Vietnam

Vietnam in brief:

Capital : Hanoi
Wide : 330 967 km²
Border countries : Cambodia, China, Laos
Official language : Vietnamese
Currency : Dong (VND, in 2019: €1 = 26 Dongs)
Religion : 73.2% various traditional religions, 12.2% Buddhist, 8.3% Christian
Independence : from France in 1945
Diet : Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Administration : 58 provinces (and 5 municipalities with similar administrative functioning)
Population : 96 million inhabitants
Visa for French people : 15-day exemption (beyond that, a visa or e-visa is required)
Average daily budget : 33 € / person
Time difference with France : +5h (summer time)
Best period : a bit all year round depending on the location
Flight duration : 13h on average (direct flight Paris → Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), 17h if flight to Hanoi, with at least one stopover)
Electrical outlets : voltage – 220 V; plug type(s): A, C, G
Telephone code : + 84

Why visit Vietnam?

Offering varied landscapes, the charm of the country is undeniable, from the Mekong Delta in the south to the mountains of the north, populated by different ethnic groups, Vietnam will enchant you. There are rice fields galore, peaks of karst rocks sheltering some wonders. We can mention some very beautiful caves (including Hang Son Dong, largest underground cavity in the world), but also the famous Halong Bay or Tam Coc, its “land” version.

Finally, even if the country remains less famous for this, like other countries in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has some beautiful islands and beaches bordering its coasts over more than 3 km which complete this range of choices as to the scenery that you can explore.

The hubbub of the lively and colorful streets and the many vestiges of the former kingdom complete the attractions of this country which remains one of the must-sees in Asia.

Vietnam, more commonly spelled in its "simplified" form Vietnam , however, has a heavy past, which is sometimes felt in contact with the inhabitants. Everyone has the war in mind Vietnam , which began in 1955 and ravaged the country particularly between 1965 (with the controversial entry into the war of the United States) until 1975.

The consequences are still visible today and the conflict still claims indirect victims, following the abundance of bombings containing Agent Orange. The country also has a shared history with France, Vietnam having been the first Asian lands conquered in what would become Indochina for almost a century (1858-1954).

This does not prevent the country from moving forward and tourism is developing rapidly nowadays. In 2017, Vietnam was among the Top 3 countries with the fastest growth in foreign tourists and reached 15,5 million visitors in 2018.

Even though there is still a lot to see, it is one of the countries that we know best for having visited it for the first time from the south going up towards the north and then returning exclusively in the northern mountains for an epic motorcycle tour.

We know that feelings generally divide people. Some find the Vietnamese colder and less welcoming than some other Southeast Asian countries. It is certainly not the most "smiling" country overall, but nonetheless, we have had some great encounters there and a general feeling that remains positive about its population.

“Viewpoint over the Bac Son Valley”

“On the red dunes of Mui Ne, in the south of Vietnam”

WE love

Diversity and richness of landscapes.
Easy to organize your stay on site.
Good food (especially French, but much less varied in the north).
Overall cost remaining cheap.

We are less of a fan

Sometimes mixed reception
Road network not always in good condition and chaotic driving.
Tendency to neglect cleanliness (hello plastic bags lying around).

Preparing your trip: advice before you leave

Here is a summary of some essential information to know before any trip to Vietnam.

Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

No. But it depends on the length of your stay. Since July 2018, French people are exempt from visas if the stay does not exceed 15 days. The measure has now been extended until 2021 after an initial trial period since 2015.

Since January 2019, 24 countries have benefited from this exemption, including the Swiss and Belgians... (see the list here). After oYes, two weeks is quite short, but may be enough for many holidaymakers. However, the government is studying the possibility of increasing to 30 days. This is particularly the case for certain countries such as Thailand, which already benefit from this 30-day exemption.

Certificate of entry into Vietnam with visa exemption.

It exists a priori an exception with the island of Phu quoc, bordering Cambodia. If you plan to stay only on the island, whether you arrive by plane or cruise ship (this does not work if you arrive by land, however, via a regular boat), then you will get a 30-day residence permit, whatever your nationality.

If this visa exemption already "helps out" quite a bit, it also has its constraints. In addition to the duration itself, the exemption is not renewable or cumulative. So it is not possible to leave and come back hoping to get another 15 days (unlike Thailand where it remains possible although limited) since you have to allow at least a month to be able to return without a visa.

If you plan to stay more than 15 days, you will then need to obtain a visa in advance. Note in all cases that you must have a passport with a validity of at least 6 months after the date of entry.

Getting an e-visa for Vietnam

To do this, since February 2017 you can do the process online by requesting an e-visa. The latter costs $ 25 and allows a stay up to 30 days.

The request is made via Vietnam National Immigration Portal website (it's the only official one, the others are fakes and it's only available in English) and the visa itself is obtained from a dedicated counter upon your arrival in Vietnam.

In this case, the main international airports (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Phu Quoc, but also 4 others) as well as several input ports (7 in total including that of Danang, Ho Chi Minh City or even Dental Page) and finally around ten land border posts including:

• From China: Mong Cai (Quang Ninh province), Huu Nghi (Lang Son province), Dong Dang (Lang Son province), Lao Cai (Lao Cai province)
• From Laos: Cau Treo (Ha Tinh province), Lao Bao (Quang Tri province), Chao Lo (Quang Binh)
• From Cambodia: Moc Bai (Tay Ninh province), Son Tien (An Giang province).

You will find the up-to-date and complete list of Possible entry points with e-visa here.

Screenshot for e-visa application on official website.

The application is quite “standard” if you are already familiar with e-visas. You will need to have your passport, which you scan, as well as an identity photo. Attention if you don't know precisely your entry date, if you are for example on a long-term trip (world tour, Asia). Because in the form, you will have to enter the dates from which your visa will be valid. In doing so, it is impossible to arrive before this date and each day that passes after that if you arrive later, you will lose the duration of your stay there.

The answer is usually obtained within three days. You will then receive a confirmation email with a document to be printed which will be presented upon your arrival at Vietnam .

Visa on arrival for Vietnam

If for x reasons (long-distance travel once again, according to the constraint mentioned just above), you cannot/want to apply for an e-visa in advance, it is still possible to apply for a visa on arrival.

On the other hand, proceeding in this way requires obtaining a letter of invitation to present to the immigration services beforehand... This letter can be provided to you by a travel agency or specialist organisation for a fee of course (in general this service is charged at $12 to $20, to which must be added the cost of the visa itself of $25 on site).

You will find several serious agencies allowing this:

Only one agency is in French to my knowledge, Cape Vietnam but overpriced…(yet in partnership with Action-Visa which also has a good reputation).

The visa on arrival can allow a stay of 30 days, but also 90 days with a single entry if the request is made. If your stay is split into several parts, it is possible to obtain a multiple entry visa on arrival, each stay of which cannot exceed 30 days, but allows you to enter and exit without having to reapply for an invitation letter.

If your visit is for other than tourist purposes, you should inquire and apply for the appropriate visa.

Classic Visa

Last option, if you are more of the “foresighted” type and prefer to obtain your visa in good and due form before your arrival in Vietnam , know that this is the most expensive option… In fact, in this case, the rates are divided as follows: suit :

Single entry 1 month: €85
Multiple entries 1 month: €115
Single entry 3 month: €115
Multiple entries 3 month: €165

The request is then made "classically" to the nearest embassy (although it can also be done by mail). The time to obtain it is between one and two weeks (although the latter can be obtained in 3 working days via an express procedure which is therefore more expensive than normal).

carry-over

Whether it is a 15-day visa exemption or a visa (including e-visa), it is possible to extend the duration of your stayIn this case, you must call on an agency on site which will take care of the process with the authorities (the amount being normally $30).

This service is therefore mainly available in major cities (Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hue or Hanoi). With the visa exemption, you can extend it by an additional 15 days.

If you entered with a visa or e-visa on arrival, then you can extend it once, either by 30 days or 90 days depending on the type of visa obtained.

In case of excess

Don't mess around with visa overstays and expect to get away with just the $25 per day fine. Le Vietnam is quite strict and it is better to take steps to extend your visa rather than risk administrative complications or more. If you cannot extend because you have already done so, report to the authorities as soon as possible rather than waiting for a possible check on the day of departure to resolve this timing issue.

Customs regulations

The biggest constraint concerns the import of medicines. Including opiate substitution products (kind Subutex), which are strictly prohibited from importation, even for a conso personal.

Vietnamese legislation is strict regarding the transport of certain pharmaceutical products, the distribution of which is ensured by the State. Even "classic" drugs like Lexomil can lead to convictions if forgotten in your medical kit…

However, this is only valid in the case of too “large” a quantity. If you are currently taking antidepressant treatment, keep the prescription from the prescribing doctor and only carry with you the doses necessary for the duration of your stay, remembering to report this upon your arrival.

Transportation in Vietnam

Coming to Vietnam

There are several international airports allowing arrival at Vietnam . But since the country is generally visited from north to south or vice versa, the two most likely points of arrival will be Ho Chi Minh City in the south, near the Mekong Delta, and Hanoi in the north.

And if Hanoi is the capital of the country, it is Ho Chi Minh City (still known by its old name, Saigon) which is the largest city in Vietnam. It is therefore from there that you will get the best options for rates and choice of companies.

At Hanoi airport.

Flight Paris – Saigon

In particular, the national company, Vietnam Airlines, which has a rather good reputation and offers a direct flight between Paris (CDG) and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) in 12 hours there (13h30 on the return).

While doing my tests with Skyscanner (my reference for comparing prices), I find direct flights at around €680, which is very reasonable considering the distance. For cheaper options, we find the Chinese companies China Southern with flights from €517 (with a stopover) or Air China, at a similar price but with a longer stopover.

Still for an arrival in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon and a stopover, we find interesting prices with good companies:

Cathay Pacific, a safe bet (from €636).
Qatar Airways, another world reference (from €676).

I'm talking about a round trip here, by the way, because it's usually more advantageous, because if you plan to arrive in the north and leave from the south or vice versa, this should influence the best price mentioned here.

Flight Paris – Hanoi

Although Hanoi can also be reached directly from Paris with Vietnam Airlines, the price is significantly higher (€850 minimum for a slightly faster flight of 11 hours on the outward journey and 12 hours 35 minutes on the return journey).

Otherwise, you will have to fall back on companies with at least one stopover. We then find Qatar Airways in the interesting rates (as a reminder, the stopover is then at Doha ) with flights from €617.

The other company that comes back the most in the 600 € c'is Aeroflot, a Russian company that does not always have an excellent reputation, but which from my own experience has improved and remains very correct. To get past the €600 mark, you have to fall back on the Chinese company China Southern again.

Note a very good report price quality with the Thai company Thai Airways offering flights with a stopover in Bangkok for €663 or Emirates also for €660. Finally, a quick mention for Eva Air from €726 which is also a very good company (stopover in Taiwan).

Departure from Hanoi, fly over the mountains of the North Vietnam

Flying over the mountains in northern Vietnam, near Hanoi.

To summarize, your best options for a Paris – Hanoi flight are:

Aeroflot (Russian company), best price, below €600.
China Southern (Chinese company), still below €600.
Qatar Airways (Qatari company), from €617.
Thai Airways (Thai company), from €660 with a fairly short stopover (so it’s good).
Emirates (United Arab Emirates airline), around €670 but be careful of the length of the stopover.
Eva Air (Taiwanese company), around €720
Vietnam Airlines (Vietnamese company), €850, but only direct option.

I mentioned it for Emirates and Thai Airways, but yes, besides the price, don't forget to look at the journey times, if you see any 20 hours and some, it is that the stopover is quite long so it can be restrictive.

Search for a flight to Vietnam

Getting around Vietnam

The road network is not as good overall as in Thailand, but it is still better than its neighbor Laos. It is worth noting that it is at least paved and particularly in the north of the country, we encountered a lot of work to improve the network, if not to widen it.

Although the driving style is different from Thailand, it is nonetheless chaotic. The major difference remains in the overall speed of the people, much more relaxed and flexible than among the Thais whose disrespect for the code I have the misfortune to observe every day truck (that specific code ?? Yeah, that was the dig of the day because they told me tired). Vietnam is a country where two-wheelers dominate by far, so you will have to put up with seeing them swarming everywhere.

In terms of public transport, there is a bit of everything: buses, trains, taxis and local transport, mainly motorbike taxis, of course.

Road transport

The buses

For long journeys, I have a hard time finding reliable information to be honest. Some local companies only have their website in Vietnamese (Such as May Linh express), others, do not have a very good reputation (like Hoang Long). The one very often cited, mainly used by and for tourists being The Born Tourist.

This is the one we used when we first came to the country, one of the reasons being their "open bus" system. This implies that you can take a package in terms of destinations, to be defined in advance, but frees you in terms of dates, it's a bit like a bus in " hop one; hop off ».

It must be admitted that this is practical, because it gives flexibility in its timing, even if there are at least two drawbacks.

Destinations are chosen in advance, so if you decide to include an unplanned stop, you will have to pay for it separately.
The quasi-monopoly of this company is often criticized, because they impose higher prices than a normal journey with a local bus.

Typical bus for intercity connections in Vietnam.

Specifically, they use a "segment" system, rather than a number of cities, to determine the cost of the package. Those included in this ticket are:

HO CHI MINH – DALAT – MUINE – NHA TRANG – HOI AN – DANANG – HUE – HANOI

In bold, these are important hubs, it is mandatory to transit there to reach the next city, in other words, you cannot go to Hoi An from Mui Ne without going through Nha Trang with these buses.

In our case, we took package 3 visible on this page: https://www.thesinhtourist.vn/download/OpenBus-SG.pdf

This allowed us to cover the country well for a first visit (knowing that we had made a detour to Dalat independently of this “imposed” journey).

If you are interested in this solution, here is their site:

The Sinh Tourist

They have offices all over the country to pick up tickets if you buy them in advance.

Note that for long journeys, they have special night buses, with sleeper beds. However, these are not designed for larger sizes and are quite uncomfortable. (yet, I do "that" 1m78).

On a night bus from Nha Trang to Hue.

Apart from these buses, there remains the “classic” system. On site, by going to the corresponding bus terminals, you will find what you need in the main cities to reach your next stop. An example, when we came back to Hanoi and were going to Tam Coc, we had to go to a small terminal outside the city reaching this destination via local buses.

These are the local buses that you will mainly encounter when moving around the north if you use public transport.

A bus station in Hanoi.

Taxis and pedicabs

Taxis (cars) are mainly found in big cities, otherwise, you will find motorcycle taxis everywhere, waiting at the bus exits to escort you to your hotel, even with your big luggage, real tightrope walkers we tell you!

To get around the old quarters of cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An or Hanoi, you will also have the opportunity to try one of the emblems of Vietnam, the cyclo-pousse, a cross between the good old rickshaw and a bicycle.

A cyclo pushes through the streets of Hanoi (and a taxi in the background).

On average, according to our accounts, we were getting by for 100 Dongs per trip (usually from our hotel to some point within 000 km), which is about 10 ฿ or €130. A concrete example, a taxi ride from the Ninh Binh bus station to our hotel in Tam Coc cost us 4 Dongs for 120 km.

trishaw in georgetown penang - malaysia — A trishaw at work in Penang.

trishaw decorated malacca - malaysia — Typical decorated trishaws from Malacca.

Motorcycle and car rental

It should be noted that car rental is not very common in Vietnam, and even if the legislation has been relaxed in recent years (it was compulsory to convert your national license into a Vietnamese license, something normally only possible by being resident), making rental accessible to foreigners with an international license (Since 2015).

But the main reason is the call for caution given the chaos of traffic, it is better to be experienced in more chaotic driving styles before starting to drive in Vietnam. A car with driver is then the wisest solution.

On the other hand, the motorbike remains a particularly popular way to visit the country independently. However, caution is even more important since you are then more exposed in the event of a fall and/or accident. And since it is common here to see people going the wrong way, running red lights, etc., it is better to have some experience of Asia beforehand rather than launching yourself into the anthill of Vietnamese streets without experience.

For some time now, the international license has been recognized and normally allows you to ride two-wheelers legally. Note that the helmet is OBLIGATORY (same If there, like in Thailand, not everyone takes this trouble, do not imitate them under the pretext of "relaxing" abroad and wanting to imitate the locals) et that it is better to respect the speed limits in force. Namely, in town 40 km/h and outside, only 60 km/h! And yes, at Vietnam , we may be driving a little haphazardly, but we are driving slowly (not like in Thailand, which is much faster…).

Flamingo. The small agency doesn't look like much but the service is great!

Use a reputable rental company to avoid any problems in the event of an accident. When we had been in the north by motorbike, we had rented from Flamingo in Hanoi. We had a small 125c Honda new future (semi-auto) for barely $12 a day.

Another popular option, especially among those on long-term trips, is to buy a second-hand motorbike outright, sometimes continuing their trip outside Vietnam with the same vehicle (you must then ensure that you have the blue card when purchasing the latter, in order to cross borders).

Photo break with motorbike north vietnam

During a photo break, with our fully loaded bike.

If English is not too much of a problem for you, there are two places that stand out for selling and buying motorcycles in Vietnam :

Vietnam Backpackers Travel & Sales, a Facebook group dedicated to buying and selling motorbikes for travelers in Vietnam.
Craigslist, popular site originally in the US and for English speakers, but now available throughout the world and therefore also available au Vietnam (the direct link to the motorcycles available au Vietnam ).

Rail transport

My experience of the train is limited to a journey between Hanoi and Lao Cai to go up to Sapa with our freshly rented motorbike. However, with a line covering 1 km on the main north-south axis (also called the Reunification Line), there is enough to visit a good part of the country with this means of transport. In total, the railway network of Vietnam covers 726 km. For example, it is possible to reach Halong Bay from Hanoi by train, but also Haiphong (to go to Cat Ba Island).

However, you have to take into account that it is a very slow means of transport, with an average of only 40 km/h, yes yes. As a result, to make our journey between Hanoi and Lao Cai, it is 300 km, it takes 9 hours and is therefore done by night train! For a journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), it takes no less than 30 hours!

Hanoi train station.

While there was once talk of adding a high-speed train, the project is currently at a standstill due to the high production costs...

There are 4 types of classes on trains in Vietnam:

more comfortable berth (compartment of 4: 1st class sleeper or soft sleeper)
basic berth (compartment of 6: 2nd class sleeper or hard sleeper)
padded seat
wooden seat (yes, really)

Tickets range from $6 to $17 for a Hanoi – Lao Cai (Sapa) trip. Some private companies (such as Fansipan, Tulico Express, King Express, Viollete or Orient Express, which we took to get to Lao Cai) rent compartments from Vietnam Railways and then equip them differently. The fares are in this case more expensive than the “ordinary” carriages. In our case, it was a 2-bed compartment, our trip was then $33, because we wanted to arrive “fresh” for our first day.

Our train is approaching.

North-South Line (Reunification Line)

Note that there is no station for a popular destination like Hoi An, you have to stop in Danang, the nearest city (30 km) served by train.

Similarly, you have to stop at Binh Thuan to take the small secondary line and reach the seaside town of Phan Thiet 15 km away. From there, you can go by road to Mui Ne and its dunes (there are then 24 km).

Train schedules in the North-South direction (Hanoi → Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh City):

Hanoi → Ninh Binh → Hue → Danang → Nha Trang → Saigon (HCMC)
Distance (km)	Train number:	SE3	SE19	SE1	SE7	SE5	SE9	SE21
0	Hanoi	19:25 day 1	20:00 day 1	22:20 day 1	06:00 day 1	08:50 day 1	14:25 day 1	-
116	Ninh Binh	21:42 day 1	22:12 day 1	\|	08:17 day 1	11:07 day 1	16:59 day 1	-
175	Thanh Hoa	22:53 day 1	23:26 day 1	01:29 day 2	09:28 day 1	12:24 day 1	18:13 day 1	-
319	Vinh	01:24 day 2	02:11 day 2	03:50 day 2	11:59 day 1	14:58 day 1	20:46 day 1	-
522	Dong hoi	05:30 day 2	06:26 day 2	07:57 day 2	16:23 day 1	19:30 day 1	01:34 day 2	-
688	Hue (arrival)	08:25 day 2	09:34 day 2	10:47 day 2	19:51 day 1	22:23 day 1	04:39 day 2	-
688	Hue (departure)	08:32 day 2	09:41 day 2	10:54 day 2	19:56 day 1	22:30 day 1	04:56 day 2	06:25 day 1
791	Danang (Hoi An) arrival	11:03 day 2	12:25 day 2	13:22 day 2	22:27 day 1	01:01 day 2	07:37 day 2	09:11 day 1
791	Danang (Hoi An) departure	11:28 day 2	-	13:42 day 2	22:42 day 1	01:16 day 2	08:02 day 2	09:31 day 1
928	Quang ngai	14:26 day 2	-	16:03 day 2	01:16 day 2	03:48 day 2	11:18 day 2	12:46 day 1
1 095	God Tri (Qui Nhon)	17:33 day 2	-	18:53 day 2	04:14 day 2	06:49 day 2	14:27 day 2	16:03 day 1
1 315	Nha Trang,	21:14 day 2	-	22:28 day 2	08:31 day 2	10:51 day 2	19:02 day 2	20:28 day 1
1 551	Binh Thuan (Phan Thiet-Mui Né)	01:07 day 3	-	02:34 day 3	12:55 day 2	15:19 day 2	23:42 day 2	02:12 day 2
1 726	Saigon (arrival)	04:38 day 3!	-	05:45 day 3!	16:30 day 2	18:55 day 2	03:25 day 3!	06:20 day 2

Train schedules in the South-North direction (Saigon -> Hanoi):

Saigon (HCMC) → Nha Trang → Danang → Hue → Ninh Binh → Hanoi
Train number:	SE4	SE2	SE20	SE8	SE6	SE22	SE10
Saigon (departure):	19:25 day 1	21:55 day 1	-	06:00 day 1	08:45 day 1	11:40 day 1	14:30 day 1
Binh Thuan (Phan Thiet-Mui Né)	22:58 day 1	01:10 day 2	-	09:36 day 1	12:13 day 1	15:22 day	18:26 day
Nha Trang,	03:02 day 2	04:55 day 2	-	13:28 day 1	16:06 day 1	19:48 day 1	23:13 day 1
God Tri (Qui Nhon)	06:52 day 2	08:39 day 2	-	17:29 day 1	20:31 day 1	00:24 day 2	03:11 day 2
Quang ngai	09:46 day 2	11:20 day 2	-	20:28 day 1	23:20 day 2	03:46 day 2	06:34 day 2
Danang (Hoi An) arrival	12:16 day 2	13:37 day 2	-	23:01 day 1	02:07 day 2	06:28 day 2	09:28 day 2
Danang (Hoi An) departure	12:41 day 2	14:01 day 2	18:45 day 1	23:23 day 1	02:22 day 2	06:43 day 2	09:57 day 2
Hue (arrival)	15:20 day 2	16:28 day 2	21:27 day 1	02:04 day 2	04:53 day 2	10:15 day 2	12:53 day 2
Hue (departure)	15:25 day 2	16:35 day 2	21:34 day 1	02:09 day 2	05:00 day 2	-	13:00 day 2
Dong hoi	18:35 day 2	19:39 day 2	00:53 day 1	05:21 day 2	08:35 day 2	-	16:14 day 2
Vinh	22:44 day 2	23:41 day 2	05:37 day 2	09:45 day 2	12:57 day 2	-	20:43 day 2
Thanh Hoa	01:26 day 3!	02:18 day 3!	07:58 day 2	12:27 day 2	15:41 day 2	-	23:28 day 2
Ninh Binh	\|	03:21 day 3!	09:26 day 2	13:37 day 2	16:56 day 2	-	\|
Hanoi (arrival):	04:48 day 3!	05:30 day 3!	12:00 day 2	15:54 day 2	19:12 day 2	-	03:08 day 3!

Hanoi – Lao Cai line

Before 2014, it was the preferred means of transport for tourists to get to Sapa from Hanoi, although a highway makes the bus journey easier, the night train remains popular on this route, as it allows you to "save" a night in a hotel while still making a journey. The bus taking 5h for this same journey, it is done during the day.

cabin train orient express hanoi lao cai vietnam

Our cabin between Hanoi and Lao Cai (to reach Sa Pa).

Explanations regarding the different appointments:

SP1 & SP2: Trains with very few stops. These trains consist of carriages with 6-bed compartments (hard sleeper), 4-bed compartments (soft sleeper) and hard seats (wooden), all with air-conditioning. These trains also consist of sleeping cars from private companies (for tourists), this includes Fanxipan, King Express, Ratraco, Orient Express, Livitrans, Royal, TSC, Tulico, Pumpkin and many others.
SP3 & SP4: Trains with only a few stops. These trains are mainly composed of more comfortable carriages with 4-bed compartments (soft sleeper) and padded seats. A large part of these trains are private sleeping cars, including Sapaly Express, Chapa Trans, VNExpress, Green Express and the Victoria Express.
SP7, SP8: operates only during peak periods. Trains mainly with standard carriages including 4 and 6 bed compartments and upholstered seats, with air conditioning.

Hanoi -> Lao Cai (for Sapa)
Train number:	SP7	SP1	SP3
Hanoi (departure):	20:17	21:35	22:00
Lao Cai (arrival):	04:35 d+1	05:30 d+1	06:05 d+1

Hanoi -> Lao Cai (for Sapa)
Train number:	SP8	SP2	SP4
Lao Cai (departure):	13:50	20:55	21:40
Hanoi (arrival):	20:50	04:32 d+1	05:30 d+1

All trains are operated by the state-owned Vietnam Railway, so don't be fooled by similarly named websites urging you to buy standard tickets. https://vietnam-railway.com/ which, contrary to appearances, is not the official website of Vietnam Railways, it is a travel agency overcharging for tickets.

The official site is this one: http://www.vr.com.vn/en and the link to online reservations, prices and timetables being: https://dsvn.vn/#/

You can buy your tickets online in advance via these two options that I propose to you. Note that it is free for children under 6 years old if they share the same bed as a parent, the price being reduced between 6 and 9 years old (-25% for berths, -50% for seats). The price is full from 10 years old.

Option 1: Buy with 12GB

The most “classic” option on my blog, the site 12Go, specialized on transport reservations in Asia. This is a proven service for transportation in Thailand and Malaysia and is now also available for Vietnam .

12Go sell tickets for regular trains of the Vietnam Railways, but also for the wagons of private companies such as Livitrans, Violet, Fansipan, Orient Express and Golden Trains. It is normally possible to choose your seat and/or berth in the compartments.

However, reservations with this type of site can only be made when reservations are open, which is generally 60 days in advance, sometimes less. Tickets will obviously be a chouilla more expensive than on site (approximately 60 Dongs or, $ 2,7 of costs + 4% charge due to card payment, which is an additional $3, so a little less than $6 in total) or via the official website, but the problem with the latter is that it only accepts Vietnamese credit cards, so there are no other alternatives...

You will then receive an e-ticket that you can print or even show from your smartphone on site.

Option 2: Buy with Baulau.com

Another site that I have already presented concerning another Asian country and which is also trustworthy like 12Go, is Baolau. And for good reason, created in 2013, it is a multi-transport search provider based and calibrated for Vietnam originally! It now has offices in Singapore and covers destinations such as Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The latter offers a similar choice to 12Go, namely the choice of compartments. In addition, this service is cheaper since the latter only have 40 Dongs of fees (about $000) and 1,8% of the total price ($2,7 on average per ticket) for a payment by credit card.

You will then also receive an e-ticket to print or show on your phone.

Cross-border trains

It is worth noting that it is possible to travel to various destinations in China directly by train from the Vietnam . You can therefore reach Beijing from Hanoi via Guilin et nanning (which is said Nam Ninh in Vietnamese). By changing trains in Nanning and then Guangzhou, you can even reach Hong Kong (then count 2 nights and a full day to reach the next train, i.e. a total of 3 days to arrive). There is also a train connecting Kunming in the extension of the line linking Hanoi to Lao Cai.

If you have time, you can even take the trip further since it is possible to do a London → Hanoi in 2 weeks by rail, using a good part of the famous Trans-Siberian, this is done in 3 stages:

Step 1: London to Moscow. Several options possible, via Brussels, Cologne and Warsaw but also via Berlin which is then direct to Moscow. Daily departure, 2 nights minimum, from €300 one way with sleeper car.
Step 2: Moscow to Beijing via Trans-Siberian Railway. Two trains per week, 6 nights, from €500 one-way with 4-bed sleeper car.
Step 3: Beijing to Hanoi. Two trains per week as well, 2 nights, around €200.

Metro in Hanoi

Two metro lines are currently under construction in Hanoi, originally scheduled for completion in 2016… Postponed to 2019, the metro is still only in the test phase and has yet to be inaugurated. The first line in question is the 2A and normally has 12 stations. By 2023, the second line (line 3), currently under construction, should follow, also with 12 additional stations (and 14 more are planned for later). In total, the network is planned to expand by 8 additional lines by 2030.

Metro in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Here too, under construction for almost 10 years, the only line currently under construction has fallen behind schedule, but should be operational by the end of this year or during 2021. The latter will include 14 stations linking the Ben Thanh market located in the city center to the amusement park. Suoi Hold on to the east. During this year 2020, the construction of line 2 should be launched for an opening planned for 2024. Five other lines are currently planned, as well as a tram line and two monorails.

Shipping

With over 3 km of coastline, it goes without saying that the boat is a significant means of transport in Vietnam. If we only count the Mekong Delta area, offering several maritime "routes" and these numerous islands in the south of the country in particular, the ferry makes perfect sense.

Among the possibilities, from Ho Chi Minh City, it is possible to reach the seaside by ferry via the company Greenlines DP. You can then reach the coastal towns of Vung Tau or Can Gio. But I can summarize the main connections here.

Boat in Halong Bay.

Ferries in North Vietnam (Halong Bay Islands)

- - Hai Phong → Cat Ba Island (1 hours)
  - Ha Long (Hon Gai) → Quan Lan Island (1h15)
  - Cai Rong (Van Don) → Quan Lan Island (45 min)
  - Cai Rong (Van Don) → Co To Island (fast boat via Manh Qaung company and slow ferry available, the latter taking 4 hours)
  - Tuan Chau → Cat Ba Island (tickets to be purchased on site – $8 for 1 hours crossing)

Ferries in Central Vietnam

- - Hoi An → Cham Islands (30 min by speedboat for 400 VND and 000 hrs by public ferry at 2 VND + 150 entrance tax)
  - Quang Ngai (Sa Ky Port) → Ly Son Island (1h to 1h30, 95 VND)

Ferries in South Vietnam

- - Ho Chi Minh City → Vung Tau (2h20 journey) – this journey has a bad reputation: see section “For your safety”
  - Soc Trang → Côn Dao island (approximately 2 hours journey)
  - Vung Tau → Con Dao Island (epic journey by night cargo ship, 12 hours – 100 VND for a seat, 000 VND for a sleeper)
  - Phan Thiet → Phu Quy Island (to see on site)
  - Ha Tien → Phu Quoc Island (230 VND for 000h1)
  - Rach Gia → Phu Quoc Island (350 VND for 000h2)
  - Rach Gia → Nam Du Island (stopover on Hon Son) (210 VND for 000h2)
  - Rach Gia → Hon Son Island (140 VND for 000h1)
  - Rach Gia → Hon Tre Island (70 VND for 000 min)
  - Hon Tre Island → Hon Son Island (70 VND for 000 min)

There is also an "international" connection since it is possible to reach the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, from the locality of Chau Doc, west of HCMV.

- - Chau Doc → Phnom Penh (Cambodia) (approximately 5 hours journey)

For most southern connections, in addition to the reservations possible via the links that I give you, there is a company that seems reliable, it is Superdong whose site is here (in English): https://superdong.com.vn/en/

You will find the main docks and ports for the connections mentioned here on this map (made by the north vietnam site)

Air transport

There are now 5 international airports in Vietnam, which can serve as a hub if you continue your stay beyond the country:

Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport – HAN)
Da Nang (Da Nang International Airport – DAD)
Can Tho (Can Tho International Airport – VCA) — opened in 2011
Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon (Tan Son Nhat International Airport – SGN)
Phu Quoc (Phu Quoc International Airport – PQC) — commissioned at the end of 2012

Apart from these larger airports, there are 6 domestic airports, which you are unlikely to use during a "standard" 15-day stay in Vietnam . But in case or, Here is the list:

Hai Phong (Cat Bi Airport – HPH) — 2 hours from Hanoi and 1 hours from Halong Bay
Hue (Phu Bai International Airport – HUI) — although it has kept its “title”, it is no longer international, located 20 minutes from the historic city
Nha Trang, (Cam Ranh Airport – CXR) — 35 min from the seaside town
Dalat (Lien Khuong Airport – DLI) — 45 min from the center of Dalat
Vinh (Vinh International Airport – VII) — international in the making thanks to its new terminal. Located 15 minutes from the city center
Con dao (Con Dao Airfield – VCS)

Among the domestic airports of interest from a tourism point of view, we can mention that of Hue, Dental Page et Dalat. Any Phong remaining close to Hanoi, little chance that you will go there and that of Con Dao being an airfield, I think the ferry service is more than adequate if you are passing through the area.

The country is very long so among the only interest of a domestic flight is to visit the Mekong Delta in the South and skip the Center by going straight back to Hanoi to focus on the North. Below, I detail the main local companies serving these airports:

Vietnam Airlines, la national company. It is the main airline serving all destinations worldwide from Hanoi Noi Bai Airport. It also has a branch called VASCO (for Vietnam Air Services Company) which operates at small secondary airports such as Con Dao, with ATR or Antonov type aircraft.

For internal flights we can mention these three Vietnamese companies:

Jetstar Pacific, a private Vietnamese low-cost airline founded in 1991. It is based in Ho Chi Minh City. Quantas, large Australian airline holding 18% shares has integrated it into its commercial network of JetstarIn addition to domestic flights, it offers flights throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Vietjet Air, a private Vietnamese low-cost airline founded in 2009. It is based in the north of the country in Hanoi and offers internal flights within Vietnam as well as international flights to neighboring countries including Thailand.
Bamboo Airways, latest born private airlines, the product of a private Vietnamese real estate conglomerate. The fleet consists of 14 Airbus and 2 Boeing and serves the country's main airports. Since the site is apparently only in Vietnamese, I deduce that it focuses on this clientele only...

Book a hotel in Vietnam

With 18 million tourists in 2019, the Vietnam is a country that attracts and is therefore sufficiently equipped to accommodate all these people. I am still amazed by the quality of the establishments encountered even in small isolated towns in the northern mountains.

In short, no need to imagine sleeping in uncomfortable dives, you will always find something to get a good night's sleep. (the whole thing is to recognize and find the said hotels, that isis to say that is " Home Suspicion", which roughly translates to "holiday home" and "Khách San" for hotel). The only downside is that the mattresses tend to be rather hard. As for the prices, they are still very attractive (depending on the region obviously), varying around €15 for a range of simple hotels.

Below are some good tips we found during our last stay:

Tuan Ngoc Hotel (Tam Coc)

Budget: from €16 (single room)

From the pictures, the hotel is still well maintained since they have already repainted since our visit, even though the general condition was already good. They also added a swimming pool and improved the garden. As a result, the rating is not misleading and remains at an excellent 8.9/10 so always a reference if you are passing through Tam Coc. Small additional info, it is listed under the name Mom's Homestay on Google Maps.

Learn more and book Tuan Ngoc Hotel

Learn more and book the Hoang Mam Hotel

Hoang Mam Hotel

Budget: from €20

If you ever go to Thai Nguyen (known for its tea plantations), this is a very good choice. As we were arriving at the end of our stay, this was the most expensive hotel we paid for there… But at this price, we had a rather modern and frankly comfortable hotel. A little peculiarity, there was a small market in the basement.

Milton Boutique Hotel

Budget: from €24 (single room)

Given how noisy Hanoi can be with the horn-honking kings that are the Vietnamese, one of my criteria was to have a quiet room. That's how we booked at the Milton, which was just starting out. It's a small hotel a stone's throw from the old town, where the places to visit and the alleys full of restaurants are concentrated, not far from Hoan Kiem Lake. The room is comfortable with a slightly kitsch design, its only flaws being that it's small and windowless, but at least it's quiet.

Learn more and book the Milton Boutique Hotel

Book your hotels in Vietnam with Booking

Health and Safety in Vietnam

Do I need travel insurance?

Travel insurance can often be a game changer in the event of an unexpected mishap while traveling abroad. Especially in a country like Vietnam where exploring by motorbike is popular. And especially if you are going on a multi-month trip to Asia, good insurance can be more than welcome, as credit card insurance is limited.

The maximum amount for healthcare costs covered by traditional credit cards may prove insufficient (around €10 compared to €000 for dedicated travel insurance) and does not cover civil liability.

I advise you ACS Travel & Expatriation Insurance Solutions.

I would like to point out that if you subscribe to the insurance via the link, I would receive a small commission. This is a simple way to help keep the site running, as insurance is preferable anyway and will therefore be beneficial to both you and me.

What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?

We find practically the same recommendations as for many other Asian countries, namely basically, no compulsory vaccinations, but several are recommended depending on the conditions of the stay.

Be sure to keep your regular vaccinations up to date (DTP for adults, MMR for children).

Recommended vaccines:

HEPATITIS A
HEPATITIS B
RAGE
TYPHOID
ANTITUBERCULOSIS
JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS

Vaccination against rabies and Japanese encephalitis is preferable in the event of a prolonged stay in a rural area. Since the latter is transmitted by mosquitoes, protection against them is particularly important.

Against mosquitoes

A good mosquito repellent is a must in Vietnam, it is the best way to avoid a viral infection transmitted by these pests. Prevention against mosquito bites remains your best asset, so protect your skin, but also your clothes, by smearing yourself with repellents. Favor pants over shorts, long sleeves in the forests or at nightfall.

We find all the "classic" crap for Asia, namely first of all malaria (or malaria) for which some travel doctors will surely recommend a preventive treatment (often Malarone). It should be noted that these treatments sometimes cause side effects (headaches, nausea) that are not always pleasant, without guaranteeing 100% protection. Mosquito repellent should therefore be used even in this case. However, there are no cases of malaria in the city and even better, if we look at the map below, we see that the entire coast and the north of the country present little or no risk:

Another nasty thing is dengue fever, which has symptoms similar to those of the flu. (high fever, joint pain, headache). There is currently no preventive treatment for this infection. In case of fever, it is always better to consult quickly, they will be able to quickly detect the origin of the feverish state. (after a few questions about your previous destinations). The treatment is primarily symptomatic: Healing just requires time, rest, combined with taking paracetamol-based painkillers.

Two other viruses are also present in Vietnam , as can now also be found around the Mediterranean... First of all Chikungunya, for which there is also no preventative treatment and Zika, especially those that can have consequences for pregnant women and can involve neurological complications. Otherwise, symptoms of the disease are usually mild. (fever, headache, joint pain, rash) although similar to dengue fever, so double check what infection is causing you these kinds of symptoms if ever.

Hygiene in Vietnam

Hygiene conditions are average for South Asia. That is to say, below European standards without being particularly bad. This does, however, mean that people with sensitive stomachs will need to be more careful if you are not used to changing your diet. There are always hygiene precautions to take to avoid any problems.

Wash your hands frequently before each meal (possibly with an antimicrobial solution since it is used without water).
Tap water is not drinkable. Drink only capped bottled water or, if this is not possible, water boiled for 30 minutes and then filtered (Lifestraw straws can be an alternative).
Meat and fish/shellfish must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

And general hygiene rules:

Avoid swimming in stagnant water (risk of parasitic infection).
Do not pet animals you meet on the street, even if they do not seem aggressive.
Remember to wear a seat belt (if possible), wear a helmet on two wheels, this is valid everywhere in the world.

Note the outbreaks of bird flu, which is still present in Vietnam. The following precautions are therefore recommended:

Avoid contact with live or dead uncooked birds and poultry, and more generally with wild and farmed animals (especially poultry and pigs).
Avoid areas where animals are bred and markets (and even zoos). Above all, avoid contact with their droppings.

Useful in your kit:
– antiseptics
– treatments for intestinal disorders
- mosquito repellent
– sun creams
– creams for burns

For your safety

Overall, crime remains quite low in Vietnam and remains a safe country to travel in. The biggest risk in my eyes is if you rent a two-wheeler, which remains a classic in Asia but Asian driving is particular and tends to be chaotic, it is not recommended if you are a beginner (I know, the call of freedom to be strong).

Scams, fraud and crime

Big cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi will be more prone to possible scams and tourist areas like Sapa and Dental Page, report some cases of pickpocketing and snatch thefts (often on a motorbike).

To avoid disappointment, do not keep all your cash in one place, keep your passports in hotel safes if they have them and wear with you a photocopy of cand last.

From our personal experience, we did not feel any particular danger nor did we encounter any problems.

The mess on the streets of Hanoi.

Risk areas

Several risks specific to Vietnam can be distinguished:

Natural hazards. Vietnam experiences the monsoon every year, so storms can sometimes be violent and rains heavy.
Maritime transport. Safety on boats touring Halong Bay is not always great, with fires and collisions occurring regularly (although there are generally few casualties). The sea route between Ho Chi Minh and Vung Tau is the most prone to accidents, as the boats are overloaded and old.

Pratical information

– Emergency numbers –

Police: 113
Fire brigade: 114
Medical emergencies: 115

Hospitals in Hanoi

French Hospital: Phuong Mai, Dong Da
Emergency number: +84 24 35 74 11 11
Tel.: +84 24 35 77 11 00
SOS International: Vietnam: 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho
Emergencies: +84 24 39 34 05 55
Tel.: +84 24 39 34 06 66

Ho Chi Minh City:

Franco-Vietnamese Hospital: 6, Nguyen Luang Bang Street, Phu My Hung, District 7
Tel: +84 28 5411 33 33 (Emergency 24/24)
International Medical Center (CMI – Alain Carpentier Foundation): 30, Pham Ngoc Thach D3 HCMV
Tel: +84 28 3827 23 67, +84 28 3827 23 66

French Embassy in Vietnam:

57 Tran Hung Dao – Hanoi

Tel: +84 24 3944 57 00 (in case of emergency)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs website on Vietnam

What to see and do in Vietnam?

Let us summarize here the main attractions of the Vietnam , which can be cut into three major regions, North, Center and South (which more or less represent the old distributions of French Indochina, namely the Tonkin in the north, Annam in the center and the Cochichine south).

If we break it down, the official distribution is as follows:

For the North:

- - Northeast (where Sapa, Mu Cang Chai, Mai Chau are located)
  - Northwest (this includes Bac Ha, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Cao Bang, Bac Son)
  - The Red River Delta (which includes Hanoi and Halong Bay or Ninh Binh)

For the Center:

- - The North Central Coast (here we find the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and the imperial city of Hue)
  - The South Central Coast (which includes Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Mui Né further south)
  - The Central Highlands (where Da Lat is a popular destination)

For the South:

- - South East (Ho Chi Minh City and surroundings)
  - The Mekong Delta (Can Tho and Phu Quoc being the main attractions)

The North

Where to start ? The region is so rich in ethnic diversity and fabulous landscapes! In fact, the north of Vietnam home to many hill tribes. If the majority ethnic group making up the country is the Terrible (over 85%), there are no less than 30 to 40% of the population of the north belonging to one of the 53 official ethnic minorities recognized by the Vietnam .

The hill tribes

Among these and concerning this part of the country, we find the Tay, who are the most numerous with a figure exceeding one million individuals. Then come the Muong but also the Hmong, the Nùng or even the Yao (also called Mien or Dao).

The most "known" ethnic group is probably the Hmong (locally called Meo). The latter are also present in Thailand, Laos and other countries of Southeast Asia natively, but there are also communities in the United States, Australia, Argentina, and even, yes, yes, in France. (due to conflict escape). The Hmong are traditionally mountain farmers, usually itinerant and cattle herders. But they were pushed by the central powers à to settle down. This is in order to preserve their cultural identity and their independence. they were led to engage in various conflicts, giving them reputation as a “warrior” people.

Group of Hmong encountered on the roads of northern Vietnam.

There are several subgroups: White Hmong, Black Hmong, Hmong Leng, Hmong Puas and the “popular” Hmong Fleuri, recognizable by their colorful clothes giving them this nickname. They are distributed in the mountains in the north of Vietnam, mainly in the provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Lai Chau but also in the areas south of Hanoi, also including mountains, namely, Nghe An or Hoa Binh.

The Northwest: Sapa and surroundings

This being explained (that’s already a very long “introduction”), you know what makes Sapa successful and one of the main attractions. Besides the fact that these mountains are close to Lao Cai, the capital of the province, making it an easy access point given the presence of the main road and the train making the journey from Hanoi, it is a small mountain town surrounded by superb valleys and rice fields and above all, it is the "promise" of an encounter and a moment to be able to spend with a Hmong family. What we did the day we arrived (see the story here).

Souvenir photo!

This allowed us to see the beautiful valley of Muong Hoa. On the other hand, there was no time to climb the summit of Vietnam, Mount Fansipan (also spelled Phan Xi Păng), culminating at 3 m and another flagship attraction of the Sapa region. It is also the highest mountain on the Indochinese peninsula (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia).

If in the past it was mandatory to do a trek, generally over two or three days, it is now possible since 3 to access it simply via a funicular + cable car combo (cumulatively, it costs around €2016 anyway, respectively 30 VND for the funicular and 150 VND for the cable car), there are then 000 steps left from the station to reach the summit.

Sunset over Muong Hoa Valley near Sapa.

This has put a serious brake on the trekking industry in the region and although today we are rewarded with the presence of two temples at the summit, there are above all significantly more people... A good option is to do the trek to go up, you will then be able to enjoy the scenery and see the Silver Waterfall (before the trek) and Love Waterfall (during) and better enjoy yourself on site, because you will arrive at the top before the crowd. Then go back down by cable car. You will then peacefully admire the view as you go back down in just 15 minutes.

Outside of Sapa, if you want to see beautiful rice fields in Vietnam, the Mu Cang Chai region is where you should go. It is 160 km south of Sapa and easy to get there by bus (3h30 for $10, see for tickets here). You can then continue down through Mai Chau before reaching Hanoi or continue further south.

Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces (Photo credit)

You can also go back up towards Lai Chau, see a cave and the Thac Tac Tinh waterfall before reaching Dien Bien Phu if your next destination is Laos.

The North-east

Another rice paddy alternative is Hoàng Su Phi district, on the road to Vinh Quang. This is especially interesting if you are embarking on a road trip across the entire northeastern region of Vietnam from Sapa or Lao Cai.

Along the way, you can visit Bac Ha, a small mountain town known for its colorful market, where you can meet, among others, the Flowery Hmong, but also other tribes mixed with the majority Kinh. If you want a more rural atmosphere, you will find that by going up a few kilometers to Lung Phin. If you then head towards Vinh Quang, you can make a loop around Kiou Leou Ti mountain, passing for example through the village of Trung Thịnh and Nàng Đôn.

North Vietnam ethnic group - road between Vinh Quang and Ha Giang

On the road between Vinh Quang and Ha Giang.

In the classic loop of this region, you must then go through Ha Giang, and from there continue on the road leading to Dong Van. Superb road offering fantastic landscapes around the many bends, starting with the view of the “ Fairy Mountain" You can take a tour to one of the typical villages of the region, Village Butt on roo dog for example or even Phim "Chuyen" of Pao » a little further.

Arriving at Dong Van Plateau, you will be surrounded by dark karst rocks and peaks giving an air of “ Mordor » to the surreal landscape. In this area, don't miss the home of the Hmong “king”, a small, atypical “palace” in the middle of the mountains.

Further down, you will pass by Meo Vac and the pass of happiness, Ma Pi Leng, a real visual slap. Another unmissable sight in the region is the Ban Gioc Falls, on the border with China and east of Cao Bang, certainly one of the most beautiful in Asia. In this area, you can then either go to Ba Be Lake, the largest natural lake in Vietnam or take in the view at the Bac Son viewpoint.

motorbike north Vietnam - Dong Van landscape

The Red River Delta (Hanoi and surroundings)

I will finally end this long chapter by talking about Hanoi and its surroundings. In Hanoi, the capital, you will certainly find plenty of accommodation around the lake Hoan Quiem, the latter being next to the old French quarter. Classic visits include the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (part of UNESCO's world heritage) or the One Pillar Pagoda. (Word Côt)The atmosphere in the old town and the character of Hanoi is incomparable with that of its southern "rival" (in the sense of another large city), Saigon.

Ho Chin Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi.

It is to the south of the city that you will find the famous Halong Bay, from where these rocky peaks emerge, scattered in the sea and sheltering some beautiful caves. If you want a beautiful view of the bay, do not miss Poem Mountain, where there is an access to the summit overlooking the bay. Among the best known islands, there is that of Cat Ba, which allows you to go to different areas of the bay but there are many others towards the west approaching China (I can mention Quan Lan, Cô Tô or even Than Lân).

Finally, east of Hanoi for a change, the main attraction is Tam Coc, located next to Ninh Soldiers. Dubbede the bay ofHalong terrestrial, this is because its landscape also consists of a multitude of karst cliffs which can be navigated through via waterways. There are also some beautiful viewpoints that are well worth the steps to get there.

On a boat traveling the river to Tam Coc.

The center

The central part of the Vietnam spreads from Thanh province Hoa up to that of Lam Dong, which is part of the Central Highlands, where is located From wide. This represents a good part of the country in its length, over 1 km, even if the width sometimes does not exceed 000 km, so that is quite a lot to see.

The North Central Coast

Starting with Phong National Park Nha – Ke Bang where the largest cave in the world is located, Groin Its Doong and part of the UNESCO world heritage. This cave is so big that two Airbuses could pass through it. A350 in its widest room.

The size of Hang Soon Dong is estimated at over 9 kilometers long, including an uninterrupted gallery 200 meters high by 100 meters wide (largely beating the previous largest recorded cave, twice the dimensions of the Deer Cave ou Deer Cave, in Malaysia), we could easily fit an entire district of Bangkok in it, even including 40-story buildings!

Interior of Son Doong Cave.

Its cavities are home to a unique ecosystem, consisting of a lush jungle, which thrives beneath the cave walls, as well as ponds..

However, there is little chance that you will be able to visit it, to visit this cave in particular, you have to count 4 days of intense expedition through the jungle (17 km of trek), 8 km of caving, 90 m of climbing and all this of course, has a cost, 69 VND yes yes, or about €800 per person! If you are one of the lucky ones, you will be among the privileged few who had access to this cave, because although discovered by chance in 000 by a local named Hồ Khanh, the latter was not really explored for the first time until 2!

And to date, only one company is authorized to exploit the cave for tourist purposes, with a limit of 1 people per season. If you are interested, reservations are open for the period 000-2020 (the cave is only accessible from February to August): https://oxalisadventure.com/

The park is not limited to this single cave, however, and you can more easily access the other caves, the one that gives its name to the park, Phong Nha, but also Thien Duong (Paradise cave), Hang Toei (Dark cave) or even Hang Én (Swallow cave), the 3rd largest cave in the world.

Interior of Paradise cave. Photo credit: Flickr Edgardo W. Olivera

Next stop, the Imperial City of Hue, seat of the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty and capital of the country from 1802 to 1945. The important sites are the great citadel of the 1848th century, the imperial palace located in what is called the Forbidden City. Other attractions are the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady, the tallest in Vietnam with its six floors, and imposing tombs like that of Khải Định, penultimate emperor of Vietnam. There is also the mausoleum of Tự Đức, special because it was built during his lifetime (when he reigned from 1883 to XNUMX), he drew up the plans himself and as it was finished well before his death, he even made it his country residence for about ten years, almost permanently, then calling the site the Khiem estate, there are about ten buildings in a twelve-hectare enclosed park.

Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh in Hue.

The South Central Coast

Before heading to the next “important” stop, you can always take a trip to the seaside city of Da Nang. And this next “important” step is the essential one Hoi An, known for its old town with undeniable charm, mixing different architectures and influences. The whole area is crossed by canals and not far from the seaside. Along its old streets, you will come across Chinese shops and temples, old colorful French colonial buildings, and richly decorated Vietnamese houses. But its emblem is undoubtedly its 1593th century Japanese pagoda bridge, a covered bridge built in 50 to which a pagoda was added XNUMX years later.

If you want to take a sunbathing break, you can go to the large beach ofAn Bang, 5 km from the old town (the road leading there is pleasant) or Cua Dai, more intimate and from where you can take a ferry to the island of Cham a dozen kilometers offshore.

Continuing the descent towards the south of the country, If you want to go a little off the beaten track (apart from local tourists), you can stop at Quang Ngai, from where you can reach the port of Sa Ky. There you have a connection leading to an ancient volcanic island with an atypical landscape for Vietnam, the island of Ly Son. Back on the continent, it is Nha Trang which can mark a beach stop with a cultural visit to the Cham temple of Po Nagar. For rest, you can go opposite to the island of Hon Tre.

Further south, you will arrive at Mui Ne. This small port town is popular for its beaches and kite surfing spots. For our part, it was the semi-desert landscapes, with its mixture of "red" dunes and others of white sand, that attracted us. The local curiosity being this small stream surrounded by rock sculpted by the runoff of rainwater, called the fairy river (Fairy Stream).

The Central Highlands

If you leave the coast for a while, you might want to explore the highlands, located on the border with Laos and Cambodia. The province of Gia Lai, but also Kon Inch to the north and Roof Lacquer to the south are the lands of Jarai, one of the ethnic minorities making up the Vietnam . And besides the ethnic villages, there are tea plantations but also ancient volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls and other natural spots, especially around Pleiku, the main city.

Further south, you will have Buon Ma Thuot, the largest city in the highlands and called the regional coffee capital, in the province of Dak Lak, originally populated by the Ê Đê (of the Rhade ethnic group) whose particularity, like their "cousin Jarai", is to use communal longhouses similar to the Iban of Borneo, in Indonesia. Largely assimilated by the majority population, there are only 40 people left today. To the southwest, you will find a series of waterfalls (the most famous being the Dray Nur and Dray Sap duo) along a river leading into a lake (bordering with the province of Dak Nong).

View of the Valley of Love in Da Làt.

Finally, the most famous mountain town is undoubtedly Da Lat, the main climatic resort of French Indochina. Namely, a city to recharge your batteries and enjoy a milder climate than in the sometimes stifling heat of bustling Saigon further south. Indeed, located at an altitude of 1 m, the city is what is called a "city of eternal spring", where the average temperature never falls below 10 ° C in winter, and not exceeding 25 ° C in summer.

With its facilities consisting of artificial lakes, numerous gardens and flowery valleys, it acquired a reputation as a romantic mountain town, one of its main attractions being called the Valley of Love. Around, you can see some waterfalls and generous nature. In the city, its colonial past is particularly visible between its colonial villas in the art-deco style. (1920-1940) but also Norman villas as well as Savoyard chalets or even Basque houses (and even a French cathedral), it is the most “French” city in the Vietnam .

The South (Mekong Delta)

Here we are approaching the south of Vietnam , mainly encompassing Ho Chi Minh City and its surroundings as well as the Mekong Delta area, a legendary river in Southeast Asia.

South East Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and surroundings)

In the main city in the south (and the most populated in the country), you will find a few buildings from the colonial era such as the Notre-Dame de Saigon, built entirely from materials imported from France, and the Central Post Office, dating from the 19th century. Saigon, as it is still widely called, was also at the heart of the conflict between North and South during the War of Vietnam . This results in the tunnels of Cu Chi, a huge system of underground tunnels initiated by the Vietminh during the war ofIndo-China then by the FNL ( Viet Cong) during the war of Vietnam . We also visit the War Remnants Museum, whose name is quite explicit.

Finally, don't miss a visit to the central market of Benh Thành, built in 1914 and bringing together local products (crafts, food, textiles).

Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh.

If you go to the coast south of Ho Chi Minh City, you can take a trip to the mangroves of Cần Giờ. On the peninsula by the sea, you will arrive at the port city of Vũng Tàu, another old colonial city of which not much remains from this period apart from the white house, transformed into a museum. From there, it is possible to reach Côn Son (called Grande-Condore in its French version), the main island of the Côn Đảo archipelago (which includes sixteen islands), although this option is not really recommended, so we come to the next part!

The Mekong Delta

The preferable option to join Con Dao being since Soc Page (if its main island is Con Son, the area is usually referred to by the name of thearchipelago), from where you will find buses to get to the Tran quay Thisor a 1 hours of Soc Page. The island is 100 km away, even by speed boat, it takes 2 to 3 hours of travel depending on the sea conditions, so much to say that the island is worth it!! But if you are lazy and have the budget, rest assured, there is an airport on the main island 😉

Finally, I can tell you about the famous Mekong Delta, which Google summarises very well, namely: a vast labyrinth of rivers, marshes and islands. It is home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by rice fields. Mass has been said.

floating market cai rang - can tho mekong delta vietnam

At the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho. Photo credit Peter Addor

Canal in the Mekong Delta.

The area is vast, including the Cambodian border town of Chau Doc, but the main town is Can Tho, which has a huge floating market (to really enjoy it, you should go between 6am and 9am, as the main local entertainment is concentrated there, with the rest of the morning becoming more touristy). Other small towns from which you can take tours of the delta include Vinh Long, Ben Tre, My Tho and Cai Be.

I can end this long section by mentioning the islands of the Gulf of Thailand. Because yes, there are islands there too, the most famous being Phu Quoc, which is literally stuck to Cambodia (12 km from the continent, but the island Cambodian de Koh seh is only 4 km from the coast of Phu What). While the island has a major international airport, its development can be compared to an island like Phuket in Thailand, you can get there by ferry via Hà Tiên.

Further south, you have the town of Rach Giá, from where you can embark on the archipelago of the Nam Du islands, wilder and offering some beautiful beaches like that of Bãi Cây Mến.

long beach beach island phu quoc vietnam

Long Beach in Phu Quoc. Photo by Alex Waltner – www.swedishnomad.com

bai cay men island archipelago nam of vietnam

Photo by trungydang / CC BY

So, if you've read this far, first of all, well done! Because it is quite long, I admit, but it demonstrates all the riches contained in the Vietnam. For the rest of you, the part you're waiting for is just below, namely a condensed summary of the essential spots to see in Vietnam.

Vietnam in brief

Destinations

Sapa

Hanoi

Halong Bay

Tam Coc (Ninh Binh)

Phong nha-ke bang

Hue

Hoi An

Nha Trang,

From Lat

Mui Ne

Ho Chi Minh City

Mekong Delta

Phu Quoc

Things to see / things to do

Rice terraces, mountains, Hmong villages

Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Trấn Quốc Pagoda

Karst rock cliffs, caves, islands

``Halong Bay on land``, with famous viewpoint (Hang Múa), caves and temples

National park encompassing caves surrounded by jungle-covered mountains

Ancient Imperial City, Tomb of Tu Duc, Tomb of Khai Dinh

Old Town (Japanese Pagoda Bridge, Tan Ky House, Canals), An Bang Beach, Cham Island

Long Beach, Po Nagar Cham Temple, Hon Tre Island

Hill resort with colonial buildings, waterfalls, lakes and gardens

Beaches for kite surfing, white and red sand dunes, fairy stream, harbor

Ben Thanh Market, Reunification Palace, War Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels

Floating markets, canals (Can Tho, Vinh Long, Ben Tre, My Tho)

Main island of Vietnam and largest in the country, bordering Cambodia

Vietnam landmarks on a map

Here is a map to locate and summarize all the destinations and places of interest in Vietnam:

Vietnam itinerary suggestions

Le Vietnam , it is the only country to date outside of Thailand that has been explored twice. And first, we started with a classic north-south journey, which we did more precisely from the south going up towards the north, because the plane tickets were cheaper in this direction and also depending on the season, it seemed more coherent to us.

But we were only there for 15 days, it was just a fleeting glimpse. So we came back a second time a few years later, again for two weeks to concentrate this time on the north of the country, taking the motorcycle trip option, which I had been dreaming of doing for quite some time.

And even with all that, there would still be a 3rd stay with plenty to keep us busy (even if it is not yet on the agenda).

If you only have one week:

There's no point in beating around the bush, you have to make a choice. Basically, either the south, around Saigon and the Mekong Delta, or the center, between Hoi An and Hue, and finally, either the north, around Hanoi.

Itinerary in North Vietnam:

- - Tam Coc (2 nights) – Hanoi (2 nights) – Halong (1 night) – Sapa (2 nights)

Here is enough to concentrate some "classic" destinations in a rather short time. Take a look at the terrestrial Halong Bay, the capital, THE Halong Bay and the rice fields of Sapa, enough to feast your eyes and make you want to come back. Note that I am leaving on the basis of 7 nights on site, so a stay more based on a minimum of 8 days on site (afterwards, rare will be the people who go so far for a week exactly, often, it is precisely short stays of 8-10 days as I can see for the Thailand).

If you want to avoid too much transport time, you can replace Sapa with Tuluong, in la Tam's stride Coc, because there are also beautiful rice fields there without going too far from Hanoi (160 km).

Itinerary in Central Vietnam:

- - Da Nang (1 night) – Hue (2 nights) – Hoi An (2 nights) – Cham Island (2 nights)

Same, we are no longer on 8 days / 7 nights. But while it may sound ideal on paper, it's actually not easy to implement. Indeed, if there is an international airport in Da Nang, you will have to transit before, either in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City for Vietnam, or from another destination in Asia. (Seoul has the most connections, otherwise Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore are all options possible). Which, in short, probably adds a day to take into account.

The advantage is to see two "classics" of Vietnam, the old vibe of Hoi An and the imperial city of Hue. And from Hoi An, it is easy to get to the pretty little island of Cham (150 to 000 VND by speed boat in 250 minutes or only 000-30 VND by local boat which takes 20 hours).

Itinerary in South Vietnam:

- - - Saigon (2 nights) – Can Tho (2 nights) – Phu Quoc or Nam Du Island (3 nights)

If we take into account the transport times, we are still an 8 days and 7 nights configuration, but it remains a suggestion, combining a city, an area of the Mekong Delta where you can see a large floating market and rest on an island. The winning combination! Phu Quoc being the best known therefore the most frequented and Nam Du is smaller but closer from Can Tho.

If you have two weeks in Vietnam:

As always with these route suggestions, you could simply combine two options of trip of a week. However, it appears feasible in this time frame to have a north to south overview in the same vein as what we have done. To do this, I will first show you our itinerary during our first stay to give you an idea.

1st route in Vietnam: North-South

In order, for this first stay, we therefore arrived at Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) before heading to Mui Born. Then, after a hook by From wide in the mountains, we returned to the seaside at Dental Page. A step that could have been shortened, but hey…

For the rest, we went back to Hoi An, where we stayed for several days, because we liked the atmosphere. I would like to point out that this was already 10 years ago, so it is much more touristy today and may alter the impression of this place which remains charming nonetheless.

Finally, before arriving in Hanoi, we passed through the ancient capital and seat of the emperors, Hue. Before leaving, we obviously visited the famous Halong Bay, where we did not benefit from memorable weather.

If we look in detail, it gave the program as follows: suit :

Day 1

Arrival in Saigon and express visit

Day 2 and 3

Journey to Mui Ne
Visit of the port and surroundings (dunes)

Day 4

Mui Ne Market – Journey to Dalat

Day 5

Visit to Dalat

Day 6 and 7

Journey to Nha Trang
Visits to the main sites
Overnight journey to Hoi An

Day 8, 9 and 10

Visit Hoi An and surroundings

Day 11 and 12

Visit to the former imperial city of Hue

Day 13

Journey to Hanoi

Day 14

Express tour of Hanoi

Day 15

Halong Bay Excursion

Day 16

Back to Bangkok

I understand that for a first visit, it was a bit rushed, in 15 days, wanting to travel 1 km without taking a plane, it's quite a challenge! But we have to put it in context that it was our first "big trip" together and that we had (as is always the case anyway), a thirst for discovery.

In short, to make a visit from north to south, I would say that you have to count happily three weeks. Compared to our itinerary, we would have to add at least one day in Saigon, another in Hanoi, probably one in Da Lat which we also botched, the rest of this extra week could be used to take a trip to Tam Coc (next to Nin Binh), nicknamed the terrestrial Halong Bay (and which we visited on our 2nd stay) and extend the visit to Halong Bay over two days instead of one.

So see if you want to find the time to visit Sapa with all that (and so you understand that a month can quickly become a minimum to travel around Vietnam).

2nd itinerary in Vietnam: the mountains of the Northeast

For this second trip, I really wanted to have a little adventure on two wheels, because I really appreciate the freedom of movement when traveling. The motorcycle being on the one hand clearly less expensive but also practical for its versatility and easy to park on the side of the road to take photos, my motto.

In doing so, this already allowed us to complete two visits which had not been possible during our first stay, due to lack of time, namely, the bay ofHalong Tam's land Coc and Sapa. The choice was then made on the North-East side, because it is a region that seemed particularly little visited to us and as we knew that it was not the rice field season, this area was better than the North-West, more focused on seeing magnificent rice terraces (even if for that, we still passed through the district of Hoàng Su Phì, known for sheltering very beautiful spots with rice fields).

If we had defined the broad outlines of our journey, we wouldis found with the following steps:

Jour 1 et 2 : Hanoi (sans nuité) ➔ Tam Coc (2 nuits)
Jour 3 : Sapa via train de nuit depuis Hanoi ➔ Lao Cai (1 nuit)
Jour 4 : Bac Ha (1 nuit)
Jour 5 : Vinh Quang (1 nuit)
Jour 6 : Ha Giang (1 nuit)
Jour 7 : Dong Van (1 nuit)
Jour 8 : Bao Lac (1 nuit)
Jour 9 et 10 : Cao Bang et la cascade de Ban Gioc (2 nuits)
Jour 11 : Bac Son (1 nuit)
Jour 12 : Thai Nguyen (1 nuit)
Jour 13 : retour à Hanoi (1 nuit)

Normally, this loop, which remains fairly classic for this region, ends for many at the lake of Ba Be, the largest natural lake in the Vietnam and not to Thai Nguyen. The choice was made by looking at the photos and as such, the lake didn't inspire us more than that. So, we were looking for a last stop before returning to Hanoi, and in terms of interest and distance, we chose Thai Nguyen, for their tea plantations.

It's up to you to make your choice. Knowing that Thai Nguyen was not transcendent, it must be said that the weather blah did not help and that we had also already seen beautiful plantations at Sri Lanka). The other reason was related to the other choice of route, where I wanted to see the view of Bac Son. Knowing that we had just come from High Bang, getting to the lake would have required going back up into the mountains and therefore a bit further away from Hanoi.

If you have a full month in Vietnam:

Over a month, you should have time to explore a minimum.

Hanoi (2 nights)
Halong Bay (1 night)
Sapa (2 nights)
Tam Coc (2 nights)
Phong Nha and its caves (2 nights)
Hue (3 nights)
Hoi An (3 nights)
Nha Trang (1 night)
Dà Lat (2 nights)
Mui Ne (3 nights)
Saigon (2 nights)
Can Tho (2 nights)
Phu Quoc (3 nights)

If you add it up, you get to 26 nights, so you have room to extend a stage or even add one according to your tastes and desires, but basically, a month still allows you to have a good overview of the country from north to south.

Afterwards, in this example, I give the example with a north/south trip, because it allows you to relax at the end on an island. Same, I put Phu Quoc “by default”, but instead you can go to Nam Du, not far from there, or further south to Con Son (from the archipelago of Con Dao).

From Sapa, it is possible to reach Tam Coc via Hanoi and Ninh Binh, either by bus or partially by train (see options and tickets). The same goes for getting to Phong Nha and its caves from Tam Coc, you have buses that run to Dong Hoi, the closest town to the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (see options and tickets)

As we are on a more "classic" axis, you can possibly use the "open" tickets from the Born Tourist, otherwise you will easily find buses and/or trains depending on the city. At the end you can go to Dog Tho where there is a large floating market and canals of the Mekong Delta, but you have other alternatives like Ben Three, My Tho or even Vinh Long.

Weather / When to go to Vietnam?

Climate:

The climate in Vietnam varies according to the regions. Located in an intertropical zone, Vietnam straddles tropical zones in the south and subtropical zones in the north. If overall the country is marked by two seasons, one dry, and the other wet, corresponding to the monsoon period, Vietnam is divided into 3 distinct zones :

- - The North, which experiences winters that can be harsh (with even snow possible in the high mountains). It is cool and dry between November and April, with temperatures not exceeding 20°C in Hanoi during the day. The monsoon arrives from May and lasts until October, bringing heat and rain, sometimes violent between July and August.
  - The center, whose rainy season is shifted compared to the north since it only arrives in August, a period also favorable to the passage of typhoons and extends until January. The dry season is considered to be from February to June although rainy episodes remain possible even at this time.
  - South, enjoys constant warmth all year round, approaching the climate of Thailand. We can clearly distinguish the two seasons: dry, from November to the beginning of June, with an optimal period between December and April, and the rainy season, from the end of June to the end of October, which carries a risk of typhoon between August and October.

Note that temperatures vary between coastal areas and mountains, especially in winter. While temperatures can be pleasant at the seaside, higher up they will be much cooler. This requires, depending on the season, to plan for both warm and summer clothes. For example, in January, you should not exceed 20°C during the day in Hanoi while you will happily reach 32°C in Saigon in the south.

When is the best time to visit Vietnam?

A delicate question as the climate in Vietnam varies depending on the north and the south. The best time to travel to Vietnam will however be all regions combined months of February, March and April.

Overall, Traveling to Vietnam during the dry season between November and April remains the best option. For Halong Bay, the best time to visit is between October and December or else in April to hope for good weather and avoid a foggy and overcast landscape.

Conversely, It is best to avoid the months from May to October. In detail, I will specify that you should particularly avoid the months of August and September since this is the typhoon period.

Afterwards, if the rains can be abundant between May and October, certain regions of the country remain quite visitable all year round.

Halong Bay

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Halong Bay

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	20	20	23	27	31	32	32	32	31	29	25	22
T°C Min	13	14	17	21	24	25	26	25	24	21	17	14

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	10	11	13	13	14	15	15	16	14	11	8	7
Sun**	3	2	3	4	6	6	7	6	6	6	5	5

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

HẠ LONG Weather

Can Tho

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Can Tho

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	29	31	33	34	33	32	31	31	30	30	30	29
T°C Min	22	22	23	24	24	24	24	24	24	25	24	23

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	2	0	2	4	15	17	19	17	19	17	12	6
Sun**	6	7	7	7	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

CAN THI Weather

Cao Bang

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Cao Bang

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	18	19	23	27	31	32	32	32	31	28	24	21
T°C Min	10	12	16	20	20	24	24	23	22	19	15	11

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	10	10	12	14	15	17	18	19	14	12	9	8
Sun**	2	2	3	4	6	5	6	6	6	5	4	4

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

CAO BẰNG Weather

With Son

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

With Son

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	29	30	32	33	32	32	31	31	31	30	30	29
T°C Min	22	22	23	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	23	22

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	7	5	7	10	16	17	18	20	21	20	15	10
Sun**	6	7	6	7	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

CÔN DAO Weather

From Lat

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Dà Lat

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	23	26	27	27	26	24	24	24	24	24	24	23
T°C Min	14	14	15	17	17	17	17	17	17	17	16	15

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	13	9	13	23	29	30	29	29	30	29	24	20
Sun**	6	7	8	8	8	7	6	7	5	5	6	6

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

DA LAT Weather

da Nang

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Da Nang

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	25	26	29	31	33	34	34	34	31	30	27	25
T°C Min	18	20	21	23	25	25	25	25	24	23	22	19

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	14	7	5	6	9	8	9	11	15	21	21	19
Sun**	4	5	6	7	8	8	8	7	6	5	5	4

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

DA NANG Weather

Hanoi

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Hanoi

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	19	20	23	27	31	33	33	32	31	29	25	22
T°C Min	14	15	18	21	24	26	26	26	25	22	18	15

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	8	11	15	13	14	15	16	17	14	9	7	6
Sun**	2	2	1	3	5	5	6	5	5	5	4	3

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

HANOI Weather

Ho Chi Minh City

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Saigon

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	32	33	34	35	34	32	32	32	31	31	31	31
T°C Min	21	22	24	26	25	25	24	24	24	24	23	21

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	2	1	2	5	18	19	23	22	23	21	12	7
Sun**	8	9	9	8	6	6	6	5	5	6	7	7

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

SAIGON Weather

Hoi An

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Hoi An

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	25	26	28	30	32	33	33	33	31	29	27	26
T°C Min	19	20	21	23	25	25	26	25	24	23	22	20

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	5	4	5	8	14	20	19	23	19	15	7	5
Sun**	7	7	7	7	7	5	6	5	6	6	6	7

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

HỘI AN Weather

Hue

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Hue

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	24	25	28	31	33	34	35	34	32	29	26	23
T°C Min	18	18	20	23	24	25	25	25	24	23	21	18

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	24	14	19	19	16	15	19	17	20	21	24	25
Sun**	4	5	7	10	11	12	10	11	8	7	5	3

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

HUẾ WEATHER

Mui Ne

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Mui Ne

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	27	28	30	31	32	31	30	30	30	30	29	28
T°C Min	21	22	23	24	25	24	24	24	24	23	22	21

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	7	5	5	9	15	17	18	20	20	19	13	11
Sun**	7	7	9	9	11	11	10	10	8	9	9	8

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

MŨI NÉ WEATHER

Nha Trang,

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Nha Trang,

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	26	27	28	29	32	30	31	31	30	28	27	26
T°C Min	21	21	22	23	25	24	25	25	24	24	22	21

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	16	9	11	12	20	23	25	25	25	25	21	20
Sun**	6	7	9	9	11	12	11	11	9	8	7	6

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

NHA TRANG WEATHER

Phu Quoc

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Phu Quoc Island

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	31	31	32	34	33	32	31	31	31	31	30	30
T°C Min	22	22	23	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	23	22

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	4	3	5	9	17	18	19	20	21	19	13	8
Sun**	7	8	8	8	6	6	5	5	5	6	6	7

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

PHU QUOC WEATHER

Sapa

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Sa Pa

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	11	12	18	21	23	23	23	23	22	19	17	14
T°C Min	5	7	11	13	16	17	18	17	16	13	11	8

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	8	8	9	12	15	19	22	23	17	13	8	6
Sun**	4	4	5	6	5	3	4	4	3	3	3	4

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

IT'S NOT WEATHER

Vung Tau

Jan.

Feb.

Mars

Apr.

May

June

Jul.

August

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Vung Tau

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
T°C Max	29	29	30	32	32	31	31	30	30	30	29	29
T°C Min	22	23	24	26	25	25	25	24	24	24	24	22

	Jan.	Feb.	Mars	Apr.	May	June	Jul.	August	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.
Rain*	7	5	5	8	15	16	18	18	20	19	14	11
Sun*	5	6	6	6	5	4	4	5	5	4	4	4

* Average number of rainy days
** Average daily sunshine (in hours)

Average precipitation per month (in mm)

VŨNG TÀU Weather

What budget for Vietnam?

Banknotes used in Vietnam: The notes range from 500 to 500 Dongs, which means you can quickly become a millionaire in Vietnam! The following notes are found: 000, 50000, 2, 000, 5, 000, 10, 000, 20 and finally 000 Dongs, yes, all of that. You should know that the 50 notes are rarer and are mainly used for offerings given their small value.. There are also coins of 1, 000 and 2 but they are very rarely used.

Visa or Mastercard credit cards are generally accepted in cities, especially at mid- and high-end hotels and restaurants, but expect an additional $1 to $2 fee.

ll You should know that currencies like the Euro (€) and the US Dollar ($) are also accepted, more widely in the case of the 2nd. The American dollar having become democratized for a time in the daily use of the Vietnamese people. THEEuro may just be accepted as payment currency in some hotels or at the airport.

Generally speaking, and this remains increasingly true, it is necessary to favor cash payments in the local currency.

With a current rate of around €1 = VND25 the conversion is pretty easy, basically you divide the first two digits by 000 then multiply by 10 (For example something at 170 VND is therefore worth 1,7 x 4 = €6,8).

Please note that prices will often be displayed for simplicity without the last 3 zeros. So if you see something on the market marked 550, rest assured, it will probably not be 550 Dongs, but 550 D.ngos.

You will find ATMs (ATM) in many cities, but beware of possible fees if you withdraw money rather than exchange money. Also note that there is generally a withdrawal limit of VND 2. (a little less than €100). Only ANZ and HSBC banks allow withdrawals of up to 10 Dong.

Finally, tipping is not obligatory at Vietnam , but like everywhere, if you enjoyed a particular service, $2 or $3 is always nice.

Hotels / Accommodations

When it comes to hospitality, the Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries in Asia, by far. However, this does not mean that you will lose any comfort. Hotels are generally cheap, even for boutique hotels, and the value for money is unbeatable outside of tourist areas.

In hostels, you should be able to find beds from €3 per night! (around 70 Dongs). For single rooms for two, you should easily find them for less than €000. If you want more comfort, expect to pay around €15 (from 20 Dongs) for a double room.

Below, I summarize the price range for you:

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

For basic hotel double room, around 300 VND (000 €)
For mid-range, more cosy hotels, expect to pay around 500 VND (€000)
For the highest end, expect at least 1 VND (800 €)

Meals / drinks

While Vietnamese food is generally renowned, there is some disparity in choice across regions. In this case, when we visited the north the second time, we found a great weariness with a choice that boiled down to a Pho or some kind of fried rice lacking in flavor... However, it is not a ruin and in this case we compensated with sandwiches without weighing down the meal budget.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

A small bottle of water costs on average 10 VND (000 €), 0,4 for Coke and soda (20 €)
A basic meal (Pho, Bun Cha) costs on average 35 VND (000 €) per person
For a slightly more elaborate meal, expect to pay between 50 and 000 VND (€100 – €000) per person.
Coffee: 20 VND (0,8 €) is the median price to get your caffeine fix
A 0,5 liter local beer – 20 VND (000 €)

Transport

Transportation is also cheap. The train was comfortable, the night buses less so, the day buses are mini almost and furious, but not always. Taxis remain cheap and I haven't really felt any excessive prices in the city.

Afterwards, we most often used motorcycles, which remained our preferred means of getting around a point and simply getting around when we traveled in the north of the country. We are still in Southeast Asia, so a budget that can be easily controlled in transport without spending thousands and hundreds.

SOME POINTS OF REFERENCE:

Renting a motorbike: expect to pay between 100 and 000 VND/day (€150 to €000) – 4 VND if you have a better bike
Gasoline: around 20 VND/litre (000 €)
Bus: for intermediate journeys, expect to pay 150 VND (€000) per person
For city buses and local routes, expect to pay around 7 VND per trip (€000)
Taxi: depending on distance, 50 to 000 VND (100 to 000 € for around 2 to 4 km) – from an airport, bus station to the centre, expect to pay around 4 €
Train journey (depending on distance), example Hanoi – Lao Cai, 295 to 000 VND in a sleeper (hard 400 or soft 000 €) per person

Small budget
^€ 12
jour
12 € for 2

4 € per person

2 € per person

Free visits

Medium budget
^€ 26
jour
20 € for 2

7 € per person

5 € per person

4 € per person

Comfortable budget
^€ 56
jour
60 € for 2

12 € per person

8 € per person

8 € per person

Minimum daily budget suggestion / person - 33 € (Note: budget for a mid-budget holiday, with 1* or 2* hotel, otherwise clean guesthouses; meals mainly in simple restaurants and use of public transport mostly. Paid visits from time to time but not every day).

Articles about Vietnam

My articles about my stays in Vietnam.

22/11/2015

Vietnam

Back to Hanoi: my feelings 5 years later

It's a bit of a strange feeling to set foot again in a city visited a few years ago.

Continue reading...
20/11/2015

Vietnam

Thai Nguyen's tea plantations

The last stop of this stay in the north of Vietnam, eager to see something different (reference in passing

Continue reading...
17/11/2015

Vietnam

Bac Son: a spectacular panorama of the valley

That was basically why I wanted to visit the area, so was it really worth it?

Continue reading...
12/11/2015

Vietnam

On the way to Lang Son, or almost…

We were nearing the end of our stay in the mountains of northern Vietnam. If you looked at my itinerary (visible here),

Continue reading...
09/11/2015

Vietnam

Ban Gioc, the largest waterfalls in Vietnam

Our stop in Cao Bang was for the sole purpose of taking a trip to the Ban Gioc Falls, these

Continue reading...
06/10/2015

Vietnam

My buttocks are tired between Bao Lac and Cao Bang

This day saw us join Bao Lac to reach Cao Bang, our base, then go see the falls

Continue reading...

Any opinions, suggestions? Leave me a comment!

Asia Country Guide Vietnam

Roman

02/03/2020

Romain B.

When I discovered Thailand in 2006, I certainly didn't expect to settle down there 2 years later! Since then, I've been based in Bangkok and I regularly travel throughout Asia. I share my stories, photos, advice on expat life in Thailand and on Asian countries, for those who want to discover the land of smiles, who are looking for a bit of adventure and those who dream of Asia (or those who just want to dream ;-)

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Vietnam

Vietnam in brief:

Why visit Vietnam?

WE love

We are less of a fan

Preparing your trip: advice before you leave

Do I need a visa for Vietnam?

Getting an e-visa for Vietnam

Visa on arrival for Vietnam

Classic Visa

carry-over

In case of excess

Customs regulations

Transportation in Vietnam

Coming to Vietnam

Flight Paris – Saigon

Flight Paris – Hanoi

Search for a flight to Vietnam

Getting around Vietnam

Road transport

The buses

Taxis and pedicabs

Motorcycle and car rental

Rail transport

North-South Line (Reunification Line)

Hanoi → Ninh Binh → Hue → Danang → Nha Trang → Saigon (HCMC)

Saigon (HCMC) → Nha Trang → Danang → Hue → Ninh Binh → Hanoi

Hanoi – Lao Cai line

Hanoi -> Lao Cai (for Sapa)

Hanoi -> Lao Cai (for Sapa)

Option 1: Buy with 12GB

Option 2: Buy with Baulau.com

Cross-border trains

Metro in Hanoi

Metro in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Shipping

Ferries in North Vietnam (Halong Bay Islands)

Ferries in Central Vietnam

Ferries in South Vietnam

Air transport

Book a hotel in Vietnam

Book your hotels in Vietnam with Booking

Health and Safety in Vietnam

Do I need travel insurance?

What vaccines and what do I need to know for my health?

Recommended vaccines:

Against mosquitoes

Hygiene in Vietnam

For your safety

Scams, fraud and crime

Risk areas

Pratical information

What to see and do in Vietnam?

For the North:

For the Center:

For the South:

The North

The hill tribes

The Northwest: Sapa and surroundings

The North-east

The Red River Delta (Hanoi and surroundings)

The center

The North Central Coast

The South Central Coast

The Central Highlands

The South (Mekong Delta)

South East Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and surroundings)

The Mekong Delta

Vietnam in brief

Destinations

Things to see / things to do

Vietnam landmarks on a map

Vietnam itinerary suggestions

If you only have one week:

Itinerary in North Vietnam:

Itinerary in Central Vietnam:

Itinerary in South Vietnam:

If you have two weeks in Vietnam:

1st route in Vietnam: North-South

2nd itinerary in Vietnam: the mountains of the Northeast