Backpacking Vietnam 2020
Everything You Need To Know
Updated Jan 2020
If you search 'cheapest country to travel' on Google, You will see, Vietnam is the second option. That's why Vietnam is a backpacker's paradise. Vietnam is perfect for epic adventures, unique experiences, ancient historical sights, and of course mouth-watering food. If you are almost broke like me then Vietnam will welcome you with wide-open arms. Not only the people are super awesome, getting there, getting a Visa roaming around is very easy also. This is why Vietnam became the most traveled country for backpackers.
#VietnamQuickInfo
* Capital: Hanoi
* Currency: Vietnamese Dong
(Đồng)
Get Xe Currency for real-time conversion
Vietnam is well connected with flights and even via buses from Thailand, Laos & Cambodia.
Domestic transportation is also very good. most of the travelers opt to explore Vietnam by motorcycle as it is the easiest way to getting around and affordable. Vietnam is a big country. You can find plenty of Vietnam itineraries. The most common route to travel either from Hanoi (North) to Ho Chi Minh City (South) or the other way.
I traveled from South to North. Spent a month there exploring and yes, of course, will return.
To Know more about Sim Currency, Food, Transportation and everything.,
Take a look at Vietnam Essentials - Things You Need To Know before start planning for Vietnam.
Hanoi - Busy street, PC : Josh Stewart
Ha Lan Bay kayaking from Cat Ba
Best Time to Visit Vietnam
Generally, the best time to visit Vietnam is Autumn (Sept-Dec) and Spring (March and April).
The north, central, and south, three different regions experience different types of seasons and weather events throughout the year.
I was in Vietnam in December and I felt how different the weather is from one region to another.
Ho Chi Minh City was pleasant, warm in the day and pleasant in the evening. but when I moved Hoi An (central region) it was very hot and dry.
And Hanoi, Cat Ba was totally different from the south and central. It was chilly and cloudy. Sapa and Ha Giang were super cold.
Let me break down by regions,
North Vietnam: October – May will give you dry weather the majority of months. Expect some colder temperatures in the mountains and from March onwards, a little more rain as it gets more humid.
Central Vietnam: February – July is the best time of year to avoid heavy rain. Temperatures will hit the upper 30 from June to August.
Southern Vietnam: December – April is the dry season. Temperatures will rarely fall below 20 degrees and will reach up to 40 degrees come March/April.
Rice Terrace Sapa, PC : Jireh Foo
Getting VISA for Vietnam
Visitors from most of the countries must obtain a visa approval letter online and then get a Visa of arrival for tourism purposes.
Indian ordinary passport also needs an approval letter online which is around $15-$20 in most of the online services.
I applied through applyvietnamvisa.org and the service charged only 11$.
You can get a visa for 30 days single or multiple entries as well as 60 days single or multiple entries. The charges will change accordingly.
This charge is not the stamping fee. To get a stamp on arrival at Vietnam you have to pay $25 or 570K Dong.
So total visa fee is $25 (fixed) + online approval letter charge(variable)
Why are you waiting? Apply for VISA now
Ninh Binh, PC: Joaquín
Still, confused about Visa?? Don't worry, check this out - How To Apply Vietnam Visa for more details and guide to apply the visa.
Where to go in Vietnam
Vietnam is a pretty big country to travel to. If you think you can cover the entire country in 2 weeks, you mostly end up on flights, buses, and trains.
Vietnam is split into three regions, the north, central and south. If you only have less than two weeks, you can focus on one or two regions.
If you love to eat, (there are tons of different dishes you can try), love history and ruins and nature,
my best advice is to make sure you give yourself enough time to see the entire country. I recommend a minimum of 2 weeks, even though that is not enough.
Another popular way to backpack Vietnam is to combine a trip with a neighboring country. For example, combing Southern Vietnam and Cambodia.
Hoi An Ancient Town - UNESCO World Heritage Site
4-5 Days Vietnam Itinerary: Explore Northern Region
Ha Lan Bay from Cat Ba - It was a cloudy day
If you want to see most of the places in a short period it's better to hire a car or a motorbike to roam around the region.
1. Hanoi
2. Cat Ba/Ha Long Bay
3. Ninh Binh
4-5 days is a pretty tight schedule. So my best advice is to roam around the Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. If you are on a budget then Cat Ba is your best option, it is a small island near Ha Long Bay
You can take a ride in Ha Lan Bay, which is similar to Ha Long Bay but less expensive. But the view is spectacular.
You can also add Ninh Binh to explore the astonishing Limestone Mountains.
Checkout detailed itinerary for Vietnam, the best transport, food. Plan your perfect Vietnam holiday in a more effective way.
2 Weeks Vietnam Itinerary #1: Explore North & Central Region
1. Hanoi
2. Sapa
3. Ha Long Bay/ Cat Ba
4. Ninh Binh
5. Da Nang
6. Hue
7. Hoi An
Start your trip from Hanoi - a beautiful combination of Old and Modern life. A gateway to the incredible mountains and scenery to the Northern region. Hanoi is worth spending at least a couple days exploring, on foot or by bicycle.
There are many places to visit and roam around in Hanoi, check out Places To Visit In Hanoi.
After your time in Hanoi take a train to Sapa, exploring the beautiful countryside is just one of the many fun things to do in Sapa. Rent a motorbike and drive to the beautiful Thac Bac Waterfall, around 15kms from the main town of Sapa. If you are pure in heart you may see a white dragon.
From Sapa come back to Hanoi and then explore beautiful floating mountains in Ha Long Bay or Cat Ba.
I loved Cat Ba. Its beautiful not that crowded and an amazing party place. Check out Things To Do in Cat Ba.
From Cat Ba or Ha Long take a bus to Ninh Binh. Ninh Binh is one of the hidden gems in Vietnam. Take a boat ride in Trang An, an UNESCO world heritage side aka Ha Long Bay in Land. Or just rent a bike and explore the surroundings.
Here is the list of Things To Do in Ninh Binh.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake - Hanoi
Hue Citadel
One of Vietnam's most royal cities, Hue has impressive historic sights, perfect for history buffs. There is a ton of Places To Visit in Hue and you could easily spend weeks here.
Da Nang is a great day trip from Hue, the sandy beaches, caves and Buddhist shrines among many other activities make for the perfect day out.
You can take shared cab or bus to Hoi An from Hue via Da Nang.
2 Weeks Vietnam Itinerary #2: Explore South & Central Region
1. Ho Chi Minh City
2. Mui Ne
3. Nha Trang
4. Da Nang
5. Hue
6. Hoi An
The War Remnants Museum
Start your journey Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon, a busy city. I found Ho Chi Minh city is a bit expensive compared to Hanoi. Leave your bag at The Joy Hostel and explore the city.
The city was very much affected by the Vietnam war and you can experience the terror in The War Remnants Museum. Take a day trip to Chu Chi Tunnel - a network of connecting tunnels that was home for many soldiers during the war. There are plenty of places you can visit here.
Check out Things To Do in Ho Chi Minh City.
After spending 2/3 nights in Ho Chi Minh City take a train to Mui Ne. Enjoy awesome Sand Dunes or you can hire a motorbike and ride up the mountain paths to Da Lat.
Check out more Things To Do in Mui Ne.
From here go to Nha Trang, perfect for relaxing after a hectic journey. If you like water sports then you will love Nha Trang. It offers sports like windsurfing, paragliding and jet skiing.
Readout this awesome post about Things To Do in Nha Trang.
From Nha Trang take a bus to Hue or train to Da Nang. And then to Hoi An.
You can skip Mui Ne if you like the beach more. And also can visit Da Lat if you want to explore amazing waterfalls.
Tan Dinh Church, Ho Chi Minh City
Other Places to Visit in Vietnam
I have listed some other places you might check out which are also worth a visit. Click on the cards/images to know more.
A port city with a nice beach to chill out. Take a day trip from HCM City or spend a couple of days doing nothing. Check out What To Do In Vung Tau
Vung Tao
PC : Kon Karampelas
If you like motorbikes then a ride in Ha Giang Loop. Enjoy Spectacular view of limestone mountains.
Check out Why You Should Visit Ha Giang
Ha Giang
PC : Quang Anh Vũ
Experience the river & floating life in a vast maze of rivers. You can visit delta from HCM city. Check out The Best Things To See In Mekong Delta.
Mekong
Delta
PC : Jil Beckmann
An island in southern Vietnam with a long stretched beach. Perfect to relax and enjoy the ocean. Check out Things To Do Here.
Phu Quoc
PC : Steven Lasry
Where To Stay in Vietnam
There are plenty of Hotels, Hostels and luxury resorts the entire country. I mostly stayed in the hostels which have all the basic amenities like fan/AC, Bed, Mosquito net, etc. Hostels are not that fancy but they are cheap. In Sapa and mountain regions you can stay at homestays to enjoy local life and food.
Ho Chi Minh City
Hoi An
Ninh Binh
Cat Ba
Sapa
How Much Does it Cost?
Sri Lanka is cheap. I would say you don't need more than a budget of ₹800 - ₹1500 (USD $10-$20) per day. Stick to local food, avoid the overpriced fancy restaurants, travel second class and on buses, and stay in hostels.
Here is a list of prices to help you get an idea of costs in Vietnam:
-
Visa Stamping - 570K
-
Pho - 50K
-
Hostels - 300K
-
Airport Bus - 40K
-
Train To Da Nang (4 seat Coach) - 987K
-
Bus Da Nang to Hoi An - 30K
-
Hue City Tour - 150K
-
Bus From Hoi An To Hue - 150K
-
Bottle of Water - 20K
-
Coffee - 40K
-
Cat Ba Tour - 500K
Vietnam Travel Tips
Travel Tip #1: Look out for Scams & Thefts:
Vietnam is a safe country but you need to be very careful about scams and thefts. Mostly in the southern part. If you are an Apple product owner then take special precautions. I know it sounds creepy but I know, because I faced this.
If you want to know my story check How My Phone Got Stolen In HCM City. Also check Scams In Vietnam.
Travel Tip #2: Take the Airport Bus:
Taxi takes around INR 1000-2000 ($20 USD) while the Airport bus takes only INR 90 (30K Dong). It takes around 45 to reach HCM City central near Ben Then market. The road is smooth doesn't take much time. From Hanoi old quarter to airport bus takes around 1 hr.
Travel Tip #3: Careful with Drinking Water:
A 1-liter bottle of package water cost 30K Dong (INR 90). I suggest you use Purified Waterbottle (My personal favorite) which cost around INR 600 and that's a one-time investment. Beer and other soft drinks are cheaper than water. :P
Travel Tip #4: Travel by train & bus:
Train & bus travel, are the cheapest way to get around. Both are comfortable journey. There are sleeping night buses.