Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful countries, attracting travelers to its lush mountains, bustling cities and golden sand beaches. It is also known as a friendly and safe destination for travelers Worldwide. If you plan a trip to Vietnam, here are a few things you should know, especially for first-time visitors, it would be helpful.

Weather

Vietnam is a country which benefits from having three different microclimates for the 3 main parts of the country: the North, the Center & the South, making it a great year-round destination.

Its time to travel from October to April when the country sees the least amount of rain and cool temperature; the rains come from May to late September, Vietnam still attracts as it is less crowded, much more attractive price & better service! Come & enjoy!!!

Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa…) can be quite cold, damp and misty from November to March, but it’s also possible to experience lovely sunny, cloudless days during this period. You might need warm clothing and a waterproof jacket in case of rain, or can be cheaply purchased locally if required.

Sun shines onto the terraces of rice fields in northwestern Vietnam (Shutterstock Photo)

Central Vietnam (Hue, Hoi An, Danang, Nha Trang…) is at its wettest from September through to December. This period sees monsoon rains and occasional typhoons that can cause flooding in the area. While this is rarely of such a level as to seriously affect an itinerary, we do advise people traveling in this period that there may be last-minute changes to itineraries to accommodate the weather conditions.

Eo Gio Quy Nhon is a beautiful check-in spot (Photo: Collected)

Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh city, Mekong Delta…) is generally dry from November to April. May to October is warm, with heavy showers and the odd overcast day. Northern areas are cooler and drier from January to May and September to December. June to August can be hot, humid and showery.

Travel to the Southwest region (Photo: Collected)

Passport & Visa

To enter Vietnam, you will need to bring your passport which is valid for at least 6 months on arrival & enough blank page for visa stamped on it.

A valid visa will be required for citizens from most foreign countries to come to Vietnam for any purpose. According to your nationality on the passport, Vietnam visa can be exempted; or advance visa to Vietnam (visa at embassy, E-visa); or Vietnam approval letter for Visa on arrival will be required before you board on plane to Vietnam.

Please double check this important information carefully before flying to Vietnam.

Currency & Money & Purchase

The currency of Vietnam is Dong (VND). Currently, there are banknotes of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 VND.

Photo: Bao Lao Dong

Enter Vietnam, you can exchange money in the airport or banks or currency exchange booths or even at your hotels.

Please be sure that your money must remain intact, not torn and too dim to guarantee the smooth transactions or best exchange rates.

There are ATM machines available everywhere, so you do not need to bring too much cash. You can withdraw cash from them with a good exchange rate. Keep lots of pence in Dong to buy small things or pay for transportation.

Credit cards (Visa, Master Card is the most common type of cards in Vietnam) can be used at restaurants, hotels or modern convenience stores and commission fees of using credit cards from 3-4% (depending on the card type) will be charged in this case.

Prices of things are reasonable, but expect to pay whatever you can haggle for it. There are no fixed prices, except in the big malls or modern convenience stores or valued items…This can be daunting at first, but you will get used to it, and find it even more fun this way.

Electricity

The standard household (hotel) electrical supply in Vietnam is 220 volt, 50 Hertz, but you may find that 110 volt, 50 Hertz outlets are still in use in some places. In Vietnam, the standard socket accepts a two round pin plug without a ground pin (Type A), but non-standard two flat blade (Type B) or two rectangular blade sockets and plugs are still in use.

Some modern hotels and office blocks have three pin round (Type D) or UK three pin square sockets (Type C). Before traveling to Vietnam, please survey your various items that you will need and that require electricity to operate.  

Vietnamese Food

Vietnamese food is known to be both healthy and robust in flavor, thanks to its generous combination of fresh herbs and greens, paired with rice, noodles, seafood, pork and beef.

Along with fine-dining venues and five-star hotel restaurants decked out in extravagant settings, some of the best (and most authentic) Vietnamese delicacies can be found at roadside eateries, vibrant street markets, and humble-looking restaurants.

Don’t worry if you are vegetarians or Halal food followers, there are choices for you as well.

Here we can suggest you some authentic dishes that are famous for Vietnamese food that you should try while traveling to the country: Pho, Banh Mi, Banh Xeo (Crispy Pancake), Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls), Mi Quang (Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles), Bun Thit Nuong (Vermicelli Noodles With Grilled Pork), Banh Cuon (Rolled Cake)…

Photo: Collected

Crossing The Street

Vietnam transportation is so complex with various types of traffic, in particular, motorcycles as the most popular one. Traffic jams often occur during peak hours every day (before and after working daytime), weekends and holidays.

Photo: Bao Dan Tri

Crossing a Vietnamese street can feel scary as there are traffic signals for pedestrians. It will take some time before you feel comfortable with it. Walk slowly when crossing a street in Vietnam.  

For Your Safety

Ø  Avoid tap water, only drink bottled water.

Ø  Protect your trip with travel insurance.

Ø  Get your hotel details / maps in hand.

Ø  Take care of your belongings, and don’t bring much cash or valuable things when outside or at crowded places.

Ø  Do not show anger.

Ø  Wear appropriate clothes at the temples.

Ø  Remove footwear in temples and houses.

Ø  Be a sensitive photographer / cameraman.

Ø  Don’t take pictures of anything to do with the military, this can be considered a breach of national security.

Ø  Don’t take video cameras into small villages, it’s considered very intrusive and the people are often too polite to ask you to stop filming.

Ø  Some basic words of Vietnamese can be helpful when you are with the locals.

Ø  Using Grab or reputable taxi companies such as Mai Linh, CP group, Vina Sun…Hotel receptionists can help you with this when necessary.

Ø  Personal items: Travel hair dryer, bath towel, shaving equipment, brush & toothpaste, etc. You can bring it from your home, or you can buy it from many convenient stores when you arrive in Vietnam. These things are often set up in most hotels/hostels in Vietnam. The good idea is always carry toiletries in your daypack when you have an outside day.

Vietnam has long been well-known for its stunning natural landscapes, rich history, diverse culture, colonial architecture and hospitable local people. Besides, Vietnam has recently turned into a new healthcare tourism destination thanks to its fast-paced development of the medical and wellness sectors.

1. Facts

It can be simply understood that healthcare tourism means foreign travelers visiting another country in combination with medical treatments and convalescence services. And Vietnam is now a fast growing country and a preferred hub for healthcare.

The number of Vietnamese overseas and foreigners visiting for medical tourism has increased steadily over the past few years because of the significantly lower cost compared to that of Western countries. They choose Vietnam as their destination for various medical procedures such as dental care, cosmetic surgery, dermatology, cardiology intervention and fertility treatment….

Last year, more than 357,000 foreign patients visited hospitals in Vietnam for medical check-ups and treatment, with in-patients accounting for 57,000, generating revenue worth US$2 billion. Ho Chi Minh City took up 40% of the number of foreign patients. In July 2020, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism in coordination with the Department of Health launched a new website on medical tourism, the first of its kind in the country. 

The website offers information about the city’s medical tourism network and medical services for tourists.

Especially, in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam is considered as one of the most successful countries to respond and prevent its infection and also treated well to many foreign travelers who were infected with Coronavirus in Vietnam. It has been recognized worldwide for health care capability and deserves to be a safe country for travel as well as healthcare treatments.

2. Healthcare system in Vietnam

Major cities such as Hanoi, Danang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City have a number of public and private hospitals with English-speaking staff. While small pharmacies are common in almost any Vietnamese cities, in the rural areas you may be far from the nearest pharmacy or hospital. In fact, many Vietnamese hospitals these days compare well against Western counterparts and in some areas, including customer service, medical care, Vietnam is even better.

2.1. Public hospitals

The number of public hospitals takes up a large portion in Vietnam’s health care system. The price of treatments and health consultations in public hospitals is more reasonable so that most local people can afford the check-ups. International tourists may find it difficult to communicate with medical staff and doctors in public hospitals because they normally only speak Vietnamese. Besides, the standards of public hospitals generally do not meet the expectations of foreigners as those in America or Europe. However, with the explosion of tourists and foreigners living in Vietnam recently, public hospitals have attempted to improve deficiencies, such as hiring English-speaking staff.

2.2.  Private hospitals

Vietnam private hospitals are very well equipped with modern facilities and high standard services. Foreign travelers will not be worried about language barriers since these private hospitals (particularly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) are staffed with foreign doctors from the UK, USA, Korea, Japan, Australia as well as Vietnamese doctors trained overseas. The cost of medical care in private hospitals is generally higher than that in public hospitals but still lower than that in Western countries. Credit cards and international health insurance are also accepted in Vietnam private hospitals.

3. Opportunities and Challenges

Though Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand have long got a better reputation for general healthcare, Vietnam’s political stability, affordability of healthcare and the relatively high quality of certain types of medicine are driving the incipient trend already. Vietnam stands to join Asian peers (Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan) as magnets for medical tourism with lower cost.

To tap the potential of becoming a new health care destination, the Vietnamese health sector should now set up strict rules regarding medical practices and develop a medical tourism network that meets international standards. It is very essential for all hospitals to increase investment in modern medical equipment and facilities, update advanced technology, as well as improve the professionalism, foreign language skills and professional ethics of medical experts and doctors and the attitude of medical staff.

In addition to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Danang and Phu Quoc are seen as the ideal destinations to handle medical tourists thanks to their developed infrastructure and modern hotel facilities.

Therefore, medical facilities should build close links with travel agencies and enterprises to create attractive and effective tourism products, combined with healthcare services. It is also better to enhance the communication for medical tourism which helps visitors easily find the necessary information and contribute to creating and promoting high quality medical tourism products and attracting more international tourists to Vietnam.

Source: Vietnamtravel.com

Photo: Bao Dan Toc

Vietnam is a multi-ethnic country with 54 ethnic groups and nearly 4,000 years of history, which built up a great culture of diversity and uniqueness, especially traditional costumes. You can know more about the beauty, elegance and characteristics of local people when you look at their traditional costumes. Vietnamese traditional costumes have been affected by many cultures in the world from the past to present.

1. AO DAI (Vietnamese Traditional Dress)

There is no doubt that the Ao Dai is very well-known in Vietnam and the world because this is the most popular traditional costume of Vietnam. 

Over the years, Ao Dai went through lots of transformations, affected by Western culture. During French colonialism, a French-trained artist named Cat Tuong, or Le Mur, made a revolution for this outfit design. He combined the western dress style with the traditional ao dai, making it much more fitted and in true colonial style, requiring a tight-fitting corset. During that period, Ao Dai was promoted as the national costume for the modern era. It had many different styles throughout the decades until its appearance in modern time as the simple, colorful and graceful Vietnamese national dress. The modern “Ao Dai” consists of long trousers and a two-flap dress (from waist down, the dress splits into front and back flaps).

Photo: Bao Lao Dong

Nowadays, Vietnamese are familiar with Western clothing, but this traditional Vietnamese dress is still a symbol showing the beauty of Vietnamese culture and remains a very popular garment for formal occasions such as weddings or the New Year celebrations.

For men, since the era of Lord Nguyen, rules to wear “Ao Dai” are not as strict as for women. Nowadays, men occasionally wear it for special events but it’s less popular than for women.

2. NON LA (Conical Palm-Leaf Hat)

Non La (Vietnamese conical palm-leaf hat) is a part of Vietnamese costumes for females. While traveling along Vietnam, a common sight you can come across is that Non La is taken by local ladies, walking along the sidewalk. This conical hat is very handy in a tropical country like Vietnam, especially useful in the countryside. It protects farmers from rain or sunny weather.

Like many other traditional costumes of the country, Non La has its own origin, resulting from a legend which pertained to Vietnam wet rice growing culture. Once upon a time, an elegant goddess descended from the sky to protect human-being from a heavy deluge. She wore a giant hat made of four round shaped leaves stitched together by bamboo sticks. That hat was so large that the people were guarded against all the rain, and brought normal life back to the people. After the Goddess was gone, a temple was built to honor her as the Rain-defending Goddess. Locals tried to make a similar hat to the one that the Goddess had on her head so they went into the forest to find natural and available materials such as palm leaves, bark of Moc tree and bamboo to create the Non La as known today. The Non La has become a daily essential for the farmers on the rice fields, boat men and women on the rivers and local street vendors in big cities.

Photo: Nguyễn Thị Hải Yến

The two most famous types of Non La are the Non La of Chuong Village (30 km southwest of Hanoi) and Non Bai Tho in Hue – the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam. Non Bai Tho literally means ‘poem conical hat’ because each hat has a picture of Vietnamese poem and folklore, written by skillful artisans, which can only be seen under the sunlight. A soft silk tie is attached to the inside of the hat to keep the hat on the wearer’s head firmly.

3. AO TU THAN (Four-flapper Dress)

Before the appearance of the Ao Dai, the Ao Tu Than was worn by Vietnamese women and considered as the country’s most enduring relics. The origin of Ao Tu Than is still a question but its illustration was sculpted on the surface of Trong Dong (copper drum) thousands of years ago.

The basic Ao Tu Than consists of three main parts: the “Yếm” – an ancient bodice worn as an undergarment by women to cover the chest area; a long skirt from the waist; and a flowing tunic worn as the outermost layer. The tunic splits into four flaps, also called “than”: two back flaps sewn together (made up a full flap) and the two front flaps can be tied together by a silk sash tied at the waist as a belt. Originally, Ao Tu Than was dyed with natural colors, like the dye-yam, tropical-almond leaves, or mud. In these modern days, Ao Tu Than is no longer widely used in the local daily life but can be found in several northern-related festivals and events with more vivid colors. Because the bodice and the skirt and the tunic have different color gradients.

Photo: Dong Phuc Song Phu

If you have chance to join in the Lim festival in Bac Ninh Province (1 of the 10 Great Festivals in Vietnam), you can witness the female folk singers wearing this attire with accessories, such as “Khan Mo Qua” – a black crow’s beak kerchief made of heavy fabric, “Guoc Moc” – a pair of wooden clogs and “Non Quai Thao” – a kind of conical hat with fringe hanging at both sides.

4. AO BA BA (The Shirt of Madam Ba)

Although Ao Dai is chosen as Vietnamese national costume, the people in the Mekong Delta (southern Vietnam) have their own traditional clothing – the Ao Ba Ba. This costume is so popular in the southwestern countryside that you can see most of the local people wearing this shirt during their daily activities. While you visit Mekong Delta, you can be impressed by the images of the Ao Ba Ba glimmering under the green coconut groves, in the rowing boats down the rivers, on the monkey bamboo bridges, or between the crowded floating markets.

The Ao Ba Ba is a collarless shirt with a back made of a straight piece of cloth. This elaborate shirt is often paired with long white or black trousers. The colors and materials of this set depend on the combination and the desire of the wearers. Farmers and peasants in the Mekong Delta used to wear black or brown Ao Ba Ba to work on the rice fields because they were both clean and easy to wash. Near the hem, there are two extra pockets that are quite convenient for holding necessary items. Thanks to these conveniences and comfort, Ao Ba Ba is often worn by both men and women in the Mekong Delta in their daily life activities. Particularly in special events or festive occasions, they will choose Ao Ba Ba with lighter colors like white, ash gray. Noble class choose the color of young, pale blue with more expensive fabrics such as silk or satin to show off their richness.

Photo: Collected

Over the years, the basic design of traditional Ao Ba Ba has been kept from generations to generations but refurbished to update new fashion trends.

It’s easily recognized that Ao Ba Ba is usually worn with a checkered scarf (also called bandana). This bandana can be black and white or brown and while, not sophisticated but as a gentle highlight for the wearer’s casual style.

Together with Ao Ba Ba, a conical hat and bandana made up the very distinctive beauty and gentleness of Southern Vietnamese people.

5. Vietnamese traditional costumes of Ethnic groups

In Vietnam, ethnic tribe costumes can vary depending on their own characteristics, but most share a common theme of featuring very colorful and very complicated repeated patterns, with many clashing items worn at once.

5.1 Traditional costumes of H’Mong ethnic group in Vietnam

Traditional costumes of H’mong women are very sophisticated and vibrant, typically made of linen with many highlighted colors and embroidered motifs. A completed outfit consists of a deep V-chest shirt, an overall of two square pieces covering the front and the back, a big belt, a headscarf, leggings, and a truncated cone-shaped gather skirt. Along with the handmade costumes, the women often attach jewelry such as silver earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings; which makes them look more beautiful and distinctive. 

Photo: Du lich Ho Ba Be

5.2 Traditional costumes of Thai ethnic group in Vietnam

While you take a trip to Vietnam’s northwestern region (Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh), you will interact with Thai ethnic group and surely be impressed by the Thai women in their traditional attire: a close-fitting blouse and a black long skirt. The cloth belt which connects the blouse and skirt is made of blue, green or pink cloth. The green color goes well with the white blouse and black skirt.

Photo: kiemsat.vn

In addition, the outfit is paired with a sophisticated brocade headscarf (locally called as “Khăn Piêu”) and a few items of silver jewelry, which make the costume more elegant and demure. Traditionally, the black Thai wear a black blouse with a high collar, while the white Thai wear a white blouse with a V-shaped collar. A blouse has two rows of silver buttons in the front: one with female butterfly-shaped buttons and the other with male butterfly-shaped buttons. The interesting fact is that Thai girls wear a blouse with an even number of buttons, while married women dress up the blouse shirt with an odd number of buttons.

5.3 Traditional costumes of Cham ethnic group in Vietnam

The Cham, who have lived along the coast of central Vietnam for a long time, possess a rich culture profoundly influenced by Indian culture. Although Cham’s costume is not as colorful as other clothings in Vietnam, it still has its own charming beauty.

Both men and women wear long one-piece sarongs or cloth wrappers. Men wear shirts fastened down the center with buttons, while women wear long-sleeved pullover blouses. The waistband is tied across the chest and around the waist. It is the attire’s highlight because it is prominently designed with golden iridescent shades and meticulous detail. The Cham women wear the colorful and charming long dresses in major occasions like the Kate New Year festival, the Ramuwan festival, weddings and the celebration of girls’ reaching adulthood. The white colored one is the sole option for attending religious mass. The Cham wear a dress without split flaps because it makes their walk light, flowing and attractive.

Photo: Bao Dan Tri

Headscarf is an indispensable item as it expresses the culture factor, which means that it’s not easy for strangers to make the acquaintance of the Cham women, who are reserved and only express themselves through their eyes, lips and cheeks. A gentle glance or smile can replace a greeting.

Over the years, the modern Cham long dress has been somewhat modified but still retains traditional features. The dress looks better with 2 intertwined embroidered cloth belts, heightening the seductive curves of the wearer’s body.

6. Summary

Vietnamese traditional costumes have been influenced by western fashion trends and replaced by more modern and convenient clothing styles but traditional charm and main characteristics are still preserved. The Vietnamese people still pride themselves on their unique dressing style and culture. And that elegant beauty remains the attraction for travelers when coming to this stunning S-shaped country.

Source: vietnamtravel.com

The trend of green tourism, combining cultural research or music events is assessed to help the Vietnamese tourism industry develop.

The representative of Southeast Asia's leading tourism platform also pointed out the trends that are and continue to "shape the Vietnamese tourism market" in the next year. Mr Caesar said these predictions are based on the database and user experience on the app.

Tourism associated with events and music nights is one of the outstanding trends in recent times. Group concerts Blackpink in Hanoi "is a good example." The event attracted twice as many bookings on Traveloka App compared to a week before the event. Blackpink's two concerts not only attracted visitors from other provinces and cities in Vietnam but also attracted visitors from Asian countries.

According to estimates of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, during BlackPink's two concert nights, the total number of tourists to Hanoi is more than 170,000, tourism revenue reached more than 600 billion VND. The number of flight bookings to Hanoi at that time increased 10 times.

Photo: VnExpress.vn

The trend of sustainable tourism is also on the rise, which is considered a positive tourism trend. Traveloka's data shows a noticeable shift in travelers' preferences. "Young travelers tend to minimize their impact on the environment, looking for green experiences and places to stay during their trip," Caesar said.

Destinations such as Ninh Binh, Hoi An have seen a significant increase in searches and bookings. These spots are popular for their natural beauty, preserved cultural heritage, eco-friendly accommodation, and engaging experiences with local people. The accommodation demand of visitors to Ninh Binh in the first half of 2023 has spiked by more than 80% compared to 2022.

Tourism associated with cultural exploration is also a central trend in Vietnam. Vietnam's Ministry of Culture and Sports has initiated a project to build a national tourism brand for culture. Specific objectives in the Vietnam Strategy for the Development of Cultural Industries to 2020, with a vision to 2030, determine that cultural tourism development accounts for 10-15% of the US$8 billion in total tourism revenue and strives to 2030, accounting for 15-20% of the US$40 billion in total tourism revenue.

According to the analysis of user data, destinations including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Da Lat, Nha Trang and Hue are visited by many tourists to explore local culture.

Mr Caesar Indra said the platform is also focusing on "enriching destination information" for visitors to learn more deeply about the culture where they travel. For example, when visitors search for the keyword "Phu Quoc" on the application, they can view information about cultural heritages, synthesize appropriate tourism experience activities, and promote cultural understanding right from the local scope.

Source: vnexpress.net