Vietnam to the world
Everything I tell friends and family before they land. When to come, what to sort out first, and how to do Vietnam like you've been here before.
12 years ago, I landed in Vietnam on a one-way ticket from California. I'm still here, and I've never stopped wanting to show it off.
This is the guide I send to friends and family before they visit. Every place in it is somewhere I'd take you myself. Some are businesses I'm part of, and I've tagged those so you always know.
Short on time? Read these and you're ahead of most visitors. Tap any of them for the details.
When it's cool and grey in Hanoi, it's beach weather in Nha Trang. Pick the month you're thinking of and see where's best.
In March
| City | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi | ||||||||||||
| Da Nang & Hoi An | ||||||||||||
| Nha Trang | ||||||||||||
| Saigon |
The Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday of the year, and the whole country goes home to family. The official holiday runs 4 to 10 February. If you can, come for it. Seeing Saigon covered in yellow apricot blossoms is something you won't forget. Just book early and expect a quieter city.
The week before Tết, flights and hotels sell out and prices jump. During Tết, lots of local restaurants, shops and street stalls close for up to a week, while big hotels, malls and tourist spots stay open. After, things stay slow for another week or so.
Hanoi has real seasons. October and November are perfect. Winter is cool and grey, so pack a jacket. Summer is very hot and wet.
Da Nang and Hoi An are sunny from February to August. From October to December, typhoons and floods are a real risk.
Nha Trang is sunny most of the year. The rain comes from October to December.
Saigon is warm all year. December to March is dry and easy. From May to November it pours most afternoons for an hour, then clears.
The one thing that can stop your trip at the airport is your visa. Pick your passport and check it the day you book.
Rules change. Last checked November 2026. Always confirm on evisa.gov.vn before you book.
The e-visa in short: about US$25 single entry or US$50 multiple entry, stays of up to 90 days, and it usually takes 3 to 5 working days. Apply at least a week before you fly. It must match your passport exactly, because one wrong letter and the airline can refuse to let you board. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after you arrive.
| App | Why |
|---|---|
| Grab | Cars, motorbike rides and food delivery. Takes foreign cards. |
| Xanh SM | Electric taxis and bikes. Clean, quiet and fixed price. Often my first choice. |
| Google Maps | Getting around, and following my lists for each city. |
| Google Translate | Point the camera at a menu or sign. Download Vietnamese so it works offline. |
| Zalo | Vietnam's WhatsApp. Hotels, guides and restaurants will often message you here. |
Vietnam runs on the đồng (VND), and the zeros take a day to get used to. Try it here.
≈ US$3.85
Rough guide at about 26,000 đồng to US$1 (November 2026). Your bank’s rate will differ a little.
Vietnam is long and thin, about 1,650 km top to bottom, so fly between cities. Every hop is 1 to 2 hours.
From the airport, book a Grab or Xanh SM in the app, or walk to the official taxi rank. Skip anyone who offers you a ride inside arrivals. In the city, Grab and Xanh SM by car or on the back of a motorbike. By train, the ride from Da Nang to Hue over the Hai Van Pass is one of my favourite views in the country.
New map, same cities. In July 2025 Vietnam merged its provinces. Hoi An is now officially part of Da Nang city, and Ho Chi Minh City now takes in Binh Duong and Vung Tau. You might see new names on your bookings.
Riding a motorbike is the best way to feel Vietnam, and the easiest way to get hurt. To ride legally you need a Vietnamese licence or an International Driving Permit under the 1968 Convention. The US permit is a 1949 Convention permit, and it isn't valid here. No valid licence usually means no insurance payout if you crash. Helmets are the law.
If you ride, get the right licence and insurance first, start somewhere quiet, and never ride after drinks.
Most of this is common sense, plus a few things nobody tells you. Tap a card to see why.
Do
Cover your shoulders and knees, and take your shoes off when you see others do it.
Pile of shoes at the door? Add yours. Some shops and spas too.
When you give or receive something from an elder, and in business: cards, gifts, money.
And let them start eating first.
Go where the locals queue. Tiny plastic stools mean you’re in the right place.
Hotels have to register every guest. It’s the law, not a scam.
Ask before you photograph people, especially older people.
Patience and a smile get you further here than anything else.
Don’t
E-cigarettes and heated tobacco are banned nationwide, for visitors too. Police can take the device and fine you on the spot.
Not even kids’ heads. The head is respected.
At people, altars or Buddha statues.
It’s what’s done at funerals.
Use your whole hand, palm down.
Shouting makes everyone lose face, you included, and rarely fixes anything.
Don’t criticise the government or national leaders, in public or online.
The penalties are some of the harshest in the world.
Permits are needed, and military sites are off-limits for photos.
Snatch-and-go from passing bikes happens, especially in Saigon. Bag on the side away from traffic.
For me, food is the reason people fall in love with this country. Every region does it differently, so eat your way down the map. Tap a dish to see how to say it.
People here light up when you try. You'll get the tones wrong, everyone does, and that's half the fun. Tap a card to flip it.
Vietnam is a safe country to visit. Save these numbers anyway. English can be limited, so ask your hotel to call for you if you can.
International-standard hospitals
Nha TrangIslands, seafood and sunshine on the south-central coast, and the home of Skylight.Guide coming soonSaigonFast, ambitious and awake all night. The city that taught me how Vietnam moves.Guide coming soonWhen I send you somewhere, it's because I'd go there myself. Some of these I'm part of, and I've tagged them so you always know. I'd recommend every one of them either way.
Vietnam gave me a home and a mission I never expected. Now it's your turn. Come hungry, come curious, and send me a photo when you get here.
Vietnam to the world. 🇻🇳
