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
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  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.

  1. Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History
    02 1 hr 30 min

    Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History

    Bảo tàng Lịch sử Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

    The Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City opened in 1929 as the Blanchard de la Brosse Museum, the first museum in southern Vietnam.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  2. Dragon House
    04 1 hr 30 min

    Dragon House

    Bảo tàng Hồ Chí Minh

    • High
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  3. Hoi An Museum Hoi An Museum
    05 1 hr 30 min

    Hoi An Museum

    Bảo tàng Hội An

    • High
    • Museum
    • Da Nang
  4. Anh Khánh
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Anh Khánh

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  5. Bánh căn
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Bánh căn

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  6. Ba Ria-Vung Tau Museum
    51 1 hr 30 min

    Ba Ria-Vung Tau Museum

    Bảo tàng Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  7. Binh Thuan Museum
    54 1 hr 30 min

    Binh Thuan Museum

    Bảo tàng Lịch Sử Phan Thiết

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  8. Con Dao Museum
    59 1 hr 30 min

    Con Dao Museum

    Bảo tàng Côn Đảo

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  9. Con Dao Prison
    60 1 hr 30 min

    Con Dao Prison

    Nhà tù Côn Đảo

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  10. Dak Glei Prison
    64 1 hr 30 min

    Dak Glei Prison

    Ngục Đăk Glei

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Da Nang
  11. Đà Nẵng Museum Đà Nẵng Museum
    66 1 hr 30 min

    Đà Nẵng Museum

    Bảo tàng Đà Nẵng

    Da Nang Museum is the city's principal civic-history museum, now situated in a new waterfront location. It serves as the main institution dedicated to preserving and presenting the history, culture, and development of Da Nang and its surrounding region.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Da Nang
  12. Dinh Dong Museum and Café
    70 1 hr 30 min

    Dinh Dong Museum and Café

    Dong Dinh Museum is a private museum located on Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang. The institution occupies a forested setting and presents itself as a distinctive cultural venue combining regional memory, architectural elements, and natural surroundings.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Da Nang
  13. Exit
    85 1 hr 30 min

    Exit

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  14. Geological Museum
    89 1 hr 30 min

    Geological Museum

    Bảo tàng Địa chất Việt Nam

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Hanoi
  15. HCMC Youth Museum
    93 1 hr 30 min

    HCMC Youth Museum

    Phòng Truyền thống Thành Đoàn

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  16. Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum
    97 1 hr 30 min

    Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum

    Bảo tàng Chiến dịch Hồ Chí Minh

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Ho Chi Minh City
  17. Ho Chi Minh Museum
    98 1 hr 30 min

    Ho Chi Minh Museum

    Bảo tàng Hồ Chí Minh

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • 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.