Vietnam

Vietnamese is the official language, written in a Latin-based alphabet with added tone marks, so street signs and menus are usually readable even without speaking the language. English is spoken at hotels, restaurants, and tour operators in major cities and tourist towns, but far less so in rural areas, where a translation app helps.

Prepaid SIM and eSIM plans are cheap and sold at the airport and phone shops in every city; bring your passport, as registration is required. Coverage is strong in cities and along the main tourist routes, with some gaps in remote mountain areas. Ordinary browsing, maps, email, and booking sites work normally, but the government actively monitors online activity and occasionally slows or restricts access to social media platforms, especially around politically sensitive dates.

Tap water is not safe to drink; stick to bottled or boiled water, including for brushing teeth in smaller towns. Ice in cities and established restaurants is generally made from treated water and is fine. Pharmacies are widely available in cities, easy to spot by a green cross sign, and many common medications are available without a prescription.

No vaccinations are mandatory for entry, but hepatitis A, typhoid, and up-to-date routine vaccines are commonly recommended; consult a travel clinic before your trip. Street food is generally safe at busy stalls with high turnover, but travel insurance covering stomach upsets is a sensible precaution anywhere in Southeast Asia.

Vietnam grants visa-free entry for stays of up to 45 days to citizens of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and shorter visa-free windows to several other nationalities. Citizens of the US, Canada, and Australia, among others, generally need to arrange an e-visa in advance, valid for stays of up to 90 days and applied for online through the official government portal.

All visitors need a passport valid for at least six months beyond their arrival date.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Vietnamese culture blends Buddhist, Confucian, and modern influences, and etiquette is generally relaxed but a few points matter:

• Religious sites: remove your shoes before entering temples and pagodas where indicated, and dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
• Greetings: a nod or slight bow with a smile is common; a handshake is standard in business settings.
• Bargaining: expected at markets and with street vendors for souvenirs, but not in shops with posted prices; bargain politely and with a smile rather than aggressively.
• Photography: ask before photographing people directly, especially in rural areas and at religious ceremonies.
• Public displays of affection: kept minimal, especially by older generations, though attitudes are more relaxed in big cities.

Public holidays affect banks and government offices more than restaurants and shops, but the week around the Lunar New Year (Tet) is the major exception, when many family-run businesses close for several days and transport gets fully booked.

Most shops and markets open early, around 7 or 8 am, and stay open into the evening seven days a week; some smaller businesses pause for a midday break in the early afternoon.

• By train: the Reunification Express line runs the length of the country between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, calling at Hue, Da Nang, and Nha Trang; slower than flying but scenic, especially the Hai Van Pass section. Book via Vietnam Railways.
• By air: domestic flights are cheap and fast, and the practical choice for the long north-south hop between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — around 2 hours versus over 30 by train.
• By bus: extensive overnight sleeper coaches connect all major cities and cost less than flying, though travel times are long on the main north-south routes.
• Within cities: ride-hailing apps (Grab is dominant) are the easiest way to get around and avoid taxi overcharging; metered taxis from reputable companies are also reliable.

Food is central to daily life in Vietnam, and much of it happens on the street: plastic stools, a single specialty done well, and meals eaten at almost any hour. Breakfast is often a bowl of pho (beef or chicken noodle soup) or a banh mi sandwich on the way to work; lunch and dinner bring rice or noodle dishes built around fresh herbs, fish sauce, and lime.

Regional specialties are distinct enough that food is a reason to visit multiple cities: bun cha (grilled pork with noodles) and egg coffee in Hanoi, bun bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup) in Hue, cao lau (a noodle dish unique to Hoi An), and countless variations of pho and banh xeo (savory turmeric crepes) nationwide. Goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) and che (sweet dessert soups) are common snacks.

Ca phe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk) is the signature drink, alongside fresh sugarcane juice and bia hoi, cheap draft beer sold fresh daily at plastic-stool street bars. Most locals eat at street stalls, market food courts, or small family-run restaurants rather than formal dining rooms, and it is completely normal to eat very well for very little.

Vietnam's three regions each have a very different character, and most visitors combine at least two on a single trip.

The north: Hanoi is the capital, with a thousand-year-old Old Quarter, French colonial architecture, and some of the country's best street food. Quang Ninh is home to Ha Long Bay's limestone karst islands, usually visited on an overnight boat. Ninh Binh offers similar karst scenery inland, explored by boat through rice paddies and caves.

The center: Hue was Vietnam's imperial capital, with a walled citadel and royal tombs. Hoi An is a beautifully preserved 15th-century trading port, now a UNESCO-listed old town of lantern-lit streets. Da Nang combines beaches with easy access to both Hoi An and the Marble Mountains.

The south: Ho Chi Minh City is the country's largest city, fast-paced and modern, with reminders of the war era still visible. Nha Trang is a beach resort city on the south-central coast, and Phu Quoc is an island in the Gulf of Thailand known for white-sand beaches and diving.