April 30th, 2024 | By: Grace Kim
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Located on the eastern edge of Southeast Asia is where you’ll find the most stunning landscapes, exotic cities, and incredible eats. Vietnam is a backpackers paradise as it’s incredibly budget friendly and is filled with some of the nicest people in the world.
During my Southeast Asia trip, I spent a month solo traveling Vietnam. This was my first time traveling Vietnam and it was my favorite country I traveled to in all of Southeast Asia. The landscapes were out of this world, people were so friendly, food was healthy, and transportation was easily accessible.
From best places to visit, solo travel tips, and my personal advice, I’m going to lay down everything you need to know about Vietnam before your visit, whether it’s for two weeks or one month.
Best time to go
Although Vietnam is hot throughout the year, you want to avoid visiting during rainy season. Depending on the region, Vietnam’s rainy season ranges from June to December. Therefore, the best time to visit Vietnam is during dry season, which is between December to May.
While there are still chances that you may experience rainfall, it may be sporadic and will usually last for one hour. I visited Vietnam in June and while I did experience some rainfall, the rain was very random and sporadic. There was no way to really track when it was going to rain, but carrying a rain jacket and a travel size umbrella came in handy.
VISAs
Vietnam was the most strict about having a valid VISA, out of all the countries I’ve traveled to in Southeast Asia. If you’re planning on staying in Vietnam for a short period of time, getting a Vietnam E-Visa is enough. The VISA is valid for 90 days, and can be used for single or multiple entries. Single entries cost $25 and multiple entries cost $50. Additionally, your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date, along with one blank visa page. Since entry rules can change, I always recommend checking the official government website for updates.
If you happen to stay in Vietnam past your VISA timeframe, you can get fined anywhere between $10-$50 per day. And if you have a record of overstaying, there’s a chance that you can be backlisted and will be forced out of the country.
How to get around
Vietnam is known to have some of the most accessible transportation. From buses, trains motorbikes, and flights, Vietnam has extremely efficient transportation systems. Whether you’re planning to travel from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi, Sa Pa, Ninh Binh and Hoi An, there are many ways to get to and from these cities.
Motorbike
The most convenient way to get around Vietnam is with a motorbike. Whether you’re comfortable driving one yourself or not, there are plenty of apps where you can call motorbike drivers to get you from point A to B.
- Grab is the most popular ride hailing app in Southeast Asia. Although it is the most expensive, it is extremely convenient as there are different type of services on the app, and you’re also able to link a credit card to your account as well.
- Gojek is another popular ride hailing app in Ho Chi Minh City with cheaper options. But just note to take small bills since the drivers only take cash, and you will have to pay them at the end of each ride.
Sleeper Bus
Your trip to Vietnam wouldn’t be complete without taking a sleeper bus. Sleeper buses are extremely popular as it is more efficient to take them to and from certain cities. I took a sleeper bus from Hanoi to SaPa and it was a smooth and easy process. This bus ride was about 6 hours long, as most sleeper buses will make bathroom stops in areas that have stores to buy snacks and drinks.
Depending on where you want to go, there are options to either take a regular or a luxury sleeper bus. Expect to pay around $7 as the base cost, $15 for a premium seat, and $20 for a luxury seat.
Flights
From top to bottom, Vietnam is 1,025 miles long. To put in perspective, that’s like driving from Washington D.C. to Miami, Florida. Flying is another great means of transportation if you want to be more efficient with your time.
During my month long visit in Vietnam, I flew a handful of times and although it might’ve cost more, compared to taking a bus, I saved so much time doing so. Especially if you’re limited on time and want to fly from the North to the South, flying is the more optimal option.
Where to start
When you first arrive to Vietnam, high chances that you’ll be flying into Ho Chi Minh City. Also known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest and most popular city in Vietnam. I recommend starting off in Saigon as it’s a great place to meet other expats, get recommendations from locals, learn cultural mannerisms, and get accustomed to the country.
Since I was solo traveling in Vietnam, I wanted to start my journey in the busiest city so that I could get the vibe and feel of the country. It also helps me make sure that I have enough time to meet locals and other travelers to get their intake and advice on best places to go, travel advice, and best practices.
Depending on how much time you have to travel Vietnam, I recommend starting off in Ho Chi Minh City. From there, go up North and spend majority of your time there. For $50, there are cheap, direct flights from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi and from there, your options are endless. It’s easy to get lost exploring in the North that many forget to come back and explore the South. That’s exactly what happened to me but know that when I make it back to Vietnam, that I’ll start from the South and make my way back up North.
How much time is needed
There are so many pockets in Vietnam that even if you visited a new city every week for a year, you would still run out of time. But if your time is limited, two weeks is a good amount of time to see the popular destinations. Just note that your days are going to be packed.
Here is how I would outline my itinerary traveling in Vietnam for two weeks:
- 1 day in Ho Chi Minh City
- 2 days in Hanoi
- 2 days in Sa Pa
- 1 day in Ninh Binh
- 2 days in Ha Long Bay
- 2 days in Cat Ba Island
- 2 days in Hoi An
- 2 days in Phong Nha
Where to stay
There are a ton of great places to stay, whether you’re on a budget or looking to spend a bit more for comfort. You can expect to pay anywhere from $8/night at a hostel or well over $140/night at a luxury hotel. Here are my top recommendations to stay in each city:
Ho Chi Minh City
- Budget: The Like Hostel & Cafe, The Hideout, Mobylette Saigon Hotel
- Mid-range: The White House, Duc Vuong Saigon Hotel, Little Saigon Boutique Hotel
- Luxury: Vinpearl Landmark 81, Hotel Majestic Saigon, InterContinental Saigon
Hanoi
- Budget: Ubuntu Hostel, Hanoi Backpackers Hostel & Rooftop Bar, Luxury Backpackers
- Mid-range: An Hotel, TrangTrang Boutique Hotel, Golden Rooster Hotel
- Luxury: Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi Center, Sheraton Hanoi Hotel, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
- Budget: Zihome Hmong House, Scenic Views Farmstay & Hostel, Sapa Fantasea Homestay
- Mid-range: Eden Boutique Hotel & Spa, Mega View Homestay, Sapa Rosie House
- Luxury:Â Hotel de la Coupole, Lady Hill Sapa Resort
- Budget: Halo Bay Homestay, Ha Long Fancy Hostel
- Mid-range: Ha Long Essence Hotel, Blue Kites Residence, Green Homestay
- Luxury: Vinpearl Resort & Spa, Saigon Ha Long Hotel
Travel Costs/Budgeting
On a budget, you can expect to spend around 550,000 VND (~$22 USD) per day. This means that you’re opting to stay in hostels, eating street food, going on free tours, limiting yourself to 1-2 drinks, and walking to most places.
On a mid-range budget, you can expect to spend around 1,150,000 VND (~$45 USD) per day. This means that you’re staying at cheap hotels, eating street food but also dining in at restaurants, going on paid tours, bar hopping, and light shopping.
If you’re okay splurging a bit, you can look to spend at least around 2,535,000 (~$100) per day. This means that you’re staying at a nice hotel, eating out at fancier restaurants, enjoying a drink with every meal, taking taxis, going on private tours, and essentially, doing anything you want without a second thought.
Mind you that there may be days that you end up spending more than your anticipated daily average, and some where you spend way less. But if you’re looking for ways to minimize cost even more, I suggest coming with a handful of credit card points and miles. That’s exactly what I did and I didn’t pay a single dollar on hotels or flights for 7 months.
Solo Travel Tips
First off, let’s talk about safety. Solo traveling to Vietnam can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time visiting. I ended up solo traveling all of Vietnam and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
But is Vietnam safe for solo travelers? Absolutely, yes. I felt so safe during my entire trip in Vietnam. Not only are the people incredibly friendly, but everyone keeps to themselves and doesn’t really “bother” you. I’ve also noticed that people were much nicer because I was traveling all by myself. I remember having to rush to catch a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Sa Pa, and a rep from the tour company stayed on the phone with me until I got to the drop off location because he didn’t want me being stranded all alone.
Although I generally felt safe, there are some things I would avoid as best practices. Some places like Ho Chi Minh City, is infamous for motorbike drivers snatching phones from pedestrians, so always make sure to keep your phone secured and tucked away. I would also not listen to music while walking alone at night, and to always have your free Google Voice number memorized.
Another safety tip I’d consider doing is that if you know you’re going to have a long night out, to let your hotel receptionist know. After a certain time, a lot of hotels gate their doors, which makes it impossible for you to get back in unless someone from the inside opens the gate for you. There were a couple nights where I came back late and had to contact the receptionist via WhatsApp or knock on the outside door. Yes, I did feel bad for waking them up, but there was no other way I would’ve been able to get back in.
8 Top Things You Must Do
There’s a reason why millions of people visit Vietnam every year. From scenic landscapes and unique experiences, Vietnam has unforgettable places you must see during your visit. Some places weren’t initially on my bucket list but ended up being favorites, and some that I specifically traveled to Vietnam for and would’ve regretted not visiting.
If you happen to be traveling to Vietnam for two weeks, there are a handful of places you cannot miss during your visit, and here’s why:
Relax on a cruise to Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s top places to visit, as it’s landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The islands are made up of limestone topped with lush greenery, as it is a paradise destination for nature lovers and travel photographers. There are unique experiences and secluded beaches, all embodying adventure and relaxation.
Depending on your length of stay, here are a handful of cruise options to Ha Long Bay to choose from:
- 1 Day Ha Long Bay Cruise from Hanoi (Titop Island & Luon Cave)
- 6 Hour Deluxe Cruise
- 2-Day Tour (Lan Ha & Ha Long Bay Cruise with Balcony)
- 3 Day Tour (Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay & Lan Ha Bay)
Get lost in Cat Ba Island
Located on the southeastern edge of Ha Long Bay is where you’ll find the most beautiful islands in Vietnam. Cat Ba Island is full of adventure, leisure, breathtaking beauty, and is the largest island in Ha Long Bay.
During my visit to Ha Long Bay, I wasn’t planning on visiting Cat Ba Island; however, a local told me to go and that I would’ve regretted not visiting. Easy for him to say because Cat Ba Island ended up being my favorite island to visit in all of Vietnam. There are direct ferries that will take you to Cat Ba Island and what shocked me the most was that I was able to transport my motorbike to the island. There were tour buses and cars that were also being transported so if you’re not exploring Cat Ba Island on a tour, I highly recommend transporting a motorbike with you. It will be almost impossible to get around the island otherwise.
Go Trekking in Sa Pa
Calling out to all my nature lovers, you will regret your Vietnam visit if you don’t go trekking in Sapa. Rainfall or not, venture through terraced rice fields and misty mountains that surround the city of Sapa. The scenery will have you breathless, while you won’t be able to stop looking at all the lush greenery, while the Hmong people will guide you into the mountains.
Opt in for a 2-Day Homestay Tour and Trek as the locals show you how they go about their everyday lives. Your homestay family will make sure that you are taken care of, and will spend the evening making a home cooked meal for you During my stay, I was even offered rain boots since it’s typically muddy and always misty in the mountains. Luckily, I had hiking boots with me, but the rain boots were essential!
Day trip to Ninh Binh
Known as the Ha Long Bay on land, Ninh Binh is filled with mountainous, picturesque landscapes. It’s filled with green rice paddies, limestones, and s-curved rivers. Experience a boat ride through Trang An and Tam Coc rivers, as you’ll be passing through ancient caves and temples along the way.
When your boat ride is over, a day trip to Ninh Binh wouldn’t be complete without exploring views from the top of Mua Cave. Just remember to wear sneakers because the walk up is steep with around 500 steps. You’ll definitely be out of breath by the time you get to the top but trust me, the views are worth it.
See the colorful lanterns of Hoi An
Spending the day in Hoi An is wonderful. But seeing it at night offers a different experience as it will make you feel like you are in a magical wonderland. The streets and rivers are illuminated in the most colorful lanterns, all surrounded by cobblestone streets. Both locals and tourists enjoy spending evenings at Hoi An, as there are places along the river to dine in at, shop around, and areas to soak in the ambiance.
If you want to really get fancy, you can hire a photographer to take photos around some of the most vivid and picturesque spots in town. This might be worth it since it is extremely hot throughout the day, which means you’ll be able to sit down and relax quicker.
Spend the afternoon in Ba Na Hills, Da Nang
While planning for your Vietnam trip, you might’ve come across hundreds of photos on social media of gigantic hands holding a bridge. Yes, that hand sculpture is real, and is iconic to Vietnam. These giant stone hands symbolizes the hands of the God of Mountain, holding a golden thread connecting man and nature, and can be seen in the Truong Son Mountains.
Unless going with a tour, I recommend getting to Ba Na Hills as early as possible since there will be tons of groups going to capture the iconic stone hands as well. Ba Na Hills is open everyday from 7AM to 9PM, and there is no limit to how long you choose to stay.
Experience the Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh
Let’s go back in time and delve into Vietnam’s war history. Learn all about the Cu Chi Tunnels by physically crawling through one yourself, discover hidden trapdoors, and ultimately seeing how Vietnamese soldiers utilized these tunnels during the war.
The guides at the Cu Chi Tunnels will educate and provide insight on the day to day life of a guerrilla fighter who once called these tunnels their home. It’s sad yet humbling to see just how resilient the Vietnamese people were.
Explore Son Doong Cave
Did you know that Vietnam is home to the largest cave in the world? Located in the heart of Phong Nhe Ke Bang National Park is where you’ll find Son Doong Cave, in the Quang Binh province. There are two openings that look like windows, allowing light to enter through so many parts of the cave. They also have rare species of plant animals, that have only been discovered about 10 years ago.
There are day trips that will take you to explore Son Doong Cave as you might even see wild monkey and flying foxes. It might even make you wonder how the soccer team and coach survived being stuck in the Tham Luang Cave back in 2018 for 18 days.
Vietnam Booking Resources
Prior to my Vietnam trip, I wasn’t sure how much I should’ve prepared. But throughout my trip, these have been my top go-to booking resources. Since I’m usually traveling solo, safety is the most important and these resources have helped me with just that.Â
- Get Your Guide: I am never disappointed with the tours and activities that are offered on Get Your Guide. Offering thousands of tours around the world, I always look forward to searching up new tours.
- Viator: Also one of my favorite tour booking apps. The app is easy to use, has nothing but positive reviews, are you are even able to book Viator tours in credit card apps, like on IHG’s online portal.
- SafetyWing: Safety should be the most important priority, not matter where you’re traveling to. I never travel anywhere internationally until know my safety and health is insured with international travel with SafetyWing.
- Agoda:Â One of the best sites to book hotels, especially in Southeast Asia. They also offer some of the cheapest hotel prices that is ideal, especially if you’re on a budget.
- Airalo: Scrambling to find physical SIM cards can get tedious. Airalo makes obtaining an E-SIM so easy, as they cover hundreds of countries around the world.
- Hostelworld: Whether you’re looking to budget travel or for a community when traveling, Hostelworld is my go-to app for that. There are incredible hostel options in every city, and you might even come out making life long friendships.
- Shimoda:Â My absolute favorite backpack company with bags that come in all different colors and sizes for different occasions. This is where I carry my daily camera and hiking bags.
- TripAdvisor: my go to for honest and authentic reviews. Before traveling to any country, I take time reading reviews and flipping through photos to make sure that tours, bookings, and activities are true to the descriptions.
- Booking.com: The best booking site that provides some of the lowest rates. They also usually seem to have discounts at a lot of their bookings, and will even gift you with discounts if you are actively using the app.
Final Thoughts
When people ask me what my favorite country is in Southeast Asia, I never hesitate to say Vietnam. There was something about the country that I just fell in love with that made my time there so special. And as there’s never enough time anywhere you go, solo traveling in Vietnam was one for the books and I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Spending a month getting lost only scratched the surface as I know this was definitely not my last time visiting.
I hope this Vietnam travel guide helped prepare you for your visit, where do you want to travel most in Vietnam?
Save These Pins When Planning For Your Vietnam Trip!
