Smart Self-Managed Tours

Country guide

Vietnam

A photograph of Vietnam
Photograph · Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0

Vietnam covers 331,344.82 km² and its 2025 population estimate is 102,300,000, held mostly in two river deltas at opposite ends of a long, narrow country: the Red River in the north around Hanoi, the Mekong in the south below Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is the capital and Ho Chi Minh City the largest city, and the ground between the two is the trip — a coast measured in days rather than hours, usually broken into three or four stops instead of run in one go. Which end a traveller starts from decides the order of everything after it.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information
Language spoken
Vietnamese
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+84
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Vietnamese đồng (VND)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
113 police · 114 fire · 115 ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A and C · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

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Category

Historic monuments 0 Museums 0 Places of worship 4202 Nature sites 0 Viewpoints 0 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 0 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 0 Art and culture 390 Activities 0

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 390

Interests

History 0 Art 390 Museums 390 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  4. 11 Animals
    04 1 hour

    11 Animals

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  6. 6 Animals
    06 1 hour

    6 Animals

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  7. acb bank
    07 1 hour

    acb bank

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  10. Annam Gallery
    10 1 hour

    Annam Gallery

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  11. Army Theater
    11 1 hour

    Army Theater

    Nhà hát Quân đội

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  12. Art Arcade
    12 1 hour

    Art Arcade

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  13. Artbook
    13 1 hour

    Artbook

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  14. Art Gallery
    14 1 hour

    Art Gallery

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  16. Art Vietnam
    16 1 hour

    Art Vietnam

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hanoi
  22. Bàu Nhám
    22 1 hour

    Bàu Nhám

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  23. Bàu Nhám
    23 1 hour

    Bàu Nhám

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  30. Bia đá
    30 1 hour

    Bia đá

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hanoi
  31. Blue Gallery
    31 1 hour

    Blue Gallery

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hanoi
  32. Boudha
    32 1 hour

    Boudha

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  33. Bronze elephant statue
    33 1 hour

    Bronze elephant statue

    Tượng voi đồng

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  35. Buddha
    35 1 hour

    Buddha

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  36. Buddha
    36 1 hour

    Buddha

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  37. Buddha
    37 1 hour

    Buddha

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  38. Buddha
    38 1 hour

    Buddha

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  39. Buddha
    39 1 hour

    Buddha

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  40. bún tôm
    40 1 hour

    bún tôm

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  41. Cá chép
    41 1 hour

    Cá chép

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  45. cafe hoa gỗ
    45 1 hour

    cafe hoa gỗ

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  46. Cảnh Ròm
    46 1 hour

    Cảnh Ròm

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  52. Cây nêu
    52 1 hour

    Cây nêu

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  57. Chu Dai Bi
    57 1 hour

    Chu Dai Bi

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  59. Chuông
    59 1 hour

    Chuông

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hanoi
  60. Cinemax 8D
    60 1 hour

    Cinemax 8D

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  61. Cong an My An
    61 1 hour

    Cong an My An

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  64. CSO Gallery
    64 1 hour

    CSO Gallery

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  72. DaNang Beach
    72 1 hour

    DaNang Beach

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  73. Đất Hiền
    73 1 hour

    Đất Hiền

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  74. DBW Company
    74 1 hour

    DBW Company

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  75. đền Chu
    75 1 hour

    đền Chu

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hanoi
  80. Dien Bien Theatre
    80 1 hour

    Dien Bien Theatre

    Rạp Điện Biên

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  84. đình Chu
    84 1 hour

    đình Chu

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Hanoi
  98. Dragon
    98 1 hour

    Dragon

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Da Nang
  99. Dragon Statue
    99 1 hour

    Dragon Statue

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  100. Đức mẹ Maria Đức mẹ Maria
    100 1 hour

    Đức mẹ Maria

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
    • Ho Chi Minh City

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Vietnam be?

A north-to-south first trip needs about two weeks; with ten days, choose two regions such as Hanoi and the centre or Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Overnight trains and domestic flights shorten distance but still consume transfer time.

What entry documents are needed for Vietnam?

Apply through Vietnam’s official electronic-visa portal if the passport and trip qualify. Confirm the approved entry point, validity dates and permitted stay before finalising the route, because an authorisation tied to one crossing should not be assumed valid for another.

What is the best way to travel around Vietnam?

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang are the key gateways for common itineraries. Domestic flights, the north-south railway and coaches connect regions; local systems vary, so use licensed taxis or recognised booking channels and verify the correct station or terminal.

When is a practical time to visit Vietnam?

Vietnam’s north, central coast and south have different wet and dry periods. Choose travel dates around the most weather-sensitive region: central beach conditions, northern mountain visibility and southern rainfall cannot be summarised by one nationwide “best month.”

What money and payment basics apply in Vietnam?

The Vietnamese đồng is the recorded currency, and the high denomination numbers deserve a deliberate check before payment. Cash remains useful for small vendors and local transport; use reputable ATMs or banks and verify each zero on quoted VND prices.

What practical safety details should I save for Vietnam?

Police, fire and ambulance are recorded as 113, 114 and 115; common power is Type A and C at 220 V. Tap-water advice is Not recorded here, so ask locally and keep transport-provider details available for long rail or coach journeys.