Eight things to do before you book a Vietnam trip

Almost every Vietnam trip that goes well shares the same pre-trip habits. Most of the trips that go badly skipped one of the eight items below. Spend a couple of hours on these before you book; you'll save weeks of mid-trip frustration.

1. Confirm what visa your nationality actually needs

Vietnamese visa policy is not one-size-fits-all. UK, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Nordic, Japanese and South Korean passports get 15 days visa-free. ASEAN passports get 30 days visa-free. Everyone else needs an e-visa (up to 90 days) or a Phú Quốc-only direct entry.

Get this right before booking. The 15-day window is short — if your trip is 16 days, you need the e-visa, not the visa-free entry.

See the visa decision and the visa route checker.

2. Pick the right month

Vietnam is three climates in one country. Hanoi in February: cool and grey. Hội An in October: typhoon season. HCMC in July: humid and rainy. The same trip in August versus March is two entirely different experiences.

See the when-to-come decision and the best-time-to-visit tool.

3. Choose between north, central, and south

Trying to do all three in under two weeks is the most common Vietnam-trip mistake. Pick one region and do it properly, or commit to two weeks and do the classic north-to-south route.

See the where-to-go decision and Vietnam in 1 week vs Vietnam in 2 weeks.

4. Set a realistic budget

Vietnam ranges from $30/day backpacker to $400/day luxury. Most travellers land between $80 and $180/day. The biggest budget surprise tends to be mid-range hotels and Western-style cafés — they cost almost the same as in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, not the bargain rate you might expect.

See the budget decision and the trip-cost calculator.

5. Read the safety overview

Vietnam is safer than its reputation. The real risks are motorbike accidents (the leading cause of foreigner deaths), drink-spiking in some nightlife districts, and a small set of avoidable scams. None of this should put you off; all of it benefits from knowing the patterns.

See the safety overview and the scams hub.

6. Decide what to book in advance

Some things in Vietnam are best booked weeks ahead; most are better left fluid. Book in advance:

• International flights
• First 2 nights' hotel in your arrival city
• Hạ Long Bay overnight cruise (specific boat)
• Sơn Đoòng cave expedition (waitlist runs a year)
• Sleeper-train tickets if travelling at Tết or Reunification Day
• Domestic flights at Tết / Independence Day / Reunification Day

Don't bother:

• Most internal hotels (book on arrival, see them first)
• Day tours (find better local operators in-country)
• Restaurants (no one books)
• Internal transport more than 2 weeks ahead

7. Plan your money

Vietnam runs largely on cash in 100,000-đồng notes. Cards work in mid-range hotels, big restaurants, and large shops; everything else is cash. Get cash from bank-branch ATMs (Vietcombank, BIDV, Techcombank, HSBC) — never standalone ATMs in dark passages.

Bring two debit cards from two different banks. Tell your bank you'll be in Vietnam. Set up Wise for cheap currency conversion if you plan to stay long.

See money and banking and ATM and card skimming.

8. Buy travel insurance with the motorbike clause

Standard travel insurance often excludes motorbike riding. If you're planning to rent a motorbike — or you're not sure — confirm the policy explicitly covers two-wheelers. The motorbike-rental exclusion is the single most expensive surprise foreign travellers find in Vietnam.

See travel insurance and the motorbike rental page.

What this checklist is not

It's not the full pre-departure checklist — that's the honest pre-flight checklist. And it's not a substitute for the orientation read in first time in Vietnam.

It's the eight items most likely to bite you if you skip them at booking stage.

Related

• First time in Vietnam
• The visa decision
• The when-to-come decision
• The where-to-go decision
• The budget decision
• The safety overview
• The honest pre-flight checklist