Vietnam was a country that really exceeded my expectations, not that I had much to expect but when I think about our time there were so many diverse and beautiful places we went to that I did not expect to experience there. I am half Vietnamese so it had always been somewhere I wanted to visit to not only get in touch with my roots there but also because I still had family there in Saigon. We spent an entire month in Vietnam and we pretty much hit up all the hot spots, minus Phong Nha National Park home to the world’s largest cave. Something I am still a little bit upset about that we missed. But regardless I feel like we did so many different things in this country, experienced so many different types of weather, and ate some of the freshest cuisine.
Good to Knows
- Currency: Vietnamese Dong
- 22,000 = $1
- Visa = Yes, which I highly recommend acquiring at your local Vietnamese Embassy at least 2 months prior to arrival. You have to fill out an application online and give your passport to the embassy to process which takes about 3 business days. You can wait last minute and do it online or upon arrival however it can be risky and more of a hassle.
- Cost: $130
Getting Around
The great part about Vietnam is the amount of safe transportation options you have getting from one city to the next. We traveled primarily by plane, which actually is quite affordable, in addition to buses. Sometimes people can get sketched out by the buses (especially after our experience in Laos) however I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable in any of our trips and is a great and cheap way to get to cities that may not have airports. Here is a breakdown of our itinerary:
- Phnom Penh – Saigon: Qatar Airlines – $114
- Saigon – Da Lat: Jetstar – $27
- Da Lat – Nha Trang: Bus – $10 (3 hours)
- Nha Trang – Danang – Hoi An: Bus/Vietnam Airlines – $55
- Hoi An – Hue: Bus – $10 (3 hours)
- Hue – Danang – Hanoi: Bus/Vietjet – $30
- Hanoi – Sapa – Hanoi (Roundtrip): Bus – $25 (6 hours)
- Hanoi – Halong Bay – Hanoi: Bus/Ferry – included in Halong Bay Tour
After writing all this out I can see how it can seem a bit congested and all over the place. It kinda felt that way when I was planning it especially since I didn’t know much about Vietnam except for my own research. But when you are actually there Vietnam does such a great job of providing ease of transportation that it will be hard to not find options for you to get to the places you want to go. And generally everyone is very friendly and there are always backpackers and travelers who are in the same boat as you so you manage to find your way and maybe even stumble upon something better than what I came up with!
Upon arrival to almost every single city the best means of transport to your accommodation is always cab.
Featured Cities
- Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City
- Da Lat
- Nha Trang
- Hoi An
- Danang
- Hue
- Hanoi
- Sapa
- Halong Bay
Time of Year
We spent 4 weeks total in Vietnam from the end of February to the end of March. We hit beautiful weather in Southern and Central Vietnam, however in the north it was quite cold. It’s amazing how different the climates can be in Vietnam so do plan accordingly. We wanted to do Halong Bay and Sapa when the weather was better but it’s hard to plan everything just right.
Before you plan your trip here definitely take note of the weather beforehand. The south is perfect in the winter however during the summer it’s ridiculously humid. The north is perfect in the summer however during the winter it’s very cold, we heard it even snowed in Sapa in January which hadn’t happen for some 40 years.
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