Don’t miss the Vietnam Travel Tips article if you plan to travel to Vietnam and have never been to Southeast Asia. Here are ten essential things you need to know before you visit. Arrive at the airport with these tips, and you will become the most intelligent traveler to arrive at the airport. ;”)
1. Apply for the visa approval letter before arriving in Vietnam
Different from neighboring Thailand and Cambodia, tourists cannot simply obtain Vietnamese landing visas at Vietnamese airports. Before arriving in Vietnam, tourists must apply for a Visa approval letter online. Only with this approval can we be qualified to board a plane to Vietnam and get a landing visa at the arrival airport.
Apply for a Vietnamese visa online: Apply here.
2. Prepare for airport visa queuing:
Vietnam’s visa application queue is notoriously bad. If you are behind the line, you may wait 2-3 hours after arriving at the airport. It’s terrible.
Travel tips:
- Make sure your seat is in front of the plane.
- When you get off the plane, don’t stop to go to the toilet.
- Go directly to the visa application office and try to be the first to get there.
If you do not want to wait in line for the visa, you can also apply for support services or VIP services at the arrival airport.
3. Buy your travel insurance before the trip
Because of the impact of COVID-19, the Vietnamese government has informed that travelers must have international medical or travel insurance, including COVID-19 treatment, with a minimum coverage of 10000 dollars. I remember that I bought this travel insurance for about $25.
4. USD vs. VND
Traveling around Vietnam requires dollars and dong.
- The US dollar: is most often used for any travel item, such as booking travel, booking domestic transportation, or paying for hotels.
- The Vietnamese dong: is most commonly used in local enterprises, such as restaurants, bars, shops, and market stalls. You can withdraw money from the ATM when you arrive, but please make sure you bring US dollars to pay the visa fee (single entry: US $25; multiple entries: US $50).
5. Travel agency is the good choice
Don’t worry about all aspects of booking your trip before you arrive. Every town worth visiting, such as Hanoi, SAPA, and Hoi An, has a travel agency on every corner. Using these travel agencies is a very convenient way to plan other trip content, whether an internal sleeper bus, a daily tour, or a 4-day, 3-night package.
6. Taxi knowledge
All major cities have official taxi companies, which are very cheap and use a fair taxi system. However, you will notice that many taxi drivers park around tourist attractions and try to give you a ride. Don’t take these taxis. We did this in Hanoi, and the driver manipulated the instrument to make it rise quickly. We wouldn’t have noticed it if we hadn’t taken it several times before. Once we saw it, we jumped out immediately. It’s a little scam, but it’s not worth the risk.
Grab, or Gojek is the best choice because you will know how much to pay first, without any trouble.
7. What to wear?
Vietnam’s general dress code is quite loose. Shorts/skirts, lightweight T-shirts, and tank tops will be your daily staple. You only need to think carefully about what you wear when you visit a temple or mosque (you can’t turn shorts or short skirts). Take a cashmere coat to wrap on your shoulders, and should wear light trousers, which are very useful on air-conditioned buses and planes.
8. Wi-Fi is everywhere
If you want to keep in touch while traveling, don’t be afraid! According to my experience here, the Wi-Fi here is excellent. All cafes, restaurants, guest houses, and hotels provide free Wi-Fi. Even the most economical hotels are available in their rooms.
9. Buy a Vietnam SIM card
You will find that even in remote areas of the country, including SAPA, Vinh Ha Long, or Ninh Binh, Wi-Fi signals are strong. If you want to use 4G, you can pick up a Vietnamese sim card and obtain 60 GB of data at 150000 Vietnamese dongs (about 6.50 dollars). 4G services are very effective everywhere.
10. Crossing the street is terrible
Vietnam is famous for its crazy traffic. But this is not because of cars, but more because thousands of motorcycles dominate the road and shuttle in the traffic flow. The pedestrian signal light and the white line that usually indicates the “crosswalk” area do not have much weight here. Motorcycles and cars will not stop for pedestrians unless necessary.
Because motorcycle riders do not follow classic traffic rules, such as staying away from the sidewalk, driving correctly along a one-way street, or stopping at a red light, they must be highly vigilant whenever they cross the road.
Generally speaking, when you see traffic interruption, you should start to walk confidently and believe that cars and motorcycles will hover around you. They may not stop, but they will not touch you. In any case, be careful. Don’t expect your normal walking right at home to apply in Vietnam.
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