Things to Know about Vietnam before Your Travel

Everybody loves a hassle free travel experience and when it’s about visiting one of the beautiful countries on earth- Vietnam, preparation can take you a long way. Here is a list of 12 things to know about Vietnam.

1. Get your Visa in order

The very first process after arrival can be tricky. However, it can be sorted with the help of online facilities these days. You can easily get the Visa on arrival for Vietnam with the help of small companies in exchange for an affordable fee. It is advised to double, rather triple-check everything after arriving. Don’t worry about the transaction and currency exchange, EUR and USD will work but with some conversion rates.

2. Be Smart about the itinerary

Planning out the itinerary first can help you draw the conclusion of which parts of Vietnam to skip. Also, don’t rush into exploring every part within a short duration of time, because that can get over budget. For a better understanding, let me divide Vietnam into three major portions for you, which are North, Central, and South. If you want to explore it nicely, give it one week for each location at the very least.

North Vietnam, Hanoi

South Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City

Central Vietnam, Hue

3. Keep the weather in mind

Vietnam has hot and humid weather, but the condition changes constantly. Let’s divide the weather conditions for you.

• North Vietnam
The summers are wet and dry, and the winters are comparatively cold dry. From September to November the northern hemisphere receives good winter.

• Central Vietnam
From January to August, the weather can be hot and dry, the temperature is also said to go beyond the mid-thirties.

• South Vietnam
This portion of the country is best explored in the latter part of the year, which is December to April.

4. Never lose any opportunity to haggle

This is one of the most reliable skills you can have if you are going shopping in Vietnam. You have got to know how to haggle with the locals, because expensive tourists are recognized with their looks. The markup prices for things will be high and inflating but you must learn the art of haggling like a pro. Also, don’t flash on expensive things when you move about in the local markets in Vietnam. Hide up expensive watches, bags, jewelry, basically anything that screams out loud you’re rich.

Haggle with the locals for a Better Price

5. Hanoi is charmer than you think

Hanoi is undoubtedly beautiful because of maze like street quarters and vintage shops to buy from. Whatever art and craftwork are mentioned about Vietnam falls under Hanoi. Tourists mostly indulge in hopping around museums, pagodas, and temples for exploring. There are some amazing places to shop; you can eat local street foods to get the real taste of Hanoi. When it’s about the people, the people from Hanoi are very kind and helpful which can be another plus point for the visitors.

Quan Thanh Temple, Hanoi

B52 Victory Museum in Hanoi

6. Dress appropriately

Vietnam is pretty comfortable when it comes to clothing. It’s not a conservative country so you don’t possibly have to worry about covering yourself as much. However, visiting religious places have a different story, you must cover as a sign of respect to the temple, mosque, or church, wherever it is that you are visiting. About tourists who are planning to visit the north, don’t forget to carry a few pieces of warm clothing.

7. It’s a paradise for food lovers

When it comes to eating healthy and tasty, Vietnam’s food takes the front row. They have a perfect balance for hot, sweet, salty, and sour cuisines. They make really good use of tamarind, green herbs, chili pepper, and other seasonal vegetables. You can try some of the local street food that includes spring roll, hearty noodles, and meat dishes, etc.

Vietnam Food with Light Sauce and Herbs

8. Do your homework

This point must be one of the most important ones to follow. Before you board the flight, make sure you have done all the research work you need to do about the country, its locations, and the transportation details. The more you know the better. It’s advised to not book any tickets from your hotels because the prices might not be suitable. Always make sure to check the reviews online and compare it with other sites of the same offer.

9. Be super careful with your card

Always, and it can’t be emphasized enough, always take care of your card and the magical digits at the back of your card. Make sure you cover the PIN when you are visiting any restaurants for a sit-down meal. Card frauds are pretty common in Vietnam, so take good care of it; even cash must be spent and kept wisely.

10. Shun tap water

This point is pretty self-explanatory. It’s always wise to avoid the tap water if you are a foreigner and are unsure of what would suit you. The first rule of traveling to Asian countries is to avoid tap water. It’s advised to avoid any iced drinks and salads as well because you are not aware as to how it’s washed. Also, make sure to brush your teeth with bottled water, this will help you in staying away from 90% of food related issues.

11. Go for street food

Don’t miss out on the street food of Vietnam. It’s tossed and cooked on spot and served hot on plastic plates or bowls. This will give you a different experience of Vietnam’s cuisine altogether. The prices are pretty affordable and for people who want to explore the authentic side of Vietnam, eating on the streets will be as authentic as it can get.

12. Pro tips

This one point will contain few collective points to help you get by Vietnam easily. Learning some of the local Vietnam words will be very helpful during your stay. Also, it’s super important to take care of your belonging and not leave anything anywhere for a single minute. The costs of living in Vietnam for tourists are pretty cheap as compared to other countries, but that can only happen if you’re preplanning your trip wisely.

These should be enough to help you explore the beautiful Vietnam. You will not regret a single minute you spend in their incredible landscape. Follow the advice and make the most of every opportunity to spend less by religiously sticking to your itinerary.