Visas & entry
Most visitors need an e-visa or visa-free entry depending on passport; Vietnam’s rules and permitted stay lengths change, so check the official Vietnamese immigration portal before booking. An e-visa is commonly the straightforward option for eligible nationalities; make sure the entry point and dates match your approval.
Getting in
- Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport: The main northern gateway, best for Hanoi and onward trips to Ninh Binh, Ha Long/Lan Ha Bay, Sapa and Ha Giang. Use it for a North-focused trip; it is not a sensible ground-transfer base for Central or South Vietnam.
- Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat International Airport: The main southern gateway and the country’s busiest domestic-flight hub. Best for Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and onward flights to Phu Quoc or the central coast.
- Da Nang International Airport: The practical Central Vietnam gateway for Hoi An, An Bang, Da Nang and Hue. It is the cleanest arrival or departure point for a North-and-Central itinerary.
- Phu Quoc International Airport: Useful only if a Phu Quoc beach stay is a major part of the plan. Most travelers reach it on a domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh City rather than trying to combine long road and ferry transfers.
Getting around
Treat Vietnam as three regions connected by domestic flights. Fly between Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City when time matters; the full Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh rail journey takes roughly 30–36 hours. Use trains selectively for the experience, especially Hue–Da Nang over the Hai Van Pass; use private cars, tourist buses and Grab for shorter regional legs. Base yourself in Hanoi for the North, Da Nang/Hoi An for the Central coast, and Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho for the South—do not attempt day trips across regions.
Money
The currency is the Vietnamese đồng (VND/₫). Cards work well in better hotels, malls, larger restaurants and tour operators, but cash remains essential for street food, markets, small guesthouses and rural areas; carry small notes. Tipping is not compulsory, but rounding up, leaving a small amount for good service, and tipping guides/drivers is appreciated.
Daily budget · Vietnamese đồng (VND / ₫)
- Value
- ₫750,000–1,300,000
- Mid-range
- ₫1,700,000–3,200,000
- High-end
- ₫5,000,000–10,000,000+
- Per-person daily figures exclude international flights and assume two people sharing a room; solo travelers should budget more for accommodation.
- Value: hostel or basic guesthouse, street food, local or sleeper buses, Grab rides and modest admissions.
- Mid-range: a well-located 3–4-star or boutique room, a mix of street food and good restaurants, Grab or private transfers, paid tours and the occasional domestic flight.
- High-end: strong 4–5-star hotels or resorts, private guides and cars, premium Ha Long cruise cabins, spas, cocktails and quality dining.
- Food and local transport remain very good value. Hotels in Hoi An, Da Nang’s beach strip and Phu Quoc, plus premium Ha Long cruises, are what now blow up a Vietnam budget. Domestic flights, private touring, beach resorts and major cave tours can push any band higher.
Eating well
- Do not judge Vietnamese food by one city’s version of phở or bánh mì; regional differences are the point.
- Use Hanoi for northern broths and restrained seasoning; expect markedly different flavours as you move through Central and southern Vietnam.
Book before you land
Overnight Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay cruises, especially premium cabins, weekends and peak holiday periods · Sơn Đoòng cave expedition and serious guided Phong Nha cave treks · Domestic flights around Tết, April 30–May 1, National Day and July–August school holidays · Ha Giang Loop small-group tours or reputable licensed easy-rider drivers in peak season
- Book transport and accommodation far ahead for Tết (usually late January or February): fares rise, buses and flights fill, and many independent businesses close or reduce hours.
- Use Grab for urban car and motorbike rides where available; agree a fare before getting into an unmetered taxi, and avoid relying on street-taxi haggling.
- Traffic is the main everyday hazard. Cross streets slowly and predictably rather than darting; do not rent a scooter without genuine experience, a valid licence and appropriate insurance.
- For mountain travel, especially the Ha Giang Loop, inexperienced riders should go with a licensed local driver rather than self-drive. Weather, steep roads and landslides are real constraints.
- Keep cash, passport and phone secure in crowded Old Quarter streets, markets and transport hubs; phone snatching and small scams are more likely than violent crime.
- Build weather slack into cruises, mountain trips and Phong Nha plans. Typhoons and flooding can cancel boats, close caves and disrupt Central Vietnam from roughly September into December.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.
Season by season
December–February
The North is cool, grey and damp—Sapa can be genuinely cold and Ha Long foggy—while the South is dry and Phu Quoc is at its best; Central Vietnam is improving after its wettest months.
Phu Quoc beachesMekong Deltasouthern citiesCentral Vietnam from January onward
International high season raises fares and hotel rates, while northern views and swimming conditions can disappoint.
March–April
North Vietnam is usually pleasant before peak heat, Ha Long has better odds of clear views, Central Vietnam is comparatively dry, and the South remains workable before its wet season takes over.
first trips spanning several regionsHanoi and northern karstsHa Long cruisesCentral coast and Hoi An
It is the country's best all-round window, so it is popular rather than quiet.
May–August
The North is hot, humid and rainy, the South has frequent heavy afternoon downpours, and the Central coast—especially Da Nang, Hoi An and Nha Trang—has the most dependable beach weather.
Central coast beachesDa Nang and Hoi AnNha Trangtravelers comfortable with tropical rain
July and August bring domestic-school-holiday crowds and higher prices at beaches, while northern trekking becomes muddy and views unreliable.
September–November
The North turns cooler and often clearer, with excellent mountain and bay conditions by October–November; meanwhile Central Vietnam faces heavy rain, flooding and typhoon disruption, and the South gradually dries toward November.
Hanoi and northern mountainsSapa rice landscapesHa Long or Bai Tu Long Baylate-season Phu Quoc planning
Avoid building a Central coast or Phong Nha itinerary around this period: flooding can disrupt transport and close caves.
Events worth planning around
Tết / Lunar New Year · Usually late January or February; dates vary by lunar calendar. · Nationwide
Vietnam's largest holiday fills transport weeks ahead, drives up fares and leaves many small businesses closed or operating reduced hours. Book far ahead or choose another period for a first, low-friction visit.
Reunification Day and Labor Day · April 30–May 1. · Nationwide, especially beach destinations
A major domestic-travel crush: flights, trains, hotels and beach resorts fill quickly and prices rise.
National Day · September 2. · Nationwide
Expect busy intercity transport and city celebrations; reserve key travel legs if moving around the holiday.
What to eat
Eat regionally rather than chasing a single national greatest-hits list: northern food is cleaner and less sweet, Central cooking is more chile-forward and intricate, and southern dishes tend sweeter, more herb-heavy and more tropical. A bowl of phở or bánh mì should not taste identical from Hanoi to the Mekong.
Phở bòPhở gàRegional Vietnamese cooking: restrained northern broths, Hue-influenced Central dishes, and sweeter southern food with herbs, coconut, fruit and seafood
Hanoi and the North: Phở bò: typically a clearer, less sweet broth than southern versions · Phở gà