(Ariso Sushi at Haneda International Airport)
https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/shop_and_dine/detail/tenant_00053.html

We started in the South and flew into Son Nhat Airport from Japan. From there, we explored Saigon by motorbike and visited P’s father in the Kien Giang province ( the southern tip of Vietnam.) After a nice relaxing week seaside, we took a ferry to the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc and spent a few days there before flying to the western coastal city, Nha Trang.

Jack has been to Vietnam for work a few times and only really got to spend it in Saigon, while Pauline hadn’t been back to Nha Trang for nearly two decades. According to Pauline’s recollection as a fifth grader- outside of the beautiful long stretch of ocean, it was completely unrecognizable from before with all of the newer developments. Nha Trang went from a super chill coastal beach town with seafood stands and ladies selling you dessert on the sand – to a more economically booming city, with many more storefronts and high-end complexes that never existed before.

We stayed in an awesome Airbnb a block from the boardwalk, nestled in a high-rise in a fancy complex above a LotteMart- which looking back, was where we spent 60% of our entire stay in Nha Trang. That grocery store was HUGE and had just about every type of dried instant ramen imaginable (literally over 6 aisles dedicated to instant ramen…) While we had hoped to spend time along the water, the weather was a bit windy and there were periods of light rain during our short stay- but it was wonderful being seaside, nonetheless.

From there, we flew straight to central Vietnam and drove to Hoi An after arriving at Da Nang Airport.  The week spent in Hoi An was beautiful as well as life-changing.  A private photoshoot in the Old Town was coordinated, where Jack PROPOSED (*happy dance*)

After a few days of post-engagement bliss, lantern-making, and Ao Dai fittings, we spent a few days in the city of Da Nang to visit the famous fire-breathing Dragon Bridge and practiced our bartering skills at the ginormous local night market.

After some great fun in central Vietnam, we made our way north to Hanoi for the last leg of our Vietnam trek (or so we thought at the time.) We didn’t have high hopes for the capital city after hearing not-so-many great things from others, but it turned out to be our favorite city of all. We were able to do an incredibly fun day trip to Ha Long Bay, one of the Natural Wonders of the World – where we got to swim, hike in caves, and kayak through the bays.

We also partook in a really fun pottery class in the Old Town, as the nearby Bat Trang Village was famous for its traditional production of handcrafted ceramics. After a short stay and a LOT of food in a new bustling city, our VISA was nearing expiration but our sense of adventure was not. Jack even tried out his skills by renting a motorbike for part of our stay! Even being the adrenaline junkies that we are, we can definitely say that trying to ride among the locals was one for the books! After a couple of oopsies and some more close calls, we were still not ready to go home yet after finding that there was just too much to be explored and not enough time (even by motorbike!)

After a few sleepless nights of considering different options, we settled on extending our trip by a couple of months and did a Visa run in between, just to get back to Hanoi! We pushed our return flight home and bought new flights to Thailand and from there, to the Philippines to adventure with our friend Rey, and finally purchased another flight back to Hanoi dated for 30 days before we were ready to leave – all while reapplying for a new 1 month E-Visa for our re-entry to Vietnam.

You can definitely say it was worth it and we loved it THAT much to go through all of the extra work. In fact, we loved it SO much, that we also decided to host our wedding here, this next February 2024. As we put together a travel guide for our loved ones, it occurred to us that it only made sense for this to be our very first blog post, so we can share all of this information with y’all too. We have learned so many things from our travel to Southeast Asia, and we hope you find these tips for traveling to Vietnam helpful for your next big adventure!

TLDR; We love Vietnam- We got engaged there; We’re getting married there; We made a guide for our wedding guests and are now converting that into this guide for you! Enjoy!

What to bring:

• • Fresh, crisp $100 bills

• • ATM Card with minimal foreign transaction fees. Some credit unions offer reimbursement of ATM fees up to a certain amount, depending on the type of account you have with them.

• • Credit card (VISA or MC) with NO foreign transaction fees & built-in protection (trip interruption insurance is a good one to have)

• • Travel lock or personal travel bag to keep on your person when transiting or walking around in crowded areas

• • Offline downloaded apps for Rideshare, Navigation, Translation & Currency Conversion

• • Digital scans of important travel docs, such as Passports and Vaccine Card

• • Important personal medications and some pills for stomach issues

• • Hand sanitizer

• • Ear plugs and an eye mask for the plane ride/sleeping in crowded noisy areas

• • An open mind and heart to experience a completely different way and pace of life

• • Bonus: VN Sim Card

Here are some non-negotiable tips for when you’re planning on traveling to Vietnam:

1. Get the best exchange rate

(Ha Tam Gold Shop Near Ben Thanh Market, Saigon)
https://www.expatvn.com/money-exchange-options-in-ho-chi-minh/

Bring un-creased, fresh $100 bills to receive the best exchange rate at local Gold shops. Gold shops purchase your US bills the same way a pawnshop would. They judge it on the appearance while looking at current market value to determine how much they will give you for them. If you bring creased or dirty bills, you will likely get a lower exchange rate than bringing fresh un-creased ones. 

Otherwise, bring an ATM card that has minimal foreign transaction fees– we will link a legit ATM location that does not charge any additional fees for withdrawal to use while you are here (your bank fees still apply.) Google Maps location for TP Bank in Hanoi which does not charge a fee. (38-40 P. Hàng Da, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam)

Because cash is king. Some sit-down restaurants and nicer vendors will accept VISA/MC, but can also tack on a 3% processing fee. Some others, like street vendors or mom-and-pop shops, won’t do it at all. Make sure you ask if you plan on using it, PRIOR to sitting down. The larger grocery stores and known-chain convenience stores will accept credit cards, while the independent ones usually do not

2. Use a credit card with zero foreign transaction fees

Always have an international VISA (Amex is not widely accepted here, MC is a hit/miss) that does not charge international fees- those add up quickly. It’s wise to alert your CC company that you will be traveling, so they don’t mistakenly freeze your account to prevent fraud. *Bonus if it comes with any built-in extra protection (trip interruption insurance is a good one to have.)

3. Always pay in the local currency

(TP Bank Vietnam – look for the purple front of the building)
https://tien-phong.ngan-hang.net/2016/12/chi-nhanh-ha-noi-tai-ha-noi.html

 

NEVER opt for paying in USD if offered (the vendor or merchant is able to set their own exchange rate, which is never good for you)- always use a credit card with no foreign transaction fee and charge it in VND. Obviously, cash is king and can often get you a lower price on goods or services.

4. Know when to barter (and know that you absolutely should!)

If an item has a price on it, it is usually set but you can always try to *politely* barter. If there is no price on the item, and the salesperson gives you a verbal price- start offering as low as half of the quoted price and work your way up from there. Don’t show too much interest in an item, as you lose a bit of your bartering power that way, but also remember- these people are just trying to make a living, so don’t waste their time either 🙂 In some cases, offering to pay in cash could also typically give you a better price point.

5. Be Vigilant

Photo by Georgios Domouchtsidis on Unsplash

Petty crime isn’t huge in Hanoi, but always be vigilant, ESPECIALLY in crowded areas and big markets- don’t keep flashy things out and it’s best to keep bags zipped in front of you (rather than behind or on your side.) We always had a small travel lock handy to keep on our zippers so we wouldn’t have to worry about it as much. Don’t leave things unattended, phones/wallets shouldn’t be set down and forgotten about either.

6. Have Your Apps Ready

Unless you plan on studying and perfecting your Vietnamese up until the trip, download Google Translate and have Vietnamese downloaded offline for easier communication. But definitely do try to learn a little bit of Vietnamese- just some basics like, hello (xin chào), thank you (cảm ơn/cám ơn), how much (bao nhiêu), and cheers (một, hai, ba, dô!) 

We use the last one a lot. 

(CurrencyConverter App We Use)

Have a good currency converter app handy, as well- for obvious reasons. We once paid $100 more for a pound of shrimp than I thought we would because my dusty Vietnamese AND mental conversion were wrong. Good times; Great shrimp.

Offline downloading area maps on Google Maps is always handy, in case you are in an area with little/no service or do not have access to the internet after a few too many bia’s and you’re lost in an alley that looks too much like every other alley.

I’ve said this once, a thousand times, but I’ll say it again- Download Grab! You can download it before you leave for Vietnam but will need your VN SIM Card to create your account. We used it for transportation, ordering food, getting deliveries- everything. And they are FAST. Like, same-day Amazon who?

7. Have Backups

Things happen, people lose things, and life goes on. Until you’re trying to get home and realize you haven’t seen that little blue book in a while and have literally no way of verifying your identity to the Embassy. Have digital scans/copies of your passport, vaccination card, prescriptions, and insurance card offline downloaded and accessible to you. It’s always good to have backups.

8. Take care of your health stuff BEFORE you leave

Make sure your shots/immunizations are updated. The CDC website will have updated recommendations for Vietnam. Check them periodically before you leave to see any changes. Ask your doctor about pills for stomach/diarrhea- we hope you won’t need them but you’ll be glad to have them if you do. 

Travel insurance is always recommended. 

If you have any personal medications, ointments, or even contact lenses that are specific to you, be sure to have those filled, packed, and ready to go. While Vietnam has a lot of mini pharmacies, there are definitely no guarantees they will have what YOU need, WHEN you need it. Best to bring those and get other general toiletries there.

Water is not drinkable from the tap here. Be extremely careful when consuming drinks with ice, as it’s almost never made from filtered water. If you must drink it, try to do so quickly before the ice melts too much into your drink. Buying sealed bottled water is your best bet, or just making sure the water you’re drinking is purified. We’re not gonna lie- the weather can be extremely hot and humid here, so staying hydrated is a must.

And soap isn’t always accessible at restaurants, just bring the hand sanitizer.

9. Bring earplugs/eye masks!

Photo by Frida Aguilar Estrada on Unsplash

Depending on where you’re staying… you will need them. You may want to sleep, but Hanoi does NOT. Between the constant motorbike honking, and loud speaker selling you chè at 3 am- you’ll wonder what silence ever was. Plus, a bonus! You can use them on your lovely plane ride with the screaming babies in the seat behind you 🙂

 10. Our Number #1 Tip: Keep an open mind and an open heart

While Vietnam has made so much progress in the past decade with its development and tourism, it is still very much so a developing country. Things are not like how they are here. And that is the absolute beauty of it. Vietnam is a special place. There is so much preserved and natural beauty to be explored in Vietnam. The way of life is simple, yet efficient; The energy is incredible. The vibe is immaculate. Know that this part of the world isn’t like yours, and focus on the things that make it uniquely them. Once you look past the differences, you’ll see why it’s one of the most charming places you’ll ever go (with some of the BEST food you will ever eat!)

Bonus Tip: Get a VN SIM Card!

You can pre-buy one online for super cheap on Klook, and pick it up at their kiosk upon arrival, OR you can just buy one from the many vendors at the airport. That way, you have access to the internet AND to a Vietnamese phone number to download Grab. 

Download Grab, seriously. It will save you tons of money on rides/food delivery.

Wedding Guests– Click here to verify your identity via email and you will also receive our handy dandy downloadable guide, made just for you!