Vietnam is renowned as one of the countries with many picturesque landscapes attracting foreign tourists. However, many international friends don’t really know how to prepare well for the trip to this S-shaped land to get the best experience. For that reason, the following article will share some travel tips for foreigners planning to travel to Vietnam in the near future.

The most suitable transportation: Motorbike

Transportation in the heart of big Vietnamese cities are mainly motorbikes, taxis, buses… If you travel to Vietnam for the first time, you can use the vehicles mentioned above. However, in order to travel conveniently and easily as well as avoid being cut off when calling a service, tourists should hire a package motorbike at hotels and motels. The rental price is usually not too expensive, fluctuating between 150-200.000 VND/day. At the same time, many backpackers will see this as good advice because it is easy to “dodge” when you are stuck in traffic jams at peak hours in big cities like Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City…

Motorbike is the most suitable means of transportation 

There’s no need to change money to VND

When you travel to Vietnam, you don’t have to change cash to VND. Many stores here still accept exchange in dollars. Nevertheless, if you want to be more convenient in any situation, remember to change money to Vietnamese currency. Vietnam's exchange rate against USD averaged 23.000 VND. The secret to distinguishing the notes of each country is based on the colors and numbers written on them. Don’t put too much attention to their design as most bank notes are similar.

Buy a SIM card straight away when arriving in Vietnam

As soon as the plane lands in Vietnam, you should buy a SIM card at the airport to inform your family and friends about your current travel destination. When using up all the money in your account, you can buy phone recharge cards. You can easily get them at roadside grocery stores anywhere in the city, so there’s no need to worry about this problem.

You should buy a SIM card right after arriving at the airport

Free Wifi

When you are tired, whether you go back to your hotel, lodgings or pop into restaurants or coffee shops to enjoy Vietnamese cuisine, the first thing you probably do is to check in. It is necessary to have 3G or 4G available on your phone so that you can post beautiful pictures on social media and make phone calls via Zalo or Viber. However, what you really need now is a stable free Wifi connection. You can freely surf and connect with your friends without paying any fee when visiting restaurants or staying at any accommodation in Vietnam. You can also use free apps to call or text if you have Wifi, but don’t forget to turn off roaming before using Wifi.

Free wifi is available in hotels, coffee shops or walking streets

Vietnamese people often use English

Many foreign tourists are concerned that the language gap will cause difficulties in communication when they travel to Vietnam. It may be quite challenging for them to ask for directions, for example. In fact, many Vietnamese people can speak some common sentences in English. Moreover, you may come across students who are quite interested in communicating with foreign tourists to improve their language skills, not for any reason.

Young Vietnamese people like practicing English with foreign tourists

Prepare for the weather

Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate, so summer here is very hot. Therefore, you should prepare personal items such as umbrellas, sunscreen or sunglasses. Winter in Northern Vietnam is usually cold, so don’t forget to bring winter coats, scarves and closed-toe shoes with you. Particularly in Ho Chi Minh City, the weather is unstable, so don't forget to bring umbrellas or raincoats just in case. Due to differences in weather between regions, depending on your travel destination, you should prepare suitable clothes to protect your health.

It’s great to discover as many wonderful places as possible when you travel to Vietnam. Therefore, take note of those tips before backpacking in Vietnam to get the best experiences. Have a safe and memorable trip!

Tags: travel to Vietnam, tips before backpacking in Vietnam, travel tips for foreigners, travel to Vietnam advice, travel experiences in Vietnam, travel to vietnam advisory, Vietnam travel preparation, a travel guide to Vietnam