All my best tips as someone who spent 45 days in Vietnam
Essential Travel Tips for Vietnam
Always Carry Cash (Dong is King)
While major cities are modernizing, Vietnam remains a predominantly cash-based society. Street food vendors, local markets, and smaller homestays rarely accept cards. Pro tip: try and carry around smaller denominations (10,000 – 50,000 vnd) for quick transactions. Many vendors struggle to break 500,000 vnd bills. My best travel tip for my Americans… open a Charles Schwab checking account. Charles Schwab offers refunds for every ATM transaction (which will start to add up every time you take out cash).
The “Leap of Faith” maneuvering through traffic:
Crossing the street in Saigon or Hanoi feels like a dare, but there is a method to the madness. Walk slowly, steadily, and with purpose. Do not stop, do not run, and do not step backward. The drivers are “calculating” your trajectory; if you maintain a steady pace, they will simply flow around you. It can feel unnatural crossing and moving around moving vehicles, but there’s a method to the madness. Be confident in your strides and neck on a swivel.
Pay to upgrade to the VIP cabin buses!:
For long-haul journeys, the standard sleeper buses can be cramped, especially for taller travelers over 6 feet tall. I”d highly recommend spending the extra few dollars for “VIP” or “Luxury” cabin buses. Plus the experience itself is genuinely so cool. These often feature enclosed pods with near-flat beds, better privacy, USB ports, Wifi, and better suspension for those winding mountain roads.
Grab is your new best friend:
Download the grab app immediately. It works just like Uber or Lyft, giving you a fixed price upfront and a digital record of your journey. Use “GrabBike” for short solo trips as it’s the fastest way to weave through traffic and significantly cheaper than a car. Also just a ton of fun riding on the back of a scooter through Asia!
Embrace Spontaneity: Don’t Book Too Far in Advance:
One of the best parts of Vietnam is its flexibility. A lot of Vietnamese businesses are small businesses who don’t have a website and definitely not an international website. So much of business is done in Vietnam by word-of-mouth or referrals. This also allows you to stay longer in places you love and leave places that don’t click. Plus you’re more likely to get a better price by booking locally (and in cash) in Vietnam rather than online before you arrive.
Master the Art of the Market Haggle:
In local markets, the first price is never the final price. It’s a social dance, not a battle. I suggest having a figure in mind that you’d like to pay before going to buy and have the cash ready – nothing more. Usually sellers will name a number that’s much higher than the actual selling price. Start by offering about 50% of the initial price and meet somewhere in the middle (usually around 60–70%). Always keep it friendly and be prepared to walk away—often, they’ll call you back with a better deal.
Read the Reviews Everywhere!:
In a country with so many options, quality can vary wildly. Whether it’s a Ha Long Bay cruise or a street-side Banh Mi stall, check Google Maps, TripAdvisor, or Hostelworld. A “suspiciously cheap” tour often leads to hidden costs or poor safety standards, so let the experiences of other backpackers guide you. Also pay attention to the reviews being written. In many cases I started to realize some of the reviews were fake or clearly done by friends.
Vietnam is Remarkably Safe:
Violent crime against foreigners is extremely rare in Vietnam. As a backpacker, you’ll find locals to be incredibly helpful and welcoming. Obviously exercise caution like you would anywhere in the world, even in your own hometown. But if you’re anxious about your first trip to Southeast Asia or perhaps you’re a worried parent, as a solo female traveler in my 20s, I’m hyper-vigilant about myself and my surroundings, yet I’ve never once felt unsafe or threatened or uncomfortable in Vietnam.
Consider an extra suitcase for your return trip:
Vietnam is truly a shopping paradise. I caveat this by saying I have never been someone who buys so much that I need an additional bag on the way home, however there I was by the end of my trip with a bright pink suitcase. Many travelers arrive with a backpack and leave with an extra “cheap” suitcase bought at a local market… With very cheap decor, homeware, electronics and clothing, there are great deals and a lot are handmade here in Vietnam then sent to western countries and marked up in price.
Don’t throw away the toliet paper:
Always keep a There’s signs everywhere reminding you, but seriously the sewage and plumbing systems can’t handle it and you DO NOT want to be responsible for flooding/backing up an entire hotel or restaurant. I’d also suggest bringing small pack of tissues or a roll of TP in your daypack. Outside of major hotels and malls, public restrooms (especially on those long bus rides) are rarely stocked.