100 things to know before traveling to Vietnam

Here are the 100 things to know before you go: up-to-date entry rules, field-tested tips, the social codes not to trip over, and a good dose of stories to tell back home. Whenever the site has a detailed guide on a topic, the point links to it.

Facts checked on 16 October 2026 against official sources, including the new rules of 2025 and 2026. Entry rules change often: check them again before you book. This article contains two partner links, clearly marked.

Before you go: visas, paperwork and route planning

The visa question has a different answer for every passport: British travelers enter visa-free for 45 days, while Americans, Australians, Canadians and Indians get an e-visa online in about three working days.

1. Visa-free or e-visa? It depends on your passport

British citizens can stay 45 days without a visa, for any purpose, until 14 March 2028. So can Germans, French, Italians, Spaniards, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians and Finns, while Belgians, Dutch, Swiss, Poles, Czechs and several other Europeans get 45 days for tourism only, until 14 August 2028. Singaporeans and Malaysians get 30 days, Filipinos 21. Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Irish and Indian travelers need an e-visa (point 2). The site's visa checker gives the answer for every nationality, with pages for British, American, Australian and Indian passports.

Your passport must be valid for at least six months on arrival. The law does not require an onward ticket, but your airline may ask for one at check-in: keep a flight or bus booking to a neighboring country. The 45 days include both the arrival and the departure day: arrive on 1 March and you must leave by 14 April.

The date stamped in your passport is what counts. Overstaying is fined, and more heavily since 15 December 2025: 500,000 to 2 million dong ($20 to $77) for less than 16 days, 5 to 10 million for 16 to 29 days, up to 40 million beyond a year, and deportation is possible. An administrative investigation can also keep you in the country for weeks.

2. Everyone else: the e-visa, online

Most nationalities apply for an electronic visa before departure. It costs $25 for a single entry or $50 for multiple entries and covers up to 90 days. The legal processing time is three working days, but no email will deliver the visa: write down your application code, then download and print the PDF from the portal yourself. Fees are not refunded if you are refused, which is why a step-by-step e-visa guide is worth following.

Choose your arrival and departure airports carefully and stick to them. Allow two to three weeks of margin around Tet and the holidays. And do not count on extending it once in Vietnam: an extension is only possible through a Vietnamese sponsor (a company, an agency or family).

The e-visa is also the answer for a visa-exempt traveler staying longer than 45 days. For a side trip to Cambodia or Laos, on the other hand, exempt travelers need nothing: every new entry opens another 45 visa-free days, with no waiting period.

3. The fake visa website trap

Dozens of websites imitate the official portal and charge up to five times the price for the same e-visa. The only government addresses end in .gov.vn: evisa.gov.vn or thithucdientu.gov.vn, which lead to the same portal since November 2024. Type the address yourself rather than clicking a sponsored ad, and learn to spot the sites posing as official ones.

4. Phu Quoc, the exception to the rule

The island of Phu Quoc grants 30 days visa-free to every nationality, Americans and Indians included. The condition: arrive from abroad, either directly at the island's airport or port, or through another international airport in Vietnam without passing immigration. Ask your airline to confirm the transit: a connection to a domestic flight often goes through passport control.

And stay on the island: reaching the mainland requires a visa, which can no longer be requested online once you are there. Perfect for a pure beach holiday, useless if you plan to see the rest of the country. The Phu Quoc exemption has its subtleties.

5. The online arrival form (and what customs will not let through)

Since April 2026, immigration has been asking foreign travelers to fill in a free online form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn within 72 hours before arrival. It applies at Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, Hanoi, Da Nang and Cam Ranh. Officially it is not yet compulsory, but airlines and embassies present it as if it were: fill it in. The QR code you receive gets you into a faster line. It does not replace a visa, and fake sites already charge for it.

Above $5,000 (or the equivalent) or 15 million dong in cash, and from 300 g of gold, you must declare it at customs. Forgetting can cost up to 50 million dong since July 2026. Alcohol and tobacco have their own duty-free allowances, and e-cigarettes are simply banned (point 57). The rest, from the jet bridge to the taxi rank, is covered in the guide to arriving at the airport.

6. Travel insurance is not compulsory, but essential

Vietnam does not require insurance, but a stay in an international hospital or a medical evacuation quickly runs into thousands of dollars. Check two clauses: riding a scooter, often excluded without a valid license (point 32), and medical repatriation. To compare policies, the site's travel insurance guide does the sorting.

Register with your government too: STEP (US), Registration of Canadians Abroad, Citizens Registration (Ireland), SafeTravel (New Zealand), eRegister (Singapore) or the Embassy of India's online registration. Australians subscribe to Smartraveller updates; the UK has no registration, but the FCDO travel advice sends email alerts.

7. A country 1,650 km long

From north to south, Vietnam stretches 1,650 km, but it is barely 50 km wide at its narrowest point, with 3,260 km of coastline. The result: three climates, three cuisines, three moods. Plan your trip by region (North, Center, South) rather than as a list of cities, map in hand.

8. Two weeks by plane, three weeks at ease

With 15 days, the full north-to-south trip is still possible if you fly between regions; with three weeks, it becomes comfortable. A typical 15-day route: Hanoi (3 nights), Ninh Binh (2), Lan Ha or Ha Long Bay (2), fly to Hue (2), drive to Hoi An (3), then fly from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta (3). With three weeks, add the northern mountains or an island.

The classic mistake? Trying to see everything in ten days, and spending the holiday in transit.

9. The open-jaw trick that saves a day

Book your flight into Hanoi and out of Ho Chi Minh City (or the other way round): you never have to backtrack. From London, Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop to both cities in about 13 hours; from Sydney or Melbourne, it takes 8½ to 9½ hours; from the United States, the only nonstop is Vietnam Airlines' San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City; and India has about 90 direct flights a week. From Canada, Ireland or New Zealand, count at least one stop. Domestic flights, frequent and cheap, do the rest (point 35 and the airport map). With an e-visa, enter the right airports of arrival and departure.

10. The map changed in 2025: 63 provinces became 34

On 1 July 2025, Vietnam merged its 63 provinces into 34 and abolished the district level. Hoi An now belongs to Da Nang, Phong Nha to Quang Tri, Ha Giang to Tuyen Quang, Quy Nhon to Gia Lai, Mui Ne and Da Lat to Lam Dong, Phu Quoc, now a "special zone", to An Giang, and Vung Tau is part of Ho Chi Minh City.

The old names are still in everyday use, but addresses have changed (point 45). Check your hotels' addresses on the booking confirmation and in Google Maps.

11. Time difference: Vietnam runs on UTC+7

Vietnam is on UTC+7 all year, with no daylight saving time. It is 7 hours ahead of London in winter (6 in summer), 12 ahead of New York (11 in summer) and 15 ahead of Los Angeles (14 in summer). From Sydney, set your watch back 3 hours (4 during Australian daylight saving), from Perth 1 hour, and from Delhi forward 1½ hours; Singapore is 1 hour ahead of Vietnam. Landed in the morning? Hold on until evening: a bowl of phở and a walk around a lake beat a long nap.

When to go: seasons, festivals and typhoons

There is no single good season for all of Vietnam, but there is always a region with fine weather.

12. Three climates in one country

The North has real seasons, the Center has a rainy season shifted to the autumn, and the South alternates between a dry and a wet season. The climate month by month is laid out on the page when to go to Vietnam.

Region	Best time	Good to know
North (Hanoi, Ha Long, Ninh Binh, Sapa)	October to December, March to May	Cool, gray winter from December to February, often between 10 and 20°C in Hanoi and close to 0°C some nights in Sapa; hot, stormy summer, with possible typhoons from July to September that cancel cruises
Center (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang)	February to August	Rain, typhoons and floods from September to December
South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong, Phu Quoc)	December to April	Rainy season from May to November, with heavy showers often late in the day
Highlands (Da Lat)	December to March	Mild all year, around 18°C on average

13. There is always a sunny beach somewhere

From February to August, head for the central coast: Da Nang, Hoi An, Quy Nhon or Nha Trang. From November to April, it is the turn of Phu Quoc and Mui Ne, where the wind also delights kitesurfers. The beach map, month by month helps you choose.

In December, you can sail through the mist of Ha Long Bay and sunbathe on Phu Quoc a week later.

14. September to December: flood season in the Center

Between September and December, and especially in October and November, typhoons and torrential rain hit the central coast. Hoi An's old town floods almost every year: residents carry goods and furniture upstairs, and marks on the facades record the height of the great floods. In late October 2025, the Thu Bồn river even beat the 1964 record.

Keep buffer days, favor refundable bookings and follow the weather alerts (the Windy app is invaluable).

15. Tet, the festival that pauses the country

The Lunar New Year is the country's most important festival: in 2027, the first day of Tet falls on 6 February, and government offices will close from 4 to 10 February. For about a week, many family businesses shut, trains, buses and planes are fully booked, and prices climb.

In return, cities fill with peach blossom in the North and yellow apricot blossom in the South. Ideally, arrive a few days after Tet, when the country restarts in a still festive mood.

By the way, 2027 is the year of the Goat. The Vietnamese zodiac looks like the Chinese one, with two differences: the Cat replaces the Rabbit, and the Buffalo replaces the Ox.

16. The other peaks to plan around

Long weekends send millions of Vietnamese onto the roads and beaches. In 2027: the Hung Kings festival (16 to 18 April), Reunification Day and 1 May (30 April to 3 May) and National Day (2 to 5 September). Add the summer school holidays, from June to August, and a brand-new public holiday: since 2026, 24 November, Vietnamese Culture Day, is a day off. On those dates, book transport and hotels early, especially by the sea; the calendar of public holidays and closures helps you plan.

17. The lunar calendar, your best festival planner

The main festivals follow the lunar calendar, so their dates change every year: the festival calendar lists them month by month. The Mid-Autumn Festival (Tết Trung Thu), between early September and early October (15 September in 2027), fills the streets with lanterns and mooncakes; in Hanoi, Hàng Mã street turns into a tunnel of lights.

And every month, on the 14th day of the lunar month, the eve of the full moon, Hoi An's old town dims its electric lights and glows by lantern light alone.

Money and budget

Vietnam remains one of the cheapest destinations in Asia, as long as you master the zeros: in October 2026, $1 is worth about 25,900 dong.

18. You will be a millionaire at the first ATM

The currency is the dong (VND), with notes from 1,000 to 500,000 dong. Coins have not been issued since 2011 and have all but disappeared, and every note carries the portrait of Ho Chi Minh.

Withdraw 3 million at the ATM: you are a millionaire, for about $115.

19. Mental math that saves the day

With $1 at about 25,900 dong, drop three zeros and divide by 25: 100,000 dong is about $4 (in fact $3.86), and 500,000 dong about $19. The rule slightly overestimates, which is the safe side when judging a price. For other currencies, this is what 100,000 dong is worth:

Currency	1 unit in dong	100,000 dong is about	Quick rule
Pound sterling	34,500	£2.90	Drop four zeros, divide by 3.5
Euro	29,100	€3.40	Drop four zeros, divide by 3
Australian dollar	18,000	A$5.55	Drop four zeros, halve, add 10%
Canadian dollar	18,300	C$5.50	Drop four zeros, halve, add 10%
New Zealand dollar	14,700	NZ$6.80	Drop four zeros, take two-thirds
Singapore dollar	20,200	S$4.95	Drop four zeros, halve
Indian rupee	273	₹365	Drop three zeros, multiply by 3.7

20. The twin banknote trap

The 20,000 and 500,000 notes are both bluish, and the 10,000 (yellow-brown) and 200,000 (reddish-brown) can also be confused in a dim taxi. Watch the zeros too: 20,000 and 200,000, 50,000 and 500,000 look alike at first glance.

Sort your notes by value and count them out loud when you pay. And break the 500,000 notes that ATMs spit out in a convenience store or at your hotel: a street vendor rarely has change.

21. "50k": reading a Vietnamese price

Prices are often written without the last three zeros: "50k", or just "50" on a menu, means 50,000 dong. When spoken, a thousand is "nghìn" in the North and "ngàn" in the South. When in doubt, have the amount typed on a calculator or a phone, a habit that also helps when you order and pay at a restaurant.

22. ATMs: fewer withdrawals, but bigger ones

Most ATMs charge foreign cards 20,000 to 60,000 dong per withdrawal, with a cap of 2 to 5 million per transaction. VPBank is often cited as free for foreign cards, with a higher cap: the bank does not publish this fee, so always read the screen. The fees of banks and ATMs change often.

If the machine offers a "conversion", decline it and get charged in dong: your own bank's rate will be better. Carry two cards from different networks, withdraw preferably at an ATM inside a bank branch during opening hours, and consider a card with no foreign transaction fees: it pays for itself quickly. Indian cards must have international use switched on before departure.

23. Where to change money

Bring a few US dollar or euro notes in perfect condition: folded, stained or torn notes are often refused. Banks and licensed exchange counters change them without fuss. Vietcombank also buys pounds, euros and Australian, Canadian and Singapore dollars, but not Indian rupee or New Zealand dollar notes: bring US dollars or rely on cards.

In shopping streets, gold shops (tiệm vàng) often display good rates, but only banks and licensed counters may legally exchange currency. The customer also risks a lot elsewhere: a warning below $1,000, then a fine of 10 to 20 million dong and confiscation of the notes. Ask whether the counter is licensed and keep the receipt. At the airport, change only enough for your first ride.

24. Card, cash or QR code?

Hotels, malls and restaurants in the big cities accept Visa and Mastercard, often with a 2 to 3% surcharge. But street food, markets and small towns run on cash.

Vietnamese people pay for almost everything by bank QR code (VietQR). Visitors from China, South Korea, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Singapore already scan them with their own banking app, and Mastercard is rolling out a service to pay them with its cards. For everyone else, always keep some cash in reserve.

25. Haggling, a sport played with a smile

In markets and souvenir shops, the first price is an invitation to negotiate: offer half and meet in the middle. You do not haggle in restaurants, supermarkets, shops with marked prices, or on Grab.

Keep smiling, and do not dig in over 5,000 dong, which is less than 20 cents.

26. Tipping and "++" prices

Tipping is not compulsory, but it is appreciated in tourism. As a guide: 100,000 to 200,000 dong a day per traveler for a guide, a little less for a driver, a few notes for a masseuse.

On upscale restaurant menus, "++" means that service (often 5%, sometimes 10%) and VAT are added to the listed price. VAT is reduced to 8% until 31 December 2026, then is due to return to 10%.

27. How much to budget? 2026 prices

Excluding international flights, allow about $35 to $45 a day as a backpacker, $70 to $110 for mid-range comfort, and $170 or more for luxury. Good news for the South: in the rainy season, from May to October, hotel prices drop. The site's budget guide breaks costs down item by item.

Expense	Typical range	In US dollars
Street bánh mì	20,000 to 40,000 VND	$0.80 to $1.50
Bowl of phở	40,000 to 80,000 VND	$1.50 to $3.10
Iced milk coffee (cà phê sữa đá)	20,000 to 50,000 VND	$0.80 to $1.90
Glass of bia hơi	10,000 to 20,000 VND	$0.40 to $0.80
3 km GrabBike ride	15,000 to 30,000 VND	$0.60 to $1.20
Grab car, Noi Bai airport to Hanoi's Old Quarter	280,000 to 400,000 VND	$11 to $15.50
One-hour massage	200,000 to 450,000 VND	$7.70 to $17.40
Double room in a guesthouse	300,000 to 700,000 VND	$11.60 to $27
3 or 4-star boutique hotel	800,000 to 2,000,000 VND	$31 to $77
Domestic flight (one way)	700,000 to 2,500,000 VND	$27 to $97

Indicative figures, higher in tourist areas and in Ho Chi Minh City.

Getting around

In Vietnam, the journey is part of the trip: millions of scooters, sleeper trains, buses with private cabins and cheap flights.

28. Crossing the street: the golden rule

Walk slowly, at a steady pace, without running or stepping back: the scooters flow around you like water around a rock. They anticipate your path, not your hesitations. That is the whole technique for crossing the street.

Cars and buses are another matter: they do not swerve. And look both ways, even on a one-way street: motorbikes ride against the traffic there, and sometimes on the pavement.

29. Welcome to the kingdom of two wheels

Vietnam has more than 80 million registered motorbikes for a little over 100 million people. Hanoi alone has nearly 7 million. They carry a family of four, a fridge or a two-meter pane of glass: the traffic is a show in itself.

The horn is not an insult: it simply means "I'm here".

30. Grab, Be, Xanh SM, and the real taxis

The Grab and Be apps, along with Xanh SM and its all-electric fleet, which even overtook Grab in 2025 in the ride-hailing taxi market, show the fare before the ride: no more haggling. Choose a car or a motorbike taxi, pay in cash or by card, and the driver hands you a helmet. The guide to Grab in Vietnam lists the cities covered; on long rides, compare the apps, as prices often differ at rush hour.

If you hail a taxi, stick to the big companies such as Mai Linh (green) or Vinasun (white), and insist on the meter. Beware of look-alikes: same color, almost identical logo, rigged meter. At Hanoi's Noi Bai airport, fake drivers have robbed travelers: use the official taxi line or an app.

31. Always get on a motorbike from the left

The exhaust pipe is on the right, and the calf burn is so common among tourists that it is sometimes called the "Vietnamese tattoo". Get on and off from the left, keep your legs against the bike and fasten your helmet strap: helmets are compulsory for everyone. Helmets sold locally vary in quality: if you plan to ride often, bring your own.

32. Renting a scooter: what the law really says

To ride a scooter of more than 50 cc legally, you need a motorbike license from home and an international driving permit (IDP) in the format of the 1968 Vienna convention. British riders can: a full UK motorbike license plus the 1968 IDP sold at PayPoint (£5.50). Americans, Australians, Canadians, Irish, New Zealanders, Indians and Singaporeans cannot: their IDPs follow the 1949 convention, which Vietnam does not accept, and their own governments say so. A Vietnamese license by conversion requires a residence permit of at least three months, out of reach for a tourist.

A car license alone is not enough, even with an IDP. Rental shops almost never check, but the police do: expect a fine of 2 to 4 million dong ($77 to $155), and the bike can be impounded. Above all, your insurer will very likely refuse to pay after an accident. The only exception: mopeds of 50 cc or less, which require no license. Before you rent a motorbike, check what your license really covers.

33. Zero alcohol on two wheels

In Vietnam, the legal blood alcohol limit is zero for drivers and riders alike, and police checks are frequent. On a motorbike, the fine ranges from 2 to 10 million dong depending on the level, even after a single beer, with points or the license taken away. After a bia hơi evening, go home by Grab. The other rules of the road in Vietnam are just as strict on paper.

34. Hanoi goes electric

Since 1 July 2026, Hanoi has been testing a low-emission zone around Hoan Kiem Lake. For visitors, the most visible measure is simple: on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 7 pm to midnight, a dozen streets around the lake and the Old Quarter night market are closed to all vehicles, motorbikes included. Coaches with more than 16 seats are also banned from the Old Quarter at rush hour. Private petrol scooters, however, still circulate freely the rest of the time.

Until 30 June 2027, public buses are free for trips inside the first ring road. The city plans to extend the zone from 2027, then to the whole first ring road: expect to see more and more electric scooters and taxis.

35. Domestic flights: fast and cheap

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City takes a little over two hours, on one of the busiest domestic routes in the world, often for a few dozen dollars if booked ahead. Vietnam Airlines is the national carrier; Vietjet, the big local low-cost airline, often shifts its schedules. Check the baggage allowance, rarely included in the cheapest fares: the comparison Vietjet or Vietnam Airlines sets it out. In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Airlines' domestic flights leave from the new Terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat, Vietjet's from Terminal 1: check before you go.

Note: the new Long Thanh airport (code LTH), about 40 km east of Ho Chi Minh City, is due to open to commercial flights in December 2026, a date that could still slip. The plan proposed by its operator moves all long-haul flights there, including those to Europe, Australia and the Americas, from late March 2027: check the airport code on your ticket (SGN or LTH).

36. Power banks: the new rules on board

Since 1 July 2026, Vietnam's civil aviation authority has strictly regulated power banks on board: two per passenger at most, in the cabin only and never in checked baggage, up to 100 Wh (up to 160 Wh with the airline's approval). Using them, or charging a device with them, is forbidden during the flight. Keep them within reach rather than deep in the overhead bin, and read the Vietnam Airlines baggage rules before you pack.

37. The Reunification Express, a journey within the journey

The Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City line covers 1,726 km in about 33 hours on the fastest train, and up to 39 hours on the slowest. No need to ride it in one go: the Hue to Da Nang stretch, which hugs the sea below the Hai Van Pass, is one of the most beautiful train rides in Asia. Book a four-berth "soft sleeper" on the official site dsvn.vn, which accepts foreign cards, or through an agency; the guide to Vietnam by train does the rest.

Looking ahead, Vietnam approved a north-south high-speed line designed for 350 km/h in late 2024, with service targeted around 2035. Construction itself has not started yet.

38. Sleeper buses, "limousines" and deceptive distances

Overnight sleeper buses, some with private cabins, link the main stops for a handful of dollars; you take your shoes off as you board. On short routes (Hanoi to Ninh Binh, Hanoi to Ha Long), the 9 to 11-seat "limousine" minibuses are more comfortable. Book through VeXeRe or 12Go, and bring a sweater: the air conditioning is often arctic.

On national roads, the average speed rarely exceeds 40 to 50 km/h, between villages, trucks and roadworks. Allow five and a half to six hours from Hanoi to Sapa on the expressway, and two and a half hours from Hanoi to Ha Long. In the mountains, choose reputable companies and travel by day: after several serious accidents, the government is considering a ban on double-decker sleeper buses on narrow mountain passes. Plan light travel days, not marathons.

39. A car with driver, comfort at a gentle price

For a family or a small group, a car with driver changes the trip: you stop wherever you like, and someone else handles the traffic. Expect about 1.2 to 1.5 million dong ($46 to $58) for a day in a sedan around a city, and 1.4 to 1.8 million ($54 to $70) to drive from Hue to Hoi An over the Hai Van Pass. Over several days, the driver's accommodation is added, or included in the quote.

A price 30% below the market is not a bargain: it often hides a poorly insured car or surprise extras. Get in writing what is included (fuel, tolls, parking).

40. Metros, a small urban revolution

Hanoi runs two fully elevated metro lines (the underground section of line 3, toward the center, is not expected before late 2027), and Ho Chi Minh City opened its first line in December 2024, from Ben Thanh to Suoi Tien. Fast, air-conditioned and cheap, they are useful for some trips, with a nice view of the city from the viaducts as a bonus.

Phone, apps and daily life

With a local SIM card and five apps, Vietnam becomes (almost) simple.

41. SIM card or eSIM: get connected on arrival

Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone counters wait in the arrivals hall: expect $6 to $13 for a month of data, a little more at the airport than in town. Your passport is required: the seller scans it and takes a photo of your face. Viettel has the best coverage in the mountains.

Easier still: buy an eSIM before you leave, and it activates as soon as you land. The site's eSIM comparison reviews more than 400 plans and the networks they use.

42. The five apps to install before you leave

Five apps cover almost everything:

• Grab (or Be, Xanh SM): cars, motorbike taxis and food delivery.
• Google Maps: directions, reviews and Vietnamese addresses; download your region's map to use it offline.
• Google Translate: download Vietnamese for offline use and point the camera at menus; the other translation apps each have their strengths.
• Zalo: the messaging app everyone uses; hosts, guides and drivers will contact you there.
• VeXeRe or 12Go: bus, train and ferry tickets.

As a bonus, Windy to track typhoons and IQAir for air quality.

43. The internet: almost everything works

Wi-Fi is free and fast almost everywhere, from cafés to night buses: just ask "pass wifi?". WhatsApp, Instagram, Google and above all Facebook, the king of social networks in Vietnam, work normally.

Telegram works again too: on government orders, the providers blocked it from 25 May to 10 July 2025. What stays filtered is many political and news sites, online gambling and many adult sites. A VPN set up before departure is mostly useful for a sudden block or on public Wi-Fi.

44. Plugs and voltage

Vietnam runs on 220 V and 50 Hz, and most sockets take both flat (American-style) and round (European-style) pins. British, Irish and Singaporean three-pin plugs, Australian and New Zealand angled pins and Indian round pins do not fit: bring a universal adapter. American and Canadian two-flat-pin plugs fit, but check that your devices accept 220 V: most chargers say 100–240 V, many hair dryers and straighteners do not. The details are in the guide to plugs and voltage.

45. Reading a Vietnamese address

In Hanoi, "5 ngách 12 ngõ 34" means: house number 5, in lane 12, which branches off alley 34. In Ho Chi Minh City, it is written "34/12/5": each slash takes you a little deeper into the maze of alleys (hẻm).

Since the reform of July 2025, official addresses no longer mention a district: the former District 1 of Saigon, for instance, is now split between four new wards, including Sài Gòn and Bến Thành. Both systems still coexist on shop signs and business cards. Show the written address to the driver and expect to finish on foot: the best places often hide at the end of an alley.

46. Toilets: the survival kit

Public toilets are rare, often paying and without paper: aim for cafés, malls and hotels, and remember the magic words, "nhà vệ sinh". Always carry tissues, and do not be surprised by the hand shower next to the bowl.

In older buildings, toilet paper often goes in the bin rather than the bowl, so as not to block the pipes.

Health and safety

Vietnam is a safe country, where the real risks are called mosquitoes, traffic and petty scams.

47. Vaccines and first-aid kit

No vaccine is required to enter Vietnam; if you arrive from Africa or South America, carry your yellow fever certificate anyway. Make sure your routine vaccines are up to date, measles included, and consider hepatitis A and B and typhoid; for a long rural stay, Japanese encephalitis and rabies are worth discussing. Malaria survives only in a few remote forest areas, mainly west of Nha Trang (Khánh Vĩnh) and along the borders with Laos and Cambodia: no preventive treatment for a classic itinerary. Britain's TravelHealthPro and the US CDC both recommend hepatitis A and typhoid for most travelers: see your doctor or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure. The vaccination and health guide covers the details.

In the kit: mosquito repellent, oral rehydration salts, paracetamol, plasters, and your usual medication with its prescription (point 49).

48. Water, ice and street food: eat without fear

Tap water is not drinkable: buy bottled water or refill your bottle at hotel dispensers. Tube-shaped ice with a hole comes from factories. Most travelers handle it well, but inspections regularly find bacteria in it: for the first few days, or if you have a sensitive stomach, order without ice ("không đá").

For street food, choose stalls packed with locals, where ingredients turn over fast, and dishes cooked in front of you. Go easy the first few days and peel your own fruit. If your stomach rebels, pharmacies sell oral rehydration salts (Oresol) for less than 2,000 dong a sachet.

49. Medicines: what crosses the border

Your usual medicines travel with their prescription, in their original box and in your hand luggage. Since 1 July 2025, a traveler may bring up to 30 days of treatment without a permit for most prescription medicines.

The limits are stricter for controlled products: 10 days for psychotropics (sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, ADHD treatments) and 7 days for painkillers based on codeine, tramadol or morphine, with a customs declaration. Beyond that, you need an import permit requested before departure. Cannabis products, even medical ones, are banned.

50. Dengue, the real threat of the wet seasons

Transmitted by a mosquito that bites during the day, dengue circulates mainly during the rainy season, cities included. There is no preventive pill; a vaccine exists, in two doses three months apart, reserved for certain profiles: ask your doctor. Repellent, covering clothes and an air-conditioned room remain your best weapons.

If you have a high fever with aches, see a doctor, and take paracetamol, never aspirin or ibuprofen.

51. Rabies: do not pet the animals

Dogs, cats and monkeys can carry rabies, which still kills dozens of people a year in Vietnam: 39 in the first half of 2026. Avoid touching them, however friendly they seem. After a bite or a scratch, wash the wound with soap and water for fifteen minutes, then see a doctor the same day.

52. Pharmacies, hospitals and emergency numbers

Pharmacies (nhà thuốc) are everywhere. Antibiotics are in principle sold on prescription only, and fines were raised in 2026, but many are still sold without one: beware of self-medication. For anything serious, choose international hospitals such as the Hanoi French Hospital, Vinmec or FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Ambulances are often slow: a taxi or a Grab is sometimes faster.

Useful numbers: 113 for the police, 114 for the fire brigade, 115 for medical emergencies, and 112, the national emergency number that routes calls to these services. Keep your insurer's assistance number too.

53. Pollution and heat, two invisible enemies

From November to April, Hanoi often ranks among the most polluted cities on the planet: check the air quality index every morning and bring an N95 or FFP2 mask if you are sensitive. In summer, heat and humidity wear you down fast: drink a lot, cover up, and schedule visits early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

54. At the beach, respect the flags

Rip currents are common in Da Nang all year, on the west coast of Phu Quoc from May to October, and on some beaches of Mui Ne depending on the wind. Swim in supervised areas, as on My Khe beach, respect the red flags and ask about jellyfish, more numerous in summer.

55. Watch out for bag snatchers

Violent crime against tourists is rare, and Vietnam remains a safe country, but phone and bag snatching by thieves on scooters is common, especially in Ho Chi Minh City and during Tet. Hold your phone on the side of the buildings, carry your bag across your body on the pavement side, and avoid scrolling on the back of a motorbike taxi.

56. The classic scams to know

Scams are rarely serious, but they repeat themselves from one traveler to the next:

• The photo with a fruit seller's shoulder pole placed on your shoulder, followed by a demand for money.
• The shoe shiner who starts on your shoes without asking, then claims a fortune.
• The look-alike taxi with a rigged meter (point 30).
• The cyclo whose price "per person" or "per hour" triples on arrival.
• The rental scooter returned with imaginary damage: photograph it from every angle before you leave.
• The friendly "card game" offered by strangers, which ends up costing you hundreds of dollars.
• The copycat agency or restaurant that borrows the name of a well-known place: check the exact address and recent reviews.

The universal defense: agree on the price beforehand, preferably in writing on a phone. The list of tourist traps runs to a dozen.

57. Passports, drugs, vapes and drones: what the law says

Your hotel must register you with the police as soon as you arrive: it scans your passport, which is normal. Nothing obliges it to keep the passport, however: take it back after check-in, never leave it as a deposit for a scooter, and keep a photo of it on your phone.

Drug trafficking is still punishable by death. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco have been banned since 2025, and since 31 December 2025 using them costs a fine of 3 to 5 million dong, with the device destroyed. Finally, a drone must be registered and every flight authorized by the Ministry of Defense, with a Vietnamese sponsor for a foreigner. Only leisure mini-drones under 250 g escape the authorization, outside restricted zones, and their flights must still be reported to the local authorities.

Etiquette: the codes to know

Vietnamese people forgive foreigners a great deal, but a few simple codes change everything in a relationship.

58. Shoes off (often)

Take your shoes off before entering someone's home, a homestay, some shops or spas, and the prayer halls of pagodas. A pile of sandals in front of a door is as good as a sign.

Handy tip: travel in shoes that slip off easily, and keep in mind the few gestures considered disrespectful.

59. Temples and the mausoleum: dress properly

In pagodas and temples, cover your shoulders and knees and speak softly. At the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, the rules are strict: no shorts or tank tops, hat in hand, silence, hands out of pockets and no photos inside. It opens in the morning only, never on Mondays or Fridays, except on 19 May, 2 September and the first day of Tet. It also closes for about two months a year for maintenance of the body, on dates that change every year (in 2026, from 4 September to 2 November): check before you go.

The irony of history: in his will, Uncle Ho had asked to be cremated, with his ashes divided between the North, the Center and the South. That passage was only made public in 1989.

60. Never lose your temper

Raising your voice makes everyone lose face, starting with you: in a dispute, stay smiling and calm, the only method that works. An embarrassed smile does not mean you are being mocked; it often means the other person feels awkward.

And a "yes" may simply mean "I heard you".

61. Gestures that offend

To call someone over, wave with your palm facing down: the crooked index finger is for animals. Avoid crossing your index and middle fingers, an obscene gesture in Vietnam, pointing at people, or pointing your feet toward an altar or a statue of the Buddha.

And do not touch people's heads, even affectionately. For the rest, the customs of politeness are quick to learn.

62. "How old are you?", and why so many people are called Nguyễn

Vietnamese has no all-purpose "you": people call each other older brother (anh), older sister (chị), younger sibling (em), uncle (chú), aunt (cô), grandfather (ông) or grandmother (bà) according to age; between people of the same age, bạn, "friend", also works. Asking your age is simply a way of knowing how to address you. Do not be offended by questions about your salary, your family situation or your weight either: it is curiosity, not rudeness.

Another surprise: between one in three and nearly four in ten Vietnamese people are called Nguyễn, depending on the study. As dynasties changed, families took the name, by force, out of caution or out of loyalty to the rulers. The family name comes first and the given name last: Nguyễn Văn Hùng is therefore "Mr Hùng". That is why people speak of General Giáp: his full name was Võ Nguyên Giáp, Võ being his family name, and this Nguyên, without a tilde, has nothing to do with Nguyễn.

63. Politics: what is not said in public

Vietnam is a one-party state led by the Communist Party, and political life is not discussed the way it may be at home. Avoid criticizing the government or its leaders in public and on social media, stay away from demonstrations, and do not photograph barracks, police stations or military sites.

Vietnamese people happily talk about history, football or family; about politics, much less, especially with a stranger.

64. At the table, a few golden rules

Never stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice: it recalls the bowl offered to the dead on the family altar. Do not pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's either. Dishes are shared in the middle: take a little at a time, let the elders start, and serve your neighbor as a mark of respect.

Wiping your chopsticks and spoon with a paper napkin before eating? Vietnamese people do it, so do as they do: the codes of the table are learned by watching your neighbors.

65. "Một, hai, ba, dô!", the art of the toast

At the table, people toast often, and with every sip: "Một, hai, ba, dô!", "one, two, three, cheers!" (you will also hear "dzô" or "vô" in the South). "Trăm phần trăm", one hundred percent, means bottoms up.

Out of respect, hold your glass a little lower than an older person's when you clink. If you do not drink alcohol, say so from the start with a smile: it is accepted. And do not be surprised if the evening ends at karaoke, the national pastime.

66. Altars, incense and money for the afterlife

Homes, shops and restaurants keep an ancestor altar or one to the guardian spirits, laid with fruit, incense, sometimes cans of beer. Do not touch the offerings or step over them.

On the 1st and 15th days of the lunar month, wads of fake banknotes are burned for the ancestors in front of doorways. For death anniversaries and the Wandering Souls festival, in the 7th lunar month, paper objects are added, down to miniature smartphones and cars sold on Hàng Mã street in Hanoi, so that the dead lack nothing.

67. Photos: ask first

A gesture toward your camera and a smile are enough to ask for permission; respect a refusal. In northern villages, some ethnic minority women ask for a few notes for a photo: that is their right.

On the other hand, do not give money or sweets to children, who may skip school for the street: buy from adults or cooperatives instead.

68. Public affection and tolerance

Couples are discreet in public, while two friends of the same sex readily hold hands, with no connotation. Homosexuality has never been criminalized, and LGBTQ+ travelers are generally made welcome, especially in cities. Hanoi has had a Pride march since 2012, but in 2025 several events were canceled or scaled down under pressure from the authorities. Since 2015, the law no longer bans same-sex marriage, but it does not recognize it.

69. A country that rises at 5 am and takes a nap

At dawn, parks fill with badminton players, dancers and exercise groups; markets are in full swing before 8 am. Between about 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, the country naps, and offices and many museums close.

Sightsee in the morning, eat dinner early (around 6 or 7 pm), and do not be surprised if a schedule stretches: people call it "giờ cao su", rubber time.

70. Invited to someone's home: the right reflexes

Do not arrive empty-handed: fruit, cakes or a specialty from home will please. Avoid handkerchiefs, associated with tears, and sharp objects, which "cut" the relationship: giving a gift follows a few rules.

During Tet, slip a few new banknotes into a red envelope (lì xì) for the children. And do not invite yourself on the first day of the year: the first visitor is believed to bring luck… or bad luck to the household.

The language

Vietnamese is written in the Latin alphabet but spoken with six tones: enough to read the signs… and be misunderstood.

71. A Latin alphabet inherited from missionaries

For centuries, Vietnamese was written in Chinese characters, and in chữ Nôm, a script derived from those characters to write the spoken language. Today's alphabet, quốc ngữ, owes much to the Portuguese Jesuits of the 17th century and to their best-known successor, Alexandre de Rhodes from Avignon, who published his dictionary in Rome in 1651.

Made compulsory in the administration of French Cochinchina from 1882, then adopted by the nationalists, it took over in the 20th century, after the end of the mandarin examinations in 1919.

72. Six tones for a single word

Northern Vietnamese has six tones, marked by accents (the South merges two of them). "Ma" means ghost, "má" mother or cheek, "mà" but, "mả" tomb, "mã" horse and "mạ" rice seedling.

Tone mistakes are inevitable and draw kind laughter. Have a go anyway: every word of Vietnamese will earn you smiles.

73. The survival kit in twelve phrases

Twelve phrases are enough to turn a transaction into a conversation; to go further, here are twenty phrases with their pronunciation.

Vietnamese	Rough pronunciation	Meaning
Xin chào	sin chow	Hello
Cảm ơn	gahm uhn	Thank you
Xin lỗi	sin loy	Sorry, excuse me
Không, cảm ơn	khom, gahm uhn	No, thank you
Em ơi!	em uh-ee	Excuse me! (to call the waiter)
Bao nhiêu tiền?	bow nyew tee-en	How much is it?
Đắt quá!	dat kwah	Too expensive!
Bớt đi!	burt dee	Give me a better price!
Ngon quá!	ngon kwah	Delicious!
Không cay	khom kai	Not spicy
Tôi ăn chay	toy an chai	I'm vegetarian
Tính tiền	ting tee-en	The bill, please

74. North versus South: two accents, two vocabularies

In Hanoi, the letters d, gi and r are pronounced "z"; in Saigon, d and gi sound more like "y". The vocabulary changes too: peanut is lạc in the North and đậu phộng in the South, pineapple dứa or thơm, bowl bát or chén, and "too expensive" đắt quá or mắc quá.

As for the Hue accent, it gives even Vietnamese people a hard time.

75. English, "Tây" and a few words of French

English is spoken in hotels, cafés and tourist sites, much less in the countryside: writing things down or using a translation app is the safe bet, and you can get by very well without speaking Vietnamese. Children will greet you with cheerful "Hello!"s, and you may hear yourself called "Tây", a Westerner.

To introduce yourself, say "Tôi là người Anh" (I'm British), "người Mỹ" (American), "người Úc" (Australian), "người Canada", "người Ireland", "người New Zealand", "người Ấn Độ" (Indian) or "người Singapore".

Food and drink

Vietnamese cuisine is one of the freshest and most balanced in the world, and its best tables are often on the pavement.

76. Phở is a breakfast dish

Born in the north of the country in the early 20th century, phở is mostly eaten in the morning, in shops that serve nothing else: it is the king of the Vietnamese breakfast. In the North, the broth is clear and the herbs discreet; in the South, bean sprouts, Thai basil, hoisin sauce and chili go in freely.

In Hanoi, drowning your bowl in sauces is close to lèse-majesté. And phở only opens a long list of noodle soups.

77. Bánh mì, the baguette reinvented

Inherited from the French baguette, the Vietnamese version is lighter, with a thin, crackling crust. It is filled with pâté, mayonnaise, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, cilantro and chili, and the bánh mì guide counts seven main types.

Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City compete for the best; traveling chef Anthony Bourdain made Bánh Mì Phượng in Hoi An famous.

78. Bún chả, the dish of a presidential dinner

In May 2016, Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain shared a plate of bún chả (grilled pork, rice vermicelli and a sweet-sour broth) on the plastic stools of Bún chả Hương Liên in Hanoi. Their table has been on display under glass ever since, and the shop serves an "Obama combo".

Allow a few dollars for a presidential meal.

79. Each region has its cuisine

The North cooks with finesse; the Center, around Hue, the former imperial capital, loves chili and refined small bites (bún bò Huế, bánh bèo); the South, more generous, sweetens its dishes and piles on the herbs (cơm tấm, bánh xèo). The differences between the cuisines of the North, Center and South show from the first meal.

In between, the Quang Nam region, now part of Da Nang, gave its name to mì Quảng, flat noodles served with very little broth.

80. Cao lầu, impossible to find outside Hoi An

According to tradition, these thick, firm noodles are only authentic when made with water from an ancient well in Hoi An, the Bá Lễ well, and wood ash from the Cham Islands. Legend or not, cao lầu is a dish to taste on the spot, with roast pork, herbs and crunchy croutons.

81. Herbs, the soul of every meal

Every dish arrives with a plate of fresh herbs: mint, perilla, Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), sawtooth coriander (ngò gai) or Thai basil. You add them to soups, roll them in rice paper, dip them in sauce.

Behind these pairings lies a principle inherited from traditional medicine: balancing "hot" and "cold" foods.

82. The best tables are 30 cm off the ground

The little plastic stools on the pavement often hide the best food in town. Each stall usually serves just one or two dishes, written on the sign: no menu needed, just point and show how many. To call the waiter, say "Em ơi!", and you pay at the end.

Fish and seafood are often sold by weight: ask the price per kilo before it is cooked. The wet wipes and peanuts placed on the table are sometimes charged: if you do not want them, set them aside. The Michelin Guide, present in Vietnam since 2023, has singled out several of these stalls: its 2026 selection includes 72 Bib Gourmand addresses.

83. Nước mắm, mắm tôm and other olfactory challenges

Nước mắm, fish sauce, is the soul of Vietnamese cooking: the anchovy sauce of Phu Quoc became, in 2012, the first Vietnamese product protected by a European designation of origin. More daunting, mắm tôm, a purplish fermented shrimp paste, comes with bún đậu in Hanoi.

The most adventurous will try balut, a fertilized duck egg (hột vịt lộn in the South, trứng vịt lộn in the North), and durian, banned in many hotels because of its smell.

84. Coffee, a national religion

Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, after Brazil, and the first for robusta, strong and chocolatey. It drips through a small metal filter (phin) and is drunk iced with sweetened condensed milk: that is cà phê sữa đá. Too sweet? Ask for "ít đường", less sugar.

Condensed milk took over in colonial times, for lack of fresh milk. Sweet tooths order a bạc xỉu, even milkier.

85. Egg, salt or coconut coffee

Egg coffee (cà phê trứng) was born in Hanoi in 1946, when Nguyễn Văn Giảng, a bartender at the Metropole hotel, replaced unobtainable milk with egg yolk whipped with sugar. His family still serves it at Café Giảng.

Hue launched salt coffee in 2010, and iced coconut coffee has conquered the whole country: the guide to Vietnamese coffees reviews them all. Avoid civet coffee (cà phê chồn), however, often produced by caged animals.

86. Bia hơi, the cheapest beer in the world?

Brewed daily and delivered in kegs, bia hơi, a light draft beer, is drunk on the pavement for 10,000 to 20,000 dong a glass, mostly in Hanoi and the North. In bottles, each region has its brand: Hà Nội in the North, Saigon and 333 in the South, Huda in Hue, Larue around Da Nang.

And yes, it comes with ice: it is hot.

87. Rượu: homemade spirits, with care

Rice spirit (rượu) flows at banquets and homestays, often homemade and 30 to 45% alcohol. Prefer sealed bottles: every year, bootleg spirits laced with methanol claim victims, in Vietnam as in its neighbors.

As for snake wine, it is only worth a photo: the snakes in the jars often belong to protected species, and customs confiscate the bottle, with a fine. The same goes for ivory, tortoiseshell, horn and antiques without an export certificate.

88. Fruit, vegetarians and allergies

Mangosteens, rambutans, longans, dragon fruit and custard apples: markets are a festival of tropical fruit, each with its season. Vegetarians will find many "chay" restaurants, thanks to Buddhism, but fish sauce hides everywhere: specify "không nước mắm". Good to know: on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar month, many Vietnamese people eat vegetarian, and chay restaurants fill up.

If you have an allergy, show a card written in Vietnamese, for example "Tôi bị dị ứng đậu phộng" (I am allergic to peanuts; lạc in the North).

The great stops and their secrets

Vietnam has nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, the latest added in 2025; here is what to know about the highlights.

89. Hanoi, the capital of 36 streets

The Old Quarter grew out of guilds: each "Hàng" (goods) street sold a single product, silk, silver, baskets or votive objects. People say "the 36 streets", but there are more than 70. Its tube houses, a few meters wide but dozens of meters deep, are said to come from a tax based on the width of the facade: nothing proves it, and the price of every meter of shopfront is explanation enough. Legend has it that a giant turtle took back a king's magic sword in Hoan Kiem Lake. The lake's last giant turtle died in 2016; preserved, it now rests in Ngọc Sơn temple.

The famous "train street" still draws crowds, but under police watch, with cafés regularly cleared. Since February 2026, work on the Long Biên bridge has diverted the Haiphong and Lào Cai trains, and the city wants to end passenger trains on that stretch: ask locally. Never go near the rails.

90. Ha Long Bay: choosing the right cruise

Nearly 2,000 limestone islets and a name that means "where the dragon descends": Ha Long Bay deserves its reputation, and its crowds. Choose an overnight cruise over the express day trip, avoid offers that are too cheap, and look at the neighboring bays of Lan Ha (from Cat Ba) or Bai Tu Long, which are wilder. In summer, storms break quickly: in July 2025, a tour boat capsized in the bay, leaving nearly 40 victims. If trips are suspended for weather, accept the delay.

In 2023, UNESCO extended the listed site to the Cat Ba archipelago.

91. Ninh Binh, "Ha Long Bay on land"

Limestone peaks, rice paddies and rivers winding through caves: the Trang An complex has been on the UNESCO list since 2014, for both its nature and its culture. Its rowing boats glide from one cave to the next, and in Tam Coc, the boatwomen often row… with their feet.

Hollywood fell for it: part of "Kong: Skull Island" was shot here. And nearly 500 steps lead to the lookout of Mua Cave, one of the finest views in the North.

92. Sapa, Ha Giang, Cao Bằng: the mountains of the far North

Sapa is the gateway to Fansipan, the roof of Indochina (3,147 m), reachable by cable car, and to the rice terraces of the Hmong and Dao minorities: golden from late August to mid-September, flooded in May and June. Those of Mù Cang Chải, at their best from late September to early October, are even more spectacular. Vietnam officially recognizes 54 ethnic groups, and the northern mountains are home to many of them: a homestay, with a local guide, remains the best way to meet them.

Further east, the Ha Giang loop, now in Tuyen Quang province, strings together vertiginous passes and timeless villages up to the Chinese border. Ride it behind an "easy rider", a local driver: it is safer, and legal (point 32). Further east still, Cao Bằng hides the Bản Giốc waterfall, straddling the Chinese border.

93. Phong Nha and Son Doong, underground cathedrals

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has hundreds of caves, including Son Doong, the largest known in the world: its galleries reach 200 m in height, with their own jungle and their own clouds. A local man, Hồ Khanh, found its entrance in 1990, and a British-Vietnamese caving team explored it in 2009. Only the operator Oxalis runs expeditions there, six days long, in groups of ten, for 80 million dong ($3,000), with about a thousand visitors a year. The 2027 and 2028 seasons are already full: you have to book years ahead, and only on the official site, as fake sites are circulating.

On a mere mortal's budget, the park's other caves already deliver the thrill: Paradise Cave, Dark Cave and its zip line, or Hang En, with a night under canvas.

94. Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An: the Center in three stops

Hue was the capital of the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945: its imperial city and royal tombs, along the Perfume River, deserve two days. North of the city, the remains of the former demilitarized zone are best visited with a guide: the area is still one of the most contaminated by unexploded ordnance, so never leave the paths.

Between Hue and Da Nang, the Hai Van Pass, guarded since 1826 by a fortified gate restored in 2024, won over motorbikers worldwide thanks to Top Gear at the end of 2008. Da Nang has a Dragon Bridge that breathes fire and water on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 9 pm, and the Golden Bridge, held up by two giant hands, in the Ba Na hills.

In Hoi An, a merchant port on the UNESCO list since 1999, the lanterns, the tailors able to sew a suit in 24 hours and the Japanese bridge, restored in 2024, steal the show. The entry ticket (120,000 dong for foreign visitors, valid for several days) opens several old houses and funds the conservation of the old town.

95. The South: Saigon, the Mekong and the islands

Ho Chi Minh City, which everyone still calls Saigon, is the country's economic engine: do not miss the War Remnants Museum or the Cu Chi tunnels, a network of about 250 km dug during the wars. Here, people speak of the "American War" rather than the "Vietnam War".

In the Mekong Delta, get up before dawn for the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho, where each boat hoists a sample of what it sells to the top of a pole. It has lost more than half of its boats since the 1990s: go early, and do not expect a traffic jam of boats.

Offshore, Phu Quoc lines up beaches, pepper farms and the Hon Thom cable car, 7,899.9 m long, a Guinness record for a three-rope cable car. Wilder, the Con Dao archipelago combines sea turtles and the memory of its prisons.

Vietnam and the English-speaking world

For English-speaking travelers, Vietnam keeps a few stories of its own, from a London plaque to an Australian cross.

96. Graham Greene's Saigon: The Quiet American and the Continental

Graham Greene covered the French war in Indochina for The Sunday Times and Le Figaro between 1951 and 1954. The idea for The Quiet American came to him in October 1951, on the road back to Saigon from Bến Tre, while an American aid worker lectured him about a "third force". The novel appeared in 1955, and its weary British narrator spends his evenings at the Hotel Continental. Built in 1880 opposite today's Opera House, on what is now Đồng Khởi Street in Ho Chi Minh City, the hotel still takes guests, and war correspondents of the 1960s nicknamed its bar the "Continental Shelf".

The 2002 film, which earned Michael Caine an Oscar nomination, was shot in Vietnam itself: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Bình and Hội An. Read the book, then have a drink in the hotel garden, under frangipani trees planted in 1880.

97. Hollywood's Vietnam was mostly filmed somewhere else

Most of Hollywood's Vietnam was never filmed in Vietnam. Apocalypse Now (1979) was shot in the Philippines, where its helicopter-and-surfing scene put the town of Baler on the surfing map. Platoon (1986) also used the Philippines, with Vietnamese refugees living there as extras. For Full Metal Jacket (1987), Stanley Kubrick rebuilt the battle of Huế in a gasworks at Beckton, in east London, and his boot camp was a former RAF base in Cambridgeshire. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) was filmed entirely in Thailand.

The real landscapes came later: in 2016, Kong: Skull Island set up camp in Ninh Bình, Ha Long Bay and the caves of Quảng Bình (point 91).

98. Hồ Chí Minh's London years

In 1911, a young man named Nguyễn Tất Thành left Saigon as a kitchen hand on a French steamer. He would become Hồ Chí Minh. Around 1913 he reached England, and he later said he had lived in West Ealing and in Crouch End. The best-known story places him at the Carlton Hotel on the Haymarket, learning pastry under the great chef Auguste Escoffier. Historians have found no document to prove it.

The story lives on in stone all the same. A blue plaque on New Zealand House, built where the bombed Carlton once stood, reads: "Ho Chi Minh 1890-1969, founder of modern Vietnam, worked in 1913 at the Carlton Hotel which stood on this site." In Newhaven, a stone marks the centenary of his arrival in Britain.

99. Long Tân, Australia's battle and New Zealand's cross

On 18 August 1966, in a rubber plantation near Long Tân, 108 men of D Company, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, held off a far larger force for an afternoon and an evening, supported by the New Zealand gunners of 161 Battery. Eighteen Australians were killed, the heaviest loss of any Australian battle of the war; Vietnamese losses were higher, and the figures are still disputed. In Australia, 18 August is now Vietnam Veterans' Day.

Three years later, the battalion raised a concrete cross on the site, made by a New Zealand corporal, Barry McAvinue. Removed after 1975, it was found in 1984 by the Đồng Nai Museum, and since 2017 the original has stood in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. A replica remains in the plantation, in the former province of Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, and veterans still come to visit it.

100. "The American War", and what Vietnam teaches

What Americans call the Vietnam War, official Vietnamese histories call the Resistance War against America; travelers often hear it simply as "the American War". The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City does not soften that story. And yet American visitors are routinely struck by the warmth they meet. Chuck Searcy, a former US Army intelligence analyst, came back and co-founded Project RENEW in Quảng Trị in 2001. It has since cleared more than half of the known hazardous land of the old Quảng Trị province and fitted more than 3,000 people with prosthetic limbs; its visitor center in Đông Hà is free.

In 2023, Hanoi and Washington raised their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and Australia, the United Kingdom and India have since upgraded theirs. Vietnam teaches that a country can remember without resentment, in a population where nearly three in four people were born after 1975. That may be the most important thing to know before you go: in Vietnam, you will be greeted first with a smile, and often with a glass of iced tea.

The pre-departure checklist

Before you zip up your bag, check these ten points.

• Passport valid for at least six months after arrival (after departure for Canadians), and proof of onward travel: a plane or bus ticket.
• Visa: 45-day exemption (British citizens), 30 days (Singaporeans), or a printed e-visa with the right arrival airport and your application code written down. When in doubt, the visa checker answers for every nationality.
• Online arrival form filled in within 72 hours before landing, QR code on your phone.
• Travel insurance with medical repatriation and the scooter clause checked, vaccines up to date, repellent and rehydration salts in the kit.
• Registration: STEP, Registration of Canadians Abroad, Citizens Registration (Ireland), SafeTravel, eRegister or your embassy's online registration; Australians subscribe to Smartraveller, Britons to FCDO email alerts.
• Driving: a UK motorbike license with the 1968 IDP, or no riding (50 cc mopeds aside).
• A card with no foreign transaction fees, a few crisp US dollar notes, and less than $5,000 in cash (otherwise, declare it at customs).
• eSIM bought and apps installed: Grab, Google Maps (offline map), Google Translate (Vietnamese offline), Zalo.
• Two power banks at most, in the cabin: using them on board is forbidden.
• Medicines in their original box with the prescription, e-cigarette left at home, universal adapter in the bag, Tet dates checked.

All that is left is one last phrase, the one wished to travelers: "Thượng lộ bình an!", safe travels there and back.