Vietnam Travel Tips
Happy Monday!
It’s been a busy few weeks and I took some time off from writing but I’m back now. To be honest, I’ve been considering if I am going to continue with Megan Away, but I think I will keep it going for a bit longer now. I missed it :)
Tj and I just got back from an amazing vacation in Vietnam! It was so special for me to go to this beautiful country where Tj is from for the first time. We've been back for about a week now and Tj is in major food withdrawals.
Here are some of my top Vietnam travel tips:
Getting there:
I flew there direct from Melbourne, and Tj was already in Vietnam for work. It’s an 8.5-hour direct flight and I was so tired when I landed. Tj met me at the airport, but unfortunately, he had to wait a bit longer for me because this ding dong put the wrong date on my visa. I landed at about 9:30 pm and I had to wait until after midnight because my visa wasn’t valid until the next day. It was extremely annoying. Eventually (at like 12:01 am) they let me in the country and I was finally able to meet up with Tj and go to our hotel.
Getting around:
Our taxi from the airport to the hotel was the first and only time on this trip that a taxi driver tried to rip us off but Tj wasn’t having it. For the rest of the trip, we used Grab, an app like Uber where you know the cost upfront but you pay cash. You can also do grab bikes and ride on the back of a scooter but I was too scared.
Crossing the street:
Nobody warned me about crossing the street in Vietnam! Cars and motorbikes hardly slow down. I've never seen anything like it. Luckily they don't drive too fast, but it's intense. You just have to go for it because traffic is always busy and it doesn’t slow down. Take a step, pause as traffic flows around you, and take another step. Repeat until you make it to the other side. Our hotel provided advice to be confident and never run back. My best tip is to find a local and cross with them.
Starbucks is your friend:
This sounds so basic, but sometimes a Starbucks pit stop was exactly what we needed for multiple reasons:
Strong air conditioning. Yes please! Sometimes I just needed an escape from the heat.
Cold drinks. I love a nice iced green tea lemonade, especially when it is so hot.
Clean washroom. And free.
Charge your phone. Perfect if you’ve been using Google Maps all day and you want to make sure you have enough battery to get home and take more pictures.
Free wifi.
Getting home:
I had a long travel day and I had a head cold, so I was not looking forward to a long wait at the airport. The SGN airport has sleep boxes you can rent and honestly, this probably saved me. It was a little quieter, less bright, and I slept for about an hour and a half without worrying about my belongings or what I looked like. I wish I had more time in there, but unfortunately, these can only be accessed once you are through security. I would recommend using the sleep box, and I wish all airports had them. Tj flew home a few days after me. He was a little fancier than me and had access to the airport lounge.
I can't wait to share more about our trip! If Vietnam wasn't on your travel bucket list, I will tell you all the best reasons why it should be.