Top 5 Travel Tips For Vietnam | Traveler by Unique
Plan your itinerary properly
One of the most common mistakes when traveling to Vietnam is that we don’t plan our itinerary properly. Vietnam has so much to offer, you will have to organize your trip so you can make it see everything on your list. The best way to do this is to take a look at the top things to do in Vietnam, and then choose what you want to do and see.
Many of the activities you will want to do, won’t take more than a few hours. By knowing where each activity or site is, you can plan a day where you do more than one of those activities on the same day. Another thing you should know about is, travel times are not always as displayed in Vietnam. Expect there to be delayed, and unexpected stops as the transportation system in some of the smaller villages are not as developed as some of the larger cities in Asia.
Take Tours
Tours in Vietnam are a great idea for a few reasons. You can take half-day tours or full-day tours where a tour guide will take you to some of the big attractions. This is a great way to check off multiple items in one day.
Sunset cruises, island hopping cruises, fishing tours, snorkeling tours, and diving tours are always worth it. You will get a view of the Vietnamese landscapes from the water, and your tour guide knows exactly where to take you, at the perfect time of day, to make sure you have an unforgettable time. These tours come with rentals, life jackets, water, and the essentials you need for a day on the water.
You can also find adult-only tours, market tours, temple tours, culinary tours, bar hopping tours and more. During the tours, you will get to learn about the culture regarding each tour.
Food - What to eat and where?
Vietnamese food is very versatile because it is both flavourful and reasonably healthy. In Ho Chi Minh City and the other main cities, you will find a wide variety of restaurants, from locally-owned cafes to 5-star restaurants, boasting reviews from foodies around the globe.
Foodies love traveling to Vietnam to get Pho right from the motherland. You can get many different ingredients in your Pho and you will be able to find it everywhere.
Banh Mi is another popular food; it is a sandwich that contains herbs, pickles, sauces, vegetables, and meat. Pork belly is a slice of popular meat to have in Bahn Mi.
Spring rolls, pancakes, broken rice, noodles, and other dishes are also commonly served. Don’t be afraid to try street food. It is inexpensive and tasty! You can try an assortment of foods and snacks at most of the markets for a cheap meal as well.
Do NOT drink the water in Vietnam. Stick to bottled water!
Haggling and Bargaining
There are a few things to keep in mind when you are shopping in Vietnam. When you go to a market, you usually aren’t expected to pay the full price on the price tag. Shoppers are expected to haggle and the price tag reflects that. Supermarkets, restaurants, and shopping malls have fixed rates.
Some shoppers look forward to haggling down the venders to get a better price, while others dislike the process. When you find an item you would like, the easiest way to start haggling is to ask them if they will offer you a discount. Then the vender knows you are ready to play ball. You can offer two-thirds or half of the price on the price tag to take the next step. Then go back and forth with the vendor until you reach a price you agree on.
What To Bring
When you are packing for your vacation, you will want to pack clothing that is appropriate for the activities you want to do. If you plan on visiting a temple or a religious site, you may want to look into what kind of attire you need to wear to be granted entrance.
Sunscreen, women’s hygiene products, pain medications such as Advil or Tylenol, travel sickness medications and allergy medication is often priced cheaper at home. Load up on these things prior to your trip and bring enough for the whole trip to avoid paying more than you should at one of the local shops.