15 Vietnam Travel Tips

From crossing the street like a local (with blind confidence) to decoding menus for hidden allergens, these Vietnam travel tips—gathered from everything we learned across our 3-week adventure—will have you exploring like a seasoned adventurer in no time.

1 | Cross the street like a pro: Keep a steady pace

Crossing the street in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is an extreme sport disguised as a daily task—motorbikes won’t stop, even if you have the walk signal, so take a deep breath, find a break in traffic, and walk at a consistent pace—they’ll weave around you if you keep your cool.

2 | Use GrabCar to get around — it's cheap!

GrabCar is Vietnam’s version of Uber—download the app, link your credit card or book rides and pay in cash. It’s super cheap (usually £1–3; converted: US$1-4 / €1-3.50) to go crosstown or even to the airport, reliable, way easier than flagging down a taxi, and way better than getting gouged by your hotel for a ride. This is probably one of our most key Vietnam travel tips as we took GrabCar nearly everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Walking through the endless sea of motorbikes felt like a full-contact sport, and we used GrabCar in Ninh Binh too since the sights were pretty spread out.

3 | Book private cars to travel between destinations

When hopping between destinations, skip the shared “luxury limousines” (basically just vans), trains, and night buses—opt for a private car instead. It’s cheap by Western standards, way more comfortable, and lets you control the schedule. And forget booking through your hotel—go straight to GetYourGuide, Viator, or book direct. It’s cheaper, the drivers are better, and you can read reviews before committing. Our worst (and priciest) ride was actually booked through a fancy five-star hotel—looked luxe, drove like a lunatic (texted while driving!). Lesson learned.

4 | If you're tall, book a 7-seater car

Heads up, tall folks—whether you're booking a GrabCar, taxi or car through your hotel, if you’re 6-foot like James, go for the 7-seat Xpander. Not only does it give you extra headroom, but it’s usually only a few pence more expensive than the cramped 4-seater (typically a Toyota Vios). Definitely worth the minuscule splurge for the comfort!

5 | Pack less, do laundry — it's cheap!

Laundry in Vietnam? Total win. About US$1 per kilo (cash in Dong) and usually done in under 24 hours. Ask nicely at a good spot, and they’ll often air dry your delicates for free. Laundry Hoi An MRS SA pampered James’ precious socks and rescued a lavender shirt from mystery stains—no extra charge. Pack less, wash on the go, and voilà—more room for souvenirs (hello, tailor-made everything).

6 | Buy toiletries at your home airport

Hotels generally provide loads of free toiletries—but think combs, razors, and toothbrushes. When James ran out of shaving foam, it was handy. But unless you're in a 5-star spot, don’t expect conditioner, lotion, or anything remotely moisturising. Had we known, we’d have grabbed travel minis at the airport after security because on Vietnam domestic flights, there’s no carry-on liquid limit.

7 | What is "clean" water?

In Vietnam, tap water is a no-go—even for brushing your teeth. Stick to bottled water to keep your tummy happy. That said, 4- and 5-star hotels often serve "clean" aka purified water at breakfast and use it to rinse veggies. If you're not sure—ask!

Worried about ice? Us too! We learned from another traveller that if ice is cylindrical with a hole in the middle, it’s generally commercially made with “clean” water. We're total health and safety nerds (the kind who pack emergency electrolytes and DIY wound closure kits), and we had raw veg and iced drinks at 4- and 5-star hotels, high-end restaurants and super touristy spots with no issues. Did the high-fat cuisine give us heartburn? Yep. Did it send us sprinting to the bathroom? Nope. FYI: We did not test this theory with street vendors or super local, authentic spots.

8 | Vegan food still means shellfish

A quick (and important) heads up: just because a dish is labeled vegetarian—or even vegan—doesn’t mean it’s free of shrimp paste or oyster sauce. Yep, we were surprised too. We ran into this while navigating Shal’s shellfish allergy, and it’s a sneaky one. If you’ve got allergies or dietary restrictions, always ask—don’t take the menu at face value.

9 | Carry a food allergy card

We put off Southeast Asia for years because of Shal’s shellfish allergy—shrimp paste and oyster sauce are basically staples. To stay safe, we made an allergy card in English, translated it into Vietnamese (using Google Translate and ChatGPT), and had a native speaker at a hotel double-check it. We printed a stack to show servers and sent the digital version to tour guides ahead of time. Street food was mostly off the table and we brought protein bars as a backup.

If you don't want to risk it with a DIY allergy card, check out Equal Eats—they make ready-to-go cards in multiple languages for every allergy.

10 | Bring tissues & hand sanitiser everywhere

Public bathrooms in Vietnam? Let’s just say… temper your expectations. Toilet paper is a rare gem, soap is MIA, and hand dryers? Dream on. Unless you're at a fancy hotel or restaurant, pack pocket tissues or travel toilet paper, plus hand sanitiser or wipes. Oh—and keep a bit of cash handy. Most toilets are free, but some will hit you with a small fee (around 5,000 VND; converted: £0.14 / US$0.19 / €0.16).

11 | Yes, you need to wear mosquito repellent

We saw mosquito repellent for sale in Vietnam, but most local stuff doesn’t pack enough DEET to truly keep the biters at bay. So we came prepared—three trusty 100ml cans of LifeSystems Expedition Max (50% DEET). We applied it like sunblock (BUT after sunblock): spraying a bit into our hands, then rubbing it on, including a careful dab on our faces and even a sweep through our hair. Needless to say—keep it out of your eyes, off your contact lenses, and far away from any open cuts.

Unintended test: in Mai Chau, Shal’s repellent rubbed off during a massage and in the five minutes it took to get from the spa to the room, her ankles became a buffet. Lesson learned. Don’t assume cities are safer either—Dengue fever is common in urban areas.

12 | Do you need vaccines? 

Before you jet off, check your country’s travel health guidelines and talk to your healthcare provider—most will tell you to be up to date on the basics like MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and IPV (diphtheria, tetanus, polio). We're total health and safety nerds, so we also topped up on hepatitis A and B, and got vaccinated for typhoid, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis. Chat with your healthcare provider to see if vaccines are the right choice for you and your travels.

Yes, travel vaccines can be pricey—but if you’re a UK resident, routine jabs, plus hepatitis A and typhoid, are covered on the NHS.

13 | Some massages wow, others ow

We were buzzing to get quality massages at bargain prices—but after reading some sketchy reviews (even for top-rated spots), we played it safe and stuck to hotel spas. The three massages we got at 5-star hotels? Absolute bliss. But the one we had at a 4-star hotel—with 1,500 glowing Google reviews, mind you—was a disaster. The massage was rough, the vibe was off, and whatever pressure point the therapist hit in Shal’s lower back left her nearly unable to walk. Cue a 14-hour flight home in agony, followed by a week of pain and muscle spasms.

14 | Carry cash everywhere

Cash is king in Vietnam. Most places don’t accept cards or tack on a 2–3% fee if they do. We paid cash for nearly everything. Most cashpoints worked fine for us, but keep in mind: you can usually only withdraw 3 million VND (converted: £84 / US$ 114 / €98) at a time. The good news? You can make multiple back-to-back withdrawals (which we totally did in cities, knowing rural areas are a cashpoint desert).

And here's a crucial money-saving tip: whether you're paying by card or hitting the cashpoint, always choose to be charged in VND, not your home currency. That “convenient” conversion? It’s a rip-off in disguise.

15 | Nearly every price is negotiable

Even if prices are posted, you can always score a better deal by buying multiple items and paying cash. In markets, aim for 50% off. When they say "no," flash a smile, say "thanks," and start to walk away. Trust us, they won’t let you get far. Politeness and the art of walking away is your secret weapon. If they know you're hooked, they’ll be less likely to budge. And while things might look cheap, prices are often marked up several times over. Haggling isn’t about short-changing locals—it’s about landing somewhere fair. You can still overpay a little (and feel good about supporting the community) without getting completely gouged.