🇻🇳Vietnam

Discover Vietnam

In-depth guides to help you travel Vietnam like a local — cities, culture, food, and practical tips.

Travel Guides

Theft and pickpockets in Vietnam: common scams and how to stay safe

Vietnam is not a dangerous country. Violent crime against tourists is rare, and most visits pass without incident. But petty theft and scams are real, and they target travelers who let their guard down. The good news? Almost every theft in Vietnam is preventable with the right habits.

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Translation apps for Vietnam: what actually works when you don't speak Vietnamese

Vietnamese is a hard language. Six tones, a completely different grammar structure, and vocabulary that shares almost nothing with English. Most travelers arrive with a few phrases memorized: *xin chào* for hello, *cảm ơn* for thank you, and maybe *một bia* for one beer. That gets you through the fi

Central Vietnam floods: when Hoi An and Hue flood and how to travel through it

Every autumn, the same thing happens. Travelers arrive in Hoi An with a two-week plan, a hotel booked on the riverside, and no idea that the water can rise past the ground floor. By the second morning, the street outside is a canal, the tailor is closed, and the bus to Hue has been cancelled.

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Vietnam in January: weather, crowds and where to go

January sits at the heart of Vietnam's peak tourist season. The weather splits sharply across the country, creating a simple rule: the further south you go, the warmer it gets. That same rule applies to crowds. Everyone heads south for the sun, while the north stays quieter, colder, and significantl

Airport arrival in Vietnam: immigration, customs and what to expect in 2027

The plane touches down, the cabin lights flicker on, and suddenly the reality of Vietnam hits. Humidity wraps around you like a warm towel the moment the door opens. The jet bridge leads into a corridor of fluorescent lights and glass walls. Somewhere ahead: immigration, baggage, and the chaotic bea

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Renting an Apartment in Vietnam: Monthly Prices by City in 2027

Vietnam has become a base for remote workers, retirees, and long-stay travelers who want more than a hotel room. Renting an apartment here costs a fraction of what you would pay in Bangkok, Lisbon, or Mexico City. But prices vary enormously between cities, neighborhoods, and apartment types.

100 things to know before traveling to Vietnam

Visas, seasons, money, scooters, health, etiquette and food: 100 things to know before traveling to Vietnam, fact-checked and updated for October 2026.

Vietnam or Thailand: an honest comparison for first-time travellers

Three weeks of leave, one set of flights to book, and two countries that look interchangeable on a map but deliver completely different holidays. This guide compares them on the things that actually decide a first trip: money, weather timing, beach quality, food, ease of travel and visa paperwork. N

Vietnam for LGBTQ+ travelers: safety, laws and welcoming destinations

Vietnam is not Thailand. That is the first thing to understand. The country does not have a sprawling, commercialized LGBTQ+ tourism industry, nor does it market itself as a queer paradise. What it offers instead is something quieter: a society where same-sex relationships are legal, generally toler

Vietnam on a backpacker budget: costs, routes and money-saving tips

Vietnam has a reputation as one of Southeast Asia's most affordable destinations. That reputation is mostly accurate, but the gap between what backpackers spend and what they think they will spend is often wider than expected. The country is not as cheap as it was a decade ago. Prices in tourist hub

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Crossing the border between Vietnam and Cambodia: routes and checkpoints

The border between Vietnam and Cambodia stretches over 1,100 kilometers, cutting through the Mekong Delta's flat farmlands, rubber plantations, and dense forest. For travelers, it is one of Southeast Asia's most practical overland connections, linking Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh in a single day a

Extending your stay in Vietnam: the official options

Most visitors never need more time than their entry allows: the e-visa now covers up to 90 days, and 24 nationalities can enter without a visa for 45 days. When a trip grows longer, Vietnamese law offers several official ways to stay legally. This guide explains each of them, who can use it, and wha

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Average salary in Vietnam in 2026: what people earn and what it means for your budget

Search results for this topic mix outdated minimum wage tables from 2017, raw statistics pages and forum threads, and none of them explain what a Vietnamese salary means for someone visiting, working remotely or retiring in the country. This guide separates the official average from the figure most

Hanoi Nightlife: Ta Hien, Bia Hoi Corners and the Midnight Closing Rules Explained

Hanoi does not have a single nightlife district. It has dozens of small ecosystems, each with its own closing time, price point and crowd. The city officially shuts down at midnight. What happens after that depends entirely on where you are and who you know.

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Best day trips from Ho Chi Minh City: an honest 2027 guide

Most day trip guides list destinations without telling you how much of your day actually disappears in traffic. A place 100km away can take two hours or four depending on when you leave and which route you take. This guide compares every major day trip from Ho Chi Minh City on real travel time, real

Exchanging money in Hue: banks, gold shops and what tourists get wrong

Hue has banks on every other corner and a quiet gold-shop market most visitors never find, yet plenty of tourists still change their first dollars at the airport or the hotel desk and lose 3 to 7 percent without noticing. This guide explains how money exchange actually works in Hue, where the real r

Vietnam for students and gap year travelers: budgets and visas

Vietnam remains one of the best value destinations in Southeast Asia for students and gap year travelers. A bowl of pho costs less than a bus ticket in most Western cities. Hostel beds go for the price of a coffee back home. And the country stretches 1,650 kilometers from north to south, giving you

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Driving in Vietnam: international permits, rules and renting a motorbike legally

The question comes up in every Vietnam travel forum. Can you rent a motorbike without a license? Should you bother with an International Driving Permit? What actually happens if police stop you?

Exchanging money in Vietnam: banks, ATMs and gold shops compared

Getting dong in your hand is the first practical task of any Vietnam trip. The good news: Vietnam is a cash-first country where exchanging money is easy. The bad news: the difference between the best and worst exchange options can cost you hundreds of dollars over a two-week trip.

Vietnam for digital nomads: visas, coworking spaces and best cities to work from

Vietnam has become one of Southeast Asia's most practical bases for remote work. The internet is fast, the coffee culture runs deep, and the cost of living remains low compared to Thailand or Singapore. But the country is not one single experience. Da Nang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi each o

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Flying a drone in Vietnam: rules, permits and no-fly zones

Vietnam is one of the most photogenic countries in Southeast Asia. Terraced rice fields in the north, karst islands in Halong Bay, and the neon-lit streets of Hanoi all beg for aerial shots.

Travel insurance for Vietnam: what it covers and how to choose a policy

Vietnam is one of the few countries where travel insurance is not just a safety net, it is the difference between a bad story and a financial catastrophe. The healthcare system handles routine issues well enough. But a motorbike crash on the Ha Giang Loop, a dengue fever diagnosis in a provincial cl

Exchanging money in Vietnam: best rates, where to go and what to avoid

The dong is a cash economy. While credit cards work in hotels, upscale restaurants and chain stores, the street food stalls, markets, motorbike repair shops and family-run guesthouses that define Vietnam run on paper money. Getting the exchange right matters more than most travelers expect.

Crossing the border between Vietnam and China: routes and checkpoints

The Vietnam-China border stretches over 1,400 kilometers through mountains, rivers, and dense forest. For travelers, it is not just a line on a map. It is a practical gateway between two countries that share a complicated history and a busy trading relationship.

Vietnam nightlife: bars, clubs and night markets by city

Vietnam after dark is not one single experience. The country runs on three different nightlife rhythms, one for each of its major cities. Hanoi is early and atmospheric, with beer consumed on tiny plastic stools before midnight. Ho Chi Minh City is late and loud, with rooftop bars that stay busy unt

Vietnam visa for Indian citizens: Complete 2027 guide

Indian travelers planning a trip to Vietnam in 2026 face a maze of visa options, conflicting information online, and changing regulations. This guide cuts through the confusion with current, verified information on every visa pathway available to Indian passport holders, including the little-known v

Cost of living in Vietnam for single person

Is $4,000 a month good in Vietnam? Headlines say yes, but the real answer depends entirely on where you live, how you live, and what you're willing to compromise on. This guide breaks down every cost category with 2026 prices, so you can build a realistic budget — whether you're earning dollars or d

Vietnam E-Visa 2027: Step-by-Step Guide, Rejections & Traps

How to apply for Vietnam's e-visa in 2026 on the official portal, why applications get rejected, and the third-party scams quietly tripling the $25 fee.

Visiting Hue, Vietnam: The Complete Travel Guide to the Imperial Capital

From imperial tombs to royal cuisine, visiting Hue means discovering the cultural soul of Vietnam — layered, unhurried, and unlike anywhere else in the country.

Hospitals and Clinics in Vietnam: A Tourist's Guide to Medical Care in Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang

Getting sick in a foreign country is stressful. Where do you go when you need a doctor in Vietnam at 2 AM? Which hospitals actually speak English? And how much will a consultation cost before insurance? This guide answers every practical question about accessing medical care in Vietnam's three large

Vietnamese Pharmacies: What Travelers Can Buy Over the Counter

Walk down almost any street in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or even a small district town, and you'll spot a *nhà thuốc* (pharmacy) within a few blocks. They're identified by a green cross sign, often glowing 24 hours a day in tourist neighborhoods. For travelers, Vietnamese pharmacies can be a lifesave

What to eat in Vietnam to not get sick: A practical guide for travelers

Bun cha from a sidewalk stall is one of the best meals you will ever have. The charred pork, the tangy dipping sauce, the fresh herbs piled high on a plastic plate. But the thought of food poisoning stops many travelers from trying it.

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20 Vietnamese Phrases Every Traveler Should Know, with Pronunciation

Vietnamese looks intimidating on paper. Six tones, diacritics stacked on vowels, and words that seem to have no relation to any language you know. In practice, a handful of phrases will carry you through almost every interaction on a two-week trip. Locals do not expect perfect grammar. They expect e

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Food poisoning in Vietnam: what to do, which pharmacy medicines work and when to see a doctor

It happens to most travelers eventually. A banh mi from a street cart, a seafood dinner on the coast, a bowl of bun cha that tasted fine going down. Six hours later the stomach cramps start, and the next 24 hours are spent within sprinting distance of a bathroom.

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International Driving Permit for Motorbikes in Vietnam: What Your License Really Covers

A rental clerk in Da Lat hands over the keys to a Honda Blade. Nobody asks for a license. Nobody mentions insurance. The rider has a full motorcycle license from home, so everything must be fine.

Can Tho safety in 2026: an honest guide to crime, traffic, and real risks

Can Tho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta, with roughly 1.2 million residents spread across a network of rivers and canals. It is also the most common base for travelers visiting the region's famous floating markets. Most visitors spend one or two nights here before moving on.

Vietnam for solo female travelers: safety tips and practical advice

Vietnam draws more solo female travelers every year, and for good reason. The country is affordable, the food is exceptional, and the hospitality culture means strangers will often go out of their way to help. But safety is not a single-country story. Vietnam is 1,650 kilometers long, and the experi

Where to stay in Nha Trang: neighborhoods and hotel picks by budget

Nha Trang gets a bad rap from some travelers. They call it overdeveloped, crowded, too Russian, too party-heavy. Those criticisms have some truth, but they miss the point. This is Vietnam's most complete beach city. A 6-kilometer stretch of golden sand, clear water, and a promenade that runs the ent

Nha Trang on a budget: real daily costs in 2027

Nha Trang has a reputation problem. Ask anyone who visited a decade ago and they will describe a sleepy fishing town with a perfect crescent of sand. Ask someone who went in 2023 and they will mention high-rise hotels, Russian tour groups, and a beachfront that felt more like a construction site tha

Vietnam for LGBTQ+ travelers: safety, laws and welcoming places to stay

Vietnam presents a complex picture for LGBTQ+ travelers. The country has made legal progress but social attitudes lag behind. Same-sex marriage was officially legalized in 2015, yet no anti-discrimination laws protect LGBTQ+ people in housing, employment, or public services. This contradiction shape