Vietnam

The expansive cuisine of Vietnam is best identified by the traditional delights such as Pho, Banh Mi, Bun Rieu and Banh Cuon, among others. Here are some of the best places to get a taste of these dishes:

1. Banh Cuon: One of the best places to try Banh Cuon is at Saigon's Banh Cuon Hai Nam. The little street-side restaurant is known for dishing out the best of these noodle-wrapped spring rolls in the city.

2. Bun Rieu: Vietnamese cuisine is known for its noodle soups, and this crab-based delicacy is best dished out at the Bun Rieu Nguyen Canh Chan restaurant at Home Chi Minh City.

3. Pho: A staple in Vietnam, one of the best places to try this delicious noodle soup at is Phan Chu Trinh's restaurant called Pho 2000. The restaurant also serves delectable Vietnamese spring rolls, which can be eaten as an accompaniment.

4. Banh Mi: If you had to make a list of the best places serving Banh Mi in Vietnam, Madam Khanh's food joint would surely be at the top of the list. Serving this bread-based delight for nearly 30 years now, Banh Mi Queen is one of Vietnam's most popular eateries.

• Vietnam is a place frequented by tourists and hence, it is better to book your stay facilities well in advance.

• Though the crime rate against tourists is very low, you should beware of scammers who try to fool tourists by selling fake things claiming them to be original.

• Take care of expensive belongings while on the trip.

• Do not get into any drug related situations.

• Do not offend or insult the local culture or people of Vietnam in any way as they are very simple and humble people who respect their culture a lot.

The legal age to consume alcohol in Vietnam is 18 years for all types of alcoholic drinks. Though the age limits are not very rigid, it is better and safe to follow them.

The best time to visit Vietnam is from the month of February to April when the country has spring season going on.

• In spring, March and April have the lowest rainfall across all destinations and temperatures are pleasant.The northern part of the country is cooler.
• Similarly, another best time to be here is in the month of August to October during the autumn season. During these seasons, the temperatures are pleasant, moderate with lighter rainfall in all parts of Vietnam.

Vietnam is a popular country located on the south of China. It is visited by tourists from all across the globe every year who have only had good things to say about the country in all these years. Vietnam is well connected to to its neighbouring countries as well as countries on the other side of globe. Tourists can reach Vietnam by fight, road, rail and sea.

By Air- Direct flights are offered by airlines like Air Asia,Qantas, Air France and Lufthansa from most parts of the world. The NoiBai International Airport in Hanoi is preferred by most of the travellers. But you may also choose Danang International Airport depending on your convenience..

By Train- Travellers from Beijing and Nanning can board direct international train to Hanoi.

By Road- Travellers from Cambodia, China, and Laos can reach Vietnam by road. There are regular buses that commute within these destinations.

A Vietnam visa is required for most international flyers to enter and exit Vietnam at three international airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. You can get your visa on arrival at any of these airports. The procedure of getting the visa is pretty simple and convenient. You can get a visa by applying online on the Vietnam government’s official website. You can then show this letter at the airport and you’re ready for your trip!

The Vietnamese Dong is the currency of Vietnam. Like every other country, Vietnam too has many money exchange facility providers. Getting a grip on all the zeroes can be a challenging task for first-time visitors to Vietnam. You may suddenly feel like you’re a millionaire as you see money splurging in. The easiest and most convenient idea is to exchange the currency on the airport itself. You can also get your money exchanged in any of the banks. But don’t forget, these two charges the highest service cost. Some of the other money changers are hotels, jewelry and gold shops.

Local buses are most prominent in cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. Except for this tourists are often comfortable boarding the local taxis. There are shared taxis available at many internal parts of the country as well. These can be easily discovered on your visit to Vietnam.

Taking vaccinations before any trip is a personal choice. But of course, precaution is better than cure so here are a few vaccinations you can take up to be fit and fine while in Vietnam:

• Cholera
• Diphtheria
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Rabies
• Tetanus

Vietnamese is the local language of Vietnam and is considered to be one of the commonly spoken languages in the world. This one is a typical tonal language and the meaning of a word depends on how high or low your voice is. Once you understand how letters and tone have tone to be pronounced, you get a hang of the language. It has very few exceptions when compared to English language.

Here are a few most commonly used greetings with their pronunciation you may want to use in Vietnam…
- Hello.
Xin chào. (sin chow)
- Hi.
Chào. (chow)
- Hello. (on the phone)
A-lô. (AH-loh)
- How are you?
Khoe không? (kweh kohng?)

With long coastline, Vietnam has many beaches for tourists to enjoy a warm sunbath and get some sun tanning. There are secluded coves with white sands and waters which is suitable for snorkelling. Moreover, you can also enjoy the beautiful sunset at these beaches while sipping a mug of beer. Relax and have the best time at below listed beaches that are some of the must visit beaches in Vietnam.

• Long Beach, Phu Quoc
• City Beach, Nha Trang
• Hon Chong Beach, Nha Trang
• Ho Coc Beach, Ho Coc
• Doc Let Beach, Hon Khoi peninsula
• Dai Lanh, Hon Ghom peninsula
• My Khe, Quang Ngai
• Long Beach, Phu Quoc
• Star Beach, Phu Quoc
• City Beach, Nha Trang
• Hon Chong Beach, Nha Trang.
• Ho Coc Beach, Ho Coc
• Doc Let Beach, Hon Khoi peninsula
• Dai Lanh, Hon Ghom peninsula
• My Khe, Quang Ngai

Vietnam is blessed to have some beautiful places that have managed to bag the title of UNESCO world heritage sites. These are of course, some must visit places in Vietnam that depict beauty, lifestyle and culture of the country. These wonders of Vietnam are-

• Halong Bay
• Phong Nha Ke Bang
• Hue Complex of Monuments
• Hoi An Ancient Town
• Thang Long Imperial Citadel
• My Son Sanctuary
• Ho Dynasty Citadel

Tourists coming to Vietnam are spellbound by the wildly beautiful nature the country has. For adventure enthusiasts, this land offers picturesque trails that let you have some very memorable, challenging treks in Vietnam. Some of the best trekking trails are these listed below-

• Sapa
• Pu Luong (Phu Luong)
• Mai Chau
• Cao Bang
• Cat Ba Island
• Ba Be Lake and National Park
• Cuc Phuong National Park
• Cat Tien National Park
• Lang Bian Mountain

As Vietnam has long coastal line, it facilitates opportunities for water sports. There are many activities you can enjoy to make your trip to Vietnam. Here are the best recommended ones that are thrilling, fun and really enjoyable.

• Flyboard
• Parasailing
• Water skiing
• Sea walking
• Scuba diving
• Motorboat
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Cruising

Vietnam is a country rich in traditions, culture and mythology that extends for centuries and millennia. If you observe closely, you shall realise that it is all a blend of influences from China, the greater Indochina region, and also Europe. The temples in Vietnam clearly depict these elements. If you plan on visiting a few, here’s where you should go-

• The One Pillar Pagoda

Location- Chùa M?t C?t, ??i C?n, Ba ?ình, Hà N?i

• Perfume Pagoda

Location- H??ng S?n, M? ??c, Hanoi

• Temple of Literature

Location- 58 Qu?c T? Giám, V?n Mi?u, ??ng ?a, Hà N?i

• Keo Pagoda

Location- ?T220B, làng Keo, Duy Nh?t, V? Th?, Thái Bình

• Truc Lam Temple

Location- Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Da Lat

• Yen Tu Pagoda

Location- ??nh Yên T? 1068m, Th??ng Yên Công, Tp. Uông Bí, Qu?ng Ninh Province

Cruising is a fun activity. It lets you relax and admire the beauty of the place closely. In Vietnam, these activity comes in several options like-

• Sunset cruise
• Dinner Cruise
• Lunch Cruise
• Multi day Cruise
• Night Cruise

 You can choose any of these according to your preferences. They are available from cities like Hanoi and Ho Chin Minh.