ebf), Crab noodle soup (B\u00e1nh canh cua), Grilled beef in wild betel (B\u00f2 l\u00e1 l\u1ed1t), Vietnamese pancake (B\u00e1nh x\u00e8o), Hue cakes (B\u00e1nh Hu\u1ebf), Cao lau (Cao l\u1ea7u), Quang noodles (M\u00ec Qu\u1ea3ng) are the must-try foods in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
27. Foods fear factor and weird foods such as blood soup, rats, snakes are not safe but Fertilized duck egg (Balut) is safe to eat.<\/p>\n
28. Choose live seafood (lobsters, crabs, ocean crabs, scallops, clams, oysters, fishes) at seafood restaurants in order to make sure your dishes are made from fresh ingredients and avoid digestive disorders.<\/p>\n
29. Never eat at an empty restaurant which may sell expensive but poor-quality foods.<\/p>\n
30. Do not eat at a restaurant or street food stall where they do not wear gloves when serving foods.<\/p>\n
31. Observe how they wash the dishes and if they serve you with foods on dry dishes. It is not safe to eat at eateries where they wash dishes without dishwashing liquid or in one change of water.<\/p>\n
32. Clean your utensils with paper napkins and lime wedges that are available on dining tables.<\/p>\n
33. Street foods are cheap and help to maximize your budget. If you choose the right restaurants, it is a good chance to enjoy uniquely delicious street foods.<\/p>\n
The ultimate guide to food safety in Vietnam<\/p>\n <\/p>\nStreet food stalls in C200 Alley, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Drinks<\/span><\/h2>\n34. Never drink tap water in Vietnam because it is contaminated with pathogenic organisms and a major source of sickness. Read more\u2026 A 500-ml bottle of water costs about VND 5,000 in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
35. Vietnamese coffee is strong but a must-try drink. Find coffee brewed with Phin filters or fabric filters (stocks). Egg coffee and coconut coffee are distinct drinks to sample in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
36. Vietnamese coffee made from poor materials (batteries, corns, beans, dangerous toxic chemicals) is popular in Vietnam. It is not worth the risk of drinking cheap coffee on the street.<\/p>\n
37. Drinks made from toxic chemicals are sold popularly at drink stalls on the streets.<\/p>\n
38. Never buy coconut fruits that have been cut at the top and the coir (middle, fibrous coat) are in white color. They may be soaked in Javen liquid in order to keep the coir from turning black or brown all day.<\/p>\n
39. Order a canned or bottled drink instead of juices, mixed drinks if you are not sure about the safety at a restaurant (or street food stall, coffee shop, drink stall).<\/p>\n
40. Ice cubes in your drinks in Vietnam is not always safe to digest. A cool can or bottle of soft drink, a cool coconut fruit is better than a glass of iced soft drink. A hot cup of tea is perhaps safer than a glass of iced tea.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nVietnamese coffee with condensed milk is strong but it is a must-try in Vietnam. Cubes are not always safe to drink in Vietnam so that choose coffee shops selling safe iced coffee.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Avoiding getting sick<\/span><\/h2>\n41. Hand sanitizer is a must belonging because not all restaurants (local markets) have restrooms, not all restrooms are clean and provide soap (or liquid hand wash).<\/p>\n
42. Facial tissues, toilet paper and paper napkins should be in your bag when you go out in Vietnam. Sometimes, toilet paper is not provided or runs out in restrooms, or toilet paper and paper napkins are low quality.<\/p>\n
43. Stay away from stray animals that are not cute and mild. They may hurt you or spread infections to humans. Stray dogs in Vietnam may carry rabies, a dog bite will ruin your trip.<\/p>\n
44. Do not brush your teeth with tap water which is not safe to digest if you stay in Vietnam for a short time. Read more\u2026<\/p>\n
45. The air quality is especially poor in some big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on some special days. The air is polluted in the centers of the cities in rush hours. So that you should wear masks when walking or riding a motorcycle from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM, and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on weekdays in big cities.<\/p>\n
46. The sun can be very strong from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM in Vietnam. Wear a hats and a jacket, avoid going under the strong sun right after exiting from an air-conditioned building, drink water regularly and eat soup-like foods which are good sodium sources.<\/p>\n
47. At government-owned hospitals which are usually crowded with patients, they do not speak English. You should go to international hospitals where staff and doctors are experienced on taking care of foreign patients. Learn about 50 Medical Clinics and International Hospitals in Vietnam.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nRush hours in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Things to know before booking hotels in Vietnam<\/span><\/h2>\n48. OTAs offer hotel rooms at more attractive prices and free cancellation. We can also browse lists of accommodations, search by region, filter by prices, read reviews on the websites or apps of Agoda.com, Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Trivago.com.<\/p>\n
49. Booking an AirBnb is a good way to save money if there are more than three people in your group. An apartment with two or three bedrooms on AirBnb is cheaper than a hotel family room or two separate hotel rooms.<\/p>\n
50. A Vietnamese citizen is not allowed to stay in the same hotel room with a foreigner in Vietnam. Although some hotels allow you to share your room with your Vietnamese partner, others ask you to book another room for the Vietnamese partner.<\/p>\n
51. Do not give you your passport to the staff at your hotel. Give them a copy of the passport.<\/p>\n
52. It is not really safe to keep so much money or expensive jewelry in the safety box at your hotel in Vietnam. It is recommended to pay for hotels and tours online. Do not bring so much money but pay by credit cards or withdraw money from ATMs.<\/p>\n
53. There may be no barrier between the toilet area and the bathing area in some bathrooms. The floor in such a bathroom is regularly wet and dangerous for the elderly and children. Wear flip flops before entering a bathroom without barrier.<\/p>\n
54. Hard mattresses are usually furnished in accommodations in Vietnam because Vietnamese people are familiar to sleeping on hard surfaces such as sedge mats on wooden beds. Some hotels provide soft mattresses in order to meet the expectations of Western and American tourists. Read reviews about mattresses at hotels if you can not sleep well on hard ones.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nThere is no barrier between the toilet area and the bathing area.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Rules and laws in Vietnam<\/span><\/h2>\n55. Three adults on a motorcycle are prohibited. Two adults and one child at age under 14 on a motorcycle is legal.<\/p>\n
56. Never drive after drinking alcoholic beverages. You will be punished if you have any certain breath\/blood alcohol concentration. Read more\u2026<\/p>\n
57. Say no to sexy workers on the streets because prostitution is prohibited in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
58. If you bring pornography in your luggage, you may get caught.<\/p>\n
59. Do not stand or sit in a crowd if you do not know exactly what they are doing. You may get caught if they are protesting. Protests and activities causing social disorders are not illegal in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
10 illegal things in Vietnam \u2013 Rules and laws for tourists and expats<\/p>\n <\/p>\nProstitution is prohibited in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Transportation and traffic<\/span><\/h2>\n60. In Vietnam, the traffic is crazy as you may have heard read about. Lines on roads sometimes mean nothing because motorcycle drivers can drive on any lane of the streets. However, you will be familiar with that after one or a few days.<\/p>\n
61. In rush hours, you must wait for hours on the streets in centers of big cities such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.<\/p>\n
62. Motorcycle is the most popular and effective means of transportation in Vietnam. Do not be afraid of sitting on the back or a motorbike weaving through small alleys and the main roads. Hidden gems of Saigon and Hanoi are located in \u201cng\u00f5\u201d, \u201cng\u00e1ch\u201d, \u201ch\u1ebbm\u201d which can be called alley in English. City tours by motorcycle are off-the-beaten-path things to do in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
63. A cyclo driver who looks kind suddenly appears and offers you a short ride around the city at a good price. You may agree with him and hop on the vehicle. He may drive you to a lonely place, ask you to pay him VND 500,000 (~24 USD) or he will leave you there or even steal valuable things from you. If you would like to ride a cyclo, book the ride with a trusted tour agency.<\/p>\n
64. A motorcycle taxi driver may agree to drive you to a destination at the price of VND 50,000. Upon arrival, he may ask you to pay VND 500,000. He may tell you that you misunderstood, the cost of the ride is not VND 50,000 but VND 500,000.<\/p>\n
65. Most of the coaches are good and comfortable to sit in, with the exception of holidays. Some public city buses are not in good condition, they are usually packed with passengers in rush hours.<\/p>\n
66. Trains in Vietnam are older and slower in comparison to trains in many developed countries. The train ride is bumpy so that you may get tired after long rides. Prices of the most expensive train ticket class (soft sleeper and air-conditioned bed cabin) are not higher than flight tickets which are faster and more comfortable.<\/p>\n
67. The prices of Jetstar and Vietjet flights are cheaper than Vietnam Airlines flights\u2019 prices and save a lot of money on your trip to Vietnam. However, Jetstar and Vietjet flights are often canceled and delayed.<\/p>\n
68. Crossing the street is easier than you thought. The first rule is finding a designated crosswalk or painted lines on the streets that indicate that pedestrians are safe there. Remember that most Vietnamese drivers do not stop and wait until pedestrians finish crossing the streets.<\/p>\n
69. Scam taxis are popular in Vietnam. Taximeters may not be reliable, drivers may drive through unnecessary streets in order to earn more money. Mai Linh, Vinasun, Saigontourist are trusted taxi company. However, there are also fake Mai Linh and Vinasun taxis.<\/p>\n
70. Uber is not available in Vietnam. You should install Grab App if you would like to book a car or motorcycle ride.<\/p>\n
71. International driven licenses are valid if you are a traveler having a tourist visa, being valid for less than 3 months. If you have an IAA (International Automobile Association) or IDP (International Driving Permit) issued by one of the countries listed in Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, you can drive in Vietnam. Remember to bring both the international driven license and domestic driven license. Read more\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\nBooking cyclo rides or cyclo tours with trusted companies instead of dealing with taxi riders on the streets.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Electricity<\/span><\/h2>\n72. In Vietnam, the standard voltage is 220 Volt and the frequency is 50 Hertz. Check if your device works with the standard voltage and frequency in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
73. Plugs type A, C, F fit to most of the power sockets in the country. Sometimes, you can find electrical outlets supporting plugs type B, D, E, G. Read more\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\nThe most popular electrical socket in Vietnam and plugs type A, C, F which fit to most of the power sockets.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Vietnamese currency<\/span><\/h2>\n74. All people in Vietnam is a billionaire. The minimum wages range between VND 3,070,000 and 4,420,000. Banh mi \u2013 one of the cheapest food for breakfast in Vietnam costs from VND 10,000. 200 and 500 banknotes are rarely seen in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
75. 200,000 Dong and 10,000 Dong banknotes look similar, some vendors do not let you know that you gave them the wrong banknote.<\/p>\n
76. The exchange rates at gold shops or some money exchange spots in backpacker areas are higher than at airports, tourist attractions, banks, tour desks and hotel receptionists.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n200,000 Dong and 10,000 Dong banknotes.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Budget<\/span><\/h2>\n77. It is very cheap to travel to the S-shaped country if you stick to cheap hotels, guest houses, homestays, AirBnb, dorms, street foods, public transportation or motorcycle. Buying an old motorcycle and ride it on your trip to Vietnam is a good way to explore the country to its fullest and maximize your budget. You must spend too much money in expensive countries such as Dubai, Switzerland, Norway, Japan, Denmark, and many others. Traveling to Vietnam can be as expensive or cheap as you want to be.<\/p>\n
78. The rough prices of basic costs are as follows:<\/p>\n
\nTransport:\n\nDomestic flights: $36 \u2013 45 USD (Vietjet and Jetstar offer better prices than Vietnam Airlines).<\/li>\n Bus or train tickets between provinces and cities: $5 \u2013 30 USD. For example, a ticket for a bus from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City costs $30 USD, traveling from Hanoi to Ninh Binh costs only $6 USD.<\/li>\n Buying motorcycle: from $256 USD.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n Accommodation: a dorm costs $5 \u2013 8 USD, a private room costs $18-25 USD.<\/li>\n Foods: a meal at a street food stall costs $1 \u2013 2 USD, a meal at a local restaurant cost $3 \u2013 6 USD, a meal costs from $10 USD at a higher end restaurant.<\/li>\n Drinks: a cup of coffee at a shop costs from $1 USD, a bottle of beer at convenience stores, supermarkets, street food stall and reasonably priced restaurants costs $0.75 \u2013 1.5 USD.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n79. Good news for you, the admission fees at museums, Independence Palace are only $2 USD, you do not need to pay to visit some beautiful architectural works such as Saigon Central Post Office, churches, pagodas, temples, markets in Vietnam. The entrance fees at the top popular tourist attractions are as follows:<\/p>\n
\nCu Chi Tunnels: $6 USD;<\/li>\n Nguyen Kings\u2019 tombs: $7 USD;<\/li>\n The Citadel in Hue: $17 USD;<\/li>\n Halong Bay: $15 USD;<\/li>\n Paradise Cave: $12 USD; Electric car (2 ways): $4.5 USD;<\/li>\n Phong Nha Cave: $7 USD; Tien Son Cave: $3.5 USD; Boat (12 people): $17 USD;<\/li>\n Ba Na Hill cable car: $35 USD.<\/li>\n Hoi An Ancient Town: $5 USD; Thanh Ha Pottery Village: $0.75 USD.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/span>Stay safe in Vietnam<\/span><\/h2>\n80. Go drinking with at least one partner, never drink too much, stay away from any argue at bars, pubs and places where they drink beers and other alcoholic drinks in the country.<\/p>\n
81. Vietnam is safe but it is recommended not to go out after midnight in big cities and after 9:30 PM in the countryside, less crowded provinces and cities, non-urban areas.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Snatch thief and pickpocket<\/span><\/h2>\n82. Snatch thieves and pickpockets are popular in Vietnam, they are on public buses, at airports, bus stations, railway stations, parks, markets, shopping centers. Be careful with your belongings when you are surrounded by lots of people. Especially, some of the thieves and pickpockets \u201cworks\u201d only in tourism hotspots, around tourist attractions, backpacker areas because they may steal some dollars and expensive things including smartphones, cameras and jewelry. Never put your passport in your backpack when you go out in Vietnam. Make some copies of the passport, bring one copy with you and leave the original passport at your hotel. Expensive jewelry should be left at home. They may make you fall when they try to steal your necklace or bracelet. A cellphone security ring or a security camera strap will be helpful.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nNever put your wallet into outer compartments of backpacks or bags in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>TripAdvisor review<\/span><\/h2>\n83. Not all reviews on TripAdvisor \u2013 the world\u2019s largest travel community are reliable. Some hotels, restaurants and tour companies find many ways to hunt for 5-star reviews. They reward the staff by the number of positive reviews on TripAdvisor. They tell friends and partners to post reviews written by themselves. How to recognize fake reviews? Discarding one-time review although some one-time review is real. Browse the TripAdvisor user and view his profile. If a negative review posted by a user who has left many negative reviews about other properties on the website, you know that he may be hard to please.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nOne-time review on TripAdvisor is not reliable.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
<\/span>Visa<\/span><\/h2>\n84. Visa regulations in Vietnam keep changing so that you should double-check before your trip to Vietnam. Until the end of 2019, visa-free for 30 days is granted to citizens of Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos; visa-free for 21 days is granted for Philippine; visa-free for 14 days is granted to citizens of Brunei and Myanmar; visa-free for 15 days is granted to citizens of Spain, Italy, Germany, France, UK, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Denmark, South Korea, Japan.<\/p>\n
85. A free visa on arrival is non-extendable so that you should apply for a tourist visa if you plan to stay in Vietnam for a longer period of time.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Holiday<\/span><\/h2>\n86. Tet is the biggest festival in Vietnam and someone believes that it is also a great time to see Vietnam at its most beautiful and learn about the Vietnamese culture. From 27th December in the lunar calendar, big cities are less and less crowded. From 1st January, big cities are deserted but pagodas are crowded.<\/p>\n
Prices of hotels and services will be about twice higher and the quality of services is worse than at another time of the year because many Vietnamese people do not work at Tet festival and some tourist attractions which are the favorite of Vietnamese people and Chinese people are very crowded. Prices of tickets for domestic flights, trains and buses are also higher because a large number of people go to their hometowns in other provinces and cities to enjoy Tet with their families.<\/p>\n
From 27th December in the lunar calendar, big cities are less and less crowded. From 1st January, big cities are deserted but pagodas are crowded. Restaurants, coffee shops, some local markets are closed for a period of 1 \u2013 10 days.<\/p>\n
If you really would like to come to Vietnam and learn about the Vietnamese New Year, you should plan the trip to end before 1st January in the lunar calendar. One week before Tet, tourists can see colorful streets decorated with lights and flowers, go to Tet flower markets, spring flower festivals, taste some foods for Tet. Celebrating the Vietnamese Lunar New Year\u2019s Eve is also a good idea although top places to view firecrackers are packed with people.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nIt is crowded at Tet festival in Vietnam.<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
87. On public holidays such as New Year\u2019s Day on 1st January, Hung Kings Commemorations on 10th of the lunar 3rd month, Day of Southern Liberation for the National Reunification on 30th April, International Labour Day on 1st May, National Day on 2nd September, workers in Vietnam can be off for 1-4 day holiday. If the holidays last longer, they usually return to their hometowns or travel to other provinces, prices of tourism products are higher and tourist attractions are packed with thousands of people. If workers get only 1 day off, they go to shopping centers and tourist attractions in the same cities.<\/p>\n
Read more about Pros and cons of visiting Vietnam at Tet Festival<\/p>\n
<\/span>Wifi<\/span><\/h2>\n88. Wifi is relatively good in big cities, it may be weak on mountains, in forests and in the countryside. Free wifi is available and rather good at airports, hotels, restaurants and coffee shops. At shopping centers and hospitals, they provide free Wifi but the Wifi signal is weak, based on my experience. Sometimes, the Wifi signal is good on the upper floor but weak on your floor. Read reviews about Wifi at the accommodations you would like to book if you often surf the Internet at hotel rooms.<\/p>\n