Everything you need to know before you travel to Vietnam
So you’ve booked your flight to Vietnam to experience the best of south-east Asia.
When travelling to Vietnam, and other Asian countries, there are a handful of tips and tricks to be aware of to ensure you have a smooth sailing travel experience.
In comparison to travelling around Western countries, exploring Vietnam comes with a unique set of circumstances, and being prepared for every situation will make sure your trip is one to remember.
Cash is king
When it comes to planning your trip to Vietnam, other than booking your flights, hotels and travel insurance, one of your first priorities should be getting your hands on cash.
The Vietnamese Dong is a unique currency to get used to, given that $5 AUD is equal to approximately $82,000 VND.
Most of the restaurants, cafes and tourist attractions you’ll be heading to will only accept cash, so make sure you seek out an ATM (most ATMs will let you translate to English) and always have a decent amount of cash on hand.
Go off the beaten track
Vietnam has so much more to offer than the major cities.
While Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have a lot of interesting history, tourist attractions and unique cultural experiences, staying in these cities for the entirety of your Vietnam trip is limiting.
Make sure you explore coastal towns such as Hoi An, Hue and Phu Quoc, explore the rolling rice fields of Sapa, and don’t forget to book your cruise around the picturesque Ha Long Bay.
Don't be afraid of the food
While Vietnamese food is maybe not what you’re used to eating everyday, part of experiencing a different culture is immersing yourself in the food scene.
One of the best things you can do when you arrive at your destination is to book a food tour with a local guide (there are many available through TripAdvisor), to take you around and show you a variety of dishes to become accustomed to.
Your food tour guide will also help ease your anxiety over ordering food in different places.
Another top tip: Restaurants will often be called the name of the dishes they serve. For example, places that sell the delicious Bahn Mi bread rolls will have “Bahn Mi” in their name.
Google Translate is your friend
While your hotel staff will often speak good English, other vendors at restaurants or markets may not be as fluent.
Downloading the Google Translate app on your phone will allow you to communicate with locals quickly and easily, by typing in what you want to say in English, and letting the app read out the sentence in Vietnamese.
Also, the app’s camera feature lets you hover your smartphone camera over something written in Vietnamese, before translating it into English in seconds.
Beware of scams
One of the most common scams in Vietnam is taxi scams. Some people will claim to be a taxi and then jack up the prices once they take you to your destination.
To avoid this, only get in registered taxis (that actually look like taxis and not just a random car), and download Grab, which is the Vietnamese version of Uber and is just as easy to use.
Another common scam is for market vendors to hike up prices for food and souvenirs, so be ready to barter for a better price.
Make friends with the locals
The Vietnamese people are some of the loveliest, kindest and most accommodating in the world.
People on the street, hotel staff and restaurant workers are always happy to help you with queries or concerns, so make the most of their local knowledge and don’t be afraid to approach people with a smile.
Image credits: Getty Images