Vietnam travel guide: routes, costs and the best months by region

A typical two-week route runs Hanoi (2 days), a Ha Long Bay cruise (2 days), Hue by overnight train, Hoi An, a beach stop in Da Nang or Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, then flies out of the south. With five days, the 5 days in Vietnam itinerary takes the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue and finishes in Hoi An via the Hai Van Pass. Three weeks leaves room for Sapa, Dalat or Phu Quoc.

Combining countries? Vietnam is one leg of the 2-week Southeast Asia itinerary and the 1-month route.

• North: Hanoi for the Old Quarter and street food, Ha Long Bay for an overnight cruise, Sapa for rice-terrace trekking.
• Centre: Hue for the imperial citadel, Hoi An for the old town and tailors, and Da Nang, the beach city whose airport serves both (Hoi An is about 30 km away).
• South: Ho Chi Minh City, then Phu Quoc for beaches, Dalat for cooler highland air or Nha Trang on the coast.

Choosing a boat for the bay: Ha Long Bay cruise guide.

On a budget, dorm beds and basic rooms in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City cost US$4-10, a bowl of pho 30,000-50,000 dong and a banh mi about 20,000 dong. Mid-range means a 3-4 star hotel or good homestay at US$15-28 a night and Grab rides between sights. A Ha Long Bay cruise is usually the biggest single extra. ATMs often cap each withdrawal at about 2,000,000 dong (roughly US$80), so plan for several.

Two weeks costs about US$610-1,080 including US$200 for flights. Full breakdown: Vietnam travel costs and daily budget.

March and April are the months that suit all three regions. Avoid the north from June to September (heavy rain) and the central coast from September to November, the typhoon season, when Hoi An often floods. The south's wet season runs May to November but usually comes in short bursts; Phu Quoc is wettest July to September. Sapa can drop to near freezing in winter.

Month-by-month tables: best time to visit Vietnam by region.

The 45-day list includes Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Japan and South Korea, and requires a passport valid for 6 months plus an onward or return ticket. Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Greece and five other EU states still need the e-visa. Apply only on the official Vietnam e-Visa portal and allow 3-5 working days; avoid agents selling visa-on-arrival letters. Vietnam has no online arrival card.

Every passport, with official links: visa requirements for Vietnam and the Vietnam visa on arrival guide.

• Bag snatching by thieves on motorbikes is common: carry bags on the side away from traffic.
• Taxis: use metered cabs from larger firms or Grab, check the car and driver match the app, and turn down unsolicited "free" hotel transfers at airports and stations.
• Passport as a deposit: never leave it with motorbike rental shops or landlords.
• Drinks: spiking and methanol-contaminated alcohol have both been reported; buy your own drinks and keep them in sight.

Emergency numbers: police 113, fire 114, ambulance 115. Operators speak Vietnamese only.

Vietnam's tourism authority says all three networks have good coverage, data-only SIMs cost roughly 100,000-200,000 dong depending on the allowance, and top-ups come in amounts of 20,000-100,000 dong. A local number is worth having: the official airport guide notes that Grab and other ride-hailing apps need a Vietnamese SIM, which matters most on arrival in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

• Hanoi Noi Bai (HAN): about 27 km from the centre. The orange 86 Express bus runs through central Hanoi to the railway station; taxis and Grab take about an hour.
• Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat (SGN): 8 km from the centre, often 50 minutes by taxi in traffic. Bus 109 ends in the backpacker district.
• Da Nang (DAD): about 5 km from the city. The Hoi An Express shuttle leaves from gate A4 in domestic arrivals.

The Reunification Express links Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; book sleepers early for October-December and Tet. Flights from Da Nang take about 1.5 hours to either end. UK advice notes bus crashes are more likely at night.