All countriesVietnam
Asia · 24+ destinations to browse
Sixteen hundred kilometres of coast, limestone karsts rising out of jade water at Ha Long, terraced rice valleys in the northern mountains and the canal-laced Mekong Delta in the south. Between them sit Hanoi's old quarter, the lantern-lit merchant town of Hoi An, and street food that is reason enough on its own.
Best time
Varies sharply by region — see below
Daily budget
₹1,800 – ₹6,000/day
Visa
eVisa
Safety
4.2 / 5
Practical information
Currency
Vietnamese Dong (₫, VND)
Languages
Vietnamese, English in tourist areas
Time zone
ICT (UTC+7)
Emergency
113 police, 115 ambulance, 114 fire
Internet
Fast and very cheap 4G nationwide; free Wi-Fi in almost every café, hotel and restaurant.
SIM cards
Viettel, Vinaphone or Mobifone tourist SIMs at the airport — cheap, generous data, passport required. eSIM widely supported.
Getting around
Cheap domestic flights link the length of the country, and the Reunification Express railway runs Hanoi to Saigon with sleeper cabins. Sleeper buses cover everywhere else for very little. In cities use the Grab app for cars and motorbike taxis — it fixes the fare and removes the haggling. Renting a scooter is the classic way to see the north, but only with real experience and an International Driving Permit.
Visa details
Indian passport holders need a visa. The 90-day e-Visa is applied for online through the official government portal and is usually issued within three working days — apply only through the official site, as look-alike agency sites charge many times the fee.
Know before you go
Popular foods
- Phở
- Bánh mì
- Bún chả
- Gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls)
- Cao lầu
- Cà phê sữa đá
- Bánh xèo
Famous festivals
- Tết (Lunar New Year) — the whole country shuts and travels
- Hoi An Lantern Festival (full moon each month)
- Mid-Autumn Festival
- Hung Kings Temple Festival
- Da Nang International Fireworks Festival
Etiquette
- Remove your shoes before entering homes, temples and many small shops
- Cover shoulders and knees at pagodas and temples
- Pass and receive things with both hands, especially to elders
- Don't touch anyone's head, and avoid pointing your feet at people or altars
- Bargain in markets, but cheerfully — anger loses you the deal
Packing suggestions
- Light clothes plus a genuinely warm layer if going north in winter
- Rain shell and quick-dry footwear for the wet season
- Modest cover-up for temples and pagodas
- Mosquito repellent; Type A/C/D adapter
Travel tips
- There is no single best season — the north, centre and south have different, partly opposite, wet seasons. Pick your route first, then your dates
- Carry cash in dong; cards work in cities but not at the street stalls where the food is
- Cross the road by walking slowly and steadily without stopping — traffic flows around you
- Use Grab rather than negotiating with taxi and xe ôm drivers
- Apply for the e-Visa only on the official government portal
- Avoid travelling during Tết unless you plan for it — transport books out and much of the country closes
Popular cities
Destinations in Vietnam200 total
Showing the 24 most popular of 200 — search or pick a tag above to find a specific place.
Hanoi
4.5Vietnam, Vietnam
Capital of Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
.jpg?width=1200)
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Water area in Hoàn Kiếm Ward. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Ngọc Sơn Temple
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Temple in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
.jpg?width=1200)
One Pillar Pagoda
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi, Vietnam, dedicated to the deity Guanyin. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Trấn Quốc Pagoda
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Buddhist temple in Hanoi. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Old imperial citadel in Hanoi, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
4.5Điện Biên, Vietnam
National mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Hỏa Lò Prison
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Prison in Hanoi used for political prisoners in colonial times and for prisoners of war during the Vietnam war.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Museum in Hanoi, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Hanoi Opera House
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Theatre in Hanoi, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Long Bien Bridge
4.5Hanoi, Vietnam
Bridge in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Co Loa Citadel
4.5Đông Anh district, Vietnam
Archaeological site in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Perfume Pagoda
4.5Vietnam
Complex of Buddhist temples and shrines in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
%2001.jpg?width=1200)
Bát Tràng
4.5Gia Lâm, Vietnam
Commune of Hanoi. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Bút Tháp Temple
4.5Thuận Thành, Vietnam
Buddhist temple in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
.jpg?width=1200)
Ha Long Bay
4.5Vietnam
UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Hạ Long
4.5Quảng Ninh, Vietnam
Provincial city of Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Cát Bà Island
4.5Haiphong City, Vietnam
Island in Haiphong, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Cat Ba National Park
4.5Haiphong City, Vietnam
National park. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Sung Sot Cave
4.5Quảng Ninh, Vietnam
Sung Sot Cave is a notable cave in Quảng Ninh, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
.jpg?width=1200)
Thien Cung Cave
4.5Hoa Lư, Vietnam
Cave in Viet Nam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Haiphong City
4.5Vietnam, Vietnam
Municipality under the direct control of the central government in Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
%20(38540830421).jpg?width=1200)
Tràng An
4.5Vietnam
UNESCO World Heritage Site in Red River Delta, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.
Tam Cốc-Bích Động
4.5Hoa Lư, Vietnam
Tam Cốc-Bích Động is a notable cave in Hoa Lư, Vietnam. It lies in northern Vietnam, best visited in autumn or spring.