Essential things to know before travelling to Vietnam

Vietnam is a hot holiday destination in Southeast Asia, a country blessed with beautiful landscape, rich culture, pristine beach, world's best cuisine and many interesting things to do. Vietnam holiday packages and travel information are easy to get on Google from travel websites, travel forums or personal blogs. However, if you have a plan to visit Vietnam in the coming time, it is useful to read our "Things to know before travelling to Vietnam"

1. Vietnam Visa

Vietnam has just extended 15 day visa exemption for visitors from UK, France, Germany, Italia and Spain until 1July 2018 and tourists from Southeast Asia countries need no visa to enter Vietnam and no need to arrange Vietnam visa if you visit Phu Quoc island in 15 days.

Vietnam visa on arrival is easy to obtain at Noi Bai international airport, same at Danang and Ho Chi Minh city. A Vietnam travel company like Vivutravel can apply Vietnam visa on behalf of tourists. The process will takes 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours or 2 working days. All depends on your requirement.

2. Travel in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the safest countries to travel and tourists can visit all corners of Vietnam without any problem. Vietnamese consider tourists as special guests. Male or female solo travel in Vietnam is popular. It is not easy in remote areas, but the local people are friendly and will help by some ways.

Air travel in Vietnam is safe and convenient. Domestic flights connect all destinations across the country. Open buses and trains stop at all tourist attractions.

Vietnam is a long country, shaped like an "S", which is actually good for tourists to travel from one end to the other. Your Vietnam travel itinerary can be built from 1 week to 2 weeks to see the main sights.

3. Best time to visit

There is no good or bad time to visit in Vietnam, but there are low season and high season.

Low season: From May to September. It is hot, humid and stormy sometimes. However, the terraced rice fields are beautiful in the north, beaches are sunny in the south. Again, if you travel on a budget, low season is best time when hotels, domestic flights, tour operators offer discounts.

High season: From October to April. It is cooler and dry, but it may be also cold and wet in the north especially in January and February. There is no discount on tour packages and hotels, flights are fully booked very soon. It is essential to book your Vietnam holiday in this high season as far as you can.

4. Scams in Vietnam

Like everywhere in the world, there are scams in Vietnam. Some Vietnam travel agents in Hanoi's old quarter and backpacker's area in Ho Chi Minh city offer cheap daily tours, but it is not worst spending money as words are not the same as what you see or experience.

Taxi drivers try to ask you pay more than the meter. Instead of paying 20.000 VND, they ask for US$20.

It is essential to bargain when you are going to buy something in Vietnam especially at shopping centers or tourists' stop. This happens to Vietnamese tourists, too. So avoid being overcharged, bargain hard.

If you travel on a Vietnam private tour, you will have a private tour guide and car escorted, it is a wise idea to ask your tour guide to check the price and bargain for you.

5. Traffic in Vietnam

Vietnam is land of million motorbikes, tourists normally get shock  and find it so difficult to cross the streets in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city. It looks dangerous. Traffic is in chaos. Our advice is to walk slowly and steadily. The motor drivers will turn around you. Crossing the streets in Vietnam is a fun thing after all.

Many backpackers buy the cheap motorbike in Hanoi and ride all the way to Ho Chi Minh city which is a unique experience.

6. Vietnamese people

Vietnamese people are friendly and kind. Tourists are welcomed and invited to try green tea, coffee, local food or rice wine, but they may laugh when seeing you doing something strange. Don't be funny as Vietnamese people never look down on you. It is called "culture shock".

It is useful to know some Vietnamese before coming to Vietnam or on your Vietnam travel. Xin Chao = Hello, Thank you = Cam On.

It is also good to learn how to use chopsticks because in local restaurants, knife and fork are not available.