Vietnam Travel Tips

Once flights are booked, check your passport and entry eligibility. Visa requirements depend on the passport you hold, your purpose of travel, length of stay and entry route. Family members with different passports may need different documents; a visa-exemption headline is not enough to establish everyone’s eligibility.

If you need an e-visa, check the approval against your English name, passport number, validity dates, number of entries and eligible checkpoint. Save an offline copy and bring a printout. Keep your flight details, first hotel’s Vietnamese address and contact information together. Consult the Vietnamese authorities applicable to your passport; Taiwan’s consular entry guidance is an additional reference for the travellers it covers.

Prepare PAI and visa documents separately

PAI collects pre-arrival passenger and trip information. Its declaration QR code does not replace a required visa. The current voluntary pilot covers Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc airports. Check the official entry notice again close to your travel date.

Start from the official PAI homepage. Have your passport, flight, accommodation details and an email address you can access ready, then save the confirmation email and declaration code. The PAI submission and lookup guide explains the screens in more detail.

Arrivals can feel hectic when you have luggage, no working mobile data and family waiting while several people offer rides. Open your hotel address and pickup instructions inside the terminal before heading to the meeting point.

For Grab or another booking service, choose the actual pickup location in the app and match the licence plate, vehicle and driver to the booking. A person saying they are your driver is not enough. If something differs, contact the original platform or transfer provider. Send the exit or pillar number if you cannot find the car rather than dragging large suitcases between floors.

• Fare: Check airport access, parking and toll charges in addition to the displayed fare. Changing the destination or adding a stop may change the total.
• Pre-booked pickup: Confirm the flight, arrival terminal, meeting point, waiting-time rules and how to contact the provider after a delay.
• Luggage: Four passengers with four large cases and a stroller need more than a seat count. Ask in advance about luggage space, child seats, wheelchairs and bulky items.

For two people making short city trips, an app-booked car may be sufficient. Late arrivals, young children, older relatives or a larger party with luggage may make advance booking worthwhile. Fast-track assistance covers an airport process, while a transfer takes you to the hotel; whether both are included depends on your booking. Read about airport fast-track assistance if useful. Required checks, baggage and customs procedures still apply.

A car transfer does not automatically include a Chinese-speaking guide. Hours, distance, waiting and extra charges depend on the selected service. Confirm current pricing when ordering or enquiring.

Coffee shops and food stalls often omit the final three zeros from menu prices. “35k” means 35,000 Vietnamese dong, not 35 units of your home currency. Check the printed number rather than identifying banknotes by colour alone: the 20,000 and 500,000 dong notes both have blue tones.

Use a bank or an authorised exchange service. Ask how much dong you will receive after charges, count it at the counter and put it away before leaving. A gold shop sign does not establish exchange authorisation, and a small rate difference may not justify counting cash on a busy pavement. With ATMs, check both the machine’s charges and your issuing bank’s fees and limits.

Have both cash and a usable card. Keep smaller notes for food stalls, markets and minor purchases, and check accepted payment methods at hotels and larger shops. A QR code does not necessarily work with your payment app; ask before ordering. The Vietnam tourism authority’s payment guide explains the basics.

The same number on a menu might be per portion, per kilogram or per 100 grams. For seafood, confirm the unit, weight and cooking method, then understand the approximate total before ordering. At a market, establish whether the price is for one item or a set before paying.

Wet wipes, tea, snacks on a restaurant table and minibar drinks are not always complimentary. Ask before opening something you intend to use. If a bill contains an unfamiliar charge, ask the staff to explain it against the menu and keep the receipt. Do not hand over a bundle of notes for someone else to choose from.

Tips, service charges and package fees are different

Vietnam has no single tipping percentage that applies to every business. Restaurant tips can reflect your preference and the service; for hair washing, massage, guiding or a tour package, ask about stated service charges, suggested tips and other fees when booking. A service charge on the bill does not automatically mean you need to add the same percentage again.

When choosing a salon or massage, ask what the advertised duration includes, whether drying or styling is included, which services cost extra and what cancellation conditions apply. Decline extras you do not want; you can stay with the original package.

For markets, malls and supermarket stops, see the Vietnam shopping and payment guide.

In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, pedestrians often share close quarters with motorbikes and cars. Prefer crossings with signals, marked pedestrian crossings or other crossing facilities, check all approaching directions and only cross when it is safe. Do not rely on “just walk and the traffic will avoid you”. Watch turning traffic even with a green pedestrian signal. If a parked vehicle blocks your view, find a clearer crossing point.

Put your phone away, hold children’s hands, move predictably and keep watching traffic. Do not stop in the road for a photo. If an older companion walks slowly, choose a more manageable crossing rather than asking them to run after the group. With a stroller or wheelchair, consider pavements and junctions between the hotel and places you plan to visit.

Check directions away from the road edge. Keep your bag close and away from passing traffic, and do not leave a phone on the edge of a pavement-side table. Separate backup cards and cash in busy markets, stations and nightlife areas. If someone snatches a bag, prioritise avoiding injury over holding on to the strap.

You do not need to rent a motorbike to enjoy the trip. Check legal driving eligibility, the vehicle and insurance separately: a rental shop’s willingness to hand over a bike does not establish your right to ride it. The Vietnam solo travel safety guide covers hotels, evening journeys and valuables in more detail.

Food is a major pleasure of travelling in Vietnam: morning pho, an afternoon coffee and grilled pork noodles or seafood in the evening. A street-side setting alone is not a reason to dismiss a place, but thorough cooking, safe storage, clean water and utensils matter more than the queue. Popularity is not a hygiene guarantee.

Do not drink tap water directly. Choose drinking water with an intact seal. If you cannot establish that ice was made with safe water, choose an ice-free or sealed drink. Be cautious with raw meat, raw seafood, undercooked eggs and food left at room temperature. Eat cooked food while hot, choose fruit you can peel yourself and clean your hands before eating.

Peanuts, fish and shellfish can occur in sauces or through shared utensils. Fish sauce may not be obvious in a photograph. Carry a clear Vietnamese or English description of any allergy and ask staff to check; choose something else if the ingredients cannot be explained. Consult CDC’s Vietnam health guidance, and ask an appropriate professional about individual dietary or medical needs.

A guide can help explain dishes and regional food traditions. For a Chinese-language visit, explore private Chinese-speaking guides in Ho Chi Minh City. Guiding can assist communication, but allergies and medical needs still need to be discussed beforehand.

Being able to open a map and contact your driver matters more on arrival than buying the largest data allowance. For an eSIM, check the exact phone model, regional version and network-lock status. Not every version of the same phone series supports it. With a physical SIM, plan how to store the original card and whether you still need its number for verification texts.

Compare validity, daily or total data, reduced speeds after the allowance, hotspot sharing and whether a voice number is included. Data-only service is not a local calling plan. Installation and activation may be separate, so follow the supplied instructions rather than activating early just to test it. Tell the supplier if you need video meetings, mountain coverage or frequent tethering.

On arrival, test data while help is available, then save hotel details, maps and tickets offline. Do not keep essential documents only in an inbox that requires a connection. See the Vietnam SIM and eSIM guide for setup details.

A few hundred metres on a map can mean very different surroundings. Choose nearby dining if you want to walk out at night. If noise concerns you, ask whether the room faces a main road, bars or loudspeakers. Room orientation, floor, recent construction and sound insulation are more useful questions than simply “Is it quiet?”.

In Hanoi’s Old Quarter and around Hoi An Ancient Town, check whether a car can reach the entrance or whether you must carry luggage the last stretch. A Da Nang sea-view room may still be across a road from the beach. With older relatives, children or heavy cases, an elevator reaching your actual room floor matters more than a lobby photograph. Pickup arrangements depend on the address and access on the day.

Accommodation providers need guest details for registration. Check that an apartment host can handle this too. Showing a passport for identity checks is different from leaving it as long-term security for a rental or other transaction. Ask when it will be returned after checking, keep offline passport and visa copies, and follow local requirements for carrying acceptable identification.

Before booking, confirm check-in time, early luggage storage, cancellation, deposits and payment methods. Landing before noon does not establish early room access. Allow time to eat and leave your bags before starting the day’s sightseeing.

Vietnam commonly uses 220V, 50Hz power, with different socket forms. Read the input label on your charger. If it accepts 100–240V, 50/60Hz, use an appropriate plug adapter for the socket. An appliance rated only for 110V is not safe to use simply because its plug fits.

Pay particular attention to hair dryers, styling tools and other high-power devices. Confirm voltage and power compatibility or use equipment supplied by the accommodation. Extension leads must also have suitable ratings; do not combine multiple high-power devices or expect a small travel adapter to support everything.

Check sockets beside the bed after arrival. Stop using any outlet or adapter that is loose, sparks or becomes noticeably hot, and ask the accommodation for help. The Vietnam plug and voltage overview covers basic specifications; your device manufacturer’s safety instructions still apply.

“Vietnam is hot” is not enough to pack for every itinerary. Hanoi followed by the mountains needs different preparation from a Ho Chi Minh City stay. Beaches, ancient towns and caves also face different weather-related constraints. Look up the actual town and activity location, not only the airport where you arrive.

During persistent heavy rain, thunderstorms, road closures or marine cancellations, switch to suitable indoor or nearby plans and do not wade through floodwater to keep a schedule. A calm-looking sea is not proof of safe conditions. Follow lifeguards, flags and operators, use appropriate safety equipment, and do not seek an inadequately managed boat to get around a cancellation.

Leave a midday break for children and older relatives

Break up outdoor time with water, shade and indoor stops. Prepare sun and mosquito protection; follow repellent instructions during daytime activities too, not just at dusk. Keep prescription medicine in its original packaging and ask a clinician or travel-health service about vaccines, ongoing conditions and activity suitability rather than copying a generic online medicine list.

Seek suitable help if symptoms persist or worsen instead of pushing through sightseeing. Check that insurance covers planned sea, mountain or other activities. If plans change, ask about cancellation conditions and costs already incurred before choosing an alternative.

Clothes suitable for the beach may need changing before a temple visit. Bring clothing that covers shoulders and knees, and check instructions about shoes, hats and photography. Put belongings where directed, do not touch offerings or religious objects and avoid interrupting worshippers for a better photo.

Market sellers, people working in fields and people in traditional dress are not automatically available as photographic subjects. Ask or gesture before taking a close-up and accept a refusal. Get a guardian’s permission before photographing children, avoid unwanted touching and do not exchange sweets or money for a photo.

Bargain politely where appropriate instead of assuming every price should be halved. Fixed-price shops, malls and markets work differently. Confirm the item and total, buy only if both sides agree, and thank the seller if you decide not to purchase. The Vietnam tourism authority’s etiquette advice offers further context.

Do not bring e-cigarettes and related products into Vietnam. Rules from another destination do not carry over; heated tobacco is also subject to a ban. Check relevant official entry and customs guidance before packing. Prescription medicines, food and large cash amounts have separate requirements. Check uncertain items beforehand and never carry an unknown package for a stranger.

The Vietnam safety and security guidance covers travel risks and restrictions. Choose drinks from reputable sources, keep them in sight and seek help with someone trustworthy if you feel unwell. Use a transport service that preserves a record of your journey for the return trip.

If a passport is lost, contact the police and the consular authority responsible for your passport, retain a report and ask about return-travel documents. For a missing phone or card, lock or suspend affected accounts and payments promptly. Keep hotel details, insurance assistance and card-blocking contacts accessible from another device, not just the missing phone.