One of the popular travel destination in South East Asia is Vietnam. Vietnam is best known for healthy, fresh and light food, its culture, the history & outdoor destinations only tropical countries can boast of. If you’re planning to go to Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Mui Ne and other cities and towns in Viet, here are the travel tips you need to run down with to make the best out of your trip!

Don’t underestimate the weather

Weather can be extreme in Vietnam. It can be too hot and humid in the morning and can be raining heavily in the late afternoon. Always bring with you a foldable umbrella and be mindful of the weather for the day before going out of your hotel. That way you will know what to expect for the rest of the day while exploring this vibrant city.

Vietnamese loves to nap

You will see in the sidewalk Vietnamese take their naps seriously in mid afternoon. From the middle-aged man on top of his motorcycle to the elderly woman just beside her food cart. You can also take a break from exploring the city by taking a nap in your hotel right after noontime. This will not only give you energy for the rest of the day but also keeps you out from the blazing the sun.

Try street foods but be cautious

There are a lot of interesting food that you can find lined up in food carts in the streets. Both local and visitors line up to get their fair share of meals. Try some local delicacies or food but be very careful and be cautious with how the food are prepared. Check how the street vendors prepare the food before lining up or else you might find yourself catching a stomach bug or flu.

Get your hotel details ready

Language is still a barrier in Vietnam. Not everyone can speak and converse in English well. Make sure to have your hotel address printed or ask for a business card from the hotel lobby that you can show to the taxi driver every time.

Cash is the king

There are not much stores and shops that accepts debit/credit card transactions. It is still best that you carry cash with you around. Most shops and tourists attraction spots only accepts cash.

Walk slowly when crossing the street

One of the safety hazards in Vietnam is motor-vehicular accidents and most cases of this happens with motorcycles. Make sure to cross slowly when crossing the streets. Just continue to move forward because motorcycles passes pedestrian behind them – so do not step back or abruptly stop midway.

Wear safety when on motorcycle bikes

If you plan to explore Vietnam in motorcyles for rent, make sure to bring your own driver’s licence and always have a copy of it saved on your phone or printed somewhere. Do not rent a motorcycle that does not include helmets for you and your passenger.

Tipping enough for coffee

Giving tips is not big anywhere in Vietnam but if you should a good basis on how much you should tip is based on how much a local coffee would cost. So tip just enough for coffee unless you’re feeling generous and you want to tip more.

Learn a bit of Vietnamese

You do not need to learn how to speak fluent Vietnamese but locals will appreciate some simple phrases like:

  • Hello = Xin Chao (Sin chow)
  • How are you? = Ban Khoe Khong (Ban Kwe Khom)
  • Thank you = Cam on (kahm uhn)
  • Sorry = Xin Loi (Sin Loy)
  • No Problem = Khong co gi (Khong koh zi)
  • Goodbye = Tam Biet (Tarm Byeet)
  • No, Thank You! = Khong! Cam On (Khom, kahm uhn)
  • Can you speak English? = Ban noi tieng anh duoc khong? (Banh noi thien an durkh khom)
  • What is your name? = Ten ban la gi?  (Ten bang la zi)
  • My name is ___ =  Ten toi la ___ (Ten toy la ___)