First-Time Travel Guide to Vietnam

My name is Mishana Sturdivant and I run Tad Bit Rad Travels. The purpose of this blog is to share tips, tricks, and recommendations to empower my readers to travel efficiently and unapologetically. I recently traveled to Vietnam and had a wonderful time learning about Vietnamese culture, food, and history. Here is my guide to help with your planning process.

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The answer is yes, you should travel to Vietnam, include it in your Southeast Asia itinerary, and spend a few weeks or more there. Southeast Asia has my heart, so I knew visiting Vietnam would be a special experience. I spent 10 days traveling from North Vietnam to the southern coast. Here is my first-time traveler's guide.

First off, decide if you want to start in Northern Vietnam or Southern Vietnam. I recommend you visit both regions, but you can start in the slower hip side of the North or visit the very different hustle and bustle of the South. I recommend choosing the route that is the cheapest to fly into from your home airport. I don't think it matters how you start. I started in Hanoi, Vietnam (northern), and made my way down south to Ho Chi Minh City. I knew I wanted to spend more time in Ho Chi Minh City, so I left a few days at the end of my trip for that special city. It's worth noting that depending on the time of year, northern Vietnam is a bit chillier than the south. So, if you want to start your trip in cooler temperatures and spend the rest of your time in warmer temperatures, I recommend traveling from North to South.

Cafe I passed while trekking in a small village in SaPa

While traveling through Vietnam, there are many cities that you should stop at least 1-2 days in to enjoy all that Vietnam has to offer. Vietnam is very diverse in geography. During your trip, you will encounter mountain towns, dense cities, beach towns, farms, and agricultural land. This will require you to pack for warm and cool climates. Here is my recommended itinerary to visit all that Vietnam offers:

Train Street in Hanoi

Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital city of the North. I suggest spending 2-3 days here. Stop by the lively train street. Try egg coffee. Indulge in Vietnamese coffee and northern style Pho. Wander down beer street. Hanoi is also a great base for day trips to Ninh Binh or the popular incense farm in Quang Phu Cau.

SaPa

SaPa is a northern mountain town. It's a bit chillier than Hanoi and can get extremely foggy. Sapa has several photo opportunities and viewpoints that may be hard to witness with the fog. I do recommend Sapa but only for a day or so. There's not much to see and do beyond the downtown area. The agricultural park, Moana, was a skip for me. I visited, bought a ticket and the fog overwhelmed my view. It felt like a tourist trap. Cat Cat Village was a cute experience. There were several photo opportunities and viewpoints. I would also recommend the SaPa market in the Lo Lao Chai village and trekking through to visit the rice fields. The local people will follow you to sell you artisan items, but I politely declined by stating that I've already purchased what I would like.

Moana Park in SaPa, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is an area of many islands that is mesmerizing to witness while cruising down the bay. Many people visit Ha Long Bay by overnight cruise, which is the best way to visit. Ha Long Bay has hotels and airbnbs near the marina. I don't recommend staying in those since the area is dead. There are little to no commercial businesses or visitors unless they are boarding a cruise from the Marina. The overnight cruise was amazing. There are cruises for any budget. There are basic, standard, and luxury cruise options. All cruises include a cabin, all-inclusive food, and activities. We cruised with Emeraude Cruises and stayed one night. From the moment we stepped on the ship, there was a jam-packed schedule of activities that we could participate in if interested. I was able to kayak through Ha Long Bay, squid fish, and learn how to make Vietnamese spring rolls in a cooking class. Of course, alcoholic beverages were not included, but there was a 2-hour Happy Hour at the bar on the boat's deck hosted right before dinner. Meals were served as a buffet.

Kayaking along Ha Long Bay during sunset

Ha Giang Loop

One activity that I wish I included in my itinerary was the Ha Giang Loop. This is a multi-day experience on a motorbike winding down the many Vietnamese streets. Starting in Hanoi, it will take about 3-4 days to get to Ha Giang City and along the way, you stop at restaurants, villages, districts, caves, and other activities. Some rent motorbikes to explore on their own, but some hire a guide. You can book the entire experience on Get Your Guide, Viator, or through a local operator.

Da Nang

Headed to southern Vietnam, most people fly into Da Nang. Da Nang is a popular city in the south. There's the fire-blowing bridge, the Golden Bridge in Ba Na Hills, Sunworld Park, and many beautiful white sand beaches. I recommend spending at least two days in Da Nang before moving on to Hoi An. Spend one-day sightseeing and the next at a beach club. At this point in your itinerary, you will most likely want a relaxing day.

Hoi An

Hoi An is a must-visit. I enjoyed staying in Hoi An for a few nights. I stayed a few steps from Hoi An's ancient town at EMM Hotel Hoi An. I highly recommend staying walking-distance to the ancient town. There are many leather, silver, lantern, and craft shops near. There are also many restaurants, bars, and cafés. There are street food vendors and a night market. Many people visit the Hoai River for a sunset cruise and to release lanterns. At nighttime, the lanterns throughout Ancient Town are illuminated and are a sight to see. Some may consider Hoi An a tourist trap, but I enjoyed it. I enjoy walkable districts, where there's culture, great food, friendly people, and a bit of convenience that reminds me of home. I grabbed a delicious salmon lox bagel at Port City Bagels (PCB). Partied the night away at sports bar Tiger Tiger. I stopped at the spa daily for a full body massage or a foot scrub. I would also recommend the bamboo basket boat ride.

Walking along the streets of Old Town Hoi An

Ho Chi Minh City

From Hoi An, I took a flight to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the capital of southern Vietnam. I recommend staying 3-4 days at least in Saigon. Saigon is busier than Hanoi. There's a ton of traffic to get used to when traveling around the city. While in Ho Chi Minh City, I took day trips to the Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta. I visited Independence Palace, the former presidential palace, explored Book Street, visited the Post Office, stopped by the Pink Church (Tan Dinh Church), and wandered around the Ben Thanh Market. Here’s a guided tour that covers most of those attractions. I attempted to go vintage clothing shopping, but that was a failure! I enjoyed grabbing food at the Ben Nghe Street Food Hall. I had the most delicious coconut ice cream there.  I enjoyed wandering around District 1 (the Urban district) by foot and public transportation. I would recommend staying in this area since most of the popular attractions are near District 1 and it’s centrally located.

Day trips: Cu Chi Tunnels

Ho Chi Minh City is a great central base for many day trips. Some visit the Cu Chi Tunnels while in Ho Chi Minh City. They are in the Cu Chi district of the city, about an hour's drive northwest of the city center. I would highly recommend taking the morning to visit the Cu Chi Tunnel as soon as it opens. This place became very packed around 9-10 am. There are many demonstrations outside of the tunnels that show the different types of tunnels, booby traps, and weaponry the Vietnamese army used. There are several tunnels that you can climb through to learn how the army survived down there. After climbing through the tunnel, there's a shooting range to shoot semi-automatic weapons and grab a cool drink.

Day Trips: Mekong River Delta

Another day trip from Ho Chi Minh City is the Mekong Delta River. This is about a 3-hour drive south of the City. The Mekong River Delta is home to abundant farmland, fruit trees, homes, and businesses only accessible by boat and floating markets. I suggest booking a tour to organize your day here. We stopped at a candy workshop and watched how they handmade fried rice candies and coconut chewable candies. We were able to taste snake whiskey and jackfruit wine. The jackfruit wine was good, but the snake whiskey was a one-time-only tasting for me. It was a strong liquor taste that I didn't care to try again. The guided tour also included a boat ride through the delta to admire the homes, life on the water, and a fresh farm-to-table lunch.

Boating on Mekong Delta, Saigon

The only thing that my Vietnamese trip missed was a beach town. I visited mountains, cities, river towns, traditional areas, and modernized areas. I had a diverse experience traveling north to south, but we skipped the coastal towns. I wish I spent more time in Da Nang for their beach clubs. I also wish we had 1-2 more days to visit Mui Ne for their beaches and dunes.

When to Travel to Vietnam

The best time to travel to Vietnam is December to April. This is after the wet season. The weather is dry and comfortable. I visited during the New Year holiday. New Year is not celebrated as much in Vietnam, because they celebrate the Lunar New Year. However, while in Sapa, there was a fireworks show for tourists and those who celebrate. Between December to February, the north can be a bit chilly as I experienced. However, from March through April, Vietnam tends to warm up overall.

How to Pack

 As I mentioned before, the climate in Vietnam can vary depending on location. If you're in Northern Vietnam, you can expect warm days and chilly nights. I suggest packing layers. In Sapa, temperatures were in the 30's (Fahrenheit). The layers helped when I didn't have a large coat to keep warm (I pack light!). In Saigon, the weather was warmer, even through the night.

 I recommend a pair of jeans, leggings or sweatpants, shorts, and comfortable clothing that you can layer. Vietnam has US/North American outlets, so if your appliances have a different plug, you may need an adapter. Of course, bring a portable charger. I would recommend travel wipes and hand sanitizer because some of the public restaurants limit toilet paper use and don't offer soap. Don't forget your Visa and travel documents printed. Also, don't forget your travel-sized toiletries if you are smart and packing light with carry-on only.

How to Prepare

 For United States citizens, a visa is required for entry into Vietnam. I recommend applying for your visa a few weeks before your trip (even earlier). The visa process can be online and takes a few business days. You need the typical information like flight information, arrival/departure dates, accommodation details, and passport information. Print a copy of your visa information for multiple security checkpoints. Please make sure the information on the visa matches your passport exactly. Make sure your flight boarding pass matches your visa and passport exactly. During a regional flight, I had to pay a fee because my boarding pass didn't have my middle initial as my passport does.

 I recommend withdrawing cash from your bank or a Vietnamese ATM. Many markets, stores, and restaurants only accept cash.

Visiting the shooting range at the Cu Chi Tunnels

Different modes of Transportation through Vietnam

 There are multiple modes of transportation in Vietnam that you can consider. I took flights, public buses, charter buses, an overnight cruise, and a sleeper train. I didn't have the opportunity to ride a motor scooter or stay in a sleeper bus/van. However, I heard the sleeper train was more comfortable and private anyways.

 I used Grab to book my taxis. Many Grab drivers will be standing outside of the airport and will try to get you to cancel your currently booked rides to ride with them instead. You must be persistent if you do not want to ride with them. They will continue to ask you. I always made sure that I had a Grab driver queued up before leaving from inside the airport. Grab is cheap and the way to go to get around Vietnam. You can even reserve a motorbike driver if you want to experience that! They provide the helmet. Do not hop on the bike if they don't have a helmet for you. The helmets are shared, so I do recommend wearing a scarf to protect your hair and scalp.

 Public Transportation

The bus system was easy to figure out once I got the hang of it. I used Google Maps for my directions. Sometimes the bus stops didn't align with Google Maps instructions, but I was able to get in the vicinity of the bus stop. The buses I rode in Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon did not have stop announcements, so I had to pay attention to the different stops or rely on the bus attendant. The bus attendant will take your payment. They only take cash, but the ride was equivalent to 25 cents USD.

Sleeper Train cabin from Hanoi to Sapa

 Sleeper Train

My experience on the Sleeper Train from Hanoi to Sapa was interesting. The sleeper cabin was comfortable and private. However, we booked two to a room. The cabins have 4 beds in each cabin, so can accommodation 4 people. The space was tight for 2 people, so 4 people would most likely be uncomfortable. When reserving your cabin, please note that you may have to book two beds if you want to limit the number of people in your cabin. The cabin came with snacks, beverages, and coffee/tea. There's a snack cart that comes through at the beginning and near the end of the ride. Those items are not included and will cost extra. The bathrooms are clean unless someone clogs them. That happened during my trip and they were unable to fix it during our ride. The beds were not comfortable, I tossed and turned the entire night. The train is also loud, so please bring earplugs and a blindfold to block out the streetlights that shine through the windows. Though I barely slept well, the sleeper train is an experience I would recommend in Vietnam.

Bowl of Pho from Southern, Vietnam (includes a more spicer broth)

Food to Try

My travels are centered on unique food experiences. In Hanoi, I enjoyed the food tour that took us to local beer shops and restaurants for traditional food. We got to sit on the street on mini stools and enjoy Bahn Mi sandwiches. We ate delicious Bun Cha, which is a grilled pork meatball in a broth. I enjoyed the sticky rice and coconut ice cream and strolling down Beer Street (Hanoi) in the nightly chaos. Vietnamese coffee is strong, just like I like it. I enjoyed the creamy egg coffee, the sweet and satisfying coconut coffee (it tastes like a frappe) and the salted coffee (it gave a salted caramel flavor). The more south we traveled, the spicier and more flavorful the soup became. We had northern Pho in Hanoi that was delicious but when we got to Saigon, we tried the southern iteration, Pho Nam. Bun Bo Hue is a must-try after trying traditional Pho. It's more flavorful and comes with more toppings like bean sprouts, mint, and citrus. Lastly, don't forget the beer. Vietnam has so many different beer brands to try. I attempted to try all of them in my 10 days of travel. I didn't succeed but I was damn close!

Riding the coconut basket boat along a river in Saigon

If the length of this guide doesn't tell you that Vietnam has a ton to offer, I don't know what will! This guide summarizes how to plan your upcoming trip to Vietnam, what NOT to miss, and what to expect. I hope you enjoy your time in Vietnam as much as I did.