Cross the street slowly and predictably
Waiting for a gap in Hanoi traffic means waiting forever. Step off, walk slowly and steadily without stopping or darting, and the river of motorbikes flows around you. Locals cross this way all day.
Travel guideLast updated August 17, 2026
Vietnam Travel Guide: Essentials, Local Tips & Mobile Data
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City: money, crossing the street, transport, regional seasons, curated traveler tips, and mobile data via eSIM.
Vietnam runs 1,600 kilometers from the rice terraces of the north to the Mekong Delta's floating markets, with Hanoi's old-quarter chaos, Ha Long Bay's karsts, lantern-lit Hoi An and the buzz of Ho Chi Minh City strung along the way.
It is intense, cheap and addictive. The food alone justifies the trip - pho at dawn, banh mi from a street cart, bia hoi on a plastic stool - and the famous motorbike traffic quickly turns from terrifying to hypnotic.
The north is cooler, older and full of limestone; the center is lanterns and beaches; the south is hotter, louder and flavored with the Mekong. Flying the long hops and slowing down in between is how Vietnam stops feeling like a bus schedule. Hanoi, Hoi An and Saigon is a classic first line. Sapa, Phong Nha or the Mekong is the chapter people talk about later.
Eat on a stool. Drink the coffee iced and sweet. Learn to cross the street. The country is intense in the best way, and it has a soft spot for travelers who look like they are enjoying themselves.
Essentials
Vietnam Travel Essentials
- Currency
- Vietnamese Dong (VND). Cash is king outside hotels and malls; note the zeros - 100,000 VND is about 4 USD.
- Languages
- Vietnamese. English is common in tourist areas, less so in the countryside.
- Plug Type
- Type A / C / G mixed, 220V.
- Emergency Number
- 113 (police), 115 (ambulance)
- Best Time to Visit
- Seasons differ by region: roughly October to April for the south, March to April and October to November for the north.
- Tipping
- Not expected; rounding up or small notes for guides and spa staff is appreciated.
- Timezone
- ICT (UTC+7)
- Tap Water
- Drink bottled or filtered water.
- Getting Around
- Grab (car and motorbike) is cheap and ubiquitous in cities. Overnight trains and sleeper buses cover long distances; domestic flights are inexpensive.
- Internet & Coverage
- Fast, cheap 4G/5G in cities and towns; solid coverage along the whole tourist trail.
Traveler tips
Tips from fellow travelers
Real advice from people who have been to Vietnam, curated by our team with links to the original sources.
Use Grab to calibrate prices
Grab's fixed fares tell you what rides actually cost, which arms you for negotiating with any taxi or xe om elsewhere. For metered taxis, stick to Mai Linh and Vinasun brands.
Eat at places that do one dish
The best Vietnamese food comes from spots that make a single thing - one pho shop, one banh cuon stall - often for decades. A short or nonexistent menu and low stools are the quality signals.
Train over the tourist bus when you can
The Reunification Express is slower than a flight and more human than an overnight sleeper bus. Book a soft berth, bring snacks, and watch the country go by. For the long north–south hop, fly and save the train for a scenic segment.
Cash in small notes, always
A 500,000 dong bill is a burden at a pho stall. Withdraw from Vietcombank or a big-bank ATM, ask for smaller denominations, and keep a stack of 20s and 50s for street food, tips and the woman with the fruit basket.
FAQ
Vietnam travel questions, answered
eSIM plans
Stay connected in Vietnam
Grab bookings, translation apps and train tickets make data the most useful thing in your pocket in Vietnam. An eSIM activates before you land in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and costs less than an airport coffee.
Grab, Google Translate and a pin in an alley with no street number: Vietnam runs on data. An eSIM is cheaper than the airport SIM and means your first xe om is a tap, not a negotiation in arrivals.
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