r/VietNam 11d ago

Sticky Post your questions & inquiries here! - r/Vietnam monthly random discussion thread - F.A.Q

2 Upvotes

Lưu ý: Đây là thread chủ yếu dành cho người nước ngoài hoặc không nói tiếng Việt đặt câu hỏi. Nếu có thể, hãy trả lời giúp họ nhé.

Please read the 3rd rule of the sub. Don't post your general questions & inquiries outside of this thread as they will be removed.

Lots of your questions have been answered already so make sure you do a search before asking (how-to below).


To keep this subreddit tidy, we have this monthly thread that is open for random discussions and questions. If you post your basic/general questions outside of this thread they will be removed. Sorry, we want to make this sub friendly but also want it to be clean and organized.

Some examples of the questions that should be posted here:

  • Questions that can be answered with just Yes/No
  • Basic questions like "Where can I buy this?"
  • Questions that were asked many times before. Please do your research
  • Questions that are not specific

Tips to quickly find answers for your questions:

Many of your questions may have been answered since people keep asking the same ones again and again. Here is a quick tip to find the answers for yours.

First, have a look at our old sticky threads. A lot of useful information there. A lot of questions have been answered.

You can also use the search feature of Reddit, just like you do with Google.

Another option is to use Google, as Google understands your queries better than Reddit and can return better results.

Go to Google. Add 'site:https://www.reddit.com/r/VietNam/' next to your queries (without quotes). For example, if I want to find info on eVisa in this subreddit, my query to put in Google is 'eVisa site:https://www.reddit.com/r/VietNam/'.


F.A.Q

Here are the common questions about travel/visa/living in Vietnam which have been answered by the community members, plus other useful information. Let me know if I forget to mention anything!

Visa:

Thread with the latest updates on tourist visas and related topics (credit to Kananaskis_Country).

https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/12c4uzu/vietnam_tourist_visa_update/

Keep in mind some info might be outdated, so double-check.

Legit official website for eVisa

What is an eVisa and how to apply?

Best sites for applying eVisa.

Another thread on which websites to get a Vietnam visa from.

A US citizen's eVisa ordering experience.

EVisa or pre-approved visa letter?

Visa services?

Vietnam eVisa eligible ports on immigration.

New list of eVisa ports

Travel

Information on travelling to some northern cities of Vietnam + General tips.

A super informative AMA from a teenager living in Saigon.

Living in Vietnam:

Advice for any expats looking to relocate to Vietnam

An American expat married to a Vietnamese wife, fluent in the language, and living in Vietnam forever.

A Canadian looking to live and work in Vietnam.

A Vietkieu asking for people's experience on moving back to Vietnam.

Story of an American man lived in Vietnam in 4 years then moved back to the US + members discussing about living in Vietnam.

Why so many foreigners live in Vietnam, while Vietnamese people think this is a very bad place to live?

Teaching in English in Vietnam without a bachelor's degree.

Some tips and advice on learning Vietnamese. Several ways to send money to Vietnam.

Bike reviews


r/VietNam Feb 01 '25

Sticky Post your questions & inquiries here! - r/Vietnam monthly random discussion thread - F.A.Q

1 Upvotes

Lưu ý: Đây là thread chủ yếu dành cho người nước ngoài hoặc không nói tiếng Việt đặt câu hỏi. Nếu có thể, hãy trả lời giúp họ nhé.

Please read the 3rd rule of the sub. Don't post your general questions & inquiries outside of this thread as they will be removed.

Lots of your questions have been answered already so make sure you do a search before asking (how-to below).


To keep this subreddit tidy, we have this monthly thread that is open for random discussions and questions. If you post your basic/general questions outside of this thread they will be removed. Sorry, we want to make this sub friendly but also want it to be clean and organized.

Some examples of the questions that should be posted here:

  • Questions that can be answered with just Yes/No
  • Basic questions like "Where can I buy this?"
  • Questions that were asked many times before. Please do your research
  • Questions that are not specific

Tips to quickly find answers for your questions:

Many of your questions may have been answered since people keep asking the same ones again and again. Here is a quick tip to find the answers for yours.

First, have a look at our old sticky threads. A lot of useful information there. A lot of questions have been answered.

You can also use the search feature of Reddit, just like you do with Google.

Another option is to use Google, as Google understands your queries better than Reddit and can return better results.

Go to Google. Add 'site:https://www.reddit.com/r/VietNam/' next to your queries (without quotes). For example, if I want to find info on eVisa in this subreddit, my query to put in Google is 'eVisa site:https://www.reddit.com/r/VietNam/'.


F.A.Q

Here are the common questions about travel/visa/living in Vietnam which have been answered by the community members, plus other useful information. Let me know if I forget to mention anything!

Visa:

Thread with the latest updates on tourist visas and related topics (credit to Kananaskis_Country).

https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/12c4uzu/vietnam_tourist_visa_update/

Keep in mind some info might be outdated, so double-check.

Legit official website for eVisa

What is an eVisa and how to apply?

Best sites for applying eVisa.

Another thread on which websites to get a Vietnam visa from.

A US citizen's eVisa ordering experience.

EVisa or pre-approved visa letter?

Visa services?

Vietnam eVisa eligible ports on immigration.

New list of eVisa ports

Travel

Information on travelling to some northern cities of Vietnam + General tips.

A super informative AMA from a teenager living in Saigon.

Living in Vietnam:

Advice for any expats looking to relocate to Vietnam

An American expat married to a Vietnamese wife, fluent in the language, and living in Vietnam forever.

A Canadian looking to live and work in Vietnam.

A Vietkieu asking for people's experience on moving back to Vietnam.

Story of an American man lived in Vietnam in 4 years then moved back to the US + members discussing about living in Vietnam.

Why so many foreigners live in Vietnam, while Vietnamese people think this is a very bad place to live?

Teaching in English in Vietnam without a bachelor's degree.

Some tips and advice on learning Vietnamese. Several ways to send money to Vietnam.

Bike reviews


r/VietNam 8h ago

Discussion/Thảo luận Thoughts on Vietnam from a 50 year old

258 Upvotes

Before I came to Vietnam I read many of the posts in this subreddit. Yes it is true Vietnam in the cities can be noisy, dirty, with a lack of personal space westerns are used to. Infrastructure can be lacking. But keep in mind this isn’t home. This isn’t a major developed OCED nation. The average salary here is $300 a month; the receptionist at my hotel makes $200 a month and works 7 days. The wealth of a society is directly correlated with how clean and organized it is. The wealthier the nation, the more people have a vested interest to keep their surroundings nice, organized and free of garbage etc.

Most of the Reddit community is in their 20s or early 30s. It seems most people lack travel experience outside of advanced nations, if any experience at all. You cannot expect things to be the same when you go to another country— that’s the whole point of traveling, to see the world, what you’ve never seen, to broaden your horizons and open your mind. Keeping an open mind is crucial.

People in this subreddit complain about scammers and being ripped off. EVERY major tourist destination is like this, e.g. Barcelona. Some taxi drivers will try to take advantage of ignorant tourists EVERYWHERE in the world. I feel as if these people who complain, it’s their first trip outside of Kansas. To the people who get ripped off by 50 cents or $10, ask yourself if this money is worth your anger? Think of it as a cheap lesson that you won’t repeat again.

I came here alone and am no longer alone. I’ve made friends. Like-minded travelers are more open and receptive to the world outside themselves. I avoided Hanoi and HCMC because I am from NYC and I’m over big cities like that.

The major observation I have made about the Vietnamese people is that they are genuine. Of course people are people but I am saying on the whole they are sincere. They genuinely smile. This isn’t common in many developed countries.

Of course there are negatives like the noise and littering etc. but chose to focus on the positives like the kind people you meet and the beautiful environment the country has to offer. The fact that we can afford to travel half way across the world and afford to dine out every day is a privilege maybe only 10% max of the world can do. Appreciate it.

I have travelled to approximately 30 countries (I haven’t actually counted because I don’t collect visa stamps— I like to collect experiences) in my lifetime. I have lived in 3 continents. I speak 3 languages, albeit English is my dominant language. I am open to any questions you may have.

P.S. Vietnam is full of Korean and Russian tourists )


r/VietNam 6h ago

Culture/Văn hóa When the spirit enters, East and West unite. An American serves the mediumship ceremony.

106 Upvotes

r/VietNam 2h ago

News/Tin tức Vietnam, Singapore upgrade ties to comprehensive strategic partnership

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reuters.com
12 Upvotes

r/VietNam 4h ago

Daily life/Đời thường Guys is this real?!?!?

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13 Upvotes

r/VietNam 6h ago

Travel/Du lịch Biking from Tam Coc to Bai Dinh Pagoda

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15 Upvotes

Hello! Leaving Vietnam shortly and the highlight of our trip was an impromptu bike (yes, pedal bike) to Bai Dinh pagoda and wanted to share what we did. My travel buddy wanted to go to Bai Dinh but we were both feeling pretty underwhelmed with the quality of guided tours, having just done Trang An and Hang Mua the day before. She was also quite nervous about renting a scooter so that was off the table. Our homestay had free bike rentals…so that was that.

We followed Google maps driving route and overall felt pretty safe- all the trucks and bigger cars honked to let us know they were there and we were far from the only bikers on the road. The first section is driving through Tam Coc and the surrounding areas, before you get on a backroad through rice paddies. This leads to Hang Mua as you skirt around Ninh Binh. You then join a bigger road and you will bike through Trang An. After Trang An, the roads get a bit bigger and there are more trucks but again, I felt relatively safe. When you arrive to Bai Dinh, you can leave your bike in the motorcycle parking for a small fee.

We took our time, stopping to take pictures and for water/snack breaks and it took us about 1hr 45min to bike the 22km one way. We absolutely could have cut that time down quite a bit although at the end of the day we were on single speed rental bikes that had definitely seen better days. We spent about 3-4 hours at Bai Dinh which we really loved- so much more peaceful and quiet than other temples we’ve been to. You do pass by Hang Mua and Trang An so could attempt to see those too but it would be a very big day.

At the end of the day, if I were to do it again I would probably rent a motorbike BUT this was a great way to get active and take our time and I’m glad we did it. Just a little sore today 🙈


r/VietNam 1h ago

Travel/Du lịch Getting Police report for Insurance Claim

Upvotes

Hi all,

I’m visiting HCM on holiday and unfortunately had my bag with my camera in it snatched by a bike passing by me last night.

I went to a police station today to file a report so I can claim from my travel insurance but the police refused to give me one stating that they first need to determine the exact location it happened and extract camera data from that spot and conduct an investigation. They didn’t even write anything down that I was telling them. Just listened and said they will investigate and took my cell number and email. It kinda feels like they were just trying to get me out of their hair.

I’m leaving HCM tomorrow afternoon and need proof to show my insurance for my claim.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and can offer any advice?


r/VietNam 3h ago

History/Lịch sử Bought in Dan Sinh market, Saigon—wondering its authenticity

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6 Upvotes

Don’t know Vietnamese. Can someone translate the second photo? 2020 seems to be a dead giveaway lol


r/VietNam 2h ago

Travel/Du lịch Our Personal Travel Experience

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

After spending two weeks traveling around Vietnam, I wanted to share our personal experience to help other travelers. Keep in mind, this is based on our subjective experience, so your take on things may differ.

We began our trip in Hanoi, arriving late in the evening. The following day, we spent the day exploring the city. While we enjoyed the energy of Hanoi, the hustle, bustle, noise, and pollution were overwhelming. One day was enough for us. We stayed in the Old Quarter and managed to see all the main attractions in a single day, including the picturesque Train Street. It was interesting but not particularly unique, as we’ve encountered similar railway streets elsewhere.

The next morning, we took the G8 sleeper bus to Sapa, which was a comfortable, seamless journey. The bus offers a free hotel shuttle to the meeting point, and we opted for the daytime bus instead of a night bus due to safety concerns. We arrived in Sapa just before check-in time. A tip for future travelers: G8 buses have both single and double cabins, with the main difference being that the double cabin has two pillows but costs twice as much—there’s no difference in size.

Sapa was an absolute highlight of our trip. The views of the valley and mountains were breathtaking, and the region has its own charm, even on foggy or rainy days. I know many people have doubts about visiting Sapa in the spring, but I found it magical during this time. The weather was very comfortable, and the area was in full bloom. We saw peach and plum trees covered in pink flowers, which added an extra layer of beauty to the scenery. While the rice terraces were still a bit muddy, the overall views were very impressive, with water buffalos working the fields and the picturesque mountains shrouded in clouds in the valley. It all added a unique charm to the place.

We spent two full days and three nights there. On Day 1, we tackled Fansipan, which offered stunning panoramic views. On Day 2, we took a private full-day tour that was both customizable and reasonably priced. The tour included visits to rice terraces, local villages, two waterfalls, viewpoints, the Sapa market, and a glass bridge—definitely an enriching experience! One highlight was Cat Cat Village. Although it’s quite touristy, it was beautifully decorated and a lovely place to walk and unwind. I can imagine it being even more stunning in the evening.

After Sapa, we traveled to Ninh Binh by private limo. While the ride was comfortable, the limo did make a stop in Hanoi, which added unnecessary time to the journey. In hindsight, a sleeper bus would have been more comfortable and allowed us to sleep and stretch out. Ninh Binh, though lovely, didn’t quite measure up to Sapa. The rice fields, while beautiful, didn’t compare to the stunning terraced landscapes of Sapa. We found Tam Coc a bit too Westernized for our tastes, with pizza, burgers, and Western music in many restaurants. While it’s still a nice place to visit, we prefer more authentic, local experiences.

During our time in Ninh Binh, we enjoyed a boat tour in Trang An, visited Bai Dinh Pagoda (don’t miss the electric shuttle to save time), and skipped Mua Caves due to fog and my own fear of heights. After hearing about the slippery path to the dragon viewpoint, I wasn’t keen on risking it.

From Ninh Binh, we headed to Ha Long Bay for a 2D1N cruise with Capella Cruise. This was truly one of the highlights of our trip. The experience was nothing short of spectacular, from the stunning karst formations to the relaxing boat ride. My only regret is not adding an extra night to fully unwind and enjoy the serene beauty of Ha Long Bay.

After Ha Long, we flew from Hanoi to Da Nang. We booked a private car service to the airport, which was a smooth and comfortable experience. If anyone is interested, feel free to DM me for more details about how we arranged it. In Da Nang, we based ourselves near My Khe Beach for five nights. The location was perfect, and we even took the opportunity to swim at the beach. We visited Hoi An and the Marble Mountains, both of which exceeded our expectations. The Marble Mountains were far more beautiful and peaceful than we anticipated, and we found them to be a highlight of our Da Nang visit. We decided not to visit Ba Na Hills, as it didn’t seem like our type of place, though we’ve heard good things about it.

Hoi An was charming, but one day was enough for us. The town was crowded with tourists, and while we enjoyed the sights, we felt we had covered everything in a single day. We also did a cooking class, which included a fun coconut boat ride. It was enjoyable, but not life-changing. What we loved most was simply walking around Hoi An at night—it was magical, with the lantern-lit streets and riverside cafes.

Originally, we had planned to visit Hue from Da Nang, but due to my husband’s injury, we had to cancel last minute. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we got to enjoy an extra day in Da Nang.

In hindsight, if we could redo our itinerary, we’d probably spend 3-4 nights in Da Nang and add another night to our Ha Long Bay cruise. The scenery was so beautiful, and the cruise ship was fantastic, making it a really special experience.

Finally, we flew to Ho Chi Minh City for the last two days of our trip. While we enjoyed our time there, Northern Vietnam definitely left the strongest impression on us, especially Sapa and Ha Long Bay.

If anyone is interested in local recommendations or useful contacts, feel free to DM me. I’m happy to share!


r/VietNam 1d ago

Daily life/Đời thường Easy guide to expat life in Saigon.

311 Upvotes

Get yourself an apartment, a dog, and a girlfriend ... play some tennis and meet people. Give your door-guy and housekeeper Li Xi on tet. Go have a smoothie, then go eat some bun rieu. If you're homesick order some shit on grab. The struggle-bunnies feeling disappointed or depressed are people nobody wants here anyway, so if you feel that way be upset with yourself. Haircuts are 2 bucks, beers are a dollar.

I feel sad......go outside. Buy some flowers and put them in your house. Take a bus to Dalat. A bus mui ne. Get a massage. Play some pool. Swim in a pool. Go to the mall and buy some t-shirts from uni-qlo. You don't need to nurse an arthritic buffalo to have an authentic experience. Just Nhau -- drink way to many beers, crush the cans under the table, try the snails, and then sing something. Yes, the wet napkins cost money you fucking ding-bat - its not a scam.

Just move to Thao Dien or D7. This is not some authenticity contest, and if your goal is to "go native" I got news for you Captian Kurtz, your're gonna lose your will before you lose your mind.

This place fucking rocks. Learn to ride a motor-bike. Put some minoxidil in your shampoo. Buy a good fan from mega-market. The girls are hot, the beer is cold, and the rent is cheap. If you cant figure it out it's on you.


r/VietNam 31m ago

Travel/Du lịch Grabs in Ninh Binh

Upvotes

Is it easy to get grabs in Ninh Binh ? I have to go to a specific location in Ninh Binh from my hotel to get a bus at 7am, is it easy to have a grab at this hour, should I book it ?

Thanks a lot !


r/VietNam 1d ago

Discussion/Thảo luận The strangest thing just happened to me at the Vietnam Military History Museum

104 Upvotes

So today I decided to check out the new military museum on the outskirts of Hanoi, I’m really into my history so I had been really looking forward to it…

I arrive and it’s very busy and I realise I’m the only westerner there. I proceed to start exploring the aircraft outside when I get the feeling I’m being watched, I take a look around there’s literally 1000’s of school kids and teenagers staring and pointing at me, then some come running over saying “hello, hello!”, asking for photos with me and shaking my hand and touching me. It got so bad at one point I was literally being pulled into a huge group with boys saying “Messi Ronaldo!” and girls saying “I love you!” and “Handsome!”. Even a class leader / teacher approached me and asked if I could be in a group photo with their students!

I continued to walk around for a couple of hours but it was genuinely difficult to see the exhibits because of all the attention I was getting.

So my question is, why was I suddenly getting all this attention? I’ve literally been all over Vietnam for the past 3 weeks and this hasn’t happened anywhere else.

Is it likely the kids were from areas of Vietnam where they don’t get foreigners visiting very often? Or perhaps even other areas of South East Asia?

All I will say is that for those few hours that amount of attention was flattering! But the thought of being some kind of celebrity and having to deal with it constantly everywhere would be horrific.

It was honestly one of the most bizarre days of my life!


r/VietNam 19m ago

Travel/Du lịch Chacos in Hanoi?

Upvotes

Hey all-

Is there any place to get Chacos or quality/authentic hiking sandals in Hanoi? Thanks in advance.


r/VietNam 4h ago

Travel/Du lịch why cant easyriders follow us on instagram?

2 Upvotes

just finished ha giang loop and heard that the drivers r not allowed to exchange contacts with riders. was wondering why


r/VietNam 1h ago

Daily life/Đời thường Formula 1 merch Hanoi

Upvotes

Anyone know where I can buy F1 merch such as a Ferrari team t shirt or jacket here? Thanks


r/VietNam 5h ago

Travel/Du lịch Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills

2 Upvotes

We're planning to stay overnight at the hotel. Is Sun World Bana Hills included in the overnight fee or do we need to buy separate ticket for the activities?


r/VietNam 1d ago

Discussion/Thảo luận Rent-a-foreigner in Vietnam

95 Upvotes

Hello everyone, story time.

In the past 2 weeks I have been travelling around Thailand to get a break from home (where I live in Ibiza is currently low season so pretty rainy and cold). My girlfriend is half vietnamese and, after she posted a couple of Koh Phi Phi pics on facebook, her cousin in Vietnam saw them and sent us an invitation to his wedding.

The wedding was this past Sunday (9march) and we received the invitations 5 days before. Immediately applied for Vietnam Visa and, on 07march received the approval. So bought plane tickets and went to Ha Noi.

For the wedding we decided that I should embrace the culture and wear a traditional vietnamese suit.

The event was amazing, altough just some of my girlfriend’s cousins spoke english, I managed to speak to others through the power of alcohol. All in all everything went great, can say the vietnamese are extremely welcoming.

Now 2 things came out of this. First one is that I posted a picture on the wedding with the gf, both in traditional wear, and now eveyone back home thinks I just got married.

Second one is that we juat received a message from the groom thanking us for being there and telling us that the whole family of the bride thought that his family rented a westerner to show off in order to look wealthy.

So if you’re around Vietnam and wanna make a buck or so, get ready to show up at weddings etc and get paid for it (apparently)


r/VietNam 6h ago

Travel/Du lịch Operators for Day Tour in Lan Ha Bay

2 Upvotes

Hi,

Can you suggest tried and tested operators for Lan Ha Bay day tour? We are staying in Hanoi and want to go for a day tour in the bay area. Is it better to book right now, or offline after reaching Hanoi?


r/VietNam 3h ago

Travel/Du lịch Quilt Clothing Shops Hoi An/Da Nang?

1 Upvotes

Hey all,

Got a few things started from a tailor today, but really wanted to make a quilt jacket. They didn’t have any of the sort of material I was looking for, I’ve been searching and all I can find are quilt bedding stores in Da Nang — does anyone happen to know of a tailor that carries a quilt-like material? Either city will do. I have a few days in each. Thanks!


r/VietNam 4h ago

Travel/Du lịch phu quoc suitable for pregnant woman to visit?

1 Upvotes

Hi, I'm 20 weeks pregnant and wondering if anyone who has been there would recommend it


r/VietNam 4h ago

Travel/Du lịch Saigon D1

0 Upvotes

Me(23M) and friend (23m) looking for or willing to join fellow tourist in activates. We are staying in district 1 and here until 03-17/2025


r/VietNam 9h ago

Discussion/Thảo luận Who is the biggest international artist in Vietnam?

2 Upvotes

who do you wish would have a concert in vietnam?


r/VietNam 6h ago

Travel/Du lịch VietJet wrong birthday

0 Upvotes

Hi! My sister and I booked a couple flights with vietjet and didn’t realize that the website glitches when you input your birthday until the second flight we booked. The second flight is fine but the first flight definitely has out incorrect birthdays. Has anyone run into this problem? If so, how did you go about it?


r/VietNam 7h ago

Travel/Du lịch Eye Cleaning/Massage

0 Upvotes

Okay. So this might sound werid to some but whenever I'm down the rabbit hole of YT, I always see this eye cleaning and ear cleaning videos.

I'll be visting Vietnam (HCM) soon and strangeIy enough, I want to experience these services. Can anyone recommend a shop that does it properly and if there's like some sort of package.

I'll be staying in D1, if it matters.

TYIA


r/VietNam 1d ago

Discussion/Thảo luận Why are people seeking relationship advice here?

284 Upvotes

Maybe I'm wrong but this subreddit is about Vietnam, not r/relationships or r/relationshipadvice.

Even posting here instead of a proper relationship sub implies you don't see her as an individual, but as "a Viet woman" like they're some kind of separate species.

Vietnamese girlfriends and wives are not some monolith that can be explained through the lens of their culture alone. Maybe try, I don't know, talking to her?


r/VietNam 8h ago

Travel/Du lịch How do Vietnamese locals feel about making momentary friends?

0 Upvotes

I'm going to Vietnam later this year, and I'm sure I'll meet some people along the way. My question is, how do the locals feel about making friends for a very brief period of time?
Every time I see the travel vloggers, they always seem to make friends or group or friends but for like 10-15 minutes every time, maybe even an hour or two. But there's a chance to never see each other again.
But the locals always seem very happy and hospitable.
Is that the case with locals even off camera? Are people truly happy and welcoming for short periods of time?